The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful [Hardcover]

Keri Glassman MS RD CDN (Author), Sarah Mahoney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 22, 2009

Kick-start weight loss and boost beauty with an easy 4-day cleanse and a delicious 4-week antioxidant-based program from CBS’s The Early Show nutrition contributor In The O2 Diet, nutritionist Keri Glassman translates cutting-edge science into an easy-to-do program that will leave dieters energetic, healthy, and beautiful— inside and out. Glassman shows how dieters can—and should—indulge in foods like Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast and Flank Steak with

Chimichurri Sauce and actually lose weight! For once, it’s not about counting calories or restricting what one eats; it’s about eating more of the right things.

 

The diet is based on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, a calculus developed by the USD A that measures how well a food protects against free radicals, the culprits behind many forms of cancer, heart disease, and symptoms of aging. Research demonstrates that eating a high- ORAC diet increases the antioxidant power of human blood 10 to 25 percent, strengthening memory and cognition, preventing cancer and heart disease, improving skin, and aiding in weight loss.

 

The O2 Cleanse kicks things off, maximizing weight loss, inspiring confidence, and delivering immediate results. The 4-week plan builds on initial success and includes simple guidelines for pampering and stress reduction that are proven to enhance weight loss. Plus it gives dieters real-world options for eating out and recipes that allow them to indulge at home with treats such as Chocolate-Covered Pecans and Sangria. This simple program is a positive, empowering new way to approach eating that will leave readers slim, sated and beautiful.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jessica Mehalic, Senior Editor, US Weekly:
Keri Glassman knows everything about nutrition! She’s on my speed dial for diet and weight loss stories.

 

Michele Promaulayko, Editor-in-Chief of Women's Health:
Keri always wows me with her ability to make eating well seem more like a treat than a chore! The O2 Diet takes her weight-loss wisdom one step further by introducing you to the foods that will not only shrink your waistline, but will make your skin glow too!

 

Polly Blitzer, Editor- in-Chief of BeautyBlitz.com:
THIS BOOK IS A MUST-READ!!!! Keri Glassman and her A-team are truly the most intelligent and effective nutrition experts in the business. As a longtime magazine editor, I have interviewed just about every nutritionist and reviewed dozens of healthy eating guides. When I first met Keri and her perennially charming team, I knew Keri's wisdom, passion, expertise and no-nonsense approach set her practice apart from all others. That is why I became a loyal client myself! They seamlessly weave cutting-edge nutrition science and human behavior into an accessible, holistic system that is tremendously effective! Keri’s philosophy relies on a thoughtful integration of science and lifestyle and ensures that your entire life gets a wellness makeover, not just your dinner plate. When I heard about Keri’s O2 Diet and ORAC, I knew she was on to something HUGE. This is the real deal – Keri presents helpful information in a foolproof guide. Once you pick up this easy-to-follow compendium, you will not be able to put it down.  She and her team are at the forefront of nutrition and have navigated the grocery aisles and restaurants menus so you don’t have to. Keri has identified ways to live your most nutritious life without a restrictive regimen – you’ll drop the pounds while packing on many healthy years!

 

Amanda Freeman, Co-founder, VitalJuice.com
I just finished reading The O2 Diet and I'm already ORAC obsessed!  I can't put a piece of food in my mouth without thinking of its ORAC value. As an expert in the wellness space, it is rare to read about something completely innovative and applicable, but Keri Glassman has created novel eating guidelines that are easy to follow, and healthy for your mind, body (including skin) and soul - a rare combination! Keri's focus on what you SHOULD eat, rather than what you SHOULDN'T eat makes healthy eating fun and rewarding! The O2 Diet is very Vital Juice Approved!

 

Holly Phillips, MD, Medical Contributor, CBS "The Early Show", Medical Correspondent, CBS2 News, New York:
Finally a prescription for antioxidants!  Keri Glassman expertly wraps up the science behind living longer into a diet anyone can follow! It's a recipe for good health!

About the Author

Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, has a thriving nutrition practice in New York City and helps millions as a contributing editor to Women’s Health magazine.  She counsels individuals on a broad range of challenges – from weight loss to improving energy. A distinguished expert in the field of nutrition, she has appeared on the Today show, Good Morning America, The View, The Doctors and Dr. Oz.  Glassman holds a Masters of Science degree in clinical nutrition from New York University. She was an All-American lacrosse player at Tufts University and has completed the New York City Marathon and several triathlons. She resides in Manhattan with her husband Brett and their children, Rex and Maizy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; 1 edition (December 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605295183
• ISBN-13: 978-1605295183
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nationally recognized nutrition expert and published author Keri Glassman is the founder and president of Keri Glassman, Nutritious Life, a nutrition practice based in New York City. For years Keri has been a leader in advancing a "whole person" approach to health and wellness. She has dedicated her career to creating services and promoting education through her "Nutritious Life" brand.

"Nutritious Life" recognizes the importance of a whole person approach to health. The "Nutritious Life Cycle" includes getting adequate sleep, managing stress, exercising and having joy in one's life, in addition to pampering and good nutrition. Women's Health Magazine embraces Keri's practical and accessible approach to health and wellness. She is a member of their advisory board and writes a popular monthly column called "Take a Load Off". WebMD also recognizes the significance of "Nutritious Life" and Keri's contribution as the first registered dietitian to develop a line of food-based skin care products; Skin Appétit. Keri is a health, wellness, and beauty expert for the WebMD magazine and also appears in related videos online. The "Healthy Beauty" skin care line is the most recent expression of Keri's "beauty from the inside out" philosophy and will be launched in early 2010.

Keri has authored two books; the most recent is The O2 Diet. The Cutting Edge, Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin and Beautiful. (Rodale, December 2009.) This book translates complex scientific research on antioxidants and the ORAC scale into useful and useable tools that everyone can benefit from. It empowers people to live a more Nutritious Life by combining a nutrient-dense, high antioxidant diet with the other components of the Nutritious Life Cycle. The O2 Diet follows the Snack Factor Diet, (Crown, 2007.)

The success and growth of her "Nutritious Life" brand has not lessened Keri's commitment to nutrition counseling and her New York practice. She personally counsels clients with a broad range of challenges and helps millions more as a nutrition contributor for The CBS Early Show. She is dedicated to her field and to the broader goal of educating the public and her expertise has been featured on several television programs including The View, The Today Show, MSNBC, The Fox News Channel, and NY1. She is a spokesperson for Hain Celestial and other national brands that align with the Nutritious Life mission and is a prolific writer and commentator with contributions to numerous publications* nationwide.

Keri still finds time to go beyond her own business and into her community. She supports several health and wellness organizations including The American Dietetic Association, The Women's Sports Foundation, and The New York Runners Club. Keri holds a Masters of Science degree in clinical nutrition from New York University. She was an All-American lacrosse player at Tufts University and has completed the New York City Marathon and triathlons. Keri resides in New York City with her husband Brett and their children, Rex and Maizy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real review, I promise! :-), January 7, 2010

By 

S. Cobert "Veggie Pooglet" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful (Hardcover)

I was going to wait to write my review on this diet until I'd been on it for a couple of weeks, but a reviewer made an interesting observation, pointing out that all of the current 5 star reviews seem fake (it's the only non-five star review so far), and now I'm wondering if Rodale employees really have nothing better to do. But I suppose that's not the point...

I have been on this diet for 6 days so far. This book starts you out with a 4-day "cleanse." No lemon water and pepper here, folks; you actually get real food for this one. She lays out a very strict meal plan - the same breakfast every day, same snacks everyday, and so on. Also, you're supposed to drink 8 oz of lemon juice mixed into 8 glasses of water everyday. I would HIGHLY advise investing in some sort of juicer. When I bought 21 lemons at the grocery store for my first week on this diet, the cashier looked at me like she knew what I was up to... Oh, she knew.

After four days, you won't want to look at another romaine salad, cinnamon-loaded granny smith apple, or basil eggs ever again. But then you step on the scale. I'll admit that I was a bit lazy about the exercise on these 4 days, and I only started out slightly above 150 lbs to begin with (I'm 5'6", btw), but I still lost 5.2 lbs during this time. Granted, a good chunk of that was probably water weight, but it's still quite motivating. I'll be happy to update my review as I progress along on this diet.

So even as "Wary," the above referenced reviewer, pointed out, this is probably a pretty average diet as diet books go. However, I think it's kind of neat to count antioxidants and strive for a large number (30,000 a day!) as opposed to sitting around thinking about how you only have 100 calories or 1 point or whatever left for the day. I have a lot more energy, my skin is clearing up, and I'm a lot less moody with my husband - All side effects I wasn't even expecting with this diet. And trust me, after those grueling first four days, it's well worth it.

UPDATE - 01/20/2010: I've done the 4-day cleanse plus 2 weeks on this diet now. As I said before, I lost 5.2 pounds during the cleanse. After the first full week after that, I lost an additional pound. I was SUPER lazy about the exercise though. (That means I didn't do it. *blushes*) After my second week, I lost an additional 1.2 pounds, and I actually did work out a few days this week using Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred, but I also went out to eat with my husband one night. I did try my best to find the healthiest thing on the menu, though! I'm sitting at 7.4 pounds total lost, and I am feeling pretty happy with that. I feel this is a lifestyle I could maintain long after my weight loss goals have been reached.

62 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average, January 4, 2010

By 

wary - See all my reviews

This review is from: The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful (Hardcover)

After reading a review about this book in a women's magazine I thought that this would be a great book. I ended up buying it and must say that it is perfectly average and that while the information about antioxidants is interesting, the diet plan itself isn't anything you couldn't find in any other book that promotes eating whole natural foods. Also, I would be wary of the first 20 reviews on Amazon as they were all published on the exact same day (coincidentally the same day the book came out - even though some have claimed to be following the diet for a week or more), they all have the same five-star rating and none of the authors have reviewed a book other than one written by Keri Glassman. It looks to me that they might have (although I have no proof) been written by the same person under different pseudonyms.

Other than that its a decent book about healthy eating but besides the antioxidants spin (and it is a good place to get information about the positive effects certain high antioxidant foods have on your body) it doesn't provide much information that isn't already readily available.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sound principles that have been done before, January 22, 2010

By 

C. Bordelon (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful (Hardcover)

I bought this book after seeing a blurb about it in Women's Health magazine, which is published by Rodale, also the publisher of this book. As a life-long fitness and nutrition enthusiast, I was intrigued by the whole antioxidant thing. The principles of this diet are the same as other diets--lots of fruits and veggies, lean protein, whole grain carbs, and "good" fats such as nuts and olive oil. The focus on the antioxidants is just another spin on the same healthy eating approach that has been written about in countless other books and can be found in current mainstream news stories. Although new research is constantly emerging, the science behind antioxidants and what they really do for us is slippery at best--the author acknowledges this herself. What bothers me is her statement on page 9, "Although the current recommendations are that we eat between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC points a day for optimum health, why not get all you can?" Considering the latest research concerning the adverse effects of consuming an overabundance of certain vitamins and minerals, perhaps this was an overstatement.

One pet peeve--she mentions some foods in certain chapters and then doesn't include them on the ORAC point chart. The charts are spread out through the book and I have to keep flipping around to find the ORAC points for certain foods. The chart from the website is also not consistent with the charts in the book (such as different serving sizes), which is irritating. The author mentions several times that coffee is very high in antioxidants but doesn't give the readers how many ORAC points are in a cup of coffee.

I never intended to do the cleanse nor follow her regimented eating plan; rather, my intent was to apply the principles to my eating. The book has made me more aware of what I put in my mouth (always good). I find the Abs Diet (another book published by Rodale) to be a much better philosophy towards overall eating, and one could then add some antioxidant-rich foods from the O2 Diet. You can go to [e-mail] and download the food charts with all the ORAC points and skip buying the book. It would be great if someday in the future the ORAC score of a food will be a part of the nutritional label, so we can easily see how antioxidant-rich that food is.