Once again, a reminder that this is a very rough draft of the book I'm writing for National Novel Writing Month. To up my word count I don't generally use contractions, after all I'm trying to write 50,000 words in thirty days. Not easy, but lots of fun.
Chapter Ten
Speaking of Books
In
the preceding chapters I have referenced a few of the books I have read and use
for reference. I would like to formally introduce you to all of my favorite
books for this subject.
Change
One – The diet & fitness plan, Lose Weight Simply, Safely, and Forever
The
Official Diet of Reader’s Digest
Set
for Life; Eat More…Weigh Less…Feel Terrific
Jane
P. Merrill and Karen M. Sunderland
Low-Fat
Lies, High Fat Frauds and the healthiest diet in the world
Kevin
Vigilante, MD MPH and Mary Flynn, PhD
Flip
the Switch, Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism & Burn Fat 24 Hours a
Day
Robert
K. Cooper, PhD, Recipes by Leslie L. Cooper
How
to Help Your Man Lose Weight, A Guide for the Concerned Woman
Jerry
C. Sutkamp, M.D. & Ted Mason
Healing
through Exercise, Scientifically-proven ways to prevent and overcome illness
and lengthen your life
Jörg
Blech
The
Sneaky Chef, Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals
Missy
Chase Lapine
The
Volumetrics Eating Plan, Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer
Calories
Barbara
Rolls, Ph.D
8
Minutes in the Morning for Extra-Easy Weight Loss
Jorge
Cruise
You
would think that with having read all of these books I would be slim and fit
already. Well, surely you understand the problem: knowledge is not the same as
action. I will defend myself in that I have adopted some of the knowledge that
I have gained, I have resisted some temptation, otherwise, I would probably
weigh three hundred pounds, like many other women who are stress eaters with no
self discipline. I am just grateful that I have had only a 2.6 pound average weight
gain over the years. I could have done much, much worse.
What I have learned
from each book.
Change
One, The Official Diet of Reader’s Digest
The
Diet and Fitness Plan – Lose Weight Simply, Safely and Forever
The
best thing about this book is all the success stories of real people who have used
the diet. It is encouraging to see the before and after pictures of real people,
male and female, and read their stories. I want to be one of those successes. I
like the plan because it takes things slow and steady, changing one thing at a
time, and addresses all the things that can derail a change of eating and
exercising habits. There are meal plans and recipes and lots of great pictures.
The exercises are basic and simple to begin with, increasing in complexity as
the weeks go by.
Set
for Life, Eat More, Weight Less, Feel Terrific
Jane
P. Merrill, Karen M. Sunderland
The
authors of Set for Life lay out three points for balancing life to bring
success; those points are 1) Positive Living, 2) Regular Exercise, and 3) Good
Nutrition. Much of the book is given to recipes for healthful foods. When I
first got the book I tried many of the recipes and some have become family
favorites and traditions. Others, well, let’s just say that our tastes differ
from the author’s tastes and leave it at that. Some of the recipes my husband
didn’t like while I did, but since I am not interested in fixing two meals I
opted to fix things my husband will eat. I found early on that if he didn’t
like something he would politely eat a little bit and later find an excuse to
go somewhere, and while out he would stop of a fast food joint and fill up.
Fast food is bad for the wallet as well as the body, so I try to fix things he
likes.
I
have struggled with positive living, having a happy attitude, since I went to
Junior High. I do not remember being unhappy during childhood. I liked going to
school, I had friends, and I felt good about myself. When it was time to go to
seventh grade my parents made the decision to transfer me from the local school
where we lived to the school where my father taught. I went to orientation on
the Friday before school was to begin and was immediately plunged into despair.
I do not even remember looking at the boys, but the girls were all well dressed
in the latest mini-skirts (This was 1969), already knew each other from
elementary school and wore nylons! I was dressed in a homemade dress (not that
that was bad, my mother was an excellent seamstress) with bobby socks and lace
up suede oxfords. I was a first class dork and totally embarrassed. Plus, I had
curly red hair, freckles and fair skin (and still do, well except the freckles
are much less now), and did not fit in, in any way shape or form. I became
despondent and during ninth grade had stress headaches so often and bad that my
parents decided to take me to the doctor. I believe those years were the cause
of my continuous struggle with feeling inferior and unhappy. Even now, it is
difficult to be optimistic and hopeful. But I keep trying. The authors are both
slim and energetic so that says something, especially since they are both
mothers of more children than me.
Low-Fat
Lies, High-Fat Fraud and the healthiest diet in the world
Kevin
Vigilante, MD, MPH and Mary Flynn, PhD
This
book exposes the propaganda of the collusion of science and government, as well
as teaching about a truly healthful way of eating. Dr. Vigilante (how’s that
for a name?) has an engaging writing style and lots of well researched
information. The recipes are good, a little on the high-brow side of things,
but they are instructive as to what constitutes this healthy diet.
Flip
the Switch – Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism & Burn Fat 24 Hours
a Day
Robert
K. Cooper, PhD, Recipes by Leslie L. Cooper
I’m
still wading through this one. It is heavy on the science and research, but
still manages to be readable. It explains how our bodies work, which is helpful
to know. It has straightforward suggestions about what to do to rev up your
metabolism. I know they work, because it is basically what trim, healthy people
do. Like I said before, knowledge is not the same as action. But this book is
motivating.
How
to Help Your Man Lose Weight – A Guide for the Concerned Woman
Jerry
C. Sutkamp, M.D. & Ted Mason
If
you want ideas on how to change your man’s eating habits, this book is the one.
He has some great stories and anecdotes from his patient’s lives. I don’t agree
with all the non-fat, reduced fat ingredients used in the eating plan, but it
can be a starting point. One of the most
valuable parts is his explanation into the male psyche; understanding the way
men think about food and body size is really helpful to understanding
strategies that will help them lose weight.
Healing
through Exercise – Scientifically-Proven ways to Prevent and Overcome Illness
and Lengthen Your Life
Jörg
Blech
This
is one of my favorites because it explains how beneficial exercise is for our
bodies; not just exercise in a gym, but an active life versus a sedentary life.
When I need motivation, this is the book I turn to. I want to live a long,
healthy life and exercise is an important ingredient in achieving that goal.
The
Sneaky Chef – Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite
Meals
Missy
Chase Lapine
This
book is downright fun to read. Missy has the best ideas for hiding foods. I have
tried them and they work! Even if you don’t use her exact ideas and recipes,
the concept is easily transferrable to your own recipes and it is fun to get
creative. Lots of nice pictures too.
The
Volumetrics Eating Plan – Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer
Calories
Barbara
Roll, Ph.D.
This
is a sequel to her original book The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan. Dr. Roll
is associated with Penn State and has done extensive research there on
nutrition, diet, and eating habits. These books are wonderful! Solid scientific
information in a readable format; good recipes, and in this book there are lots
of pictures so you can actually see the difference her methods make in size of
portions. It is astounding. Give it a look-see.
8
Minutes in the Morning for Extra-Easy Weight Loss.
Jorge
Cruise
I
had seen Jorge’s books for years before I bought one. I got this one because
the premise is that you don’t need any equipment for the exercises. You can do
them in your pjs in your bedroom first thing in the morning. He also includes
an eating plan that is very generous and a buddy system plan that helps with accountability
and encouragement. The book is a good one and I like to read his explanations
for everything. He too has studied nutrition and exercise science and uses the
latest findings to guide is advice. Another great feature is personal success
stories from many participants. See real people succeed encourages me.
And
there you have it. The books I refer to most for information, recipes,
exercises, and encouragement.
Want
to know something odd about me? When I have cravings for sweets, or food in
general I can satisfy those cravings by reading a cookbook. Reading a cookbook
does not induce cravings, it satisfies them, mostly. Sometimes the cravings are
such that I end of making something, but generally I can find relief by simply
reading yummy recipes. Weird, I know. Hand me that book with the pie recipes,
will ya’?
