| Book Reviews | |
| Fri, May 9 2008 | |
Walter Willett Weight Watchers, The Soup Diet, Grapefruit Diet, Low Carb Diet, Glycemic Index Diet, Alkaline Diet, Abs Diet, High Protein Diet, Low Protein Diet, South Beach Diet, Blood Type Diet, Gluten Free Diet, Atkins Diet, Mediterranean Diet and the Zone Diet. The authors of all these diet programs have one thing in common: they all claim to know the secret for long term weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. How do they say you can achieve this? By doing what they tell you to do! They say what you must eat, what you can't eat and how much you should eat. It's as if these authors think you are too dumb to make these decisions on your own. Why let these so called "experts" decide what you eat? Did we not go to school and learn to think for ourselves? Find out yourself if counting calories is necessary. Find out yourself if fat is good or bad. Don't let others tell you what ends up on your plate! It's time to take matters in your own hands and start drawing your own conclusions! But where can you find the kind of reliable and unbiased information about food and health that will allow you to make healthy food decisions? The only thing these diets programs do is present you with a set of rules which you can't break, or you'll fail. Sure, there are thousands of blogs and websites where you can find a vast source of information. But why should you trust a website in the first place? For all I know the latest weight loss article could be written by the World's Fattest Man (warning: features images ... ). Wouldn't it be lovely if there were a person that just gives you genuine and trustworthy advice? Someone that doesn't tell you what to eat or how much to eat. Someone that just tells you why something is considered healthy and how certain food decisions can influence long term health. Someone who has studied nutrition for decades, isn't biased and won't be influenced by food politics. Though severely outnumbered, these people definitely exist. One of them is Walter Willett, a Harvard professor and an authority when it comes to nutrition and it's relation to health. This man is not the latest weight loss guru, but a very highly respected authority in the field of Medicine and Epidemiology (this is the study of large scale diseases). Willett has been the second most cited scientist in the field of Clinical Medicine with nearly 30.000 Citations. This means almost 30.000 other doctors and professors have discussed Willett's work in their own published scientific magazines and books. Willett gathered all his knowledge and presented it in his book Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating
When I finished reading this book two years ago I finally felt capable of making my own healthy food decisions. I now understand why certain food decisions are considered healthy or unhealthy. Willett gives you the facts and isn't afraid of saying things as they are. If scientific studies haven't conclusively proven something, he says so. The question "Is aspartame safe or not?" is answered by Willett in the following manner: "Some say aspartame is safe, while others, even reliable and unbiased sources, say it isn't. (...) Yet, why risk your health drinking a substance such as aspartame when science has no idea what it's long term effects are on the human body?". If this isn't unbiased and genuine scientific insight, I don't know what is! This book has been a life changing experience for me. It gave me the essential knowledge needed to learn a healthy lifestyle and achieve a healthy weight level. I very highly recommend Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy 
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Comments (18)
  written by Charles , May 09, 2008 Interesting read. That book sounds good for people that need help with losing weight and being healthy. But as you were saying, it's really not difficult to do. People just need to use a little common sense and have some self control and willpower to not eat large amounts of food, especially foods that they know are bad for them.  written by Nico , May 09, 2008 That's true, but there are many things preventing people from reaching that goal. Not only social factors, cultural and psychological factors, but also a lack of knowledge on proper nutrition. I used to think pizza wasn't that unhealthy because, you know, it's bread with some topping on it! What could be bad about that?? In my mind unhealthy foods were still only things such as potato chips, candy, cookies and soda. I know this sounds stupid, but I'm sure many people also think about food in a similar way, while having no idea how to do something about it. Learning about proper nutrition is something that requires time and energy. I wasn't taught this at school or at home. I had to learn it on my own, which took me some time but I did it. I don't know about you?  written by fat bastard , May 09, 2008 I agree that the books seem to assume people are stupid about basic eating knowledge. Truth is, many are. And a good many people need some structure to the task, particularly early on. Even if their recommended diet doesn't work for the long term, it often has good short term results. That can serve as the "push" to get people engaged and learning about proper diet and exercise.  written by David Webb (Photographer and Computer Geek) , May 09, 2008 I agree with this. There are too many people telling us what to do. Really it's up to the individual to make the right decision.  written by David , May 10, 2008 Many new terms for me in one place usually add up to a blank stare but it sounds great. I have the commentluv and Lucys Link Love plugins but don't advertise them well and like this little brown and black banner.  written by rich , May 10, 2008 I definitely need something like this to at least remind me of the types of things I can do to be more healthy because although I have read & seen a lot of material on it in the past it's all too easy to forget or ignore those things - or just give in and be lazy and go to burger king because it's just round the corner ;)  written by Benny Greenberg , May 10, 2008 The book sounds great. I am sure it sets up a detailed plan for you to follow and go go go . I think, like you said, that it is not as difficult as people think. Get in on it - get you mind making decisions and then you will be able to do it. Until you DECIDE that you want to do it - you won't - So - decide to eat right, and get healthy - read info posted here and go get better! written by Nico , May 10, 2008 Actually, Willett does the exact opposite of what you're saying Benny. He does not lay out a plan, he gives you a basic education on nutriton based on extensive scientific research, so you can make your own healthy food decisions. "Willett tells you WHY something is considered healthy and HOW certain food decisions can influence your long term health." Thanks for the visit and positive comments, though :)  written by sogeshirts , May 10, 2008 Yes it is up to the individual to find out what diet and exercise program works for them. People follow others like sheep too often.  written by Loraleigh Vance , May 10, 2008 I agree totally, Nico. I've never been one to be able to follow a diet and so I never have. I've found the info I needed and acted accordingly. Always worked for me. Thanks for the reminder.  written by Tom , May 12, 2008 I think its good to gain some advice on types of diets that could be effective, but I think long term success and well-being comes from knowledge about the subject. Understanding what impact foods and exercise have on the body allows people to make decisions for themselves. Telling someone what to and not to eat may work for a short period, but it is more effective for people to actually know why certain eating habits and other health practices are good or bad for them. This way they can form a diet program that fits their needs and is optimal for their situation.  written by Health and Fitness , May 12, 2008 Diet and exercise is not only the thing to do but perseverance patience and determination are also in the group on how to lose weight.  written by LisaN , May 13, 2008 Hey, if a book helps someone lose weight and gain a healthy lifestyle, I'm all for it. Some people find inspiration in reading. But, for anything to work, each person must make the choice to do the work. It's all about a conscious effort........:)  written by heidi , May 15, 2008 I agree completely! I had to figure out what worked for me and then became successful.  written by Susanno , May 16, 2008 I think diet and exercising not guarantee a healthy life. If we could keep our mind health, I believe automatically our body will follow.  written by Jennifer , May 16, 2008 Whenever someone goes on a "diet" they gain it back. You must just learn to eat smaller portions, don't eat very fattening foods and exercise. I just moved into a city from the suburbs and now I walk everywhere and I lost 10 pounds from that change in my lifestyle. Diets are temporary.  written by Forest Gump , May 27, 2008 Nothing could be far from the truth.To think smart about weight loss is to adopt a positive attitude .After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. Simply admitting your own challenges won't get you past them entirely. But it helps in planning how you'll deal with them and whether you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all. You must develop a healthy lifestyle. If you must find a way to maintain your weight loss,you need to change your mindset to change your body by visualize your weight loss success. Write comment
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