Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don’t Have It) – A Practical Health Plan for Managing Type 2 with Humor and Support

by Sherri Shepherd, Billie Fitzpatrick

In Plan D, Sherri Shepherd, Emmy Award winner and cohost of The View, presents her easy-to-follow program for losing weight, managing sugar sensitivity, and getting moving—all to help you feel and look your best.

For years, Sherri Shepherd was told that she was pre-diabetic. And for years, she ignored her doctor’s advice to lose weight and get healthy before she developed full blown diabetes. When she finally got the big-D diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, the same disease that took her mother’s life, Sherri vowed that she’d change her ways so that her son wouldn’t be left alone, without a mother, as she had been.

With the help of her doctor, she created this program, lost more than 40 pounds, and she looks great and has more energy than she did in her twenties. Sherri’s diabetes is under control, and she was happy to show her stuff, wowing the world on Dancing with the Stars.
 
With tools to help you live a long and healthy life, Plan D is a smart and supportive plan designed to help you lose weight safely, make exercise a real, and fun, part of your life, and control your sugar sensitivity. And through it all, Sherri Shepherd is there, like a trusted friend, offering advice, encouragement, and of course a healthy dose of humor.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Audiobook, Self Help

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2013

Reviews

[Marcia Dene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherri Shepherd has the gift of talking to you from through her words whether they are spoken or written with ink and paper. Ms. Shepherd is very down to earth and delightfully funny. Her book is probably the easiest read of all the self-help or how to get healthier books I have read to date. Ms. Shepherd uses her time with the reader sharing what she did to get on track and not continually emphasizing what the reader should do. She gives of herself. She lets us in. She shares her story with us so we can understand why she feels its important to do what she can to help those that are reading her words. There are sensible options so if we don't like or cannot do exactly what she did we could try to accomplish the same goal by doing this instead. How many how to lose weight plan books could be scripted to become a made for television movie? This one could. Her life has been that interesting and her determination to turn her health around has been that dedicated. It is definitely a woman's book because it is told from her point of view.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the hardcover edition with a picture of a svelte Sherri Shepherd on the cover. Sherri tells her story of finally confronting the fact that she has Type 2 diabetes after years of ignoring her own prediabetes diagnosis, diabetes symptoms, and ignoring the disease which claimed the life of her middle-aged mother. There are now 100 million Americans affected by prediabetes and diabetes and the numbers keep growing. Sherri describes her plan to control the big D for all of us in easy-to-understand language with three key steps:diet, exercise, and food choices. Sherrie's story and strategies give you the motivation to change your habits today.

[Tasha Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very few citations, research based references. This was helpful in the sense that it has got me thinking more about what I put into my body and jazzed for regular exercise.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teriffic book about what diabetes is and how to fight against it. Also, the book talks about how you think about food, what you choose to eat and how exercise is important to your overall health, especially if you have diabetes. The author shares her very personal story of how diabetes affected her life and how she manages to control the disease, offering readers helpful tips on what to eat and what not to ear, how to incorporate exercise into your life and how to deal with temptations you will face.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up on the library site and I have to say this book opened my eyes. I listened to it while I was working and it really made me think. You don't have to have diabetes or anything for this book... it's not exactly a eat this, this and this.. it's more her journey with a little of what works for her... I truly loved this book and really feel like it helped me want to change before it's too late... she has so many good little tips and sayings that really stuck with me...

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an inspirational book for people who are struggling with weight loss. This book provides inspiration without preaching and offers readers a realistic weight loss plan. Although geared towards those with those who have been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes it is useful for anyone on a weight loss journey. So glad I read this book it has been a big support to me as I continue on my weight loss journey.

[Dave Radtke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't for everyone, but as a newly diagnosed diabetic, reading this felt like sitting with an old friend and discussing options. Nothing she says if groundbreaking, but reading it could change your life around.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Lots of good, fact-based info with none of the preachy perfection demanded by some authors.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of useful advice and tips!

[Teresa Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

good information

[Karen Croscut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so very glad I happened across this book at my local library! I started reading it, and I knew I needed to buy my own copy, which I immediately did! Sherry Shepherd has always been a favorite and this book was like sitting across from her in my living room and having a great conversation! She taught me a lot about adopting a healthy way of eating and exercising to prevent diabetes and to lose weight. She poured out her heart and soul, with her usual sense of humor, to share her story and to help others. This book was life changing for me! Thank you Sherry!

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t have diabetes but I have been reading up on low glycemic index foods. Although the book is old I was still expecting some useful information. There wasn’t anything “new” to me. Exercise isn’t a problem for me so I skimmed over that section. The most interesting chapter to me was at the end when she wrote about her average week of food and exercise. This would be a good book for anyone brand new to a healthy lifestyle.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been my go-to book since I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I love the fact that Sherri Shepherd's voice is so conversational, sharing her stories as if she's talking to a friend. She has given me insight into this disease and helped me to understand what it means to live with it. Thanks, Sherri. So grateful to have found this book.

[Kaya W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to be honest...I skimmed through most of this book. I didn't find the book interesting, fresh or insightful. It was dry and boring. I get it...do some exercise and put the fork down. There...I said it without writing a whole book about it.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok. I didn't like it all that much. I thought this could have been better, I was disappointed in the book. I still like Sherri Shepherd.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very repetitive and not groundbreaking. But she presented the material in an easy to relate to matter.

[Ursula Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I though that this book was very insightful. Although most people will have different experiences dealing with diabetes, Sherri's experience was helpful. I would definitely recommend this book to a person with diabetes, pre diabetes and their family members. I would also recommend checking into other sources for information and other facts that may assist you on your journey with this disease. Enjoy!!

[Curren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content and motivation: 4.5 stars
Writing style: 2.5 stars

So as you can see my 3 star review is an average.

Anyone can read this book - whether you have diabetes or not. If you are living an unhealthy lifestyle, need to lose weight, are pre-diabetic, or diabetic - this book is for all of you.

The good: This is a wake up call book that anyone on any level can read and understand. It's not full of confusion science and the advice she offers is REAL. The book tells Shari's story about her bad health/lifestyle, her wake up call, and how she is living healthfully now. She relates to the common citizen and is about the most down to earth celebrity I've read about. Her advice is 100% practical and doesn't intimidate the reader or require them to do anything crazy or weird. In fact, the plan she gives is very loose...it's not like most books where they tell you exactly what to do and eat each hour of every day for 30 days...them by then end you're sick of it and go back to your old habits. She gives general guidelines and advice and talks more about food groups, active living, and keeping diabetes in check. She does give some sample recipes/foods and lists examples of exercises she does if that's your sort of thing though.

The bad: her writing is not super polished. Very repetitive! She refers back to the same things quite a bit even though she already described them in detail. However this was mostly just annoying and didn't deter me from finishing the book. (Okay, It's not THAT bad...She has a very down to earth tone (which is good) and writes like she is just having a conversation (also good).)

I think this book is he kick in the pants some people need to finally put down the Oreos and say, "okay, I'll start changing!"

[Adrienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes we face difficulty or not a good report which is what it takes to wake up. As Sherri says in her book, she had to wake up to the changes once she got diabetes in which she calls it the big D.

"whisper to a roar"

There are cycles of bad habits to break: poor diet, inactivity, denial and fear is the road to diabetes aside from overweight or obesity.

We need a flexible plan.

What I liked was her brief experience on the view, dancing with the stars, and other things in relation to God, food, and family. Moreover, diabetes woke her up to a healthier lifestyle.

Action is key. If pre diabetic, then you have a chance to improve your health but once you get D, no turning back.

Favorite chapter is forgiveness.

The only thing I didn't like was redundancy throughout the entire book...could be like fluff to fill the pages...yet laughed out loud at times too.

Leisure read 2014.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think that I've ever read a diet book all the way through before this one. They usually are aggressively marketing a plan that doesn't do a single thing for me but this book was brilliant - an absolute gem. Perhaps it's just the right book at the right time for me, yet I really believe it will resonate with many other readers as well. It's clearly written, well written, well researched and has a nice amount of classic Sherri Shepherd humor - but that in no way detracts from the serious message of the book. I highly recommend it to anyone who is even curious about insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. I'm so pleased I found it.

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good. Some very helpful info on reversing diabetes. I listened to the audio and enjoyed Sherri narrating it; with her unique humor coming through in her voice, I think it was more of a good read than if I just had the book to reference. It's laid it well and easy to understand. Gives some great nutritional information.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Geared more toward the reader/eater who doesn't yet know the rules for eating they should follow (as opposed to me who knows but doesn't follow!), and wants to hear them in a chatty "View" kind of way.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if you don't have diabetes this is a wonderful "diet" book. She's normal. She eats the way normal people it. She has the same eating problems as normal people. No recipes just regular foods. After reading it you think if she can do it so can I.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book writen by Sherri one of the view hosts. She has a really good approach to adding exercise and cleaning up your diet. It would be a good book for people who are just trying to figure out where to start.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a funny and realistic point of view on diabetes and how it can affect your life and how to live with it. I think this is a good read for anyone who has diabetes run in their family, are prediabetic or just found out they are diabetic (or have known but are now taking it serious).

[Karen Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how Sherri talked like a normal person and not a celebrity ....helpful thoughts in this book

[Pam Parotto Seely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I do not have diabetes, I do have to watch my sugar and carb intake. I thought this book was very informative.

[Katharine Belcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information - so relatable for 40-something Diabetics needing guidance.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational "how I did it" book that is based on solid science and easy to follow suggestions.