'Tis the Season To Move Your Body: Diet and Fitness Roundup 2007

by Susan Hagloch, Dover, OH -- Library Journal, 1/15/2007

The sins of the holidays came in many shapes and sizes, be it cookie, pie, or candy cane. Luckily, so does the antidote to those indulgences: the modern diet and fitness book. This year, the strategies range from simple calorie counting to traditional Chinese medicine. Except where noted, they recommend what used to be called complex carbohydrates: unrefined, high-fiber grains; vegetables; and fruit in almost unlimited amounts, coupled with controlled portions of meats, fats, and sweets. Exercise is also a theme, although some titles dwell more on this element than others. Overall, the current offerings are not too gimmicky, not too faddish, and not too cute, but just right.

Austin, Denise. Tone Your Tummy Type: Flatten Your Belly and Shrink Your Waist in 4 Weeks. Rodale. Jan. 2007. c.304p. illus. photogs. ISBN 1-59486-472-1 [ISBN 978-1-59486-472-8]. $24.95. HEALTH

Austin, star of the Lifetime Network's Daily Workout and Fit & Lite programs, focuses on a favorite bugaboo—belly fat—defining five types: Apple, Metabolically Challenged, Post-Menopause, Stressed Slender, After Baby, and Guy Stomachs. To battle the bulge, she prescribes a diet and exercise regimen with minor variations. Essentially, she favors aerobic exercise to burn calories, strength training to tone belly muscles, and complex carbohydrates as part of a low-calorie diet. A "Tummy Typing" quiz, a weight-loss plan with recipes and shopping lists, and success stories with before-and-after photographs complete the book. Useful information on a popular target.

Carmichael, Chris with Jim Rutberg. 5 Essentials for a Winning Life: The Nutrition, Fitness, and Life Plan for Discovering the Champion Within. Rodale. Jan. 2007. c.336p. photogs. index. ISBN 1-59486-455-1 [ISBN 978-1-59486-455-1]. $24.95. HEALTH

Despite including a few photos of and testimonials by women, this program is mainly for men. Carmichael (Chris Carmichael's Food for Fitness: Eat Right To Train Right) is best known as Tour de France phenomenon Lance Armstrong's personal coach. Here, he espouses a plan of self-discipline to eat healthily, exercise regularly, and balance work, relationships, and health so as not to shortchange any of the three. This will appeal to type A "have it all" men as well as to women who feel the usual female approach is too wimpy.

Cunningham, Tricia & Heidi Skolnik. The Reverse Diet: Lose 20, 50, 100 Pounds or More by Eating Dinner for Breakfast and Breakfast for Dinner. Wiley. Jan. 2007. c.272p. index. ISBN 0-470-05229-5 [ISBN 978-0-470-05229-7]. $24.95. HEALTH

It's an old idea: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." It makes sense to eat your biggest meal in the morning so you get a strong start on the day; alternately, the last meal of the day should be smallest, as it fuels nothing but sleep. Cunningham shed 172 pounds following this philosophy, a loss she has maintained for more than seven years. She and Skolnik, who runs a private nutrition practice, present various meal plans and recipes—for all three meals and for snacks—that are low in calories but not overly restrictive. They recommend (though don't specify) exercise. A refreshing and well-handled approach.

Drayer, Lisa. Strong, Slim, and 30: Eat Right, Stay Young, Feel Great and Look Fabulous! McGraw-Hill. Jan. 2007. c.245p. ISBN 0-07-146497-2 [ISBN 978-0-07-146497-0]. $22.95. HEALTH

Although 30 is no longer seen as the end of youth, it is in many cases when the bad habits of youth begin to take their toll. Nutritionist Drayer endorses the Mayo Clinic's theory of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): even small activities like fidgeting, twiddling your thumbs, and tapping your feet burn calories. She recommends developing healthy eating habits (e.g., a fiber-rich breakfast) and partaking in regular exercise now, not once you're 50 pounds overweight. Good for the young crowd but not an essential purchase.

Gurgevich, Steven & Joy Gurgevich. The Self-Hypnosis Diet: Use the Power of Your Mind To Reach Your Perfect Weight. Sounds True. Jan. 2007. c.256p. ISBN 978-1-59179-467-2. $21.95 with CD. HEALTH

Here's a plan that relies less on action than on thought. The Gurgeviches—health psychologist Steven (mind-body medicine, Univ. of Arizona's Coll. of Medicine) and behavioral nutritionist Joy are both members of Dr. Andrew Weil's Program in Integrative Medicine—believe in supplementing the usual diet and exercise programs with regular meditative sessions that induce self-hypnosis and keep your mind working with your body to achieve your ideal weight. They detail ways in which the mind-body connection has been proven and discuss its capabilities. And they explain how readers can relax into a light trance state (the accompanying audio CD is very useful in developing this skill). With a foreword by Weil, this intriguing book presents a new approach.

Hadady, Letha. Feed Your Tiger: The Asian Diet Secret for Permanent Weight Loss and Vibrant Health. Rodale. 2006. c.384p. illus. index. ISBN 1-59486-414-4 [ISBN 978-1-59486-414-8]. $24.95. HEALTH

Drawing from elements of traditional Chinese medicine, Hadady (adjunct faculty, Inst. of Integrative Nutrition, Div. of Nursing Education & Research, Beth Israel Medical Ctr.) defines four personality types—tiger, bear, dragon, and crane—and includes a questionnaire so that readers can identify their own type. For each, she outlines a plan made up of Asian foods, herbal nutritional supplements, massage techniques, and stretches. Some of the ingredients and supplements may be hard to come by outside of big cities, and the plans seem needlessly complicated, but that's all part of the mystique. Something New Age readers will love; buy for demand.

Hart, Cheryle, M.D., & Mary Kay Grossman. The Feel Good Diet: The Weight-Loss Plan That Boosts Serotonin, Improves Your Mood, and Keeps Pounds Off for Good. McGraw-Hill. Jan. 2007. 272p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-07-145378-4 [ISBN 978-0-07-145378-3]. $22.95. HEALTH

Hart and Grossman (nutritional advisor, Women's Wellness Workshop, Spokane, WA) examine how the brain reacts to common diets, particularly highly restrictive ones. Some diets tend to increase the brain's output of the chemicals responsible for depression, which makes the given diet even more difficult to stick with. As an alternative, the authors emphasize foods and supplements that encourage the release of serotonin and help to boost neurotransmitters. The recommended food plans are good, but the authors endorse supplements that are not FDA approved (e.g., DHEA). Pass.

Hartvig, Kirsten. The Healthy Diet Calorie Counter: Measure the Goodness of More Than 600 Foods. Sterling. Jan. 2007. c.250p. photogs. index. ISBN 1-84483-319-4 [ISBN 978-1-84483-319-1]. pap. $9.95. HEALTH

Hartvig (coauthor, You Are What You Eat) serves up complete nutritional information—e.g., calories, fat content, vitamins, minerals, trace elements—for various foods in both their raw and their processed forms. She also describes and explains the many nutrients vis-à-vis their effect on the body. With a "Calorie Point System" showing how to prepare any dish with the optimal quantity and quality of calories, this is an excellent little resource for dieters and others. Libraries may want a copy for the reference section in addition to one for the circulating collection.

Montignac, Michel. Slim Forever: The French Way; Healthy Weight Loss for Food Lovers. DK Ink: DK. 2006. c.256p. photogs. index. ISBN 0-7566-2120-8 [ISBN 978-0-7566-2120-9]. pap. $20. HEALTH

Best-selling French author and scientist Montignac's (The French Diet) book is notable mainly for its beautiful photography of some 50 recipes. The diet he promotes, based on the glycemic index, emphasizes home-cooked meals and forbids highly refined foods in favor of lower-indexed complex carbohydrates. He also encourages the intake of a lot of meat, including high-fat items such as bacon and pâté (in this regard, he leans a bit toward the Atkins philosophy). The recommendations are mostly good, although the plan may seem complicated to some readers. An optional purchase.

Petrone, Elaine. The Portable Miracle Ball Method. Workman. Jan. 2007. c.296p. photogs. index. ISBN 0-7611-4382-3 [ISBN 978-0-7611-4382-6]. pap. $14.95 with exercise ball & carrying bag. HEALTH

Petrone's original The Miracle Ball Method came out in 2003. Since then, many gyms have adopted these softball-sized exercise balls. This follow-up literally takes her show on the road, with exercises adapted for travelers wanting to relieve tension and chronic pain. The principle behind these exercises is balance: performing them while balancing a part of the body on the ball strengthens muscles. This all-in-one package including an exercise ball and a mesh carrying bag is easy to pack and takes up little room. Although it isn't library-friendly, it's recommended for individual purchase.

Shaffer, Alyssa. The A-List Workout: Top Celebrity Trainers Reveal How You Can Get a Hot Hollywood Body. McGraw-Hill. Jan. 2007. c.256p. photogs. index. ISBN 0-07-146786-6 [ISBN 978-0-07-146786-5]. $22.95. HEALTH

Celebrity groupies are going to love this, particularly those teenage girls who actually recognize all the stars pictured on the cover. Shaffer (fitness director, Fitness magazine) shares the exercise techniques and diet and motivation tips of celebrity trainers. Each chapter is aimed at a particular body part (e.g., abs, arms, butt). The exercises are fairly standard; anyone who has spent any time reading exercise books will find them familiar. Put them all together, and you've got a "hot Hollywood body." Recommended for public libraries.

Weede, Tom. The Entrepreneur Diet: The On-the-Go Plan for Fitness, Weight Loss and Healthy Living. Entrepreneur, dist. by McGraw-Hill. Jan. 2007. c.268p. photogs. index. ISBN 1-59918-060-X [ISBN 978-1-59918-060-1]. $22.95. HEALTH

Entrepreneur magazine knows its niche market, and certainly anyone who has the drive to start up a business will be able to muster the motivation necessary to follow this plan of healthy eating, sufficient rest, and regular exercise. Weede (former senior editor, Men's Fitness) points out that running a successful business requires good health and that the time spent on improving one's health will be well worth it. His sensible plan, approved by an advisory board of exercise, nutrition, goal-setting, and health experts, is well documented and succinctly presented. Worthwhile even for nonentrepreneurs!

Wurtman, Judith J. & Nina Frusztajer Marquis, M.D. The Serotonin Power Diet: Use Your Brain's Natural Chemistry To Cut Cravings, Curb Emotional Overeating, and Lose Weight. Rodale. Jan. 2007. c.304p. index. ISBN 1-59486-346-6 [ISBN 978-1-59486-346-2]. $24.95. HEALTH

Much like Hart and Grossman in their book (see above), Wurtman and Frusztajer (cofounders, Adara Weight Loss Ctrs., San Francisco) recommend foods that help boost serotonin levels. To that end, they provide a good selection of 75-plus recipes that contain a balance of low-fat foods. They point out that exercise, in addition to building muscle mass and speeding up metabolism, can also increases serotonin levels, and they include documentation of specific studies supporting their program. A better choice than Hart and Grossman's book.

Zuckerbrot, Tanya. The F-Factor Diet: Fiber—The Secret to Losing Weight and Keeping It Off. Putnam. Jan. 2007. c.288p. index. ISBN 0-399-15412-4. $24.95. HEALTH

The F stands for fiber, a.k.a. complex carbohydrates, or foods that move slowly through your digestive system and do not cause insulin spikes. According to nutritionist, dietician, and Men's Fitness columnist Zuckerbrot, these foods fill you up faster, causing you to eat less of them (compare equal servings of white and brown rice—the brown will be much more filling). It is no accident that high-fiber foods also tend to be high in nutrients and are therefore healthier than lower-fiber foods. Zuckerbrot supplements her three-step program with quizzes, journal pages, recipes, tips for ordering out, and more. Remember what Mom told you and eat your vegetables! Good for basic collections.