The Internet's Premiere Dietary Health Resource
The Internet's Premiere Dietary Health Resource
Susan has boundless enthusiasm and energy and it shows in her book. She also likes to talk alot, which also shows in her book.
She's a great motivator -- when you realize that she used to weigh 260 pounds and now looks like she does, you can't help but be motivated. Her message is simple: Never skip a meal and eat as much as you want of high-volume, high-quality, low-fat foods, and exercise regularly.
Unfortunately, the message is almost lost in her life story and especially the story of the break up of her first marriage. She doesn't begin telling us any substantial information until page 83. Up till then its all venting about the ex. And the venting doesn't end there, it's sprinkled literally throughout the entire book. I'm sure it was very cathartic experience for Ms. Powter, but it does get a bit tiresome.
The book includes advice about maintaining a healthy diet and a sample exercise program. There is also an enlightening food comparison chart: did you know that 1 chocolate chip cookie has the same amount of fat as 10 cups of lentils or 20 cups of long grain rice? There's an interesting question and answer section and there's also has a chapter about improving your mental and emotional health. Part of Dr. Katahn's fat counter is excerpted as an appendix.
The one thing the book is missing is recipes. Susan tells us what to eat, but doesn't give any specific suggestions.
Originally published in 1989 and updated in January 1994, this was one of the first widely-read books which promoted reducing dietary fat as a practical way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and good health. Dr. Katahn was one of the first to tell us that the total number of calories you eat is less important than the source of those calories.
The book has a bit of everything: information and advice to achieve and maintain a low-fat lifestyle, recipes, exercises, an activity program, a program for kids and adolescents, a supermarket guide for quick and easy low-fat meals, a fat and fibre counter and a low-fat fast food guide.
His studies have shown that the average overweight woman eats between 80 and 100 grams of fat per day; the average man about 20 grams more. For weight loss, he recommends between 20 and 40 grams of fat per day for women and 30 to 60 grams per day for men.
Dr. Katahn explains why exercise is so important and that some exercises are better than others -- whole body exercises, such as walking, swimming or biking are preferred over start-stop exercises, such as tennis, or aerobics. The reason: start-stop activities burn more carbohydrates than fat; whole-body movements burn more fat than carbohydrates. And we'd sure all rather burn fat!
The best part of the book is the recipes. We liked all the recipes we tried, especially Bean and Corn Chili over Puffed Tortillas and Spinach Lasagna (recipe follows).
He provides two daily diet plans, one for people who want moderate, slower weight loss and the Quick Melt, for people who want to lose quickly. These diet plans seem too much like traditional diet plans (that don't work) for me but some people may like the structure and the ideas.
One other small gripe: it took me a while to get used to the fat and fibre counter. The foods are listed according to food type, not just alphabetically by name. You have to look up the food type and then the particular food, which seems to me to waste some time.
If you only want to get one book, this one is a good choice-it's got a bit of everything-information, recipes, exercise and an invaluable fat and fibre counter.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you need motivation, go for Stop the Insanity! If you want a good reference book with lots of information and recipes, get The T-Factor Diet.
1 med onion 1
2 cloves minced garlic 2
1 Tb olive oil 15 ml
3 Tb water 45 ml
1 lb part-skim 450 g
ricotta cheese
1 lb tofu, drained 450 g
and crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan 50 ml
11/2 lbs fresh chopped spinach 625 ml
or
1 pkg frozen chopped 1 pkg
spinach
2 egg whites, beaten 2
1/4 tsp black pepper 2 ml
2 Tb fresh parsley 25 ml
1/2 lb lasagna noodles 225 g
(preferably whole wheat)
6oz part-skim mozzarella 85 ml
6 cups tomato sauce 1500 ml
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, adding water as needed to keep from sticking. Combine ricotta, tofu, if used, Parmesan, spinach, eggwhites, black pepper, parsley, and sauteed onion and garlic mixing well. Cook lasagna noodles. Spray 13x9x2 in. casserole with oil. Arrange a layer of cooked noodles on bottom, top with 1/3 ricotta mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella, spread with tomato sauce. Repeat layers twice. End with sauce. Cover pan with foil, crimping edges tightly. Bake at 350 deg. for 40minutes, remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more.