Customer Reviews

Dr. A's Habits of Health: The path to permanent Weight Control and Optimal Health

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After years of yo-yo dieting and the emotional trauma that comes with recurrent diet failure, I managed to `diet' myself up to morbid obesity. Through a caring friend, I found Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen and began his program in 2002. Since I was out of control with food, I needed the structure it provided, it was easy to follow and I safely lost 135 pounds in seven months. The best part is that I have maintained a healthy weight for over six years by incorporating the teachings of Dr. Andersen and changing the way I live.

Over the years, I've spent thousands of dollars on national weight loss programs, I went to fat camps when I was in middle school and high school, tried numerous diets, took nutrition classes and enrolled in gym memberships trying desperately to lose weight; I always gave up because I was hungry or was unable to stick to the diet long-term. Dr. Andersen taught me how to create a new lifestyle with healthy shopping and eating strategies; I am confident I will continue to permanently maintain a healthy weight and am convinced that I have actually improved the quality of my life. Now I know that nothing tastes as good as thin feels!

Dr. A's book incorporates stories of real people that have successfully lost weight - what a motivator! We found the charts to be especially helpful regarding how to increase our activity level - progressive movement is needful and his book is comprehensive - there are pictures in the index showing simple exercises that the average person can do at home.

I really like the learning keys along the margins with the caption, "Dr. A Says..." it serves to emphasize the important points that Dr. Andersen wants readers to remember and incorporate into their daily lifestyle. It's kind of like having a friend pop right up out of the textbook and whisper something really juicy in your ear; his writing is easy to understand and it seems like it is personally written to the reader.

In Dr. A's Habits Of Health is an assessment each reader can complete to determine their risk of inflammation and heart disease and he teaches us how to progressively incorporate his easy habits that help us to create a lifetime of health. I want to be healthy - not just for a month or two - but for the remainder of my days. His book provides a better understanding of how to choose nutrient-dense foods and to develop a solid eating strategy for each day. I highly recommend Dr. A's Habits of Health to others who are serious about reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. It changed my life from being fat and frumpy to fabulous!

As another reviewer said, the author is an employee of Medifast - but very, very little of the book is actually about weight loss. Yes, he recommends his products (and so do I, BTW, because they work), but the majority of the book is about how to think like a healthy person - how to change the way you think and run your life, and how to make those changes stick.

It works. It's good science, and common sense, and stuff you never thought of, rolled up into a book that you can actually read and do something about.

I HATE diet books. I hate the magic wand school of weight loss and life change. But there's nothing mushy or pseudo-science or wishful thinking here. It's about changing your mind, changing your life, and thinking like a healthy person, and THAT's what it takes to maintain a healthy weight.

I am a public health major at a major university (I am also 48 years old). I read this book, and its companion workbook, as part of my goal to understand better how to live a healthier life. I did not want to lose a lot of weight, but I did want more energy and I wanted to get off the up's and down's associated with a heavy sugar intake. I enrolled in Medifast and at the same time bought this and it's companion workbook. I have been living this program now for 13 weeks and the change in my appearance and overall health is beyond words. Along with that I, unknowningly, had a chance to 'check' the studies and other scientific facts cited in Dr. A's book and found them to be accurate and worthy of quoting in papers I have to do for my classes (all papers have to be what is called peer review quality). If you want to just feel better and have a ton more energy, I highly suggest you purchase this book. If you want to take it a step further, I suggest you purchase the companion workbook as well. You will not be sorry. This is not an overnight 'fix,' rather it is a longterm commitment to yourself. One you will NOT be sorry you made.

My Bible For Life.
My Doctor introduced me to the "Medifast Program". Finally,and only with this product, I have lost "40" pounds in a short amount of time. I am on my way to losing the last "20"pounds. It is so easy ! I get to eat every "3" hours. I love it.My Doctor also introduced me to "Dr. A's Habits of Health" book. It is now my Bible for Life. It is all commonsense. It is a "roadmap" on how to be healthy for life. All I have to do is follow his advice and I will have Optimal Health for the rest of my life. Wow ! Who doen't want that? As a Medical Doctor,all he wants is my health to be the best it can be ! I met Dr. Anderson. He talks exactly as he writes.I choose to have "Optimal Health" for the rest of my life.
What do you choose ?
Laurie Logan

This book repeats itself a bit, but, ultimately, it explains a lifetime healthy eating program that makes sense.

It explains a lot about food intake, metabolism and health, then describes a multi-phase eating and lifestyle plan that starts with weight loss and moves to lifelong healthy habits. Good stuff. While the weight loss portion of the plan is based on meal replacement products that are marketed by a company by which the author is employed, he includes food guidelines and techniques for people who prefer not to use the products. That shows integrity, and gives his whole plan credibility. I've been on the weight loss plan, under the guidance of a trainer, for just short of 2 weeks now (using the products), and am happy with it. The book helps, as I keep going back to it for support info.

P.S. Medifast, the company that sells the meal replacement foods sells the book as well, but at a slightly higher price, and their shipping is slow as molasses!

Have you tried every diet out there, like me? Yo-yo dieted, starved yourself, exercised, studied, counted carbs, calories, bought products and books, searching for the answer to your weight problem, which caused other health problems, like me? This is it- the struggle is over, right here. I am 49 years old, and started dieting at age 12. Up down, etc., etc., you know what I mean. I also developed arthritis, ulcers, acid reflux, a hiatal hernia, plantar fascitiis, tendonitis, and high cholesterol, thyroid disease, I may be forgetting something-! Since developing thyroid disease, I did nothing but add weight, nothing I tried would take it off.

I started Dr. A's program in January of 2010, as of May 18th, I am down 52 lbs. so far! I am down 3 sizes in my clothes, and my cholesterol was down 100 points in the first 3 months! The best part is probably how I FEEL- I feel like I am in my 20's again! Energy, through the roof! I am not hungry, eating protein 6 times a day, and the protein meals are delicious- chocolate pudding, brownies, bars, and shakes, and many more choices- I love the pre-packaged food and how easy it is to prepare. The lean and green meal once a day is also so easy to plan and prepare, and to make interesting. Of course, you can also eat out, which I do often. This book teaches you how to eat now, and forever- and how to get healthy in all areas of your life. I share this book and program wherever I go now, people have to know how to get out of the rut and get positive results in every area of their lives- yes, it is possible! Thanks so much, Dr. A!!!!

A very interesting book. They are selling a product, but the book is designed, so even if you don't buy the product it gives you so much worthwhile information it can only help add benefits to the average life. Read it, ponder and enjoy.

This is a book that you will read over and over again. I recommend reading it cover to cover the first time and then going back with a highlighter and pen to complete the assessments and highlight those Habits of Health that are the most important for you. Dr. Andersen's relaxed and genuine style of communication make it easy to read, so reading it twice (or more often than that) is no chore. I'm eagerly awaiting the "Workbook" that Dr. Andersen promises us will be available shortly.

Someone else referred to the book as their "Bible" for health, and that's a very good description. Using the program described by Dr. A, I personally lost 40 lbs in 5 months -- and that was 2 1/2 years ago. I'm still at that healthy weight and have never before been able to enjoy my life as I do now (as a skinny person). I consider this book a blessing and my guide to living a long and healthy life.

I urge you to read the book and then put Dr A's advice to work and start creating the healthy body and life that you deserve. Thanks Dr A for sharing your knowledge, caring and conviction with us all!

I've read a lot of diet books in the past so I was interested to see how this would compare. It doesn't. This isn't a diet book, it is a comprehensive manual on how to live a healthy life. It is so easy to read, you feel as though the author is speaking directly to you - and not in that "doctor" way.
I was blown away when I took the health assessment in chapter 5. I thought I was pretty healthy - I really overestimated myself. It dug much deeper than eating habits and even included genetics as a factor. Then it shows you step by step how to improve your score in all of the areas.
As noted in another review, he does speak of meal replacements that can be used, but he also shows you how you can do it without using the meal replacements - it definitely was not the main gist of the book. But for people like me who are busy and don't want to have to think about keeping all the right healthy snack foods around it was a helpful suggestion.
The main thing that I appreciated however, is that this is not just a "weight loss" book. It addressed all the habits that come together to make a person healthy or unhealthy.
It is truly applicable for any human being that wishes to live a long healthy life. There is much more to health than just body weight and Dr. Andersen certainly understands and addresses this.
I've never read another book like this and I think everyone can benefit from it.

To anyone who has ever struggled to lose weight only to gain it back again...this is the last and only book you will ever need! Dr. Andersen has created a pathway to optimal health that anyone can take. I could not put this book down once I started reading it! It is easy to read and understand and the information is VERY applicable to everyday life. I am living proof that his plan works. I lost 47 pounds in 4 months and am on my way to optimal health, no looking back! Start the new year off with this gift to yourself, you will not be sorry. Thank you Dr. A!