Flat Belly Diet [Hardcover]

Liz Vaccariello (Author), Cynthia Sass (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

     Prevention magazine is the country's most authoritative, trustworthy, and innovative source for practical health, nutrition, and fitness information. Now, its editors bring you a weight-loss plan that's specifically designed to target your number-one trouble spot: BELLY FAT.

     For women over 40, belly fat is incredibly stealth and incredibly stubborn. It's also the most deadly, contributing to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and chronic illness than any other type of fat on your body. Finally, science has helped uncover a key dietary weapon in the fight against belly fat. Monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs, help dieters lose more weight--in their bellies specifically--and keep it off longer.

     Flat Belly Diet! will lead you step by step, day by day, meal by meal toward a flatter belly...and a longer, healthier life.

About the Author

LIZ VACCARIELLO is the vice president and editor-in-chief of Prevention, the #1 healthy lifestyle brand and the tenth largest magazine in the nation, with nearly 11 million readers. She resides in New Jersey.

CYNTHIA SASS, MPH, RD, is Prevention's nutrition director. With master's degrees in nutrition science and public health, Sass has more than 10 years of experience in helping women lose weight. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; First Edition edition (October 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594868514
• ISBN-13: 978-1594868511
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (215 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #12,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #85 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Women's Health
  #39 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Diets & Weight Loss > Diets > Healthy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

120 of 150 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just another restrictive diet, January 10, 2009

By	wilson (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Flat Belly Diet (Hardcover)

The book begins with a lecture about different types of fat. The authors of the book explain the difference between two types of primary body fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Not only the visceral fat is very difficult to get rid of, but according to the authors it is also far more dangerous to your health.

So far I was very impressed with the book. It seemed to be well based on scientific research. Then the authors introduce the concept of MUFA, the mono-unsaturated fatty acid. According to recent research MUFA diet is the only diet that reduces belly fat. And this is where the fun begins. The authors practically limited themselves to focusing exclusively on MUFA diet. In effect this diet is very difficult to follow, especially because of the many ingredients that are often to be found only in specially shops.

In addition, as much as I trust the scientific research I do not support the idea of another restrictive diet. It might well reduce your belly fat at some point (the book cites a number of stories of people who have lost inches off their waistline using this program), but because of being a restrictive diet it is bound to fail sooner or later. Therefore I suggest reading books that are not so much about dieting as about accepting a healthy lifestyle. One of such books with a much more comprehensive approach to nutrition, health and longevity is "Live 150 Years". You will find there not only proven tips for losing weight but also great advice on general nutrition and proper food combination, as well as most common habits that lead people to obesity, all kind of gimmick dieting programs being just one of them...

220 of 282 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It works for me!, January 27, 2009

By	Emmey (Southern Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flat Belly Diet (Hardcover)

This diet works for me. In any successful weight loss program you must be able to incorporate it into your life style and enjoy the foods that are recommended. Changing habits and adjusting your life style is not easy and requires a commitment to a program you can adhere to. The four small meals and whole grains, nuts and seeds seem to be the best diet for my tastes. I also love avocado and dark chocolate.
I am 57 years old and as many others my age can attest to, I have had the pounds creep on year after year. I have tried Weight Watchers, South Beach and many others and had some success but always ultimately quit.
Constant hunger was my struggle while on Weight Watchers and when I fell off that wagon I would hit the ground hard with more cravings than ever. South Beach is healthy, but as soon as I added even a few extra carbs I would quit loosing and seemed to have a lot of nagging headaches.
I almost didn't buy the Flat Belly Diet book thinking it would be one more diet book on my shelf, but I am glad I did buy it!
I was a little hungry and bored the first two days! Now I am never hungry if I stay with the program. I travel and the suggestions on little snack packs are great! Little things that I can carry in my purse really help. (The whole wheat english muffin and peanut butter is my favorite!) I love the abundance of whole grain foods. They really fill me up and keep me from getting hungry. As the weight slowly comes off, I am exercising more and enjoying it.
At first it didn't seem like I was loosing much weight nor did the tape measure prove that I was loosing many inches, but my family and friends kept commenting on my weight loss and actually thought that I had lost more weight than I actually had! Maybe it is because it does seem to be coming off my mid-section. (Could be the middle age thing for me.)
I would suggest joining the on-line Flat Belly Prevention site if you plan to stay with it. The site helps me to log my meals, makes suggestions for menus and you can create shopping lists.
I too am frustrated with those who shoot this diet down and have not tried it. I am glad that their diet and life style works for them, but this one works for me. Good luck to anyone struggling to control their weight, I feel your pain!

63 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get a flat belly!, June 13, 2009

By	D. Frye - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Flat Belly Diet (Hardcover)

If you are totally serious about getting that flat belly and want to expend the effort, this book will work wonders on that problem area. It is filled with good, useful tips that I've overlooked in the past. I know that this area is a problem for most of us, that's why I decided to get this book and just see if I could do it--with not so many sit-ups or crunches! A must read if you want to rid yourself of that belly fat. I also liked and would suggest Goodbye, Fatty! Hello, Skinny! How I Lost Weight And Still Ate The Foods I Loved-Without Dieting as it helped me to get inspired to start the weight loss.