77 of 78 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So far and BY far, the best "diet"/exercise book I've used., June 24, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Strong Women Stay Slim (Paperback)
As a nearly life-long dieter and minimal exerciser, I can't tell you how impressed I am with the results I've got from using this book, compared with others I've tried. I'd followed Strong Women Stay Young (which I also highly recommend for us 50-plussers) for about 10 weeks, so maybe that gave me a head start, at least in terms of getting me into a consistent exercising regime, but the food plan in SWSS is what really got me losing weight & trimming down in size. I've lost 3 kg/6.6 pounds, gone from tight slacks/jeans in Australian size 14 (U.S. 16, I think), to where my Aussie size 12s are too big - in about 10-12 weeks. I'm rarely hungry and have stopped craving or being satisfied with junk food. The book is enjoyable to read, the authors' credentials seem impeccable, and the food plan is nutritionally sound and so wonderfully flexible that even to say I'm on a diet feels somehow dishonest. With its "no-fad," "no frills" approach, SWSS has made me really believe I'll never be fat/flabby/weak again. I reckon Dr Nelson & colleagues have given me the tools to stay slim/toned/strong for a long time to come.
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52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Down to Earth Fitness, August 3, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Strong Women Stay Slim (Paperback)
This is a great book for anyone wanting to lose weight and/or feel stronger and healthier. The plan is not fancy or elaborate. The book is an easy, enjoyable read. Regardless of how much you want to lose, this book is for you. Strength training is a major key to increasing your metabolism, so if this is something you've left out of your fitness routine, this book can help you lose those last few stubborn pounds. I also think it's written with sensitivity to people who are very overweight. She lets you determine the amount of calories you take in and she teaches you the basics of nutrition, helping you add variety to balance out your diet and fiber to help you feel full.
She also stresses the benefit of slow weight loss--only 1-2 pounds a week, which is much healthier, easier to stick with, and less likely to be gained back after you're finished.
This is a book about changing your whole attitude about health and fitness and about changing your habits for the rest of your life. I think it's really beneficial. Personally I would give it five stars. The reason I gave it four is because it is pretty basic information. There was nothing in the book that I hadn't heard before or didn't already know. I really did, however, like how plainly it was stated and how easy the plan is to follow.
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51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstandingly sensible, balanced and scientifically grounded, December 16, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Strong Women Stay Slim (Paperback)
If you're a fitness freak or on a stable weight you are happy with, find another book. This one isn't for you. Ditto if you are looking for super fast weight gain or have a penchant for fad diets. Ditto if you are looking for a full-on gung-ho weights program.
BUT!
If you are struggling to lose weight, have ever lost weight and bounced back up again, are happy with your weight but not your shape, have tried all the diets, or even haven't tried them, or don't know where to start - then this is the book for you.... regardless of age (or even gender!).
Dr Nelson's book focuses on strength training as a fundamental element of healthy weight loss, particularly for its role in maintaining bone density (and toning!) - as opposed to the diet/aerobic exercise route which can lead to loss of bone density and/or loss of muscle (rather than fat). That said, she also covers the role of good nutrition (focusing on the long term, not the faddish) and aerobic exercise.
The result is not "dieting" as such, but healthier living. If you want to lose 30lbs in 3 months this isn't the book to read - but if you want to lose 30lbs steadily and KEEP IT OFF, then dive in. Generally I would say the focus is on inches, tone and well-being rather than pounds anyway.
The discussion of studies, science etc could have been heavy, but wasn't - it was very readable and even extremely motivating. It meant everything in the book made sense, which for me, made it easier to take on the recommendations of this book as a lifestyle not a fad.
The exercises are very easy, but if you are just starting out, that's not a bad thing - better than throwing you in with stuff you can't do, and they will give you plenty to build on. This book will give you a great, balanced foundation to a healthier lifestyle.
There's plenty of checks along the way to keep you on track and getting results - have you chosen a good goal weight (and do you need one?), are you working out at the right intensity, are you eating well, are there warning signs that you are coming off the rails?
You're also supported with checks to track your exercise and eating - backed by research showing that those who keep track, stay on track and get better results.
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