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The book's authors -- Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, an ex-model and modeling agent --offer a tough-love approach to losing weight, delivered in a snarky, foul-mouthed, and sometimes brutal, manner. But the message is simple: Lead a vegetarian lifestyle and you'll lose weight. When you strip the diet down to its basics, it's a low-calorie vegetarian diet, which is the reason dieters will experience some degree of weight-loss following its recommendations. And, amidst the pro-vegan message are actually a few healthy suggestions that are sound pieces of advice. For example, the authors have no tolerance for certain unhealthy fare, such as refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, cigarettes, beer and caffeine, and do encourage eating fruits and vegetables in lieu of junk food.
However, there are problems many nutritionists have with the diet. The biggest issue is the book's goal of being skinny, as opposed to being healthy. It's also very hypocritical in places. One place in particular: The diet discourages eating heavily-processed foods, even though many of the soy-based products dieters are asked to use instead of meat or dairy are highly-processed. Other tips, such as encouraging dieters to let themselves become hungry before eating their next meal, runs contrary to what nutritionists advise. Eating smaller meals throughout the day is crucial to keep blood sugar levels even throughout the day to avoid cravings, energy dips and the release of excess insulin (which signals the body to store calories as unwanted fat).
Is the diet healthy?
Certain principles may be, but overall it's not. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, plus eliminating artificial sweeteners, sugar and other processed foods from your diet, are both sound nutritional tips. However, removing all meat and dairy products can cause certain nutritional deficiencies if dieters aren't careful. Iron and calcium are just two essential nutrients that dieters won't get enough of following the plan. That also goes for protein. Even though dieters may think they are getting enough of this essential nutrient from soy-based products and veggies, only animal protein (meat, milk, cheese and eggs) contains all nine essential amino acids which your body needs to in order to rebuild muscle and other various functions. Vegetables and soy-based products (such as tofu, for example) contain what is known as incomplete protein (because they only contain 'some' of the nine essential amino acids). It's possible to mix and match two or more foods so your body gets all nine -- which is what many vegetarians do --but this important step isn't stressed enough.
What do the experts say?
"The most glaring problem is that it's just too unrealistic to follow some of the things that are recommended," says Marisa Moore, RD, LD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "To go cold turkey and cut out all meats, refined sugars and the rest of the other foods they don't approve of would be extremely difficult to do and simply isn't sustainable for the long-term." Moore recognizes that Skinny Bitch is simply a vegetarian diet, but that's not what concerns her as much as its lack of variety. "A vegan diet can be very healthy, but the book doesn't provide any additional support in showing dieters how to mix and match certain foods to make it nutritionally balanced," she says. "Some of the foods they suggest avoiding takes away many of the iron and calcium-rich foods that we know are essential. Yet other foods they absolutely recommended are packaged goods that may contain high levels of sodium or other additives."
Who should consider the diet?
If there's no way you can give up meat or dairy, don't bother. But even if you can handle a vegan lifestyle long-term, anyone considering the diet is advised to consult a dietician to make sure they aren't eating a diet that's lacking in nutrients.
Bottom line
Skinny Bitch is nothing more than a vegetarian lifestyle presented in a humorous, although many times offensive, way. Will you lose weight? Most likely, if you can stick to it. However, according to experts, you may also end up losing lean muscle, certain key nutrients and a desire to stay with the plan as well.
Foods
Soy-based foods, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, potatoes, nuts, beans, and whole grain cereal. You'll need to avoid any animal-based foods, and any products containing chemical additives, sugar and caffeine.
Fitness expert Myatt Murphy is the author of the best-selling books, The Body You Want in the Time You Have, Ultimate Dumbbell Guide and The Men's Health Gym Bible.
However, there are problems many nutritionists have with the diet. The biggest issue is the book's goal of being skinny, as opposed to being healthy. It's also very hypocritical in places. One place in particular: The diet discourages eating heavily-processed foods, even though many of the soy-based products dieters are asked to use instead of meat or dairy are highly-processed. Other tips, such as encouraging dieters to let themselves become hungry before eating their next meal, runs contrary to what nutritionists advise. Eating smaller meals throughout the day is crucial to keep blood sugar levels even throughout the day to avoid cravings, energy dips and the release of excess insulin (which signals the body to store calories as unwanted fat).
Is the diet healthy?
Certain principles may be, but overall it's not. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, plus eliminating artificial sweeteners, sugar and other processed foods from your diet, are both sound nutritional tips. However, removing all meat and dairy products can cause certain nutritional deficiencies if dieters aren't careful. Iron and calcium are just two essential nutrients that dieters won't get enough of following the plan. That also goes for protein. Even though dieters may think they are getting enough of this essential nutrient from soy-based products and veggies, only animal protein (meat, milk, cheese and eggs) contains all nine essential amino acids which your body needs to in order to rebuild muscle and other various functions. Vegetables and soy-based products (such as tofu, for example) contain what is known as incomplete protein (because they only contain 'some' of the nine essential amino acids). It's possible to mix and match two or more foods so your body gets all nine -- which is what many vegetarians do --but this important step isn't stressed enough.
What do the experts say?
"The most glaring problem is that it's just too unrealistic to follow some of the things that are recommended," says Marisa Moore, RD, LD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "To go cold turkey and cut out all meats, refined sugars and the rest of the other foods they don't approve of would be extremely difficult to do and simply isn't sustainable for the long-term." Moore recognizes that Skinny Bitch is simply a vegetarian diet, but that's not what concerns her as much as its lack of variety. "A vegan diet can be very healthy, but the book doesn't provide any additional support in showing dieters how to mix and match certain foods to make it nutritionally balanced," she says. "Some of the foods they suggest avoiding takes away many of the iron and calcium-rich foods that we know are essential. Yet other foods they absolutely recommended are packaged goods that may contain high levels of sodium or other additives."
Who should consider the diet?
If there's no way you can give up meat or dairy, don't bother. But even if you can handle a vegan lifestyle long-term, anyone considering the diet is advised to consult a dietician to make sure they aren't eating a diet that's lacking in nutrients.
Bottom line
Skinny Bitch is nothing more than a vegetarian lifestyle presented in a humorous, although many times offensive, way. Will you lose weight? Most likely, if you can stick to it. However, according to experts, you may also end up losing lean muscle, certain key nutrients and a desire to stay with the plan as well.
Foods
Soy-based foods, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, potatoes, nuts, beans, and whole grain cereal. You'll need to avoid any animal-based foods, and any products containing chemical additives, sugar and caffeine.
Fitness expert Myatt Murphy is the author of the best-selling books, The Body You Want in the Time You Have, Ultimate Dumbbell Guide and The Men's Health Gym Bible.
