Healthy Mind & Body: David Kirsch

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Read What Shape Readers Thought of David's Diet and Exercise Plan:

We asked 15 Shape readers to test-drive David Kirsch's 8-week diet and exercise program (see our excerpt in the October 2006 issue) and report back on how they felt and whether it made a difference. Here, several of them weigh in:

"This program has changed my life! I followed it strictly for the first two weeks (the exercise was a bit tough for me) and had great results. I can definitely see a difference in my body. I have more definition. I feel so much healthier and more energized, even though I haven't lost a ton of weight. I continue to write down everything I eat.
-- Kim DeMartini, New York City; lost 10 pounds and more than 7 inches

"I went from zero minutes of exercise a day to 30 to 45 minutes six days a week. I think that's why I lost most of the inches. I really like David's exercise tapes [find them at davidkirsch.com]. They're very efficient. I lost most of the weight in the first two weeks because I followed his diet very closely. I continue to use many of the concepts, such as eating salads with small amounts of protein and keeping starches to a minimum, to keep the weight off."
-- Beth Blevins, Overland Park, Kansas; lost 10 pounds and 6 inches

"I recommend sitting down once a week and looking at your schedule. If you can see everything you'll be doing, it will help you plan how you're going to eat during the week as well.
-- Mandi Chestnut, Manhattan, Kansas; lost 16 pounds, 9 inches and more than 4 percent body fat

"I have to be honest and say I didn't follow the plan exactly. The first few weeks, I followed it strictly, minus a few workouts. I did add more dairy than the diet called for toward the end. The recipes were very easy and tasty. The turkey chili is my favorite! I am very happy with my results. The numbers may not seem so significant, but I'm small framed and only needed to lose a few pounds. I eat really healthy now. I make better choices when I dine out, like asking for olive oil on salads instead of creamy dressings and opting for salmon over red meat. I use the plan as a way of life, not a diet."
--Sabrina Baratta, Chicago; lost 6 pounds and 5 inches

"I like really restrictive programs like David's because they're good exercises in discipline, which I believe makes for lasting results. I'm really trying to affect long-term changes in my eating habits. I'm getting very attuned to my body's responses to certain foods as well as my hormone fluctuations and psychological/emotional states because I have the consistent, comparative factor of my diet. I've eliminated things like caffeine and sugar that make me nervous or edgy, only to crash afterward. I've noticed that practically everyone in New York City right now seems to have contracted some sort of cold or allergy. I haven't gotten sick at all and I can't help but think that keeping all junk food, preservatives and most alcohol out of my system has reduced my susceptibility."
-- Anonymous, New York City; lost 7 pounds and an inch off her thighs, arms, bust and hips


Find David Kirsch's entire diet, exercise and lifestyle program in The Ultimate New York Diet (McGraw-Hill, 2007), available now.