Diet and Fitness Guides for 2008

By Susan B. Hagloch, Dover, OH -- Library Journal, 1/8/2008 10:57:00 AM

Few things in life are certain but death, taxes, and new diet books. Fortunately, diet books tend not to be as faddish and dangerous as in the past. Increasingly, they are based on the sound principles of healthy food choices and regular exercise; the emphasis is on changing one’s whole outlook and developing new, healthy habits to replace old routines. All of the plans in this year’s roundup revolve around consuming fewer calories for more food value and exercise to tone muscles and burn off extra calories. What differs is the presentation or spin. Starred titles stand out from the pack.

Andrianopoulos, Georgia. Retrain Your Brain, Reshape Your Body: The Breakthrough Brain-Changing Weight Loss Plan. McGraw-Hill. Jan. 2008. c.249p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-07-149285-0. pap. $16.95. HEALTH
How we create—and can re-create—our brains’ responses to physical, emotional, and mental stimuli is psychologist Andrianoploulos’s subject. We can, she argues, rewire our brains to holler “FEED ME!” less often and/or less destructively. After going into some detail on the parts of the brain and how they work, she gets to her rather standard plan. To change your brain, eat fewer refined foods and fats and more grains, fruits, and vegetables. Stimulate your endorphins with exercise instead of fudge. Sound familiar?

Bazilian, Wendy & others. The SuperFoodsRx™ Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients. Rodale. Jan. 2008. c.352p. index. ISBN 978-1-59486-740-8. $24.95. HEALTH
So-called superfoods like blueberries and beans pack a lot of nutrition, bioflavonoids, fiber, and antioxidants. In other words, you can eat them until you’re satisfied without packing on the pounds. In this book, the third in the series (after SuperFoodsRx and SuperFoods Healthstyle), registered dietician Bazilian, ophthalmologist Steven Pratt, and medical writer Kathy Matthews describe what superfoods are and why they are designated as such. Then they outline a complete menu plan with recipes. Several diet book have taken superfoods as a topic, but studies still need to be done on their effectiveness. This will appeal to most readers, and certainly extra fiber is a good thing.

Berg, Eric. The 7 Principles of Fat Burning: Get Healthy, Lose Weight and Keep It Off. Action. Feb. 2008. c.352p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-888045-55-0. $24.95. HEALTH
Fat burning is an ever popular concept. Chiropractor Berg outlines four body types (adrenal, thyroid, ovary, and liver), guides the reader to determine her type, and then tailors a specific diet and exercise plan aimed at helping ease her weight-loss process. All four diets include larger portions of whole grains and fruits and vegetables and lower doses of lean meats and dairy, although the details of specific foods vary. Berg’s formula is not scientifically proven, but following it will ensure good nutrition and muscle tone.

Brazier, Brendan. The Thrive Diet: The Whole Food Way To Lose Weight, Reduce Stress and Stay Healthy for Life. Da Capo Lifelong. Jan. 2008. c.304p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-60094-060-6. $24. HEALTH
Ironman triathlete Brazier is proof that you can compete as a vegan; his “whole foods” diet uses more parts of the plant than processed, refined foods. As a result, it is more nutritious and more fibrous, which is good for digestion and filling one up with fewer calories. Plant foods are also ecologically sound because animal processing increases methane production and uses existing plant resources inefficiently. To boot, some studies have shown that a vegan diet reduces inflammation in arthritis and fibromyalgia, as well as high blood sugar and high blood pressure. The extremely vigorous exercise plan can be toned down for the rest of us. Ideal for dieters who want to reduce their carbon footprint and get healthy at the same time.

Cook, Michelle Schoffro. The Ultimate pH Solution: Balance Your Body Chemistry To Prevent Disease and Lose Weight. Collins: HarperCollins. Jan. 2008. c.208p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-06-133643-0. pap. $14.95. HEALTH
The balance between acid and alkaline in the blood makes up one’s pH level. Cook, a doctor of natural medicine, puts forth the premise that the average American diet is too acidic, which predisposes Americans to obesity and other diseases. Cook’s diet might be too radical for most people—she virtually eliminates meat, dairy, poultry, shellfish, farmed fish, corn oil, and refined grains. A comprehensive menu plan and recipes are included.

D’Adamo, Peter J. with Catherine Whitney. The GenoType Diet™: Change Your Genetic Destiny To Live the Longest, Fullest, and Healthiest Life Possible. Broadway. Jan. 2008. c.352p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7679-2524-2. $24.95. HEALTH
The author of the best-selling Eat Right 4 Your Type, naturopathic physician D’Adamo now takes on gene modification. Identifying six genetic types, he suggests ways to “turn up the volume on some genes and silence others,” which are supposed to result in easier weight loss. He advises all six types to increase muscle mass and decrease body fat, and he includes lists of preferred foods with proper portion sizes. Over half of the book is devoted to determining one’s type, and it’s an extremely complicated process (the author analyzes the whorls of fingerprints). Pass.

Dean, Tony. The F.A.S.T. Diet (Families Always Succeed Together): How One Family Together Lost 500 Pounds and You Can Too. Harmony: Crown. Feb. 2008. c.288p. ISBN 978-0-307-39633-4. $23.95. HEALTH
Diet resolutions can be undermined by one’s family and loved ones who nosh on forbidden goodies. Inspired by The Biggest Loser television show, Dean convinced his overweight parents and siblings to shed pounds together. His sensible-eating-and-exercise plan will instill good habits in adults and children (it calls for physical activity every day and weekly meetings and weighings). Moreover, the group-support dynamic is fantastic for any project, not only weight loss.

Forsythe, Cassandra. Women’s Health Your Perfect Body Diet: A Breakthrough Weight Loss Program To Help You Get Fit and Stay Fit. Rodale. Jan. 2008. c.352p. ISBN 978-1-59486-790-3. $24.95. HEALTH
Fiber keeps the digestive apparatus working smoothly and evens out insulin usage; it also fills us up faster for fewer calories. Forsythe, a doctoral candidate in exercise science and nutrition, emphasizes a sensible diet that includes fiber-rich foods with a strong workout plan. She also recommends the addition of a supplement, glucomannan, in powder form rather than capsules. The cheery girl-to-girl tone will appeal to many readers

Hobbs, Chantel. Never Say Diet: Make Five Decisions and Break the Fat Habit for Good. WaterBrook: Random. Dec. 2007. c.240p. illus. ISBN 978-1-4000-7449-5. pap. $19.99. HEALTH
Hobbs went from 330 pounds to 130 and now runs marathons. Featured on Oprah and Good Morning America, she is an inspiration to those whom she coaches on healthy living through newsletters, a web site, and personal training. Her approach is simple: eat small portions of healthy foods, exercise every day, and follow her strategies on staying motivated and dealing with discouragement. This lady, who draws on her Christian faith without being preachy, has it together.

Jendrick, Megan Quann & Nathan Jendrick. Get Wet, Get Fit: The Complete Guide to Getting a Swimmer’s Body. Fireside: S. & S. Jan. 2008. c.256p. illus. ISBN 978-1-4165-4078-6. pap. $18. HEALTH
In many ways, swimming is an ideal form of exercise: it’s easy on the joints, it utilizes all the muscle groups, and it burns calories like crazy. Olympic gold medalist Jendrick outlines a comprehensive plan for regular swimming workouts, which are coupled with weight training routines to strengthen muscles and keep bones in condition and a standard diet plan. Her regimen seems more aimed at competitive swimmers, however, and might scare off civilians.

Kesten, Deborah & Larry Scherwitz. The Enlightened Diet: 7 Weight-Loss Solutions That Nourish Body, Mind and Soul. Ten Speed: Celestial Arts. Jan. 2008. c.214p. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-58761-311-1. pap. $15.95. HEALTH
In this eclectic plan, Kesten, MPH, and Scherwitz, PhD, blend scientific knowledge with the eating habits of other cultures, East and West, to replace the standard American diet that currently has two-thirds of the population overweight. Their “Whole Person Nutrition” plan also looks at U.S. social habits and emotional states and how they contribute to weight gain or loss; unprocessed, unrefined whole foods are recommended with regular exercise. This will appeal to New Age–oriented readers, but essentially the food plan is the same as most others: unrefined whole foods with regular exercise.

Lipper, Jodi & Cerina Vincent. How To Eat Like a Hot Chick: Lose the Guilt, Find the Fabulous. HarperCollins. Jan. 2008. c.192p. ISBN 978-0-06-156086-6. pap. $13.95. HEALTH
No matter if women are 8 or 80, they will all want to be “hot chicks” because of this snappy little compendium of advice on how to live a normal single girl’s life (or married with children!) and have fun while eating “skinny.” Writers Lipper and Vincent push spinach, oatmeal, and plain yogurt; black coffee and straight cocktails instead of fashionable—and fattening—mixed drinks. This won’t help you lose lots of weight, but it will definitely keep the jungle from encroaching. Cute.

Mallett, Tracey. Sexy in 6: Sculpt Your Body with the 6 Minute Quick-Blast Workout. Da Capo Lifelong. Jan. 2008. illus. ISBN 978-1-60094-030-9. $26 with DVD. HEALTH
Mallett does exercise programs on TV, and here she focuses on body sculpting through toning specific muscle groups. Drawing on Pilates, yoga, cardiovascular exercises, and weight training, she outlines good exercises for those who are already in reasonable shape but want to tighten up. (DVD not seen.)

McDonald, Pamela. The Apo E Gene Diet: A Breakthrough in Changing Cholesterol, Weight, Heart and Alzheimer’s Disease Using the Body’s Own Genes. Elite, dist. by Midpoint Trade. 2007. c.364p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-60070-038-5. $27.95. HEALTH
McDonald, an integrative medicine fellow, explores new findings about the human genome and the interactions between what we eat and gene function: different genotypes require varying balances of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Heavy on scientific explanations, the program itself comes back to eating small portions of a wide variety of fruits, grains, and vegetables with minimal meat, fats, and refined foods. Exercise is recommended but not detailed. For the scientifically minded; it will be a bit trying for the average dieter.

Randolph, C.W. & Genie James. From Belly Fat to Belly Flat: How Your Hormones Are Adding Inches to Your Waistline and Subtracting Years from Your Life. Health Communications. Jan. 2008. c.251p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-7573-0678-5. pap. $16.95. HEALTH
Somehow, Americans have internalized the notion that a healthy woman’s body has a stomach like a washboard. Never mind that women naturally have a pouch of fat called the omentum located below and around the navel. If you have to believe the flat myth, however, this book by Randolph and health writer James will give you enough exercises, paired with the usual food recommendations, to keep you crunching for years.

Taylor, John & Deborah Mitchell. The Wonder of Probiotics: A 30 Day Plan To Boost Energy, Enhance Weight Loss, Heal GI Problems and Prevent Disease. St. Martin’s. 2007. c.256p. ISBN 978-0-312-37632-1. pap. $14.95. HEALTH
For the past 60-plus years, we have been determinedly using antibiotics to kill the bad bacteria that make us sick. Unfortunately, they also kill the good bacteria that live in our various systems and help them do their jobs. The probiotic trend began with yogurt and its live lactobacilli. Taylor, CEO of Natural Wellness Centers of America, and health writer Mitchell supply various recipes using food combinations and supplements that promote the growth of good bacteria, which will allegedly “enhance” weight loss. A list of sources is appended. Studies indicate that encouraging our natural bacteria is a good idea, but whether it will help us lose weight remains to be proven.

Weight Watchers’ Start Living, Start Losing: Inspirational Stories That Will Motivate You Now. Wiley. Jan. 2008. c.256p. ISBN 978-0-470-18914-6. $22.95. HEALTH
Weight Watchers (WW) is all about encouragement from one’s peers. This book compiles dozens of brief stories from real WW members, including Sarah, Duchess of York, on how they faced their weight problems and overcame them. Very appealing to those who like the WW approach, which is proven to be sound. It doesn’t include any recipes or exercise plans, however. Obviously, they want you to buy the WW foods.

Zim, Steve. The 30-Minute Celebrity Makeover Miracle. Wiley. Jan. 2008. c.240p. ISBN 978-0-470-17403-6. $24.95. HEALTH
Author of Six Weeks to a Hollywood Body, personal trainer Zim has worked with actress Jessica Biel. His comprehensive exercise regimen, with diet suggestions and recipes, guarantees to re-sculpt readers in a ten-week program of 30-minute workouts three times a week. This will appeal to celebrity watchers but probably not many others. The basic plan is sensible, but a complete reshaping in ten weeks is unlikely.