Dieting
is a $60 billion annual industry in America. Johansen wants readers
to know the truth about fad diets. She presents some tried and true
strategies with easy to follow guidelines based on scientific fact.
I
had no idea how big the diet industry had become. But then,
two-thirds of Americans are overweight. The American Medical
Association labeled obesity a disease in 2013.
She
takes us through a history of dieting and then popular ones in the
last years, including fad diets (ones that predict rapid weight
loss). I was surprised in her report on food allergies and the
current gluten-free craze. Only three percent of people have a true
food allergy. She reminds us of some of the possible damage some of
these diets can do to our bodies.
Her
strategy is really common sense. The calorie intake must be less than
the calorie outgo to lose weight, although we are not to go under
1,200 calories a day without medical supervision. We need to cut 500
calories a day to lose about a pound a week. She suggests 15-20%
protein, 45-50% carbohydrates, 30% fat. Her plate is a nine inch one
with half full of non-starchy vegetable, a quarter full of starchy
vegetables, and a quarter of lean protein. Fruit and non-fat or
low-fat dairy are outside the plate. She suggests
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.
as a resource. The USDA also has a food tracker:
https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/.
I
really liked her graphics for portion sizes. A golf or ping pong ball
is the size of a two tablespoon serving of peanut butter. A CD is the
serving size for a pancake. Those illustrations have inspired me to
check the serving sizes on labels a bit more closely.
She
has good information on fiber, including her suggestion of eating
unprocessed carbohydrates, and hydration. She also walks us through
understanding the current food nutrition labels. She doesn't let us
forget the necessity of exercise either.
I
appreciated her “why we eat” section. That was enlightening, as
was her goal setting suggestions. She has included an Appendix of
trusted resources too.
There
is no amazingly new or revolutionary material in this book. I do
recommend it to those who are thinking of beginning a fad diet,
something promising quick weight loss. I really appreciate the tried
and true method that Johansen suggests. The book is a good reminder
of what really works for weight loss and good health in the long term.
You
can find out more information at www.consultthedietitian.com,
http://stopthediet.com/ and
http://fastfoodvindication.com/.
My
rating: 4/5 stars.
Lisa
Tillinger Johansen is a Registered Dietitian with a masters degree in
nutritional science. She teaches nutrition classes and counsels
patients on a wide range of health issues. Her nonfiction debut book,
Fast Food Vindication, received the Discovery Award in the
Health/Nutrition category. She lives in Southern California.
J.
Murray Press, 350 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher fort
he purpose of an independent and honest review.
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