Evaluation of the Skinny Rules by Bob Harper (Essay Sample)

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Evaluation of the Skinny Rules by Bob Harper
Bob Harper is a weight-loss expert and a star of ‘The Biggest Loser’, which is a program aimed at helping contestants to lose weight and remain healthy. In his book ‘Skinny Rules’, he offers effective pieces of advice and tips for better eating habits such as meal plans and recipes. He has poised twenty simple rules to help in weight loss and insists that hard work and commitment are needed.
Essentially, weight management and physical exercise have remained critical to human health and as a result, experts like Bob Harper and like-minded institutions such as the American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic9 have devoted efforts to address the pertinent issue (Tavernise 30). This essay evaluates the rules on how to get skinny as presented by Bob Harper against the standards of sound weight loss strategies and fad diets highlighted by reputable websites like Mayo Clinic.
Weight management is a long-term process; Bob Harper takes note of that fact. He proposes simple hydration tips through a pre-meal policy to take a large glass of water prior to meals (Harper 36). He recommends that a habit of ending the day with proper preparation for the next by placing a full glass of water on the bed stand and taking it in the morning as well as mineral and non-caloric vitamin supplements. Mayo Clinic considers this a bad idea because Harper’s aim is to let the stomach fill with zero-calorie bulk, and consequently the consumption of less food (Benson 1). A small amount of water before meals helps prepare the stomach for digestion; too much water with meals reduces gastric juices as well as gastric acid concentration. This results in a lowered gastric pH causing protein mal-digestion and subsequent food allergies, a leaky gut, and deficient neurotransmitter production.
Similarly, the Food and Drug Administration proposed several guidelines necessitating food manufacturers to post food labels on packed food and the calorie counts on menus (Tavernise 26). The directions also encompassed prepared foods retailed in convenience stores and groceries. These relates to Harper’s concern on being label-literate that will boost healthier bodies. Harper’s list addresses the slewing of ingredients such as sodium, protein, carbs, fibre, fat, sugar, and calories. However, one greatly overlooked aspect is ‘number of servings’ label. Reading this label ensures that you do not consume a 500 calories meal assuming that it contained 250 calories (Hensrud 4).
In Skinny Rules, Harper advocates for fad diets to weight loss and management. These fad diets promise that eating berries, grapefruits and apples everyday will reduce several pounds of body weight. Nevertheless, weight loss is profoundly dependent on calories and centres on burning of consumed calories. On the other hand, the American Heart Association asserts that calories are burned by physical activity while weight loss is achieved by minimising the consumption of extra calories.
Moreover, Harper recommends that enough protein consumption in a day is determined by dividing your weight in two; the result forms the proposed grams of protein intake each day. Nutritional Research further indicates that ingestion of a diet of high-protein with minimal high-carb foods ensues in improved weight control metabolism. Harper suggests that no carbs should be taken after lunch (American Heart Association 1). Nonetheless, similar studies reveal that protein should be ingested with an amount of carbs for appropriate blood sugar control and digestion. Biologically, protein increases insulin, which invigorates muscle cells to absorb amino acids. In case sugar is not consumed to balance protein, insulin will be forced to get sugar out of bloodstream resulting in a severe drop in blood sugar. According to Tavernise (37), a serving of a piece of fruit alongside meals offers satiating carbs.
Harper further describes a diet for weight loss and management that is devoid of physical exercise. Harper concentrates of food intake and the diet plan is commendable. It caters for calories, proteins, fluids, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates (Harper 240). Proteins are inclusive in every meal while fibre, water, fruits, vegetables, and minerals are consumed each day. The plan reduces consumption of white potatoes, refined grains or flour, artificial or added sweeteners, fried and fast foods, and high-salt food. Remarkably, the diet plan recommends eating a real breakfast which should be a balanced meal of nourishing fats, protein, and carbs in the morning. The habit of skipping breakfast has a likelihood of leading to obesity.
On fad diets and quick weight loss, the American Heart Associat...