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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that 'Lean in 15' is a huge con and teaches nothing about healthy living

13 replies

Teaandcakeat8 · 12/01/2016 20:44

Let me just start by saying, I have no problem with people wanting to lose weight. I've been there and I did it, by cleaning up my diet and training for a half marathon.

But I can't help but feel concerned about the amount of people subscribing to these ridiculous fad diets. Looking down my Instagram and Twitter feeds today I've seen so many people with their 'Lean in 15' books who I know will be ordering Dominoes by Friday when they can't stand any more cashew chicken curry and rice cakes. It makes me want to scream when these same people complain about not being able to lose weight!

Images circulate social media of super toned women in bikinis who claim to have slimmed through these diets, but I am skeptical that these diets and exercise plans are sustainable for anyone attempting to lead a normal life.

AIBU to think that as society we should be educating people on the merits of healthy eating and exercise and not encouraging them to line the pockets of some self proclaimed 'body coach'?

OP posts:

SixtyFootDoll · 12/01/2016 20:49

I think it's one of the better ones.
Better than shakes and starvation.
At least he encourages people to eat proper food.

GloriaSmellens · 12/01/2016 20:55

Oh, I always think his food looks really nice! He is a bit annoying though.....

SaucyJack · 12/01/2016 20:56

I've just Googled, and it looks quite good. Lots of home cooked healthy food. Much, much, much better than a WW ready meal or Slimfart shake.

It's not that bloke's (or his book's) fault if people end up ordering a pizza on Friday night.

SixtyFootDoll · 12/01/2016 20:57

Yes a wannabe Russell Brand

specialsubject · 12/01/2016 20:57

you are on a website where a revolting looking cake full of artificial sweetener is being promoted as a healthy breakfast.

there's no hope for sense, I fear.

sleepwhenidie · 12/01/2016 21:02

Totally NBU but it's nothing new is it, most people want a quick fix and have been utterly brainwashed by the idea of diets that are the answer to their prayers for a smaller bum. They don't want to listen to 'boring' actual sense - that eating real food when you are hungry and almost never when you aren't, and exercising regularly (even just plenty of walking) is the long term answer to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. . Personally I think this guy is incredibly irritating - but as a pp said, at least he doesn't appear to advocate stupid shakes or starvation - won't make his diet any better than any others though, 95%+ of those trying it will either fail or lose weight and then regain it (and then some)...but blame themselves rather than the diet

Shadow1986 · 12/01/2016 21:08

I know people who have done it and lost lots of weight and maintained it with the healthy lifestyle they have learnt from doing the plan.
I think it's an amazing plan when you compare it to other things out there that people use to loose weight like weight watchers, slim fast etc.
This guy encourages exercise and healthy eating I can't see anything wrong with it at all. He has some great recipes for healthy meals, I made one of his for dinner tonight!

PingPongBat · 12/01/2016 21:10

I don't think it's a fad diet, I think it's a lifestyle thing. HIIT style exercise has been confirmed in other research as being a good way of toning up & burning fat. We've got the book & some of his recipes are really good, some not so good, but it's inspired me to adapt some of them & make up our own recipes while DH is sweating in the garage doing his burpees

DH saw the recipes in the paper about a year ago and said he liked the look of them (both of us love stir fries and there are certainly lots of those in the book), so I said I'd only cook them for him if he did the excercises

He didn't follow the 'plan' to the letter, we just cooked the meals 3 times a week and he did the HIIT training in the garage beforehand plus a run at the weekend. In 10 weeks he lost 21lb. Since then... Christmas... booze... cheese... cakes... & he's regained 12lb. So he's started again and I'm really enjoying the food so far!

PurpleWithRed · 12/01/2016 21:12

He does a diet? I was just looking at the pictures of him....

itsaruddygame · 12/01/2016 21:14

I have the book - the food is great and I am losing weight quickly and easily. It's more of a lifestyle change than a diet. Have still eaten out - just applied the basic principles. The food is just simple home cooked food really - lots of veg and lean protein with amounts of carbs tailored to activity levels. I take your general point re fad diets but personally I feel full of energy and healthier than I have done in ages so it can't be all bad!

Steben · 13/01/2016 12:43

Actually I think his advice is really sensible, nothing faddy, proper food and his advice if you are going to go for a blow out is to do a workout beforehand do you can eat carbs and be relatively guilt free!

I haven't got the book but have used some of his recipes I have found online and I am tempted to buy.

Killingmesoftly79 · 13/01/2016 12:50

Well I'm a sheep as I am following it - and loving it! It's not a fad it is sensible nutrition and easy to do HIIT workouts which will achieve results if stuck to. Most workouts are 20 mins and require no special equipment so can be done at home. The meals are so tasty - it isn't a diet it is just educating people on what there body needs depending on activity levels. I'm not overweight (prob what you would call skinny fat) but want to tone and feel strong and healthy - and this is a good way of doing it. Some people need something to follow to keep them motivated.

I've been doing it a week and have loved all I've eaten and can definitely see some changes already.

Same with anything though, you need to keep it up to see and maintain results.

Haveheart · 13/01/2016 14:19

A couple of years ago I started making changes to my diet - I've always been slim but probably wasn't as healthy as I thought I was! I downloaded his book onto my kindle as I was looking for new recipes, it's all stuff I was eating anyway but I found his explanations of what food to eat and when really helpful and I agree with others that it's not a diet but a lifestyle change. I think it's completely sustainable, I have a new born baby and I'm managing to find time to cook and exercise and can see a difference.

I know so many people that have done faddy diets that either encourage detoxing/eating one egg a day with grapefruit,or diets that encourage you to eat whatever you want as long as you don't exceed a certain number of points. Neither of which encourage a healthy attitude to food.
People are always going to look for the next miracle diet to make them instantly thin but at least this one has a good attitude towards eating the right sort of food ( and he's hot )

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