Dieting For Dummies [Paperback]

"The key to successful weight loss doesn't require magic, grit and determination, or the moral character of a saint. It's much simpler," asserts Jane Kirby, R.D., in Dieting for Dummies, a fact-filled, fad-free dieting resource. The author represents the American Dietetic Association, a trustworthy source of scientifically sound nutrition and food information. You'll learn basic, reliable facts about all facets of weight loss, including helpful information about eating disorders, overweight children, dietary guidelines, fat replacers, calorie-shaving substitutions, a comparison of weight-loss programs, and an exposé of diet fads and scams (including some bestselling diet books). The book is organized into sections on your healthy weight; developing a healthy relationship with food; a plan for healthful living (including exercise); shopping, cooking, and dining out; and enlisting outside help. An excellent chapter on eating out spells out exactly what you should and shouldn't eat at restaurants of different kinds. As you'd expect from a For Dummies book, the writing is lively, friendly, and down-to-earth. The content is reliable and organized into accessible, easily skimmed chunks, with plenty of bulleted lists and charts making the information easy to grasp. If you've been confused by controversial diets or seduced by weight-loss fads-of-the-moment, read this book cover to cover. --Joan Price

Dieting for dummies dispels the myths, teaches you nutrition basics and gives solid advice... -- Woman's Own June 2001

If you’ve been trying to lose weight for much of your adult life, you’re not alone. Excess weight is the No. 1 nutrition problem. The statistics are alarming: Of the ten leading causes of death in the United States, being overweight is a risk factor for half; and the number of Americans who are overweight is increasing. It’s estimated that 55 percent (or 97 million) American adults and 15 to 20 percent of American children are overweight today.

Dieting For Dummies goes straight to the heart of the health risks of being overweight. Carrying the baggage of excess pounds puts a lot of stress on your body. Your circulatory system and skeleton need to work harder when extra fat weighs you down, and you're far more susceptible to developing one or more of these health problems:

• Cancers
• Diabetes
• Gallbladder disease
• Heart disease
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Psychological and social effects
• Respiratory problems

Prepared under the supervision of the American Dietetic Association, this friendly, authoritative guide explains how to move beyond trendy diets and get-slim-quick gimmicks. You'll discover how to

• Define your own genetic body type – and the habits that feed the shape you're in
• Adjust your attitude toward food
• Figure out if you're facing an eating disorder
• Enjoy a life of menu moderation
• Add exercise to your plate
• Shop smart and healthy
• Enlist weight-loss professionals and programs wisely
• Gauge the nutrients in hundreds of foodstuffs
• Cook up homemade dishes for every taste and season

People come in a wide range of heights, weights, and girths. One is not better than another. But staying within your healthiest weight range can help you achieve optimal health and well-being. Dieting For Dummies cuts through the fog of fads and myths, providing practical advice you can apply today to start living healthfully.

"Close to a bull's eye for those who are serious about losing weight." Dallas Morning News "Sound, practical, and comprehensive… chock-full of great information." USA Today Praise for Dieting For Dummies^® "Our hands-down favorite.… Like all good health books, it's one to keep and refer to again and again." — Detroit Free Press "Gets under the skin of weight loss — what works, what doesn't, and why — in ways few books do." — Dallas Morning News "Good, solid advice as well as helpful hints in an easily understood form." — Barbara Kafka, author of Soup: A Way of Life

Your practical guide to slimming down and staying trim!

Includes recipes and nutritional analyses of common foods

If you're tired of the fad diet roller coaster, then this friendly, authoritative guide is for you. Prepared under the supervision of the American Dietetic Association, it explains how to move beyond gimmicks — and develop a lifetime eating plan that will take the weight off and keep it off.

Discover how to: Understand your relationship with food Develop an effective weight-loss strategy Eat healthy at home and in restaurants Cope with cravings and setbacks Evaluate diet programs, drugs, and fads

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Jane Kirby, a registered dietician, is the former editor of Eating Well and the author of several cookbooks. The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest group of food and health professionals.