Review of The Smart Student's Guide to Healthy Living: How to Survive Stress, Late Nights, and the College Cafeteria (Paperback)

This book was given to me by my boyfriend. Since I'm home from college for the summer, it was on my bookshelf for a few weeks before I started flipping through it as I prepared to head back to the dorm. When I had finished reading it, though, I was pleased with what I found.

As a girl who goes back and forth between "fad" diets and approaching buffets with wreckless abandon, I found the Smart Student's Guide to be something that has long-term potential. The meal plan is more of a "life-style" plan. And it is in wonderful incremental steps--something I found especially helpful! The focus is not only on eating, there is also a pleasant section on dormroom workouts, but the resounding theme was general well-being through choices in food and activities. I would call it "well-rounded" and well researched.

Most helpful to me, was the section on dorm recipes--even though my college is well known for its cafeteria, I love having the option of simple, healthy and well-proportined meals that make me feel a little closer to home.

Product Description
Fight the Freshman Fifteen, Sleepless Nights, and Other Pitfalls of College Life
Welcome to college life. It's full of possibilities-and pitfalls. Cafeteria food is awful, but there sure is a lot of it. And you can eat as much (or more) of anything-and everything-as you want. And in a single year of study, you can grow a gut that will haunt you for the rest of your life. No one in the dorm is going to tell you when to go to bed, and you can wear each all-night cram session like a badge of honor. But on two hours of sleep a night, the circles under your eyes will make you look like a raccoon before midterms-which you'll then probably fail. And exercise-what's that? Say hello to thunder thighs and saggy bat-wing arms.
Sound awful? Good. It's supposed to. But take heart: With the simple advice you'll find in this book, you can eat right and get the sleep and exercise you need to excel academically and creatively. You'll get the straight story on how to avoid the freshman fifteen, and learn how to make good choices in the cafeteria and make smart snacks on those few useless appliances they allow you to keep in your room. You'll get tips on fitting regular exercise into a busy class schedule and getting enough sleep without being the only one who never-NEVER-makes it to the latest of the late-night parties.
· Eat smart to fight the freshman fifteen, food allergies, and fatigue· Prepare smart snacks right in your dorm room-without burning the place down!· Get enough sleep without missing out on too much late night fun· Build the body of your dreams with smart exercise tips· Make the grade without succumbing to stress
"The Smart Student's Guide to Healthy Dorm Living is a must for any parent sending their student off to college. The book is packed with practical tips for healthy eating. It helps answer the questions I hear from college students every day. This book is the answer to helping teens stay healthy and fit as they transcend the college years into adulthood. Hats off to M.J. and Fred Smith for giving students and easy-to-read survival guide to healthy eating at college."-Ann Blocker, RD, LD, CDE, director of nutrition at Veterans Memorial Hospital and nutrition consultant to Luther College, in Decorah, IA
"A great book, so practical and useful-fantastic!"-Jane Hasek, MSN, Ed.D., chancellor emerita and distinguished professor at Allen College in Waterloo, IA

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Review of 366 Low-Fat, Brand-Name Recipes in Minutes!: More Than One Year of Healthy Cooking Using Your Family's Favorite Brand-Name Foods (Paperback)

Although the recipes in this book look like they are tasty, if you analize each recipe you'll see that they are far from low-fat.The serving sizes are very often miniscule in size and the fat calories are usually up around 50+ per serving.
Examples:Pecan and Red Onion Bread (page 70) serving size 1/2 slice, calories 130, calories from fat 45
Almond Fish Fillets (page 221) Serving size 4 oz. (equal to a deck of playing cards), calories 185, calories from fat 81
Grilled Italian Pork Chops (page 231) Serving size 1 chop, calories 166, calories from fat 90!
One-Dish Oriental Chicken and Rice (page 239), Serving size 4 oz meat + 1 cup rice and vegetables, Calories 339, calories from fat 63
Picadillo Rolls (page 242) serving size ONE ROLL, Calories 299, calories from fat 117!
Salmon Florentine (page 245) serving size 8 oz, calories 301, calories from fat 117
Hidden Valley (R) Club Salad (page 137) Serving size 2 cups, Calories 267, calories from fat 126
Remember that a 4 oz. piece of meat is the size of a deck of playing cards.Yes, there are a few recipes in the book that I would consider low-fat, but the majority are not.As any calorie counter, like myself, knows, the amount of fat per serving on the above examples are often a whole days allowance!
I highly recommend you not purchase this book, but search for a truly low-fat cookbook.This one is great for an everyday meal, but certainly not for those who wish to lose weight.

Product Description
Create A Year's Worth of Healthy and Fast Family Favorites using Popular Brand-Name Foods. If you crave good cooking and good health but find yourself short on time, delicious and healthful meals are now as close as your cupboard. With brand-name foods you may already have around the kitchen, you can create mouthwatering and nutritiously sound meals in minutes. In fact, most of these recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare. You'll save precious time and money at the same time as reducing unwanted calories, fat, salt, and cholesterol. With Brands You Trust, This Creative Cookbook Offers Such Temptations As:

• Green chili spoon bread
• Bartles & Jaymes® tropical fruit salad
• Pepper chicken tortellini salad
• Speedy baked ziti
• Saturday night seafood scramble
• Dannon® brownies
• Frosted pistachio marble cake

366 Low-Fat, Brand-Name Recipes in Min utes also includes tips on reducing the fat in brand-name foods, recipe preparation times, food exchanges for weight loss and diabetes, recipes for bread machines, and more. From appetizers to dessert and Betty Crocker® to Velveeta®, 366 Low-Fat, Brand-Name Recipes in Minutes makes it easy to eat conveniently, inexpensively, and healthfully every day.

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