You Can Drop It!: How I Dropped 100 Pounds Enjoying Carbs, Cocktails & Chocolate–and You Can Too!

I love the author. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to eat healthy. The tips are amazing, and all meals are family friendly.

I expected far more recipes but it’s mainly ra ra ra cheerleading. There are some good tips on mindset, catch phrases she uses, and strategies so I’m dropping 1 star only. Tons of upwelling which is annoying as well and she’s definitely a partner with Beachbody which is also annoying. Most of the shakes recommend Shakeology which costs $129 per month which is absurd but she’s obviously trying to earn commissions with that partnership so it is what it is but don’t buy this if expecting recipes. They are VERY few.

Let's see...the title of this book is 'You Can Drop It! How I Dropped 100 Pounds Enjoying Carbs, Cocktails & Chocolate-And You Can Too!'. Sample daily menu - Breakfast: BEACHBAR Breakfast Bowl, Lunch: Citrus Tofu with Slaw and Orange, Dinner: Baked Cod with Zucchini Packets with Tomato. HELLO? What happened to the carbs, cocktails and chocolate? There are very few carbs in this menu. Maybe the BEACHBAR is chocolate - but is it fair to ask readers to special mail order a product for the menu plan?Though I like the author's breezy, easy writing style the book was an overall disappointment. She does suggest four major things; drinking water, eating veggies, using a scale daily and keeping a record. And she gives tips and suggestions on how to do these things. But what she said could easily have been summed up in a magazine article.It really bummed me out that she is pushing BeachBody products and services so hard. She offers a paid membership course on her method. That's fine. But it's one thing to suggest a product. It's another to suggest learning more on a topic by reading articles or watching videos that are part of the paid membership, not included with the book. And she bases many of her menus around BeachBody products.I purchased the eBook version and it includes grocery lists that are not printable (though maybe they are in the paid membership program) but otherwise the formatting is good. Overall, I felt the eBook (which was more expensive than the hardcover) included some good material. But it read more like a book for her Beachbody program than a stand alone weight loss book for someone not using Beachbody. And this was not made clear in the product description. The book also suggests a companion Beachbody app but doesn’t clarify which one. I saw two in the app store and they both appeared to be paid subscriptions.The book description makes promises of weight loss and I disliked reading it to only to find that I need to buy her special Beachbody program to get 'all' the information and special shakes and bars to follow the menus. That said I do like how she encourages veggies etc.

I bought this audiobook because I stumbled upon a Diet Bet around the same time the book was released. The base of her plan is so simple that it does just sound like common sense and nothing new. However the book is rich with exactly how to implement change and become a person who loses the weight and no longer needs to diet. Drinking water and eating more vegetables seems like a no brainer, but it’s a fantastic start. I think the majority of people do not eat enough vegetables. At least I was struggling. She doesn’t tell you what vegetables to eat, that is up to you. It’s just important that you find a variety of (non-starchy) vegetables that you like.Aside from talking about the food, she dives into the psychological reasons why we eat. I have become much more in tune with my body from reading this book. I notice my hunger, and also how I respond to different foods on the scale, my energy levels, and the pleasure of eating certain foods.I actually had purchased the 2B Mindset several years ago and failed to implement it. 2B Mindset is a series of short videos, but this book feels much more personal and detailed. She definitely knows her stuff and I love listening to her. I was sold and did go on to join the membership group. There is a push to do more with Beachbody, so if you are anti- Beachbody then this is not the book for you.If you are ready to change and stop yo-yo dieting and lose weight for good without obsessing about the scale, counting calories, or feeling guilty about eating, then this book should be good for you.

Enjoyable, quick read. I've lost 35 lbs doing the 2b mindset and have continued the lifestyle because it's easy to follow and I feel so much better! My husband has lost 50+ lbs as well. It is a mindset. It is a lifestyle. It's not some quick fix. Took me many starts but once I finally stuck with it the lbs melted off and I feel amazing. It's great fitting into clothes again and having to order smaller sizes of clothing now vs having to go up in size! Can't recommend this program enough and the book is such a great summary of what you need to do and why.

Overall a pretty good book. I would highly recommend for beginners that want to understand the main basics and also understand all the different aspects of nutrition. There are a lot of components to nutrition. So I’m glad that Ilana covered how to realistically up hold a balance nutrition, the science behind macros and how each one reacts towards our bodies along with the typical emotional and habits we have towards food. However I did rate it a 4 and not a 5. Even though I love beachbody and coaching, I do have to admit that it was a major turn off for me when it seemed like in each chapter of the book kept strongly promoting of you to either do 2b mindset or just beachbody in general. Too often, I felt that they were drawing me in with emotion just to have a sell pitch moment in the end. Also I personally feel that if you have already done the 2b mindset (which I have) the book was a big repeat of 2bmindset and didn’t really reveal a whole lot of new info. Which is something I was hoping for. I would of liked to know more new Scenarios in Ilanas life that related to nutrition that I didn’t already know from 2b mindset.

I originally got 'You can drop it' 2 years ago.(July 2020) I had heard beachbody was (or had) released a program, but I didn't have the funds for it. I got the book, read it and attempted some principles. I got mad, and then let gave up on everything. This April (nearly 2yrs later) I re-read the book (kindle) and also got the physical book and audiobook through my library. I found it easier to read (big print and better formatting) on the physical book. It also helped following along in thebook while the author is reading the book helped me with the principles.Quick review: 3 out of 5The Good: After I read again I appreciated the advice. Overall it is a lower glycemic way of eating focusing on veggies while anchoring the meal in protein. I also find this method much more sustainable and easy to use regardless of the situation. You don't need special ingredients and can do anywhere. I also really appreciated the mindset sections. It helps emotional eaters thing about if this hunger or habit, and many other tips.The bad: What I didn't like was that, as another blogger said, it's like she wrote the book and a beachbody editor came in and plugged it with beachbody products and catchphrases. In the protein section it mentions the Shakeology, or beachbar. At the end it's a plug for the mindset membership, which (btw) they changed recently. Now if you want the extra content you have to have their regular monthly membership to add Bodi (which used to have the 2bmindset stuff). In fact all this is a huge turnoff and I can see why many people gave the book 1 star. There are several mentions of checking out the videos and getting support from the membership, which is now even more than expensive.Long review:When I first heard of the book I had been following THM (trim healthy mama). It focuses on low GI, but the base is having a low carb meal and then a low fat, low GI meal. There is alot of promotion of special flours (specially formulated lower than almond flour) and special ingredients (baobab, glucomman). The company is based in USA and their products were impossible to find or very hard to get alternatives. I did not find it sustainable and end up struggling on knowing what to eat. Having gained weight in 2019 due to stress I was done. I got Ilana's book in 2020, but I couldn't wrap my head around it because I had been 'trained' fat and carbs make you fat, only eat this combo...etc.I went on a 'diet detox' and read many intuitive eating books. Including the one with F*** in the title, as well as Health at Every Size. I followed all the Instagrams and gave up on diets. I ate Oreos, ice cream... And just didn't care. I gained 20lbs.Intuitive eating will say this is the process, to not demonize food. Part of the process is to learn intuitive eating, but it didn't work well for me. I ended up kind of stupidly wondering what to eat, and often resorting to high glycemic food choices. I'd sort of forgotten what was 'healthy' and plus if it's labeled 'healthy' it's diet culture.Needless to say, this wasn't good for my health. I felt stuck and lost and didn't want to diet. I just wanted to eat well. I was tempted to go back to THM, but I'd been struggling with a mild bit of PTSD from the rules, guilt and their changes to the plan. (originally said potatoes were bad, originally said shouldn't be vegetarian them changed their minds a bit) I remembered this book and dug in.Yes, it has rules/guidelines, but sometimes we need that. Sometimes we get so caught up in emotional messes we forget. Covid did a number to alot of us, and I buried my stress in food. I really found this book helped. To me it was like giving guidelines for what intuitive eating hopes people get to intuitively. (Intuitive eating has stages like AA and the eating well part is towards the end). I feel that even though intuitive eating has the healthy part towards the end some need to heal through eating well first. When they eat better they feel better. This was me.Now I want to address some reviews on this 'promoting dangerous eating disorder behaviour.' One reviewer commented Ilana said to eat chocolate chip cookies and take the chocolate out. I can appreciate their concern. Those with eating disorders can take any info to the extreme. This advice, on the cookie, was to help people figure out why they eat the cookie, or binge. To come to terms with their desires and impulses. When they eat the cookie are they tasting it? Or are they angry? Do they like the taste of the cookie, or is it because of the chocolate inside? When she picks out the chocolate it's because it's her favorite part. Look at toddlers who are not influenced by diet culture, they do the same unique behaviors. They pick out their favorite food, flavors and textures. Why feel compelled to eat the whole cookie because you prefer the chocolate? As someone who has recently been binging, I can say I've felt the compulsion to eat all the dessert. Not because I want or even enjoy, but because 'I should'. I think the advice actually helps me from disordered eating behaviour.Someone commented on no chocolate or cocktails, but if they read through the book they would see it's fine. I find this concept is very much in line with IE (intuitive eating). When you label foods bad or make them forbidden, you want and crave more. I find in the book she gives helps for this. Such as having water and veggies so you don't come at the food ravenous and gorge on it. I find this has been great help. I have been doing over a month and I've had chips, and desserts. One week I had desserts daily, but I had smaller slices and had my water, protein and veggies. This didn't feel 'diety' but like a sustainable lifestyle. Now here is a caveat, weight-loss will obviously be slower. I am learning and making better choices, but obviously having desserts means the weight-loss is slower than a deprivation diet. But I am happy, enjoying the food and don't feel this is unsustainable. So if the loss is slow, but my skin is amazing and I feel better, who cares.On that note of slow weight loss, I think it's important for readers to understand she didn't drop 100 fast either. It was slow. She slowly changed her eating and I believe even had a talk or podcast about this. It would often be like 10lbs, then hold, then 10lbs. I believe she said from her beginning to where she is today it was 8-10 years, but she learnt healthier choices, loved the food and also never had that extra skin you get from fast weight loss.Another thing: the scale. Some commenters worry this promotes disordered thinking. My sister was hospitalized for anorexia, so I get they are worried. I don't think this does. For me my weight gain got me by surprise. I felt the same, sort of. And my clothes fit, sort of. My bra made me feel like I had something wrong with my chest.... I seriously didn't realize how much weight I had gained. I was blind to it because THM does not advocate the scale. I figured the scale was evil. But then I wasn't aware of the relationship between my food choices and my weight. I weigh daily now. I can see how eating cake doesn't cause this end of the world mess. I'm not going to say, "screw it, might as well eat the ice cream too." I weigh daily and see that sometimes it's up by .3lbs. No big deal. I can eat the 'treats', but I can also be aware of how it effects me. I track daily, and weigh. I realize my guts don't love some foods. I find this helpful. I find it helps me make choices to help my body, not hurt it. I also write my feelings or situation sometimes. I realize perhaps I craved sugar when I was angry. If I eat, I track it and realize I need 'emotional healing not emotional eating'. I appreciate learning this. But if you struggle and have disordered thinking, don't do this. To each his own.Someone complained of the tracker. It is not included. Personally I think $40 for a tracker is alot. I use a blank notebook and fill out the date, my weight, meals and time myself. Easy peasy and pretty cheap.Overall I like the advice. Yes it's what you've heard before, drink water and eat veggies, but I find it goes into it better. I feel there is alot of tips and advice for changing your thinking (mindset). I think it helps you get more in touch with the reason behind your eating.Have I had dramatic weight-loss? No. I didn't properly weigh myself, but the sort of beginning weight was in April around 165lbs. (This may or may not have been accurate, as I wasn't properly weighing but I say around that weight) Today, May 11th I am 156.9. It fluctuates and I am more understanding of this. Again, I could lose fast. I did in the past with THM, but I said no to sugar and had a tendency to 'cheat'. I had the kind of fast/famine attitude. Now I go to parties and I focus on veggies and a good protein. Maybe I decide to treat myself, so I have some cake, but I don't feel compelled to gorge and overeat. So I find this way of eating healing and helpful. Some people do this more 'strict' but me, I prefer slow and steady. Besides, this isnt a diet to me but a way to sustainable eat to give my body nutrition and help it heal.Another note... In Ilana's old instagram and older website she has this recipe for Noah's animal style cauliflower. (Which is also in the book). The original recipe uses store bought thousand island dressing with 2 TBS water and 1 1/3c cheese, whereas the beachbody/mindset book uses a homemade dressing with Greek yogurt..etc and the cheese is only 3/4c. It feels to me like it was beachbody (or her new lifestyle) edited for faster weight-loss. I feel the original recipe is more accessible to people and more sustainable. While I have done both the store bought and my own I feel it would be better to have included both for those that want simplicity. Just something to note as it feels her brand has changed a bit since joining beachbody. So if you read the book understand it can be done simply and you don't need to complicate it.

I really like this book. I bought the hardcover version as there are several coloured charts and photographs in it. This program is simple and easy to follow. A major positive is that you can follow this program and go to restaurants. Many people have had great success with this program.I would give it a 5 out of 5 if the author provided Vegan options but the proteins listed are mainly animal products, cottage cheese.If you want to follow this program, and stay Vegan I suggest you get the B Plus Diet by Judi Finnernan. Judi uses this program and is totally Vegan. I think that the Tracker books the author sells are way too expensive. The trackers should be notebooks (not hardcover) and much less expensive.Overall, though this is a really freeing program. I'm very happy with my purchase.

I read this book with my friend as we look to encourage each other with our weightloss aims.I suggested we read this because I loosely follow the 2B Mindest (click on the word cloud to see my other posts) and I like what it says and what it stands for. I makes sense - both common sense, and it is back by science and research. It is not a fad diet, but a skill to learn in order to approach food sensibly.As someone who already has access to all the 2B Mindset videos, recipes and help on offer, I found the book didn't add anything. It was a good reminder, and we all know how much I like books, so I wouldn't say it was a waste of money for me, but certainly wasn't necessary.Much of the book goes through all the different facets of the 2B Mindset, including why it's called the 2B Mindset, and why I hashtag some of my posts with #WaterFirst and #Veggies Most. There is a lot of information in this book, on not too many pages, so it shouldn't feel overwhelming to anyone.The last chapter is a bit of a sales pitch, which is kinda understandable, but kinda annoying too. That said, I did lose weight whilst reading it! 1.5kilos over 6 weeks isn't bad going, especially if I can keep it off. I also made lots of the food and recipe suggestions too - I don't know how I lived my life before enjoying Roasted Cabbage Steaks or Noah's Ark Dressing (which goes with almost everything!).If you haven't heard of the 2B Mindset before, I certainly recommend the book, as well as to follow the FB pages that give daily reminders of ways to think about food, and various recipe ideas.If you already follow the 2B Mindset, it probably isn't worth getting unless you're a bibliophile like me.

easy to follow, great read

Ilana has once again done an amazing job of helping us develop a positive mindset toward food and eating. The insights she has provided empower the reader to make healthy, nutritious choices; to enjoy treats and still lose the diet mentality and the weight! Thank you Ilana! I’m 30lbs lighter with your 2B program and the next 30 lbs are not far behind!!