Kick-Start the New You by Ingrid Macher

I appreciate this book because it comes out of Macher's own experience. She shares her story of losing 50 pounds in 90 days and keeping it off.

This is a good introduction to the general principles of good nutrition. People who have read many books on losing weight may find this book contains much they already (should) know about protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Macher does make sure we understand the importance of right thinking and has a section on what should be in the kitchen cupboards.

I did find some new practical tips and tricks I had not seen before. For example, for food cravings, one suggestion is to brush my teeth. The fresh feeling often distracts from craving anything that will dirty the mouth again.

I was surprised at some of Macher's information. I'm not much of a meat eater and I was happy to find that lentils have 23.5% protein. That's more than chicken breast (22.8%). Reading that section in her book helped me see how vegetarians can easily get their needed protein.

I found out that oolong tea increases fat burning rate 35-43%. That's better than green tea. I also found out about other foods that accelerate the metabolism, like cinnamon.

Macher includes two suggested eating plans with recipes. The first is a five day one with detox drinks in the morning and very sensible meals and snacks. The second is a 21 day challenge with recipes for meals and snacks.

This is a good book for anyone willing to work at losing weight with a prescribed eating plan. The plan is one for healthy eating. One must be prepared to make all of your own meals and to buy a few unusual ingredients. And, yes, Macher does remind us that exercise is necessary. But, she is not an advocate of weighing frequently nor of counting calories.

I like that everything is contained in this book. There are no suggestions to buy foods or supplements from her company. When you buy the book, you have all you need to get you on the path to healthy eating and weight loss.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can find out more at her blog, http://GetHealthyGetHot.com/ and at http://FatLossFiesta.com/.

Ingrid Macher was born in Bogota, Columbia. She came to the United States in search of the American dream. After fighting her own weight gain and almost dying in an emergency room at seven months pregnant due to a terrible asthma attack, she took control of her life. She lost 50 pounds in 90 days. She is a certified holistic health coach and personal trainer. She has been featured on many media outlets and is a frequent contributor to digital and print media.

Whitaker House, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.