To Eat
Or 
What Not To Eat:
Questions of Diet
and Resolution

While excessive indulgence in all good things is a hallmark of the holidays - did I mention chocolate? - the aftermath frequently becomes a heady mixture of guilt and good intentions which can only be satiated by the purchase of a gym membership and the acquisition of one, or perhaps several, books advising you on diet. As Thrift Books has yet to diversify into the realm of spinning and personal trainers, I am offering a very rough guide to the books that intend to enable you to eat yourself back to the shape you desire.

There are many different approaches to dieting which have gained popularity over the years, two of which have endured and even provoked hybrid solutions. The Pritikin Diet is a low-fat, whole food and exercise diet which was championed by many, including the American Heart Association. This diet was big in the eighties, but sustains a solid following to this day. Dean Ornish has a similar low-fat approach with low consumption of animal products and the addition of fish oil supplements. His approach arose from the perspective of controlling coronary heart disease, winning accolades worldwide.

The Atkins Diet is low-carb weight loss method intended to lead to the metabolizing of fat and the reduction of bad cholesterol. While much controversy has surrounded the diet, I have friends who have sworn by it, which has allowed me to witness the culinary indignity of a hamburger losing its bun to a green sheath of lettuce.

The South Beach Diet, designed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and dietician Marie Almon, is more of a hybrid diet, which saw Pritikin as tough to follow and Atkins as potentially risky. It introduced concepts of “good carbs and bad carbs” and “bad fats and good fats,” with a focus on the glycemic index. It also introduced the “Oktoberfest exception,” allowing dieters to consume as much beer as they desired during the German festival, as it was a favorite of Dr. Agatston.

The Zone proved to be another popular diet, and is the creation of Dr. Barry Sears. Based on the calorie ratios one consumes from carbs, proteins and fats, “the zone” is the sweet spot you will be aiming to reach under this regimen, and there are number of guides and recipe books available. The diet is not extreme - it is not a no-carb diet - and its relative moderation has made it popular and easy to follow. Aside from the balance of food groups, the diet is also big on Omegas, so fish oil is a must. However, for vegetarians and vegans Dr. Sears also offers “The Soy Zone,” with a matching recipe book.

While celebrity hypnotist Paul McKenna insists that he can make me thin (“I Can Make You Thin: The Revolutionary System used by More Than 3 Million People”), and celebrity therapist Doctor Phil has “The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom,” Weight Watchers’ roots and solutions are a lot more homespun. Founded in 1963 by Brooklyn homemaker and avid cookie-consumer Jean Nidetch as an alternative to failed fad diets, Weight Watchers uses a combination of calorie counting (foods are allotted a point value) and a support group. The support group concept was accidental but proved to be the key factor; Nidetch was on the brink of giving up on her diet when she reached out to her friends, and it was their support that helped her stay with the regimen. Since then, with the guidance of books, points, exercise and the support of the organization and its members, millions of people worldwide have been helped by Weight Watchers.

And if you want a different approach, less diet-oriented and more holistic, you might want to look at Dr. Oz and his You series of books, including “You On a Diet,” which examines how your body works, how diet affects it, and what you can do to control weight gain.

So there you have it - whichever approach you choose, GOOD LUCK! And if you need any encouragement on the exercise front, check out the videos below.

 

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