Review of The Smart Carb Guide to Eating Out (Mass Market Paperback)

In this type of society where men as well as women work, there is not enough time to prepare a healthy meal.
Thanks to Tracy Jones I can eat the right food outside the home.I can work and know that I always can go to a fast food or family restaurant and get the right amount of food without worrying about counting my calories or carbs.
Another important benefit of following the menus she describes in this book is the level of energy that you have after eating. I can go back to work and I have such a high level of energy that you might think that I took a nap.I am now alert all the time and I am not hungry for four hours since I feel satisfied with what I ate.Finally, the snacks in between keeps me going the rest of the day.
I also really enjoy the recipies of the salads that I can prepare at home.
Furthermore, my insulin level is going to be controlled because I am eating a balance diet (40-30-30).I will be a healthy person.
This book explains the diet in a very simple and easy way to follow.
Thank you for making one part of my life easier.

Product Description
A fast-food diet? It may seem like an oxymoron, but for the millions of Americans living a low-carb lifestyle-many of whom still end up eating on the run at fast-food joints and sitting down with their families at chain restaurants-The Smart-Carb Guide to Eating Out shows how to stick to a low-carb diet when eating on the go.

Rather than simply listing the nutritional content and requiring us to do the math ourselves to figure out what to eat, Tracy Jones, M.S., provides a shortcut by listing which menu items (or combination of menu items) compose a smart-carb meal that is compatible with The Zone, South Beach, or any 40-30-30 diet. The book also provides calorie and carb content so that readers can easily customize meals to meet their own nutritional needs. And with the help of the 7-Day Quick Start Program, readers can quickly implement their favorite fast-food meals-like the Classic Single hamburger and Junior Frosty at Wendy's-to jump-start their weight loss.

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Review of Avery's Sports Nutrition Almanac: Your Complete and Up-to-date Guide to Sports Nutrition and Fitness (Paperback)

...It was pretty well buried and anonymous. For these reasons I thought I was probably taking a big chance in buying this book, and that ultimately, I would be disappointed. To the contrary, I have been pleasantly surprised. I still don't get why this isn't a runaway bestseller for athletes, but here's my take on the book. Pros: Extensive information on Carbs, Proteins, Amino Acids, Fats, Water, Vitamins, Minerals, Electolytes, Supplements and even ergogenic Herbs (there is no info on steroids). The strength, I find, in this book is its authoratative tone, and drilling down to reveal esoteric facts. The authoratative tone isn't just evident in the language [the book having been very well edited], but in the knowledge presented. As a strength athlete (bodybuilder) I already know some lesser known facts about nutrition. To have those lesser known facts presented to me in this book makes me trust all the other information in the book that I didn't know. We're not talking about fads or unproven, hyped supplements, but reliable info on which supplements are likely to help, and at what doses. The high-profile supplements are covered (e.g., creatine, ribose, tribulus terrestris, MSM, NADH, HMB, and many, many more), but in a way that is neither pro- nor anti-supplement. You get fair, unbaised opinion on whether the supplement works or not, with case studies cited. There's also an excellent glossary. And there's a very useful website appendix to further your investigations. Lastly, reference sources are cataloged. On the Con side: This is a nit, but there's a section on Who's Who in Sports Nutrition. I disagree with some of the entries, and didn't feel everyone had been covered, but, by nature, this is bound to be subjective; you may find it's just perfect. Also, there's advice sprinkled throughout the book that borders on a recommendation for certain supplements by brand name. I honestly don't think this is because of any tie-ins with the publisher or authors...mostly because they mention numerous and competing brands...but it is a little off-putting at first; at least until you let your guard down and accept it as honest opinion. Anyway, this is a tremendous resource for sports nutrition, and I especially recommend it for my brothers and sisters (there is much on female-specific nutrition) in the iron game. Naturals, in particular, should run...don't walk, to get this book.

Product Description
A complete sourcebook for amateur athletes to keep pace with the ever-changing field of sports nutrition.

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Review of The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess (Hardcover)

"Lift like a man, look like a Goddess" says the book. But is it true?I believe it is, and this book is right on the money. It is cleanly divided into three parts.

The first part discusses the similarities between men's and women's bodies as it pertains to weight lifting- and why they should train the same. I agree with the book on this point entirely.While women's muscles won't get as big as a man's from lifting weights, the stimulus to make a woman's muscle bigger and stronger is identical to that of a man's- overload the muscle with progressively heavier weights.

Part two, "You aren't what you don't eat", is the eating/diet section of the book. A lot of wisdom is also packed in here as the book gives the reader a lot of basic nutrition info, such as calorie needs, protein intake, etc. The reader is also introduced to the four "Ironclad Rules" which include: you must eat breakfast, you must eat a total of 5 meals and snacks a day, you must have a post-workout recovery shake on the days you lift, and you must have more calories on workout days than the other days.Meal plans are nicely laid out for the reader in this section as well.

Lastly comes part three, "Resistance is vital." Of course this is the section that discusses the workout routines and the exercises. Without going into details, you work out 2-3 times a week, and the workouts are divided in 7 stages (each with a certain goal) which roughly give you 6 months worth of workouts- which I might add, are all highly detailed in the book. Pictures of warm-up exercises and the resistance exercises are included and very easy to follow. Weight lifting exercises are nothing crazy, with a lot of them being sensible, basic exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and various presses.

As a trainer, I found this to be a very sensible weight lifting book for women. Yes it does invovlve some work, but then again that is the only way to make a muscle stronger, whether you're a man or a woman- which is the whole point of the book. Based on a lot of sound science, I give it two thumbs up for a very helpful, effective, and "doable" book. Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff for readers who have a shoulder problem that interferes with their training.

Product Description
If you believe what most women's magazines tell you, muscles can be "shaped," "toned," and "sculpted" with nothing more than a little dumbbell that weighs less than a can of peas. But muscles aren't modeling clay, and the only way to transform them is to strengthen them. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is for the woman who's ready to throw down the "Barbie" weights and start a strength and conditioning program that will give her the body of her dreams.

The book puts to rest the shop-worn notion that women who train with heavy weights will bulk up. Nonsense! Women simply don't have enough testosterone to pack on muscle like a bodybuilder. Here's the truth: lifting weights not only makes you stronger, it also makes you leaner. In fact, most women would have to run twice as long to receive the same fat-burning benefits as weight lifters.

A better workout in less time may sound too good to be true, but champion trainer Alwyn Cosgrove creates six months' worth of workouts that will build strength, burn fat, and rev up the metabolism. His total body workouts target all the major muscle groups, and each exercise is accompanied by clear black- and-white photographs that illustrate proper technique and form.

A nutrition plan is another key feature of the book. To gain strength you have to feed muscle, and nutritionist CassandraForsythe has designed a regimen to achieve this goal. She strongly recommends small, frequent meals and offers meal plans, along with fifty recipes, to satisfy women's special needs through breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The New Rules of Lifting for Women will become the standard for smart women who take their fitness goals seriously.

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Review of Your Menopause, Your Menotype : Find Your Type and Free Yourself from the Symptoms of Menopause (Paperback)

So much information contained in one book.Helped me a lot with my perimenopausal symptoms.

Product Description
For women seeking an alternative to HRT, this book offers individualized natural treatment options for the symptoms of menopause.

All too often, doctors who practice traditional medicine are quick to prescribe HRT as the only way to treat menopause, when, in fact, asrecent studies have shown, it is often ineffective and unnecessary. Naturopathic doctors Angela and Mark Stengler show women how to determine their "menotype" based on their own unique combination of physical and emotional symptoms, heredity, diet, and lifestyle. This book grants women the critical information they need not only to safely and naturally treat their menopausal symptoms, but also to help them avoid other age-related disorders such as osteoporosis. AUTHORBIO: Angela Stengler, N.D., is the host of a weekly health radio program and the coauthor of Your Vital Child.

Mark Stengler, N.D., is the author of The Natural Physician's Healing Therapies.

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Review of Diabetes-Free Kids: A Take-Charge Plan for Preventing and Treating Type-2 Diabetes in Children (Paperback)

The hard reality is that we have an "epidemic" of obesity in children, the likes of which has never been seen before. Children are also getting OBESITY RELATED Diabetes and that is very, very serious...because while obesity carries its own risk factors (early onset heart disease, social rejection, etc)..diabetes can cause blindness, circulatory problems and worse.

This book is a guideline for parents who want to help their children from getting Diabetes - or to treat them if they do get it. The author means it when she writes "a take charge plan". This means parents and children can be pro-active and prevent diabetes or keep it from becoming even worse.

An absolute MUST READ for anyone with an obese child.

Product Description
A parent's action plan for stopping the epidemicof type 2 diabetes in children.

Diabetes-Free Kids is the first book to address the burgeoning epidemicof type 2 diabetes among children and to provide parents with an action plan for halting it. Exercise physiologist Sheri Colberg and nutritionist Mary Friesz lay out a clear plan for diet and exercise that will get even the pickiest eaters to enjoy healthier yet satisfying meals and snacks, and will motivate the most sedentary children to start moving.

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Review of The Body Fat Solution: Five Principles for Burning Fat, Building Lean Muscles, Ending Emotional Eating, and Maintaining Your Perfect Weight (Hardcover)

I am a physician who manages a suburban metabolic and nutrition program for obese and overweight children.It amazes me how complex it is to unravel the passionate and unhealthy philosophy many people have about exercise and nutrition.So many people are struggling fruitlessly with their goals as they are overwhelmed by seemingly endless waves of misleading advertisements and contradictory information about lifestyle and nutrition.There is so much unbelievable noise out there that many people are left feeling hopeless, defeated and not knowing what to do.The Body Fat Solution is a very healthy, very welcome voice of reason among all that noise.

As I develop nutrition plans for my patients I will frequently reference the precepts outlined in Tom Venuto's brilliant e-book Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. Honestly, I found this e-book to be a very approachable and comprehensive volume dealing with nutrition, exercise and hormonal physiology.(I would highly recommend this e-book for anyone who wants a more detailed explanation of macronutrients, hormonal physiology, and meal planning.)However, The Body Fat Solution is an indispensable development to this excellent work.

In my experience patients do not struggle as much with "what to do" but rather struggle with "the doing of it".In the first few consultations with a new patient I can usually disarm the passionate obsession with whatever flavor of macronutrient phobia they have and outline the physiological rational behind consistently eating a calorie based diet of lean protein, whole unprocessed foods, and essential fats.In this motivational clinical setting most patients will readily agree to begin journaling and commit to starting an exercise and nutrition program.

However, the problems arise as soon as they leave my office and are once again buffeted by their busy schedule, advertising, misleading labels, psychological defense mechanisms and emotional ties to eating.Most of the time I spend on subsequent patient visits centers on developing strategies of how to interface the program we have developed into their lifestyle.The strategies revealed in The Body Fat Solution do an excellent job addressing these issues.

The Body Fat Solution outlines all of the necessary tactics to tackle these intangible influences on our nutrition and exercise plans.The first four chapters outline the evolution of obesity and how our beliefs, attitudes and emotional ties to food play a significant role in this unhealthy homeostasis.In chapter five you are taken step-by-step through the essential process of goal setting and reprogramming your mental awareness of the beliefs and attitudes that can sabotage your plans.Then in chapters six through eight you are treated to the most insightful and logical nutrition and exercise program I have ever seen.Everything you need to know ... it's all there ... very motivational and very doable!Finally chapters nine through twelve outline all the necessary environmental and social strategies needed to start you on the way to maintaining your new and healthy self.

Quoting The Body Fat Solution, "There is no way around it - to tackle a problem like body fat, which has so many causes, you must make changes in every area of your life.You have to eat better, train consistently, manage your emotions, change your thinking, get the support you need, and put it all together in a healthy lifestyle."I couldn't agree more.In my opinion The Body Fat Solutions gives you all the necessary tools to do just that.


Product Description
The ultimate plan for permanent weight loss.

The Body Fat Solution is Tom Venuto's complete program to lose body fat, build muscle-and keep the weight off for good.

By now, we all know that we gain fat when we take in more calories than we burn. But we're not always rational creatures when it comes to food. Venuto provides a sound plan that will help us put the brakes on overeating by pinpointing the mental roadblocks and emotional eating patterns that are preventing us from losing weight for good. Guiding readers to dig deeper, The Body Fat Solution explores:

· Why it is so difficult to balance calorie output with input
· What prevents people from eating appropriately and exercising more
· The emotional and psychological factors that sabotage Success

Tom Venuto reminds us that calories do count! But The Body Fat Solution is neither super low carb nor super low fat, and he steers clear of demonizing entire food groups. Instead, Venuto shows how to personalize an eating plan that takes into account your unique metabolism and calorie needs. He then presents workout programs to maximize the success of the diet plan that are fast and efficient, enabling you to quickly achieve your goal of replacing fat with lean muscle.

Tapping into his years of training expertise and personal experience, Venuto helps readers change their relationship with food, empowers them to take charge of their lives, and delivers a program that promises dramatic and permanent results.

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Review of Look Great Naked Diet (Paperback)

I got this book as a xmas present and read it non-stop the next day. After my second child, I gained over 30 pounds and haven't been able to keep the weight off. I have followed many diets since and never had good success (I lost a lot of weight on Atkins but ended up gaining it all back and then some :( ) After finishing reading the LGN Diet, I finally feel like I have a handle on what I've been doing wrong. There is so much good information here that I never understood before. There is a good amount of scientific theory in the beginning but it is put into words that I could follow and it really made me understand how my body works and why certain foods do certain things in your body. What I really like is that the author gives a complete diet plan by body type and then has a 7 day sample menu that shows you exactly how to make it work. I have just started the program and find it easy to follow. Wish me luck!
Tanya

Product Description
The author of the top-selling Look Great Naked shows how to change the body's set point to achieve permanent weight loss.

Nature deals everyone a certain body type based on an individual set point, which is the amount of fat the body strives to maintain at all times. While most diets promote weight loss for the short term, they fail to take into account each person's unique set point, making weight regain all but inevitable. The Look Great Naked Diet offers a permanent solution for changing genetic disposition, allowing everyone to enjoy lasting results. Renowned fitness and nutrition expert Brad Schoenfeld will show anyone how to redefine their physique with:

* An individualized diet designed for each of the three body types, with seven-day menu plans
* A balanced eating plan that includes healthy levels of protein, nutrient-dense carbohydrates, and essential fats
* Delicious recipes from some of the world's top fitness personalities


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Review of The Gut Flush Plan : The Breakthrough Cleansing Program to Rid Your Body of the Toxins That Make You Sick, Tired, and Bloated (Hardcover)

I have been a big ALG fan for a while, but this book takes it a little too far.A few things I noticed (I did not read from cover to cover)

--This book seems to almost require purchase of her products, which was not necessary to follow her plans in previous books.So I find that annoying.Buy my book and then my products.
--She is really moving to germaphobe land in my opinion.I can understand skipping the salad bar to avoid bacteria and stuff, but she seems to question having pets.She does not say get rid of your animals, restrict your contact, you get the idea.Really drifting toward living in a bubble.

I guess if you are really sick and not digesting food well this might be the book for you.But if you are just looking to feel and be more healthy and/or lose some weight, try the Fat Flush Plan and/or the Detox.I know when I do the original Fat Flush I feel great physically, emotionally, my skin clears, etc.However, this book just goes too far for my lifestyle to be actually doable.

Product Description
The Breakthrough Cleansing Program to Rid Your Body of the Toxins That Make You Sick, Tired, and Bloated

A groundbreaking plan to cleanse your system and revitalize your health.

In light of the recent food scares (E. coli in spinach and salmonella in peanut butter) and the rising incidence in illness from smartbugs, parasites, yeast, and hidden food sensitivities, award-winning author and detox diet expert Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., explains why we must now more than ever Fortify, Flush, and Feed our bodies from within.

In The Gut Flush Plan, Gittleman outlines a comprehensive plan to heal our bodies, lower our risk of infection, and revitalize our health.

In no nonsense and informative chapters, she reveals:
- what's happening in your gut to create the internal
- environment that allows toxins to thrive in the first Place
- what to do about the deadly new infection that is antibiotic resistant and spreading in salons, schools, gyms, and hospitals
- how gluten and high levels of fructose and lactose can add to bacterial and yeast imbalances in the gut, further impacting Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Most important: Gittleman spells out the Gut Flush program's key principles in what she calls the 21-Day Gut Flush Plan, which includes simple recipes, nutritional information and a sidebar tip for each day. In The Gut Flush Plan, Gittleman will set you on a life-changing program to detoxify your body, energize your metabolism into action, and begin your journey to healthy living.

- www.annlouise.com receives more than 100,000 hits per month
- Columnist for First for Women Magazine with a circulation of 1.5 million
- New York Times-bestselling author of Before the Change and The Fat Flush Plan

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Review of The Reality Diet: Lose the Pounds for Good with a Cardiologist's Simple, Healthy, Proven Plan (Hardcover)

With 60% of Americans currently overweight, something is still missing when it comes to finding that optimal eating plan and Dr. Schnur may have the key to what that is.

Imagine eating Spanish couscous, Ham and cheese egg muffins, chicken pasta salad and STILL managing to achieve a nice, steady weight loss. I'm sure this will be a shocker to low carb devotees but, speaking as a former low carber, I've lost MORE weight on the Reality Diet, feel better and don't crave carbs as I used to.

Committed as I was to "low carb" diets, I didn't exactly have high hopes for this one but was shocked to see the pounds coming off. Besides, I'd gotten bored with counting every carb and I missed some of my old favorites

So I was opening to trying something new and discovered that this is a truly sensible diet, with anemphasis on just enough fiber to keep your body operating at maximum metabolic efficiency. What a difference that makes!
Here was my experience on this diet (and yes, I WAS skeptical when I saw how many grams of carbs most of these recipes contained):
1. A steady weight loss of about 7 -8 pounds a month which adds up to 30 pounds in about 3-4 months. Sound too slow? Not if the weight STAYS off.
2. Feeling fuller than ever and actually having to struggle to eat ENOUGH calories, quite a novelty for a diet!
3. More energy.
4. More efficient and regular digestion.
5. No dark circles under my eyes - maybe because of increased circulation or a missing nutritional ingredient?
6 Reduction of wrinkles, perhaps from drinking more water or having better circulation.

This book has the strength of being written by a cardiologist, onewho can give plenty of examples of how dangerous those other diets can be, based on people he's seen in the emergency room after they've lost something like 30 pounds in a month. The weight may come off quickly, true...but that isn't necessarily a good thing, as he indicates by the patients he's seen who've seriously impacted their cardiovascular health, their energy and their nutritional requirements.

Based on his experiences,Dr. Schnur advocates steady, realistic weight loss. This doesn't mean losing TOO slowly, however but at a pace of about 7 to 8 pounds a month - a loss that is not only sustainable but can be healthy.

And yes, there is a major GUIDELINE, a formula for following"The Reality Diet"which is a very easy guideline to learn. It involvesl learning how much fiber you need daily (and what types of fiber) to keep you feeling full, the kind of fiber that occurs naturally in food. By using this very simple rule, you can look at ANY food label and know if the food is appropriate for the plan.

This means that carbohydrates no no longer off limit, as long as they follow the guidelines established here.

I won't give the secret away because I really think you need to learn it in context with the rest of the book..and also because Dr. Schnur explains why you need the approximate amount of fiber he suggests -- and how that allows you to eat certain starches like waffles, some breads, potatoes and even pasta (the right kind of pasta). Plus, he has the cutting edge research that indicates how to make the most of this plan.

I found this to be a very sensible and healthy eating plan which even advocates regular glasses of red wine, in moderation. Who wants to eliminate ALL carbs? I certanly don't. Also, this diet is not Too high in fiber (too much can lead to bloating and cramps) but has the right amount, enough to make dieters feel full and to maintain regularity and optimum metabolism.

This is also one of the EASIEST diets to follow, with complete meal plans that include easy recipes that taste good (I LOVED the toasted Tuna and Avocado Sandwich, Vegetarian Stir Fry, Classic Hamburger and the homemade cranberry almond bars. The apple- peanut butter sandwich is an easy lunch choice, pakkable and good for those on the run. I could go on and on...and if you like to experiment with different flavors, the recipes will thrill you. They aren't run of the mill but they aren't overly exotic either. My kids were fond of many of them. There are lists of suggested foods and menus and I was delighted when my kids asked for the Tofu shakes nd Strawberry Custard cups. Did they know they were eating "diet" food? Nope.

If you've missed you carbs (admit it, you have, haven't you?) you'll go nuts for the Stir Fried Broccoli and rice and the creamy strawberry Tofu Dessert only take an hour in the freezer to come out with a very nice consistency.

OTHER MAJOR PLUSES OF THIS BOOK:
Handling restaurants and holidays
Exercise tips

Product Description
Developed by Dr. Steven A. Schnur, founder of the largest cardiology practice in south Florida, this breakthrough program is the only diet that keeps the fat off forever. Not a low-carb, low-fat, or high protein diet plan, The Reality Diet is rich with delicious foods from all food groups and high in one key fat-fighting ingredient-fiber. Fiber not only stops hunger, but it also significantly lowers the risk of heart disease, colon cancer, and a host of other conditions.

By following The Reality Diet you will:

- learn and apply the 2:90 Rule-the key to choosing nutritious carbs with the right fibercontent
- enjoy mouthwatering meals using more than 200 quick, easy recipes designed by a top recipe developer and a registered dietician
- eat all the foods you love and have been told to avoid-pasta, rice, waffles, potatoes, bananas, watermelon, corn-on-the-cob
- lose 2 pounds a week and 30 pounds in 3 months
- learn proven strategies for maintaining your weight loss-for life

Flexible and forgiving, this program is for real people living in the real world. With eight weeks of Action plan menus for men and women, tips for eating in restaurants, as well as an effective exercise program, The Reality Diet is both a comprehensive weight-loss plan and a blueprint for lifelong health.

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