The very ripped, very likeable Jackie Warner.
I’ve been a fan of Jackie’s since I saw her Bravo show Work Out because I thought was just as good of a trainer as Jillian Michaels, she just didn’t—and still really doesn’t—get the attention. Not to mention her Timesaver and Abs DVDs are WOW-AWESOME. However, the book made me frown a bit.
Ten pounds in 10 days is a super-lofty claim, so of course, I had to check this out. Jackie’s crew sent this to me and thus I began my journey into Jackie’s world of how I can “be thinner by next week!” In her 320-page book, which honestly could have been cut by about 30-40 pages if she didn’t repeat the same workout-move pictures every single time, she gives you three 10-day plans for dropping pounds and maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle.
Let me first clearly state two things I quickly noticed about this book: 1) The first 10 days is NOT maintainable and in all honesty, not very healthy; 2) This is a book for people who are transitioning from no to light exercise to moderately intense exercise, not for everyday gym attendees.
Now, the book describes why Jackie’s 10 X 10 system works; what the difference is between fats, carbs, proteins, sugars, etc.; what and how your metabolism works and how you can “reset” it; different kinds of cardio workouts and plateau busters; all of the exercises, including five warm-up exercises, four exercises each of chest, back, legs, biceps, triceps, and shoulders, six ab exercises, and five cool-down stretches; the different superfoods and why they are good for you; shopping lists; Phase I, II, and Maintenance workout plans; and 10 tips for long-term success.
Instead of going into crazy descriptions about everything, I’ll break it down like this….
What I liked: The explanations on what superfoods are and why each food is special; the shopping list at the end; her 10 tips for long-term success. My favs—“It’s not how long; it’s how strong. Shorten your cardio and always apply HIIT.” And “Muscle is the quickest way to a healthy body. It helps speed up metabolism so that you can burn calories while resting.” And, of course, “Don’t overthink it. Just do it.”
What I didn’t like: There is no deviation from the workout moves in 30 days; There are no combination moves (a lower body move paired with an upper body move); There is no variety in the meal plans during each 10-day phase; Jackie talks a lot about her supplements, which I know is a business move, but honestly, a fat-burning water mix-in is not healthy, long-term tested, or going to make you instantly slim.
What scared me: Phase 1 requires you to eat only 950-calories a day!!! That’s ridiculous. Really!? Less than 1000 calories a day!? That is not healthy. Sure, for a day or two it may be, but for 10 days…. I worry that your body would start to go into starvation mode and hold onto some of its weight, or that your metabolism would get a little freaky. Granted, I have not researched this and Jackie apparently has, but in all sincerity—and I think you all know this—that is not a sustainable diet plan, nor is it realistic. She goes up to 1200 calories during Phase II and 1500 calories for the Maintenance Phase, which is definitely more realistic.
In conclusion: Basically, the reason people lose 10 pounds in 10 days is because they go from barely exercising to do higher-intensity-than-they’re-used-to cardio with weight lifting and pairing that with a very healthy, clean diet, which includes crazy calorie restrictions. That’s why it “works.”
My concluding thoughts: You’re better off to try Jackie’s workout suggestions a few days a week, but mix it up with workout classes, longer bouts of steady and interval cardio, more short bouts of physical activity during the day (pushups and sit-ups in the morning, a walk at lunch, the gym after work, and an after-dinner walk or bike ride), and a blend of the 1200- and 1500-calorie diet plans from the start. This is will ensure that you won’t get bored, you’re teaching yourself to eat a lower number of calories from the beginning, but nothing crazy, as well as how to stay active more often during the day and week.
Buy it?: If you’re really new to all of this workout and diet plan stuff, this is a good REFERENCE. It explains enough to educate you, though not too much to bore you; it has good meal and calorie comparison ideas; it gives you workout tips, tricks, exercises, and plans; and there are extra tips in the back to keep pushing you through rough patches. If you already go to the gym, eat pretty healthy, but are looking to lose a few pounds, this book IS NOT for you. Sorry. There’s no magic pill, just cleaner eating, working out a little longer and harder, and being conscious of the little things that add up, good and bad.
