This diet/way of life has really worked for my brother and mother. I have Crohn's disease and have had surgery so my body doesn't process food like everyone else - the full diet method didn't work for me, but I have kept up with some of the tips and suggestions. It's great if it works for you - I tried emailing to ask for some guidance for somebody with my health issues and they wouldn't tell me anything.

ARC reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
Book Received: For free from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read this book because of the information about food intolerances. As a child I was told I was allergic to milk, as an adult I was told that I’m allergic to over 70 different things. I still suffer from acne, daily sniffling, and migraines no matter what I try or how much medicine I take. While this is a diet book, and I do hope to shed a few extra pounds, it isn’t the main reason for my attraction to the book. I’m not considered overweight, but I’d like to lose 10 pounds and get back to my pre-hypothyroidism weight. I would like to address all the “minor”, but annoying health problems I have. I’ve heard before that cutting out dairy would help with the constant runny nose or being stuffed up (it’s always one or the other) and with my acne. After reading this book and the reason’s behind cutting out 7 food products, I really want to try this diet. And I will. This will force me to pay more attention to what I am putting into my body and I’m hoping along the way I will find that there is something I eat that triggers my skin to break out and triggers my allergies. (I drink almond milk, so it’s not just that, but I do eat cheese and yogurt!)

While I can’t review the book on whether or not it worked for me, as I haven’t tried the diet for 21 days as of yet, I can say that all of the information is presented in a way that I will remember it. It is effective at answering “why” to all of these different foods and JJ Virgin seems to legitimately know her stuff. As a nurse I tend to look at all medical information with a more critical eye than I used to and there were a number of things that I wanted to double check that JJ mentions in her book. My review of these subjects turned up the same information as she stated, so I know that she isn’t just trying to sell us a new fad diet.

From the way I see it, this diet is a change for life. You limit certain things for 21 days and then start to add some back in to see if you have an intolerance to it. You don’t have to cut out everything for life, but you will know if there is something that you should do that with. The foods she mentions cutting out as much as possible, she gives good reasons for, and there aren’t many of them. But it will force you to look at what you are putting in your body instead of mindlessly eating.

It was interesting enough but still there was nothing particular y new or innovative. Food Intolerance has been since long known as one of the reason people could have problem losing weight, so, as usual, my favorite part of books regarding dieting are the recipes....

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HARLEQUIN FOR THE PREVIEW

Some good information, especially for the general public. Appreciated the info about GMO's and soy and wheat. Not good for vegetarians (which I am) and does not consult any of the experts on vegan nutrition like John McDougall, T. Colin Campbell or Neal Barnard. She will sometimes reference "after consulting with leading experts" but she never specifies who they are nor backs anything up with science. She just states over and over that you will lose 7 lbs in 7 days. However, it's worth a look-through. I am trying the program.

This book frequently reads like a sales pitch: jokey, folksy, and incredibly repetitive, there is some good information in here, but you'll find a far more thorough review of food intolerances in other books. Contrary to what Virgin says, this really is a diet book. Also, read its admittedly cursory information with care: it isn't cowritten or reviewed by a doctor - those little endorsement blurbs don't count! Also, the book is fairly dismissive of vegetarian/vegan diets, so if avoiding animal products is your thing, this probably isn't the diet plan for you since it strongly resembles Paleo.

Interesting take on dropping foods from your diet to test your on personal tolerance while losing weight. Not committing to trying but certainly going to tune in more to how my body reacts to the High FI foods

I don't like her attitude towards vegans/vegetarians- it's not like we don't eat animal products because we're just picky eaters. I also wished there were more recipes and more variety- I need help making the basic foods taste interesting. Also, that shake she suggests is the grossest- I have had a very difficult time choking it down.

But it is working so far. So 3 stars it is.

This is a no nonsense guide to eat well. I am now on to cycle 2 and feel that it is a science project. It really works - easy to lose weight without any hunger pains or cravings . You feel good about the process especially if you are doing it more to solve the question of what is bothering me than just wanting to lose a few pounds; that is the bonus to this :). Very informative.

Same old same old

I wanted to read this book to get a better understanding of the connection between un recognized food intolerances or sensitivities and health/disease. As the title indicates, the focus is primarily on weight loss, but the idea is the same. While I have yet to cut out ALL of the seven foods, I have cut out gluten and dairy and have greatly reduced the rest. It was an easy read and she spells out how to reintroduce the potential trigger foods to determine if you have a reaction.