There's been a few threads regarding the Thurmond plan in the past. Here's the latest one...
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...threadid=23861
It was THE BIG DIET INFOMERCIAL product last year...but as you probably found out, you can find scads of slightly used kits on eBay for a lot less than the $160 they were asking for it last year.
I haven't watched the "Extreme Makeover" show (on way too late for this old gal!) but I've heard that Thurmond is the personal trainer for the show...probably explains the sudden jump in interest...