Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet [Paperback]

Robert F. Kushner (Author), Nancy Kushner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 16, 2004

Dr. Kushner has already helped thousands of his patients lose weight with the Personality Type Diet. Now he tells readers how to craft a program to suit their individual style and needs. After taking the personality profile quiz, readers figure out what patterns are causing unconscious weight gain. Dieters are then able to successfully work within their individual profile to shed weight forever. So, whether you're an Unguided Grazer and Persistent Procrastinator or a Hearty Portioner and a Hate To Move Struggler, the book has a diet plan that will work for you

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This is not a modern diet book with a specific list of "bad" foods and proper breathing techniques—instead, you'll find a series of well-planned questionnaires designed to help you root out the causes of your extra weight and formulate a plan that works for your specific issues. Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet Book looks at three aspects of weight—your diet (including both what you eat and when you eat it), your exercise pattern (be honest!), and any emotional ties that link the fridge to your search for inner peace. Each category you find yourself in—sensibly determined with percentages rather than absolute answers—has its own section of carefully tailored advice.

Kushner's plan involves a constant, lifelong attention to your food and exercise, complete with charts that continually reexamine motives as you move through life changes. The idea is that once you've clearly identified what's holding you from your ideal weight, you'll move along smoothly toward achieving it, and as with all dietary changes, these only work with self-motivation and honesty. Ultimately, he suggests realistic goals and lays out a comprehensive plan for long-term results. This is not an exciting breakthrough miracle plan of any sort—and it is likely to be ultimately more successful than any of them.

Sprinkled throughout the book are commonplace suggestions for improved health, such as walking more, keeping a food journal while beginning a program, eating more fiber and fewer trans fats, and finding substitutes for that triple-chocolate cake when you're feeling blue. The few included recipes seem obligatory rather than particularly inspired, but in general, his advice is both sound and sympathetic. --Jill Lightner --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Kushner, medical director of the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, believes that diets don't work unless they match the dieter's personality. Even before determining which diet personality they have, people need to understand how "scaling up" has impacted their lives. This means looking back and seeing their weight losses and gains over a period of years. Then, people can answer a questionnaire designed to show their diet profile. These questions focus on type and time food is consumed, exercise program and coping strategies; readers can then see which diet and exercise profile best describes them. Among the eating profiles are nighttime nibblers, mindless munchers and deprived sneakers. For each of the various profiles, Kushner offers advice on following a diet, coping with stress, exercise and more. His suggestions will resonate with readers familiar with self-help books. For example, when discussing people with low self-esteem, the author suggests focusing on self-affirmation and spelling out their positive traits, even if they have to ask a friend to help them list these qualities. There are some "scaling down" recipes along with suggestions for healthier eating, but the book does not offer a meal-by-meal diet. The upbeat tone and the psychological approach add to the book's appeal, but some dieters may prefer a specific eating program rather than having to design their own plan.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312325827
• ISBN-13: 978-0312325824
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book!, March 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet (Hardcover)

I think I've read every diet book ever written. They're all the same. You follow a specific plan for a while, you lose weight and then as time goes by, you drift back to your old habits and gain it back. This book focuses your weight loss on whatever habits caused you to gain weight in the first place. It's more personalized than any other diet book I've ever picked up. And it works. I'm losing weight while getting control of my eating and exercise habits. I also have more energy and don't feel like I'm depriving myself. This book is filled with so many healthy snacking options and great recipes. I also find the nibble on this sayings to be very motivating. I always wondered why I kept gaining my weight back. Now I know why and am doing something about it.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A dream come true: The most sensible approach ever!, February 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet (Hardcover)

Where has Dr. Kushner been all my life?? I've read every diet book on the market, tried every approach--always looking for the "magic" one, but never feeling satisfied--and this one is the BEST ever.

Why? Rather than offering a once-size-fits-all formula for quick weight loss, it helps first pinpoint the possible causes of our diverse, individual struggles and then offers sensible, logical and healthy lifestyle changes I wish I'd "thought of" before: No longer do I feel like I'm on a diet, but by following Dr. Kushner & team's expert guidelines, I've adopted changes that are not only manageable in everyday domestic, social and business situations, but ones that can easily last a lifetime.

Ever since I found my "personality type" after completing the quiz, made lots of the recommended changes, met with great success (and compliments from others!) I've been thinking "Why don't people ever talk about this 'novel approach' even though, as I now see, it makes the most obvious sense in the world?"

Moreover, Dr. Kushner not only seems to understand every single one of us, but he also recognizes the human reality of our situation--that deprivation and strict dietary dictates aren't what are going to give us the long-lasting results we've all been seeking, and instead offers us valid, sensible advice and tools we all can use to fit our varied lifestyles and thereby get control of our weight once and for all. In addition to all of this, I loved the tone of the book because it seems like he's actually talking to you, doing so with warmth and a sense of humor. So apart from being enormously helpful, it's also enjoyable to read.

I feel like buying this book as a gift for every single person I know who struggles with their weight. I also feel like nominating Dr. Kushner for the "Hall of Fame of Medical Professionals who Really Understand and Care about You & Me."

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sound Advice Enveloped in Warmth and Sensitivity, March 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet (Hardcover)

Here is sound advice enveloped in both warmth and sensitivity. I liked the "nibbles" scattered throughout the book and other practical suggestions, such as how to obtain and wear a pedometer. I am having such fun in my daily walking and competing with myself for "steps instead of miles." As a health educator who taught Nutritional Smorgasbords to elementary school children and also to groups of school nurses encouraging them to include this concept of healthy eating in their school programs. I am delighted to see this much needed book in furthering the education of the public and in such a clear and kindly tone.