Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method: The Weight-Loss Kick-Start that Makes Perfection Possible

by Tracy Anderson, Gwyneth Paltrow (Foreword)

Did you know muscles get bored, just like people do? And did you also know that there's a 9 out of 10 chance that you're working the wrong muscles when you exercise? With Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method you don't have to worry--her unique workout will help you drop the weight and shrink your body in just 30 days.

Based on ten years of scientific research and experience getting not just herself, but A-list stars and everyday people, red carpet ready, Anderson has developed a unique 30-day diet and workout routine that reshapes the body and defies genetics to tone the muscles and drop the pounds. While most people incorrectly target their major muscle groups, like the bicep or hamstring, the focus should be on the smaller accessory muscles that can create a long, lean, balanced look--instead of bulked up look. Anderson's program is composed of a groundbreaking three-tiered approach, including a mat workout and cardio routine targeting the all-important accessory muscles, and an exclusive 30-day meal plan, complete with dozens of delicious recipes.

This comprehensive kick-start program is unlike any other workout on the market and it leaves no chance for anything but terrific, fast results!

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Fitness, Self Help

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 20, 2010

About the author

Tracy Anderson has trained stars like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Courteney Cox, Molly Sims, and Naomi Watts, among others. She was a professional dancer who experienced considerable weight gain, began to research her own workout methods to transform her body, and developed the Tracy Anderson Method. She owns studios located in NY and LA and shares her unique workouts through her successful DVDs and webinars.

Connect:
Facebook
Twitter @GoTracy
YouTube.com/GoTracy

Reviews

[AH · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to win this book in a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway. After all, who doesn’t have a few pounds to shed? So I decided that maybe I would give this diet and exercise plan a try. I sat down to read and the exercises looked great. (Gwyneth – you do look wonderful). I continued reading and I was shocked when I got to the diet plan.

Kale juice!

She wants me to drink kale juice. For those of you who don’t know, kale is a leafy green vegetable, chock full of vitamins and very good for you. I continued to look over the diet plan and I was absolutely shocked. Two whole food groups are missing. There are no grains and no dairy products. I examined a menu plan and noticed that the breakfast was approximately 100 calories. Now, keep in mind that you need to exercise 90 minutes daily with this plan on 100 calories for breakfast. Sure, you’ll lose weight, but you’ll probably faint. I also noticed that the meal plans and recipes did not have a caloric or nutritional breakdown, something that I feel is very important in any diet.

Basically, if you can follow her plan, you will most likely lose a lot of weight. But here’s the thing: it takes a commitment of 90 minutes of exercise daily and a very restrictive meal plan and kale juice.

An exercise DVD was included. It was fun and had some great music.

[Michelle Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently on the 30 day Method and it works. The only fairy dust is SWEAT but Tracy delivers. 10 days in and I have lost 14 lbs, plus 16 inches. I have done Jillian Micheals but plateaued and started going up. I was not going there again so I went hard core. Tracy is for someone with a lot of determination and willingness to sweat without making excuses. To do this book, you need to show up.
Tracy uses a 3 pronged approach -- her dance cardio (40 minutes), her muscle strengthening (40 minutes) and her menus. The dance cardio is on the dvd as are examples of her exercises but it is the book that explains and inspires.
The menus are easy to prepare and are solely fresh food. Strawberries and mint, poached salmon salad, and turkey avocado wrap are some of the delights. The soups such as puree of broccoli and vegetable minestrone take less than a half hour to whip up from scratch. I have not felt hungry. It low sodium, low carbs, high alkaline, controlled portions.
Tracy's story is also hugely inspirational.
If you have tried it all and haven't lost weight and posess a lot of determination and willingness to work hard, the Tracy Anderson could work for you as well.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I am a mom of three kids ages 4 and under, and when I started TAM, I had been spending an hour a day on the spin bike and seeing only marginal results. Two weeks after following the TAM, I'd dropped a whole pant size. Now, six months later, I'm down 15 pounds and feeling healthier than ever. I'm down almost three dress sizes and shrinking out of the clothes I wore in college. I find Tracy Anderson's writing style to be very conversational, like she's just a no-nonsense friend who wants what is best for you. I would definitely recommend watching the accompanying DVD though, because the descriptions of the exercises can be a little intimidating.

[Haley Mathiot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method
Genre: Exercise
ISBN: 9780446562041
Published:September 20th 2010 by Grand Central Life & Style
Rating: 4.5

When reviewing fitness books, I look for books that tell the reader how to fully use their bodies. I really like Anderson's method for two reasons:

1. She knows muscles. She knows how they work, she knows how to train them. In the book, the concept of using certain muscles to perform an exercise is clearly explained. This is a crucial part of muscle training.

2. She had a good balance between aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise, and she has put them together in a good way.

Anderson was a dancer, she also took Pilates (the right way) and I could see both of those influences in her method. Don't get scared away by that—even if you've never seen the inside of a ballet studio, you'd be just fine working her method! But there is a reason that it is said that dancers are the athletes of God: because they are. Combining cardio (aerobic exercise) with Pilates (conditioning) and dance (alternating engage-disengage exercise to increase stamina) is the perfect combination for weight loss and muscle toning.

Now how to get there if you have never experienced any of that?

Anderson breaks the book down into different sections. The exercise portion, where she fully explains every stretch, position, and movement, is well described for the absolute beginner. More athletic users or advanced athletes would benefit also, but they wouldn't have to read the descriptions of the movements in their entirety.

The DVD is very good: It features Anderson working the exercises in the book enough time to hear the description, see all the details, and do it yourself.

There is also a section in the book with some great meals. The first section is a very thorough introduction that I do not recommend skipping! You'll learn tons about your body! I was also amazed at how much research Anderson did to create this method.

The only thing I don't like: The cardio routine has no verbiage. I expected some talking, either voiceover or real time, with some counting or some description of what you should be doing. However, it was just music and Anderson dancing. It would take me, who has been dancing for almost five years, two or three times doing the DVD to get the combination. It would be a lot more difficult and confusing for someone who doesn't have practice taking what they see and converting it for themselves.

The other thing I wanted to see more of was proper stretching techniques. I honestly have yet to find a book that explains how to properly stretch without injury (it is possible!). My recommendation to anyone who uses this awesome program: stretch well. Stretch correctly. Get a dancer or a sports doctor to give you advice if you need it.

Recommendation: Ages 14+ for anyone serious. This program takes time, energy, and commitment. If you can't commit to about two hours of your day, it's not for you. If you use the program, make sure you follow instructions very carefully to avoid injury! doing exercises incorrectly is a very fast way to end up in the physical therapists office (I can tell you that from personal experience, though not experience from this book).

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to receive this book. It was a goodreads win book and it was coming to me at a perfect time. I had quit smoking 5 weeks prior and was excersising to compensate for the weight fluctuation. Unfortunately I found this book unrealistic, and unhealthy. I always get nervous when a fitness "expert" uses words like "perfection" in a promise. This author claims that her method is suited to anybody regardless of fitness level, body size etc. I was completely ready to take on this program until I saw the menu. Ridiculous. If I have learned anything about weight loss and maintenance over the years it is that the change you make has to be something that you can continue for the rest of your life, otherwise the weight will positively come back and likely bring extra with it.

First issue: There are absolutely no grain products in the menu. The food guide recommends 6-8 servings a day (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-gui...).

Secondly: Although the author states that you can eat as much of the food she suggests as you like, the calorie content is simply too low. Juiced kale? The suggestion that each meal be made fresh is unrealistic. I would have like to see her attempt to relate to the everyday person with everyday ingredients. Fresh is nice but requires at least 50% more trips to the grocery store and not realistic for most people. After all we are already committing an hour and a half in workouts a day.


Third issue: The author makes a blanket statement that "weight lifting is not healthy" p.28. There are many studies proving the benefits of weight training in improving bone density.

Overall this author is overly enthusiastic about her plan. It is unsustainable for long periods of time. She is very short on details concerning how much weight you can expect to regain at the end of the 30 days. The rate at which the weight is lost is proof that it is unsustainable. She claims 3-5 pounds a week for the first 25 days and then 5-9 pounds during the five day "detox" at the end of the program where she has you on liquids for the last five days. I have no doubt that if anyone follows this program to the letter as she demands that they will see incredible fast results. They will also be hungry, tired and will likely regain all if not more weight than they started out with. Long term weight loss is geared to 1-2 pounds a week at most.

Positives:
-Some of the recipes look good and I certainly will incorporate them into my meal plan.
-The muscle toning moves are really good.
-The cardio portion is simply jumping around with very fast changes. I do have to admit though that it is way more interesting than aerobics.
-I plan on using the workout both cardio and muscle structure toning.



I predict that this book will be in the $5 bin before spring.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read. While I believe Tracy's story and her famous clients (like Gwyneth Paltrow) have gotten good results, I am not sure that I believe her claim that you have to ONLY do her method to get the results you want. As a personal trainer, I have seen lots of people get their desired results using other training methods and techniques. I also did not like that she only has pictures and verbal descriptions for the toning exercises that she says are the key of her program. I think it would be much easier to do these moves if she had them on DVD, but only her dance cardio is on the disc. Overall, I was a little disappointed. If I need a 30 day jumpstart program after baby number 2 I might give it a try just to see how true her claims are. :)

[Bree · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notes:
the only thing amazing about this method is the targeting of the accessory muscles while working out -- that is the only takeaway from this otherwise insane book

you are required to do the exercises, the cardio and follow a very strict diet every day with no exceptions -- this is punishing and controlling

Things to be concerned about:

*injuries incurred from constant jumping (45 minutes of cardio daily!!! for 30 days)

*the diet you are required to follow to the letter is super-low calorie and almost zero fat (not even egg yolks)

*diet is grain-free (with the exception of one morning's quinoa porridge), includes a few beans, no red meat, no pork -- only chicken, turkey and tuna for 20 of your meal options

*last 5 days of boot camp are "cleanse" days with another even lower calorie limited menu

*lots of fruit is required -- so if you are a seasonal local eater like me your choices are pretty limited unless you do this in the summer

*recipes include honey, syrup, yacon syrup and chocolate chips (which you will CRAVE if you are eating little to no fat)

Recipe breakdown in terms of added sweetener:
~14 of 17 salads have sweetened dressing (oh yeah, and no oil)
~of 32 entrees, 8 add sweetener in the form of apple juice, honey, dried fruit, etc
~17 fruit recipes (again, that's great if you live in California)
~her veggie dip has 2 entire TABLESPOONS of honey for ONE serving!!!
~a carrot recipe has 2 Tablespoons of honey/syrup for one serving

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am following her program as closely as I can; but not stressing if I only devote 30 minutes a day to it. And I'm following a low carb diet rather than her diet. I buy the premise of accessory muscles making the body look leaner and avoiding bulking up the larger muscles. I like her bluntness and her no nonsense approach; She isn't sugar coating the effort you have to put in. The dvd is more of a guide rather than something like a Jillian workout where Jillian does the exact reps you need to do and you follow along. First you do the right leg/hip (talk about cursing time!)for about 7 moves and then you stop the dvd and do the left, then abs and arms follow. I was more hesitant about dance cardio because it seems so 80's and reminds me of dancing in my bedroom when I was 14, but I forgot that can be fun!! It's important not to stress about doing everything perfectly; Try to mimic and then move on. She never smiles in the dvd and if you don't know her reasoning it can be a little creepy. She is all about mindfulness and concentration when working out. She recommends mirrors and watching yourself, so I imagine that is what she is doing in the dvd's. If you ever youtube Tracy you will see she is always in front of a mirror, no smile. At first it seems odd and egotistical, but now I get it.

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book almost a week now and read it completely through before I opened the DVD. My first impression was that this looks exactly like a toning and shaping class I took in college some--well, let's just say it was a loooong time ago. I loved that class. It combined many of the same methods that Tracy uses in her class. The class that I took was half stretching and half dance. I have never had to much fun in my life while getting into shape. One note, the DVD is in black and white which is really nice for a change.

I am starting out very slowly with the exercise since I do have a bad back. This book is not for everyone. You really do need to devote the time and energy. To be honest, it took me an hour and half to get through the first set of movements, but each day it does get easier and quicker. I have not followed the diet at all, but have lost two pounds and can already see a massive improvement in my arms and legs. Seriously, the bingo wings are fading!

The recipes in the book look exceptionally well and it looks like I can get most of the ingredients at my local Trader Joe's. There are quite a few chicken dishes that I really want to try, especially the one with mango.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LOVE LOVE TA!!
This method of exercise and eating has made a drastic improvement to my energy level and the shape of my body. This is truly the answer to the perfect body. You need to put in the hard work and eat the correct food but you see results within days!!

[Meredith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uh yeah. OK. You want me to do what?

[Sarah Sniderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Promise

Do you want a fit, toned body that is beautiful and full of energy? Imagine how amazing it would feel to have a physique that allowed you to move with grace, energy levels that let you keep moving all day, and a body that felt lean and defined. Tune into your desire to be desirable, to be healthy, to feel good in your clothes and sexy naked. You can be slim, streamlined, and feminine. In just a month’s time, you will have completely reinvented the way your body looks and moves, boosted your self-confidence, and reset your standards for your life.

This is what usually happens: Someone jumps on an exercise trend. She sees results in the beginning, because her body is experiencing something new. Give it a month, and she’s bummed because she isn’t seeing any results. Weight lifting accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish, but it often makes muscles short and bulky when women usually want long and lean. Furthermore, it can mean tearing down your joints, as can running. Even yoga is less than ideal, sometimes worsening skin tone, leading to vascular damage, and overdeveloping some muscles while others essentially waste away. Therefore, only do 30-day method workouts, no substitutions or additions, for the 30 days.

You have to make a change in order to see a change. It isn’t just about moving or reducing calories; it’s about how you move and what kind of energy you provide for yourself. Over the course of the program, you will be achieving mastery. You will feel and understand your body in a new way. This is the solution that will work for the long term. You can improve your health and beautify your body, successfully and sustainably. It is possible to eat what you want and still have a cellulite-free structure that performs well, is full of energy and flexibility, and doesn’t make you look like you’re training for a weight-lifting competition.

I lost 7 lbs in 7 days (and 1% body fat) with noticeably slimmer waist and glutes.

The Program

This kick start is a boot camp that is going to shock your system and redesign your body no matter what your level of fitness or your genetic heritage. It is an intensive program that uses muscle work, cardio dance aerobics, and a menu plan to restructure your muscles, burn fat, and get you started on your way to being fit, healthy, and in better shape than you’ve ever dreamed.

Just as you know how to brush your teeth and go about your day knowing it’s taken care of, it’s the same with Tracy’s system: she gives you the clear steps. It will take a commitment, but you will build a healthy, gorgeous body. You will have beautiful skin tone, tight muscles, and lots of energy. No more worrying – just results.

The Muscle Design Work targets your smaller, secondary muscle groups, what Tracy calls the accessory muscles. Developing the smaller muscles around the bigger ones, you contract and pull them in without creating the trauma that causes them to build bulk. This elongates, tones, and ultimately creates a smaller body structure. Accessory muscles are woken up with angles, and used to contract large muscles together. Big muscles are still tired out so accessory muscles can activate and strengthen. And by changing the moves every ten days, you ensure that your muscles stay alert and active while you tighten your skin, shape your body, burn the fat away, and consequently own the results.

On the first day of each new sequence, your muscles will become exhausted quickly. The new moves are challenging your body in a new way. The first and second days, you can expect to feel almost like you have the flu with an all-over-tired feeling. When you cause friction within the muscular fibres, it feels different from repairing muscular fibres. Each day following, your muscles will develop an ease with the movements. You’ll eventually start to crave the pain.

The Cardio Component works in concert with Muscle Design so you are also raising your heart rate in strategic intervals in order to burn excess fat at an astonishing rate. Instead of stop-and-go, you get the continuous movement needed to really burn calories. And instead of bulking repetitive activities, you get varied cardio to tighten and tone while you build endurance, burn fat, and support all the hard work you’re doing on the mat. If you get yourself past the beginner’s level, and you really learn to perform, this bootcamp will help you look and feel fantastic.

The fat-loss-promoting and delicious eating plan emphasizes foods high in nutrients and fibre and eliminates the culprits of weight gain and bloat. It satisfies cravings, gives you mental clarity, and offers a path to physical transformation. You’ll learn a whole new way of eating that tastes good, makes you feel great, and works with the exercise components. When we eat clean, nutritious foods, we actually restore the chemical balance that we’re supposed to have in our bodies. We then feel better and begin to naturally gravitate to the foods we are naturally supposed to be eating. You will kick-start your metabolism and optimize your ability to burn fat, allowing you to reach your weight loss goals in the fastest and healthiest way possible. Your new body will be fit, toned, tight, healthy – and all yours.

I enjoyed most of the recipes and didn't feel hungry but I found the portions unclear. I'd recommend having a food scale for this.

If you overdo the dieting but don’t rebuild your structure, you’re going to be “skinny fat.” If you overdo the structure work but don’t do the cardio, you’re going to have a layer of fat hiding your new physique. And if you overdo the cardio and don’t balance it with structure redesign, you’re going to have loose, hanging skin. Doing everything in the right balance is like following a good recipe. The skin is the last to change, but it will.

The Commitment

If you want to see results, you need to commit 100% for the next thirty days. Isn’t it worth a month of your time to change the rest of your life? Get rid of excuses. Show up every day. Be present, be real. Stop thinking of fitness as a hobby and make it a priority. Be true to yourself and your goals. Build a new habit, a new framework. You need to do this every day. All these things are part of what it takes to move forward, to restructure your structure, to achieve a level of perfection of your dreams. You will try your hardest. And you will do it right. The results will be worth it, guaranteed!

In order to correctly perform the series, you need to be uninhibited in your movements and committed to doing this right. Really connect yourself to this process. You can’t just do it. You have to perform it. You have to have presence. You have to care about the movements. Engage in your workout. Really focus on yourself. See yourself as you really are in the mirror.

Somehow, we’ve begun to equate the American dream with always feeling comfortable. We want the feel-good-now, fix-me-now, perfect abs in five minutes a day. But it doesn’t work like that. In the beginning, you’ll feel uncomfortable. You’ll feel sore. But day by day, your muscles are going to react and the power that you develop is going to amaze you. Sweat is the only fairy dust. It has value because of what it does for your muscles, and because it has intense detoxifying benefits.

Part of pushing yourself is making sure you use all your power when you execute each move. Focus on the cross-vector force, the challenge of opposing forces, i.e. stretching both ways at once. The repetition of pulling and relaxing sends little vibrations through your muscles, and the vibrations are what will tighten and tone.

Be proud of yourself for the effort you’re putting into changing your but, but don’t become too proud too soon. When you start to reward yourself too soon, you start to sabotage your progress. You need to push yourself to the next level. That’s the difference between believing in yourself and rewarding yourself. You do not reward yourself just for lacing up your sneakers. You’ll be able to be less regimented about what you eat and still maintain your beautiful physique with exercise, but only once you reach your goal.

[Sandee Lammers · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an interesting read - but I don't know how I could do it. Requires a strict 30 days of doing her muscle workout (possible for me), her 45 minute dance cardio 30 days and her meal plan for 30 days. Life gets in the way to follow her meal plan for 30 days and to do both workouts for 30 days straight. I wish that you could do other cardio (running, swimming, biking) - but she insists her method has to be followed in order to succeed. Meal plan has some great ideas/recipes - but would be hard to follow for 30 days straight.

[Gato Negro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not everything in this book is realistically achievable for women over 50 but there was enough good information to warrant a re-read.

[Wendy Hines · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've all tried diet books, exercising with still no results and starvation. You lose weight, you gain it back. It's a viscous yo-yo with your life. Tracy Anderson has worked with mega celebrities, and you know some of them look absolutely wonderful. She's also worked with thousands of your average everyday woman.

Tracy is a dancer, but when she was a freshman in college, she kept packing on pounds. She couldn't understand why since her foot was on the barre everyday. So, Tracy started her research and this method, after many trials and errors, and years of research is the result.

Give up the weights! They only had bulk. Tracy's method targets the smaller muscles surrounding those large muscles, drawing your muscles in, not out, creating a more lean and tone look. She also includes her 30 day menu, and her one hour a day dance/cardio workout. It is essential to do the cardio. One hour a day seems like a lot to me - I have such a busy schedule. Your supposed to do it everyday, as well. But, as Tracy says, if you don't do the work, you won't see the results.

She says to think of the cardio as a job, something you can't miss or you will have repercussions, such as not losing the weight or toning that body down. I think it is a unique way of creating a new you, one I have never heard of before. I want to try it, and we'll see how it goes. The book is written in layman's terms, easy to understand, with the menu plan laid out easily without all those expensive ingredients. The workout section has very nice drawings so it is easy to see how you should be contouring your body.

Well-thought out, well-researched, and very easy to follow. If your looking to lose some inches, lose some pounds, or just want to feel and look better, give Tracy Anderson's 30 day Method a try for yourself.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

From my book review blog Rundpinne...[return][return]....Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method is a boot-camp jump-start diet and exercise programme. Anderson explains her system in three sections, using still pictures, definitions, descriptions and motivational tips. Anderson focuses on muscles in a rather unique manner and I found those quite helpful. Included in the book is a DVD to help the reader with the aerobic part of the boot camp programme consisting of dancing. Anderson offers readers of various fitness levels choices on how to begin with the dancing programme, and while it sounded okay, I think exercising in an 80-degree room is too much for me. Where Anderson truly lost me was her meal plans, which sounded promising as she offers vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. I do not consider myself a picky eater however there were possibly at best 4 out of 30 meals I would be able to eat. Anderson is a huge fan of kale and while I realize kale is chock full of vitamins I do not care to eat it and I most definitely have no intention of drinking it. If, unlike me, one is willing to give their daily food choices a huge shake-up, or already consume copious amounts of kale, then Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method may be for you. While I will take some of her muscle work to add to my routine, asking a person to give up a minimum of 90 minutes a day for exercise and then eat few calories as well as the kale concoctions was just too much for me. I can easily see how she can claim such drastic weight loss considering the high amount of exercise and too low calories.

[Angelc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is of the book only, I'd love say that I tried the exercises and have already seen results after 30 days, but all I've done so far is read!

The premise of Anderson's plan is really interesting. Basically, she uses a three facet approach, strength training, cardio, and a healthy diet. I think the really unique part of the plan lies in the strength training. She targets the body's smaller, less noticed muscle groups to create a long, lean, strong body, not bulk.

The conditioning exercises are clearly pictured with detailed instructions. I feel really motivated to do the strength training, but I didn't get much out of the cardio or diet sections of the book.

I really liked the tone of Anderson's writing. She's very encouraging and motivational. It seems like she truly wants to help. Her focus is on what you can be, not on how lazy you are now like some exercise books can be. I like her focus on the positive.

The foreword by Gwyneth Paltrow is honest and encouraging. Since most of us know her, it feels good to hear someone familiar recommend Anderson's plan.

I can't wait to try the exercises, even if I do cheat a bit and only do the strength training. I think this is a positive addition to a fitness lover's collection, even if you only take bits and pieces of her advice.


book provided by publisher in exchange for honest review

reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com

[Leila T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just realised that I never reviewed this book, which is funny since at the time I read it (May 2011), I remember feeling galvanised to kick my butt into gear and DO THIS!

Guess how much of this I've done.

Okay, part of it I feel is not my fault since Tracy Anderson is all like TURN YOUR BODY OVER TO ME FOR JUST ONE MONTH, even if you're an overworked, overweight mother of a toddler who doesn't have time to take regular showers (like me). And because she says ONE MONTH ONLY, that feels like a reasonable request, right? EXCEPT. Part of this magical plan is a superstrict diet, for which she provides an exact breakdown of three meals + snacks for 30 days, including recipes. Awesome! EXCEPT #2: ... where are the shopping lists? It's not like there are a bunch of ingredients that are hard to find, but the work involved in looking back-and-forth through all the recipes (scattered, non-sequentially, throughout the last chapter of the book), week by week, and typing out a pages-long shopping list to make sure that I can stick exactly to her requirements is ... more than I have the time/energy/will to do. It would be so easy on her end to ask someone involved in the production of this book to do, and it's (apparently) such a monumentally impossible task for me to do, that I've just been sitting on the computer doing things like writing book reviews instead of her 30-Day Method.

Maybe next month :)

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think this diet and exercise regimen are all that crazy whatsoever. Maybe the claim of perfection is a bit much, but I think following the exercise and menu plan included in this book could really give dramatic results. I think Anderson is on to something about focusing on smaller muscle groups to help slim women down, and a lot of her moves are very pilates-esque and can easily be done in the home. The 30 day menus provided toward the back include both a regular and vegetarian option, and most of the recipes very looked good. Really if you want "perfection" or to truly kick start serious weight loss, the amount of exercise she demands and the way she wants you to eat should not be surprising. I would likely have rated this book higher had the DVD been included in my library copy. Alas I wasn't able to give her exercise regimen a real shot. I would recommend this book for people looking for real results who are willing to put in the time, and for people who would like to eat healthier. Since she puts a month of meals together for you, it takes a lot of the work out of serious menu planning. I've got several of the recipes in my queue to try.

[Chrissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. This is boot camp.
2. Boot camp is not 3-5 times a week, it's every day (eek).
3. I appreciate Tracy Anderson's grasp on the interconnectedness of the body.

I like her theories, researched as they may be. Of course you'll get awesome results if you follow her hard-core plan to a T (and if you're really bitching about your bod, then yeah, you suck it up and put in the effort). But I've stretched out the 30-day method to 3 months. I'm not so sure about the diet or the amount of time to put in. I do a more comfortable version of the meal plan (mix that and Jessica Seinfeld's Doubly Delicious!), and I do SOMEthing cardio/sculpting wise every day. And it still works because her muscle sculpting is unlike any other.

I'm a big fan of her other DVDs. She's constantly creating new movement on her website to keep your muscle memory guessing during plateaus. When I'm ready for bikini season, I know I can be more strict with this plan.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as a firstreads giveaway, but I'm not really sure why I registered for this book. I'm not overweight, I don't have really have a lot of time or places to exercise. Still....

I haven't read this book cover to cover, although there are quite a few anecdotes and stories from the author's life, explaining why she is who she is and the journey to get there. I definitely want to try to incorporate some of her program into my life, as I definitely do need to get in shape. However, fitting in 90 minutes of exercise everyday and sticking to a menu of kale, kale, and more kale? No thank you.

That being said, I feel like there are many good things in this book and when I do have a bit more time, I plan to delve a bit more deeply in and take out the parts that I believe will fit into, and improve, my life.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Tracy Anderson book was a really great read. She is an accomplished dancer who used that experience and also dug into the science of the body to create not only some great workouts but also to explain why some workouts work and others don't. Put simply, her solution is to not only engage the big muscles we frequently use in a workout (quads, biceps) but to also include the accessory muscles around those big muscles for a more complete workout.

I have become a big fan of the workouts listed in the 30-Day Method, and Tracy includes terrific photos guiding you through each of the steps along with helpful directions and setup for each move.

Side note: I definitely did not experience the weight loss (or inches lost) that she referenced you should lose during the different stages, but I was really glad I picked up the book and forced .

[Knotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ironically, Tracy Anderson is from my hometown, and she has quite a reputation around here. (I didn't know about it until I realized the connection). Her workout is intense, and it really does work. I have gotten through 4 days of her method, and my body hurt in places I didn't know existed. I haven't delved into her food section since it looks pretty intense. I don't know how much to admire her method since my dad was one of her teacher's in high school, and he didn't have glowing things to say about her. I really doubt she studied kinesiology as well,but I'll give her credit for a balls out workout that does give results and pain. I have been traveling a lot as well, so once I am more stable, I will really get into the groove of this.

[Lyndsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't actually tried the "30-Day Method." Attempting to stick to a health program for the first time during the holidays is just not a good idea. However, I read through this and it provides many elements that I'm going to try to incorporate into my life. I like the comprehensiveness of the book: exercise routines, menus, FAQs. I especially love that NONE of the exercises need anything more than a chair. As someone who hates gyms, that aspect really appeals to me. The last thing that I appreciate is that Tracy reminds us that her "method" is not a way of life, but just a beginning to being healthier. After the 30 days, each person should adapt different aspects in a more realistic.

[Elizabeth Nordquest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read fitness book and I only got this from the library because I wanted the DVD that came with it. But, I decided to read it and I'm glad I did. Tracy is pretty upfront about how much work it takes to look long, lean, and Hollywood-like. This book is a 30 day program and she asks that you ONLY follow her exercises and food. Now, I'm probably not going to do that, but I know it will be my doing if I'm not Gwyneth Paltrow in 30 days. ;)

Bottom line: informative and honest. I believe it would work if people are committed. I appreciate her goal to get her clients fit and healthy, but allow them to indulge.

[Kewannah "Health Kick Chick" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the reasoning behind Tracy's workouts (use the under-utilized but supportive "accessory" muscles). However her approach is a little to extreme for someone like me with only a few lbs to lose.

I can barely find 45 mins a day to workout, much less the 2 hours she demands of you for 6 weeks + an unhealthy low cal of pureed food.

However, by all accounts her workouts are amazing and now that I know more about her philosophy, approach and workout styles I'll still checkout her exercise DVDs.

[Emma Kalmbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the concept of working "accessory" muscles which are around the big muscle groups is great for achieving a leaner look. I was excited to commit to exercising at home (convenient) but found it really hard to commit to the 90 minutes (not so convenient) per day that the plan requires. The meal planning was also very limited and my goal was to just loosely follow it. So out of the 30 days I stuck with it for 3 days and then life got hectic and then the book was due back at the library... Would definitely consider borrowing it again and just following the toning/muscle exercises.

[Grumpylibrarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the actual exercises (in theory) but this was inappropriately offered as an e-book from the library even though it NEEDS to be accompanied by a DVD. Her meal plan is terrifying and while she's against liquid diets, she seems to not realize that "pureed" foods = liquid. Maybe a 30 day cleanse would be ok if she followed it through with a guide to changing habits in the real world, but she doesn't.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 30-day method means serious business. I utilitized the plan back in July 2014 and with in 5 days I had people asking me what I was doing. My skin was glowing, my energy levels were up and my body tightened up very quickly. The vegetarian menu is very easy to adapt to vegan. I may get back to it again soon. Definitely worth checking out if you have time to meal prep and want serious results quickly.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like her basic idea of focusing on smaller muscle groups. The diet is strict, which she admits, but it's only for 30 Days- so not impossible.
The exercises are great though. Some more cueing would be good, and I wish you didn't have to pause to finish reps. I love how her program makes me feel and look. Her newer DVDs have much better cues and rep counts, but start here to understand the Why of her Method