The 5-Factor Diet [Paperback]

I will preface my review by noting that I have a full time job in a "professional" (management) atmosphere. I'm also a full time student at university, as well as member of the armed forces. I'm married, and I participate in extracurricular activities such as the performing arts and volunteer work. In a nutshell...I am a BUSY person. Also, I'm certainly no movie star or any other kind of star. I have found a way to MAKE this lifestyle work for me. It was a tremendous adjustment, and there are days that I'm very frustrated. However, the improvement in my overall well-being, as well as that of my husband, is worth every moment spent in the kitchen.

The most important thing to realize about this plan is that YOU are in control. No one counts for you...no one cooks for you...you are responsible for the menu choices you make, etc. I've been living this lifestyle for almost a year, and I will address two of the chief complaints I've heard about the eating plan.

1) "I don't have time to do the cooking...I need a professional chef!" First off, I am not a professional chef, and neither is my husband. We don't pay for anyone to come in and prepare our meals for us. Every Sunday, which is the "free" day we've chosen for ourselves, we go out and do the grocery shopping. We purchase all the ingredients we will need for the week. Then we go home and TOGETHER we prepare four of the meals for the next day. We select menu options that will be easy to reheat or require no reheating. (Quesadillas, pears with peanut butter, and the pita sandwiches are all favorite choices.) The next day, I use the microwave in the office breakroom to prepare my specialized meals. I don't take a break; I'm fortunate enough to have my own office and I simply eat my "snacks" at my desk. That evening when I get home, my husband and I share the time together to prepare dinner. After dinner, we take about an hour or so and prepare the next day's meals. This routine repeats itself Monday through Friday. Saturdays are nice because I have my own kitchen. However, if I know I'm going to have a busy Saturday, I prepare easy "on-the-go" meals the night before. I have read both of Harley's books, and I know the foods that are "five-factor" friendly, so if I happen to have a lunch meeting or dinner date, I order the appropriate meal from the restaurant I'm at. I usually also ask for a lunch portion so I'm not tempted to eat everything placed before me. (*Note: Most of the meals take five minutes to "prepare." This does NOT include cooking time. Read the recipes. If you don't have time to prepare a certain one in a certain amount of time, DON'T prepare it.)

2) "The ingredients are too expensive (or too hard to find)!" No they're not. I figure that with thirty meals a week, and spending approximately $120 on groceries per week, I'm spending four dollars a meal. That is cheaper than a fast food salad. Yes, some products are pricier than others. Sometimes I can't find a particular ingredient for a meal I really want to prepare. Well...YOU'RE in charge here. Select something different that is more within your price range. How much is your personal health worth, anyway?

Harley does not promote unhealthy habits such as diet pills, fasts, or diet shakes. He encourages lots of water intake. He promotes cardiovascular fitness coupled with strength training, which promotes general fitness and can help with bone density. (My husband and I choose to do a little more than he recommends, but we started out at the prescibed amount of exercise.) He explains the dangers of some artificial sweeteners and makes recommendations. However, he doesn't DEMAND you use a certain brand; he empowers you through the information provided to make an educated personal choice. He teaches about the science of certain foods and how they can help you feel fuller longer. I truly enjoyed READING this book. He's funny, and want's YOU to be in charge. There's a lot of good information, and I felt smarter about my health after reading it. It basically takes the US Dietary Guidelines (the food pyramid) and puts it into recipes FOR YOU, so you're getting what you need.

If you're not willing to make a significant change in your lifestyle, this plan is definitely not for you. If you're looking for a fad diet that will force you to lose weight fast, this plan is not for you.

He's laid the plan out so it's virtually fail-proof, and teaches you it's okay to "fall off the wagon." I can't tell you how much this book has changed my life...between my husband and I, we have lost over 60 pounds. But it didn't happen in a month, and it certainly didn't happen in a week. We followed the plan, exactly as written, for five entire weeks. This plan improved the way I FELT, because I was smarter about my eating choices; losing weight was a bonus! I felt so good that I MADE it work for my crazy busy life, and I'm delighted!

I've recommended this book to all my friends, and will recommend it to you as well.

I've purchased my share of diet books but finally found my last one. There are a ton of great recipies that fit perfectly with Harley's workout plan. He backs it up with a wealth of knowlege which he conveys in a very simple, easy to understand read. I checked out his celebrity client list for living proof and that doesn't lie. I've never written a review before but had to because I know, by so many trials and errors, how hard it is to find good information on how to be truly healthy and not just be duped by the next diet fad. Trust me, this is the one! I've only had the book for a month and I not only feel great, but have dropped nine pounds by eating better tasting food than all my other twenty or so other diet books on my shelf, combined. Thanks Harley.

I've had this book for a couple of weeks, and bought it despite my disdain for "dieting." If for no other reason, buy it for the recipes. They are simple, low in fat, high in protein and generally produce two servings, sometimes large servings. This is not a book that advises you to drastically cut calories. It advises you to eat and what could be better than that? I've completely changed what and when I eat and it seems to be paying off.

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