Customer Reviews

Dieting For Dummies 

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I bought this book I was a little skeptical whether or not it was worth the money. I have read numerous books on dieting, ect and I never really understood what they were trying to teach, but this one really hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

It shows you how to cut back safely and how not to cut too much and why. It also explains in easy terms why your body works a certain way and how to obtain what you want. For example, it explains how many calories you would need to cut back to lose X amount of weight in X amount of time. It has information on weight groups, the food pyramid, healthy weights and even a section in the back with foods listed and how many calories and fat they contain. So far I have been following the suggestions and have lost just about 40 pounds so I would definately say its worth the money! Its not hard to stick to (believe me, I HATE dieting) and you don't feel hungry all the time. It shows you how to start eating right and how to indulge when you crave. Its definately not a diehard-drop-the-weight-now book in any means. Learning how to eat right and how to eat your favorite foods and how to learn when to say when. I have since learned how to eat better and how your body sends signals when its full, truly full, and when its really hungry and not just craving that piece of cake you were eyeing. LOL... A way to finally lose the weight and how to maintain it is what I was looking for without pills and fad diets,and this is the book. Definately not a book for 'dummies'...

Tracy Talley~@

After years of looking for "the answer" to the weight loss questions I had, this book is it! It covers healthy eating, exercise, the mind battle all overeaters face... the answer is here, but the answer also lies in you - your choices, your decisions. This book teaches that dieting doesn't have to be a restrictive period of torture!

I totally agree with the reviewer from Michigan who gave this book only two stars. But a lot of people's health is being ruined by these "fad diets". The American Dietetic Association is "scientifically based". And in chapter 20, you will learn about diets that can kill you. Literally. It's very good to have this book on your bookshelf. Then you can go from there like Michigan has and REALLY eat healthy. But you need the basics first. The food pyramid, the weight charts, and all the other basics. This is an excellent place to start.

As a college student whose major is nutrition, I'd recommend this book to anyone who's just not sure where to start when it comes to weight loss. You don't have to starve yourself to be thin, and these weird "protein" diets that are all the craze now aren't a permanent solution. The good thing about the "Dummies" series is it's simplicity; this book is easy to understand and has sound dieting principles that will really help a person get control of their eating. Check it out!

This book may be useful if you have only a modest amount to lose and know very little about weight loss. In that case, the advice here -- fill up on vegetables, don't skip meals -- may help you reach your goal. But, for anyone who has a more serious weight problem, this book may do more harm that good.

Some of the book's advice is so overambitious, it's ludicrous. For example, the author claims that a good daily exercise goal to shoot for is 20,000 steps of walking, which she notes is about ten miles. She claims this takes about an hour. Just how unrealistic is it to expect dieters to walk 10 miles in an hour? Very -- it's faster than the WORLD RECORD for race walking.

The book's advice is often contradictory. Early in the book, the author says that people under the age of 18 should not try to lose weight. Later on, she says that they should. At other times, the advice is also lacking in detail. She says one should cut back on fat, but then says eating a little fat with each meal helps stave off hunger. How much fat is "a little"? She doesn't say.

One section that was very interesting was the part about bariatric surgery. The descriptions of the surgical procedures and of likely long-term side effects would be quite useful for anyone contemplating this drastic route to weight loss. However, even here the book contradicts itself. First, the authors says that people undergoing this procedure can expect to lose 30-40% of their starting weight, which would take a 400 lb person down to about 250 lbs; later, she says they can expect to lose 60% of their starting weight -- which would bring a 400 lb person all the way down to 160 pounds.

Perhaps most importantly, the author heavily emphasizes how unhealthy it is to be even slightly overweight, but barely mentions research showing that losing a modest amount -- 10% of starting weight -- has huge health benefits. This book may leave seriously overweight people thinking that improving their health is hopeless.

In summary, this book may be a useful starting point for people who are just learning how to diet, but is likely to frustrate and discourage anyone with a serious weight problem.

I think this book is an excellent resource. I completely dissagree with the customer from Ann Arbor. As the title indicates, this book is intended to give the general public basic background about healthy eating and weight loss. This sound, research-based information is sorely needed in response to fad diet claims so prominent these days. And, by the way, eggs do not cause heart disease, and neither does dietary cholesterol. It is well known that saturated fat is the culprit. Maybe you should have read the book instead of returned it?

This book does contain useful information based on scientific facts, not quick fixes and fads; but its delivery is BORING. It just doesn't make the information interesting or compelling. And it didn't pay much attention on how to plan well-balanced meals. Further, there was no advice on how to incorporate "treats" wisely into your regular eating plan or how to incorporate exercise into your daily life. However, it had three really good chapters: "Ten Myths about Dieting," "Ten Ways to Cut Calories," and "Ten Rules for Healthy Living." I don't recommend buying buy this book, but do check out the three chapters mentioned next time you're at your local bookstore. As far as this subject goes, "The Complete Guide to Losing Weight" does it best. Overall rating: C

Dieting for Dummies is a simplistic look at diets. Just skimming through the book you can get an idea of how to get on a diet, by cutting calories and all. The book is set up in an easy to read fashion (like other Dummy books) A good overview of dieting.

I am really learning a lot about my eating habits and better choices/ways to eat from this book. It's easy to read and has an easy to follow format that is addictive in itself. I'm making life changes and this book was right on time to help me in that pursuit.

This book was my first read from the for dummies series. I found it informative. Although some of the content was a repeat of what I have already read as a chronic dieter, I still found the information helpful. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who would like to learn the ins and outs without the mumbo jumbo. It also has helpful nutritional info at the back.