Weight-Loss-Dieting Books

Well done, good and faithful servant.

motivation, desire, drive, push, ambition,
all are needed in abundance to lose weight. the more you are overweight the more you need them. constantly as your companions for the process of getting your body in good shape to do life.

It is not a diet book. it is not a how to do it book. it is a how i did it and why i did it fast paced, quick fun read.

being fat is sin. it stops you from being that good and faithful servant that the faith requires and God expects. the author leads the way, walks the path, is a real leader for this important insight.

thanks.

I for one grabbed this book because I heard Dr. Nick on "Focus on the family" in an interview and again on another radio interview and held him to be a Christian based diet author with personal experience and a wealth of knowledge about the medical side of getting thin. However, the book came across to me as an attempt to appeal to the masses and sort of put the credit to God on the back burner or off to the side or in the shadows and I can't be as inspired by that as a christian or for that matter, before my salvation. I did learn some great insights from Dr. Nick but I am a believer in the power of God to do everything and that just didn't come accross in this book. So with regret I say this book is a testament to Dr. Nicks' great triumph over the "Idolotry" of food as he said in his interview, but it just didn't get me to go along. I hope he will in the future let his faith be more prominent in his story telling and trust in our Lord for the results more than his publisher. If you would like a good hepful book as a compliment to this one may I suggest,Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength

Not only entertaining but encouraging for anyone who wants to lose weight.
Very good suggestions for anyone no matter what age or genter.

I found the book at a local second hand store on their free pile one morning while taking my walk. I felt drawn to the book and promply picked it up and took it home .As I read I felt a kinship with the author. He knew/knows the heartache of being overweight. I could identify with him and the trials that he has experienced. I found too that the book made me feel that I too could accomplish great things, as the author had done. I too so appreciated the fact that he turned his life over the to Lord and knew from where his success really came. I am sharing the book with a friend and when I get it back I am rereading it.

This isn't a typical "diet" book, which I like. I've read enough diet books in my life to understand the basic concepts. Instead, this book chronicles one person's journey, including the heartache associated with being obese as well as the triumphs of losing signficant amounts of weight. It has been surprisingly motivational - I find myself thinking of the story throughout the day when I struggle with something, telling myself that if he did it, I can certainly do it too. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

This is not a weigh-everything, count-everything, avoid-favorite foods kinda diet. It is a plan for permanently changing your eating habits for the rest of your life. The problem with so many diets is that they are unsustainable for long. This plan teaches you how to change your whole outlook on eating from the inside out. I'm never going back to any other diet...this is brilliant.

Absolutely wonderful, unrestrictive, and practical information that is easy to apply. I think it was needlessly repetitive in some areas and could have used more proofing for grammatical errors and flow, prior to publishing. I am passing around the book and telling all of my friends and family that will listen. I have moved down to my first of three levels of "skinny (ier) clothes" in a short period of times, due to the ease of following the precepts of this lifestyle change. It's truly a change that's livable.

I would like to tell everyone that this little book was the best investment I could have possibly made. Forget about counting calories,
carbs, fats or anything else. If you follow these simple instructions you will definitely loose weight and you will wonder how anything so simple could be so easy and practical. You will be able to loose weight regardless of what else is going on in your life because the tools you need will be ingrained into your everyday habits and you will not even have to think about what you should do! I could not be more pleased, and I have already lost 8 lbs. after following this program for only 4 weeks! I don't think you will be sorry if you try this!

I've actually rarely followed traditonal diet books that dictated exactly what to eat when. I learned early of the idea of de-criminalizing food and of the difference between hunger and the desire to eat. However, I still ate too much and gained weight. I couldn't find a way to be disciplined about how much and when to eat. I also spent a few years trying to follow the eat-5-to-6 times a day advice of the bodybuilder crowd, assuming that they were THE experts in fat loss, and that fat loss was the holy grail of weight loss. Trouble was, my real goal was not to get to an extremely low bodyfat-a dubious goal, in my opinion- but to learn to eat in accordance with my body's real needs AND live in the real world. In short, to make peace with food, my body, and my work/social life .

Reinhard is the first to say that even this "diet" program is a work in progress, but, for me, 55 and counting, this is the best of many worlds when it comes to trying to live peaceably with food and reach a healthy weight.

No one said that you don't need a calorie deficit to lose weight. What is said is that there are other ways to limit calories and that psychological elements combined with greater attunement with the body's true needs are what really help people make long-term changes in their eating habits. Many people who maintain their weight and have very good health profiles eat three meals a day. Naturally slim people never count calories. How is it that they maintain the same weight, often for years, without figuring out their intake and expenditures? The answer is that the body already knows! What has to be removed are the screens that cover up the body's feedback and the impetus to eat according to its needs. The fact that this has been hard to do for many overeaters doesn't mean it isn't true. It also doesn't mean you become a slave to your hunger, as many of the programs that advocate eating only when hungry and stopping before you are full make you, any more than you want to remain a slave to your impulses to overeat. Over a period of time, the "diet" is giving me a chance to learn how to balance this eating machine within the parameters of human culture, i.e., to eat reasonably and moderately and still enjoy the social and entertainment aspects of food. I thought at first that free eating on the weekends would carry over into the week, but it's been true that the five days in a row of three meals a day without a lot of restrictions besides no sweets, as well as the liberating sense that I have not failed by eating a little too much on the weekends, has really helped dull the desire to keep going on the chocolate after Sunday.

If you have real health problems that absolutely dictate that you eliminate certain foods and eat at more frequent intervals, Reinhard would be the first to tell you to listen to your doctor and do what she says! But most overweight people are not in that category. Do yourself a favor, give up the belief that some diet that recommends many restrictions to start--promoting speed at the expense of a real solution--, get this book, and commit to ending the cycle of optimistic curtailment, failure, and discouragement. It doesn't mean you will get this first try, but you when you do, you'll feel that it really will get easier and that you can do this...forever.

I was curious about this newly-popular book since it is based more on when you eat than what you eat, which makes it somewhat similar to The 3:00 PM Secret. The No S Diet is simple and elegant, having just 3 rules - No Snacks - No Sweets - No Second helpings. These rules apply except on days that start with "S", namely, Saturdays, Sundays, and Special days, where "Special" days are defined as birthdays, holidays, and sick days. The key rule as described by the author is "no snacks", and he defines snacks as anything you eat between meals. In other words, don't eat between meals - period - except on S days.

The author tries to distinguish himself by criticizing other diet books. He says, for example, forbidden-foods diets are "patent nonsense" and "pseudoscientific"; calorie-counting diets "require you to be a full time calorie accountant"; and "...funny that these diets masquerade as scientific..." and so on. Then, he tells you why his diet so much better: "Because it is simple, sustainable, and you aren't really depriving yourself of anything." He says we are fat because of "excess" - we simply eat too much!

The author advocates eating healthy meals and making them count (nutritionally). He is convinced that snacking is what makes Americans fat, suggesting that obesity rates correlate with the number of calories consumed through snacking. He supports this idea by citing that the French snack on average less than once a day compared to Americans three times per day, and that the Chinese barely snack at all. He also says obesity has increased with the increased rate of snacking. While snacking may be a factor in why Americans are obese, it's not likely that it is the only cause.

He does not provide food lists, recipes, or exercises, and says his diet can be used in conjunction with other diets. He does not, however, appear to be a fan of low-carb diets.

Contents:
1. It's That Simple
2. No Snacks
3. No Sweets
4. No Seconds
5. Days That Start with S
6. Building the No S Habit
7. Beyond the No S Diet
Endnotes

This is an interesting book with some research and stats. It has a common-sense approach that should resonate with many readers. I agree with the author about the problems of following diets with draconian meal plans. We are all adults and should be able to determine whether we are overeating during meals by watching the scale. This approach should be an effective method for many people and the book is worth reading. I also recommend [[ASIN:097974590X THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams]], The Alternate-Day Diet, and The 2007 Second Expert Report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective.

This "little" book has a huge message: a message of compassion! The book has become a classic - it is a highly recognizable work of self-acceptance and self-awareness. The book offers a much needed normalization and de-pathologizing of the daily struggle over eating. It offers a humanizing, healing experience that soothes the wounds of overeaters' self-loathing. It has much to teach - in the way of letting go of the dieting perfectionism that creates problems as it tries to solve them.

Pavel Somov, Ph.D., Author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices for Overcoming Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, Nov. 2008)

This is a fabulous little book. It's a series of fifty very short advisory essays all about how to love yourself when you hate yourself. Specifically, Roth's work deals with compulsive eating, and this is her focus here too, but unlike some of her other work, this book is clearly meant to be more broadly applicable to any and all situations in which one might find oneself swimming in a sea of self-hatred. Roth is a humorous writer. She has a similar sort of wit as Anne Lamott, who has written the introduction to this book. Overall I found this book hilarious and moving. I stayed up all night to read it.

No matter how many times it happens, I'm always amazed when I find that there are other people in the world who go through some of the same things as me. This book really did it, it really showed me that I'm not alone in the frightening world of body-image. By the time I finished the second chapter, I had decided that I was going to get this book for my best friend for her birthday, and by the time I had finished the sixth chapter, I realized that I was going to buy it for every single one of my girlfriends for their birthdays.
This is a really amazing book, and the author really knows how to talk to women who are in need of reassurance as well as a little shove (or a big one) in the right direction.
I suggest it for women of all ages who struggle with any sort of body/self-image, no matter how long that struggle has been going on.

I originally checked this book out of the library. I loved it so much I bought a copy and am reading it again. I also purchased two copies to give to good friends. This book may or may not help me to loose weight, however, it is so uplifting and encouraging it has really helped to change my attitude towards food and not to be so self-loathing.

I read a few books by Geneen Roth, including this one, in the beginning of 2003. After reading them, I gave myself permission to stop "dieting", and allowed myself to eat the food I like, thinking that if I didn't feel deprived that I would eat less and lose weight. I also kept away from the scale. The result was I gained 30 pounds in 9 months, before stopping myself from this upward climb. Its taken over 4 years to lose those 30 pounds. To this day I still regret reading those books. While I don't think its healthy to obsess about food and counting calories and body image, I do think we need to be careful about what we eat.

The tools that I have learned reading this book has changed my life drastically. If there is anyone out there who needs a subjective look at eating, this is it. I am amazed at how I am more comfortable with myself and food. I am so happy that I am back to being the instinctive eater I once was. I have never felt this good. This book will help you on your journey with food and overeating.

My doctor suggested this book, and this non-diet approach and I am grateful that he did. This book changed my life. It has not only helped me improve my relationship with food, it's improved my relationship with myself and with others. It has improved the over-all quality of my life. I will never diet again. This book easily explains the reasons why diets don't work from real-life perspectives. I was able to relate so well to the people who shared their experiences. The journey has been amazing. If you have struggled with food or eating disorders this book can change your life as well. It's probably the best purchase I have ever made.

Okay, sorry, maybe the title of my review was a little extreme but that was how I was starting to feel last year. For the last 23 years of my life I had been in a never ending battle with my weight and food. Every extra ounce of energy went into planning my next meal, wondering when I could eat again, dreaming and longing for the foods I wasn't "allowed" to eat and worrying about how many calories I'd consumed.

After losing and gaining the same 80 pounds twice, I lost 80 pounds again and was well on my way to gaining them all back for the third time. The thought of having to go on another diet filled me with despair and dread; I just knew I couldn't do it again. And, then by some small (or maybe big) miracle, Dr Michelle May and the "Am I Hungry?" program was introduced into my life.

Have you ever watched a baby eat? When they are done eating there is no way, no how you can make them eat without forcing them and in a similar manner, they will let you know EXACTLY when they are hungry and need to eat. As adults, we still have that inner wisdom in us - the little voice that tells us when to eat and when to stop when we've had enough. But, for me, years of dieting had beat that out of me. I could no longer tell when I was hungry and I sure as heck could not tell when I was full.

Let me tell you, when you can't feel or hear your own body's hunger and satiety signals, it sure makes it hard to stop eating when you've had enough!! As a result, I was constantly starving myself to lose weight and then overeating my way (because I couldn't hear my body tell me when to stop) back into weight gain. Am I Hungry? explained why diets never have and never will work as a long term solution. Am I Hungry? helped me get back in touch with my internal hunger cues and helped me learn how to tune back into that inner wisdom my body has about how much, what and when to eat. When you listen to your body, it will tell you EXACTLY what it needs!

So far I've lost a little weight and it continues to come off slowly. But, that is okay with me because I have found a way to eat and a way to live that I know will last me for a lifetime!

I purchased this book a few months ago, along with the workbook, at the advice of my family doctor. I was very resistant to the idea of this program, but am glad I gave it a chance. The book is well written, easy to follow, and just makes sense. So far, I'm down 15 lbs. No diets have worked for me, but this truly is not a diet, its not even just about food - its about life. Make this your first choice, not your last go to when you can't do anything else.

I found this gem of a book while searching for another title. I read the positive reviews and thought that I should order the book. Why was I searching for a "diet" book? I lost about 55 pounds with an international (points driven) weight-loss plan and promptly begin gaining the weight back (about 25lbs to be exact). Wanting to avoid the lose-weight/gain weight back cycle, I realized that the program I was on did not really teach me how to eat. I could easily count points but the program did not teach me how to resolve my emotional eating issues. I needed a better solution. Hence my search and subsequent purchase of this wonderful book.

The book is easy to read and I will have it finished within a week. I applied the skills as I learned about them and have already lost 5lbs during my first reading. The book explains how to eat and each chapter focuses also on eating healthy (without telling you what to eat) and exercise. It is a comprehensive program that is different than any other "diet" book I have read prior.

While waiting for the book to be delivered to my home, I thought about returning to the "points" program but decided to wait until I receive this book in the mail. I am glad I did because now I feel asthough I can begin to live my life to the fullest because food no longer controls me because "Am I Hungry" puts ME in charge and not a set of rules from an outside authority.

What I hated most about overeating is that the habit caused me to be "out of myself" because my mind was occupied with thoughts about feeling uncomfortable in my clothes, guilt over what I just eat, thinking about what I was going to eat next and mentally beating myself up because I hadn't exercised in weeks. The "real me" couldn't shine forth because of my pre-occupation with eating, losing weight and hoping that no one was noticing the pounds I was packing back on. What a waste of time and energy !! Chapter 8 of the book, "Where Does My Energy Go?" resonated with me and is worth the price of the book alone. Consequently, my thoughts are freed-up because I am longer thinking about food all the time and I am able to devote my "full self" to other areas of my life. This IS freedom!!!

I have been blessed to find this book and also work with someone that is a Instinctive Eater. I often wondered how my co-worker could eat only part of the company paid lunch and leave the rest while I has devouring everything in sight. As I read, "Am I Hungry", I totally understand how and WHY he does it!!!

This book as been very liberating for me and I have read other diet books that claim to be the "only diet book you'll need", well "Am I Hungry" truely is the last "diet" book that any overeater or restrictive eater will need. In fact, it really isn't a diet book at all. Purchasing "Am I Hungry" is money well spent!

Jessica is wonderful! This book is encouraging and inspiring to anyone like myself who has been struggling with their weight for a long time. She encourages us to be healthy, but her definition of healthy includes accepting and loving your body and rejecting the media messages about what healthy should look like. Reading this book was like a refreshing talk with a close friend.

This is a helpful book that is broken up into small chapters that are easy to read.It made me laugh,and get a better understanding of people who are never satisfied with their weight.

I can't begin to describe my difficulties of growing into the body I am going to have as a woman, but I don't have to because Jessica did it for it for me. There are very few ways to describe how it feels to read "Do I look fat in this?" except to say it's freeing. As I turned the pages I would eat up every word & little by little i could breathe easier.
Jessica is the start of something amazing that i want to be a part of!!

"She wins who calls herself beautiful and challenges the world to change tp truely see her" - Naomi Wolf

I loved Jessica Weiner's books A Very Hungry Girl and Do I Look Fat In This. Therefore, when I saw she had a "new" book out, I immediately ordered it from Amazon without paying attention to details. Please be aware that if you already own Do I Look Fat In This, you do not need to order Life Doesn't Begin 5 Pounds From Now; this is the same book with a different title and a new forward. So now I own two copies of this book with different covers, but I don't mind so much because it is filled with wonderful information for not-slim women like me. Guess I must have needed to re-read it, huh?

If you're tired of dieting, this may be the book for you. Jess's book is a breakthrough experience for anyone who has struggled with self-appearance and self-esteem....and isn't that most of us. She believes that by focusing on what others tell you are your shortcomings-- you miss opportunities to feel connected, sexy and powerful. Whether you're a size 2 , 12 or 22 or beyond-- you can benefit from Jess's words of wisdom. The motivational speaker, author and self-described "actionist" versus Activist...writes in plain English and tosses in some great motivational quotes from famous people and some fun facts about self approval and more. Twelve chapters plus an afterword are included..and the chapters are fun to read-- get this even if you don't have the time to read it-- just scan it and you'll benefit -- I promise...ANyway the chapters range from Decoding the Language of Fat...to the Famous or should I say infamous question most women ask daily "Do I look Fat in This? to "I Feel Fat" to If I were Thinner, He'd Love me" to Thunder Thighs Run in my Family to Ch 6-- I'd be so happy if I looked like a Celebrity to 7) Once I lose some weight..... to 8) All of my Friends are not and I'm not...9) But I'm jsut trying to be healthy to 11) [...] 12) Sorry I don't speak that language. Quizes, roleplaying experiences and fun quizes are interspersed with TAKE ACTION steps...Probably the most important thought though is that YOU CAN"T FEEL FAT -- because fat is not a feeling-- and if you read that section alone (I don't want to steal her thunder with her response to this) ...you'll benefit greatly...AN amazing lady and a fun, easy-to-read book that's great for girls above 12, teens, college chicks and women of any age...great to get this before the holiday parties start! Fun birthday gift...

I purchased the earlier version in 1991 after I gained the "Freshman 15+" and my doctor recommended it. I followed it exactly for one month and dropped all the weight+. My workout consisted of jumping/dancing around my dorm room for 20 minutes while listening to the Footloose soundtrack! This was awesome and I never gained it back! I think it is also great for reminding you what a healthy meal and healthy portions look like in our supersize world. Good luck meeting the new you!!!

This diet works wonders. I went on it after having each of my children. In 1997 I lost 40 lbs in two months. In 1998, I lost 47 lbs in two and a half months. The meals are extremely simple, and if you need to substitute you can just swap one day for another. I felt like I was really hungry for the first week, but I definitely felt great. The dinner makes you full. Every doctor (the last one was a midwife) I have asked if I could go on this while breastfeeding has said absolutely. I did increase the diet by having three extra glasses of milk per day, because I was breastfeeding and still had great results. My husband did this diet, but went off of it too early and gained all of his weight back. He lost so much more than I did, the same amount in half the time it took me. (of course he was in his early thirties). I think if he would have just kept to the diet he would have the same results I have, not gaining it all back. If your looking for some fad diet that is going to make it easy, there is not one. Losing weight takes self control and determination. If you do not want to actually lose the weight, this book is not for you. If you do, its going to take work the first week, at least. If your faithful to this the weight is coming off and you will feel wonderful.

I have struggled with weightloss for years, and lacked the discipline to accomplish it. This book makes it soooooo easy, all you do is follow the meal plans. I lost 35 lbs. and feel great.....

The beauty of this book and plan is how quickly you see results. Sure, you're pretty hungry while you get used to the reduction in calories, but it's easy to manage since you know you'll be eating soon anyway (you eat 5 times a day). The walks are something you'll need to be very disciplined with, but once you get results, you won't want to skip a walk!

The menus can get a little overwhelming, so what I did was I made a list of the breakfasts, lunches and dinners that appealed to me, and were simple - and posted them on the fridge. I often ended up eating a lot of the same stuff day after day, but that made it easier for me to go grocery shopping and prepare foods for the day. I needed convenience.

The best thing of all is I feel this diet has permanentely affected my metabolism! I did this diet for about a month or two, lost about 12 lbs in the first week and 20 lbs total and have been able to keep it off for nearly a year. I haven't remained that active and often eat a lot, so it was a pleasant surprise. If I ever need to shed some weight (and quickly!) in the future, this is the book I will reach for, no doubt.

16 years ago as I prepared for my wedding, I was faced with losing 70 lbs. I had put that weight on in college and thanks to just bad eating habits (eating late at night, eating the wrong foods, beer, etc).

My mother gave me this book because a friend of hers had read it and used it to lose weight. With nothing to lose (except fat), I decided to give it my all. Well, within a year, I had lost that 70 lbs and looked great for my wedding. I ate well exercized and changed my behaviors.

I kept that weight off for over 12 years, and only recently, thanks to my slowing metabolism, have gained weight back. And you know what, I am buying this book again and starting over. This book makes buying food simple (and the food won't put you in the poor house) and makes doing what you need to simple, in order to jump start your metabolism to lose weight.

I intend to lose 50 lbs and keep it off!

Good luck to you!

I took one look at this book and bought it immediately. The idea that one person's metabolism is probably different than another person's makes a lot of sense to me. And why do all these fad diets assume that they work for every type of person on the planet?

First you take a self-test in this book to determine your type. Then you can figure out a diet based on relative amounts of certain nutrients you need. Apparently, certain nutrients have exact opposite effect in some people--a high protein, low carb diet may be absolutely WRONG for you. I sure would like to know that BEFORE I decide on a diet plan.

I also like the fact this book includes exercises, breathing exercises and recommendations for supplements and vitamins. The calorie levels are also set so you can pick one that suits your size and sex (not everyone should eat an extremely low calorie diet.) Of course the book also has sample menus, which are always helpful. Finally, the paperback edition is a reasonable size to fit in a purse or in a briefcase, meaning it can go with you anywhere.

I wasn't sure if I was Atkins, Pritikin or NO KIN to any of these (turns out I am mixed, so that is why I had trouble) This book is really excellent and I can recommend it to anyone who wants to lose weight and eat right.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT DIET FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND FOUND OUT I AM THE MIXED TYPE ACCORDING TO METABOLIZE.BINGO! I NAILED IT. THE WEIGHT HAS COME OFF FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT A STRUGGLE. I AM AMAZED THAT THIS CONCEPT ISN'T SWEEPING THE COUNTRY. METABOLIZE WILL HELP YOU LOSS WEIGHT WITHOUT GIESSING IF YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT DIET . METABOLIZE IS GOOD SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM. BEEN ON IT EXACTLY 1 YEAR LOSY 31 LBS THE FIRST 4 MONTHS AND HAVE NOT GAINED BACK ONE POUND! GIVE METABOLIZE A TRY!

I always wondered why I couldn't find a diet that worked. Now I know! I have tried for years to lose weight. My last effort was the high protein diet because it was all over the news and best sellers list. I gave it 100% effort for 6 weeks and couldn't take it anymore. I was misearble and constipated! After deciding to forget about dieting I ran across Metabolize on Amazon and decided to give it a go. Best diet I ever tried! I found out why the high protein diet didn't work for me and why it will not work for many people. I found out I am lean metabolizer who can enjoy carbohydrates and lose weight with them. I feel great and my energy is high. No more constipation!!!! I lost 49lbs in 5 months and found it easy to stick with the diet. I think everyone should try Metabolize. Thanks for reading my review! Monica

WHAT MORE CAN I SAY IT WORKED FOR ME ,MY WIFE, MY DAUGHTER, MY MOTHER IN LAW AND MY MOM AND DAD. I WOULD GIVE IT MORE THAN 5 STARS IF I COULD!

I didn't even get past the diet. First, there are all the different ratios of proteins, carbos, and fat, depending on your type. Then there are different foods depending on your type. Then you can factor in blood type to make this even more complicated. If you are single this may be great, but I am cooking for a family and not everyone is the same. Way too complicated for me.

I bought this book in 2001 after hearing Crystal's story on Oprah. Oh how she inspired me. I too struggle with weight loss issues. My personal life has also had its challenges. Crystal is someone everyone can relate to. She is witty and funny and smart. She wrote about experiences that all overweight people can experience (shopping and being told we don't carry your size). She made me believe that I could do this. It's second only to my bible that i refer to for inspiration.

Thanks

Good for you Crystal for losing 167 pounds. I don't blame you for writing about it either, something this dramatic needs to be shared. What I really liked about this book was that it did not pressure the reader into losing weight. Diets these days are very stick: don't eat this, you must eat this, that and nothing else. Crystal shows us that you can lose weight your own way and it's up to you to set the pace.

I would like to give this book 3 1/2 stars but there aren't any 1/2's so I have written it. I really enjoyed her story and how she worked thru her struggles. It was a little unorganized but still enjoyable.

This book allows one to understand that the challenges of temptation for those struggling with weight loss is normal.

Some people kick themselves for backsliding on the diet trail. But this is verifivation that you still can continue and get over those mental humps.

This is chrystals everyday challenges that gets her through the storm. She begins to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I admire her because she experimented and found a method that was good for her. She teaches that there is no "blueprint" available for everyone.

If this book taught me anything it was the power of jeeping a journal. It will help you see where the problem lies and how to get through; and it will enable you to identify what is causing you to stifle your plans. It may be mental, physical or spiritual.

I use this book strictly for motivation. It's nice to read the words of someone who has been there.

I'd like to see her now! I hope she has kept up the good work.

"The Me I Knew I Could Be" is Crystal Phillips' journey from 292 lb (size 26) to 138 lb (size 6). I believe Crystal's obesity and binge eating would probably fall into the worst case category so I couldn't identify with Crystal's struggles, but I was inspired by her committed plan to lose weight. Apparently, the 292 lb was a result of her continuous binge eating (4 steaks, entire peach cobbler, and much more in one setting) causes my emotional issues (anxiety induced by grandfather, death of her brother, volatile marriage, and insecurity) she refused to deal with. Instead of just waking up one morning stating "I'm going to lose weight", Crystal learns the real reason she binged and began to deal with it. She uses typical weight loss techniques that can be found in any book, but what sets this story apart is her true story (complete with journal entries) that describes how she worked through the emotional problems to stop the emotional eating. At times, Crystal discusses how she came to a crossroad had to make the decision on whether or not to emotionally eat - sometimes she did, most times she didn't. When she did emotionally eat, she didn't give up but got refocused. Never does she say she's cured of binge-eating but offers ways to prevent to urge, i.e., after a big family gathering give leftovers away or only buy the smallest portion of a snack item. Her story is very honest.

Included in this book: recipes, before-after photos from her workshop participants, several exercises, and much more. The one unique item I found is the contents for a Survival Kit - a bag packed with healthy food and water that prevented Crystal from stopping at fast food restaurants.

Although I am well versed in good nutrition, I found Marc David's book, The Slow Down Diet, wonderfully insightful, educational, and even inspirational. His coverage of the eight metabolic factors in nutrition, energy, and weight loss transcends traditional approaches to dieting and nutritional eating, and takes our understanding of these areas to a much higher level. He convincingly shows the power of relaxation, food quality, awareness, rhythm, pleasure, thought, story, and the sacred in how we assimilate nutrition, and how these qualities affect our overall health. He places what we eat and how we eat it into the context of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. His wholistic and systemic approach is something I have benefited from, and which will be of value to everyone. In fact, the understanding he provides is critical to our society with its burgeoning health problems. The secret is eating and living in such a way that most health problems can be prevented. This is so much better for ourselves and our society than depending on a broken health care system to fix our broken bodies.

This is another favorite of mine that I recommend to my clients. This book is extremely helpful for people who do not know (or remember) how to slow down, be present and actually experience eating their food. I highly recommend it to those who are trying to heal their relationship with food and at the same time strengthen their spirituality. It is also great for people who have to go on a restrictive diet due to a medical condition or who are trying to eat more whole foods and cannot due to circumstances beyond their control ... it offers great advice for making HOW you eat count more than WHAT you eat!

Beth Eckhaus
Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor
Integrative Family Medicine Center
[...]

bh
This book is a way of looking at all aspects of life, not only diet. As a matter of fact it has no menus or recipes in it. I rarely read books twice, but this one is worthy of a second read. A small book with big life-lessons.

Discusses the relationships between eating fast & without intention and common maladies of western society - obeity & overweight, diabetes, etc. Has step by step suggestions for changing the way you eat to be more in tune with a healthy body.

As a health counselor, I needed a book that would jump start my clients into the wonderful world of awareness. The Slow Down Diet is my dream come true. It awakens as it soothes, it motivates as it guides. The Slow Down Diet explains how to live life to its fullest, and not just through food. It doesn't judge or ridicule those who have lost their way. Instead, it gently picks up the lost and hopeless and inspires them to make the changes necessary for lasting health, vitality and peace.

I highly recommend this book. It is an easy read and very interesting. I find that dieting is very difficult so I will never "diet" again. Learning how foods work in the body has been helpful in my weight loss plan. I have now lost 20 lbs simply following common sense and good information about food. This book has been a great help. I will buy them for gifts as well.

I have not read the whole thing, but I skim through and it tells all about many foods I already love, but need to incorporate more into my diet. Great guide book.

I think this book is pretty good and makes you feel more confident in your selection of foods with caveats. I would recommend the book but it should probably sell for about $10.00.

I thought it very interesting and wasn't really aware of what I was doing to my body. I have since with a couple of my friends revised the way we eat know. No bread (yeast) products have gone past my lips in over a month now. I have also tried different things like seaweed and dulse and just add more protein to my diet. I haven't been able to fit into many things at the beginning of spring/summer but can now. I never feel as full any more and I only eat when hungry not when I just crave something.
thank you so much.

Classic herbs which help to flush fat are flaxseed oil, anise,
cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, fennel seed, garlic and parsley.
Apple seed vinegar, cranberry , B12 and flaxseed oil help to flush
cholesterol. Lemons act as a detoxifier. Lamb acts to stabilizer
blood sugar, as well as salmon and whey protein.

Other fat flush foods are fresh veggies,asparagus, broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower, jicama (potato and apple cross) and cucumber.
The acquisition would be perfect to supplement any formal diet plan.
As such, it would be a good value for the price charged.