As a registered dietitian, I often approach diet books with some skepticism, as I have found many popular ones to be too gimmicky, too extreme, nutritionally imbalanced, or too unrealistic to be followed over the long-haul. Imagine my surprise when I read You on a Diet. As Drs. Roizen and Oz have done in the past, here they have managed to simplify science and draw attention to the health perils of having too much body fat (especially in the abdominal region) in a witty, warm, encouraging, positive, and entertaining way. They explain in simple, easy to understand language how to reprogram your body to support healthful weight loss. Along the way, they encourage people to consume more protein, fiber, and healthful unsaturated fats, and less saturated fats, trans fats, and sugar, all of which can certainly support weight management efforts and have heart-health and other benefits as well.
Too many diet books preach quick fixes and ask you to forego too many foods in pursuit of a thinner physique; instead, this book takes a very positive approach, shows people what to consume more of, supports regular physical activity, and encourages people to set realistic goals--instead of striving for model-thinness, it asks people to aim simply to lose some inches from their guts which can improve not only their physical appearance but their health as well. Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is its light and encouraging tone, not to mention the illustrations which make it an easy and enjoyable read.
Having lost more than 25 pounds myself, and having maintained a healthy body weight for more than 10 years, I know first hand how tough it is to lose weight. For me it was a slow, gradual process that took years. I would have found this book quite useful about 15 years ago (before I became a registered dietitian) when I started to change my eating and fitness habits, and now am happy to have a popular diet book to recommend to clients and the lay public.
Although calorie counting is not emphasized in the book, my experience shows that when you embark on weight loss, you need to first know where you're starting from in terms of calories; also, knowing something about the calorie content of the foods and beverages you consume can help you when you hit a plateau and your weight seems to stall at a certain level despite your continued efforts to lose weight. And while the menu plans and recipes in this book seem sound and do-able, they include few low-fat dairy foods and other non-dairy sources of calcium which may make it tough for many to meet their calcium and/or vitamin D needs without supplementation. Also, because the menu plans do not include many of the foods people in America commonly consume, such as refined foods including pizza and pasta, and snack/dessert type foods (many of which are admittedly low in nutrients and high in calories), following these plans to the letter may make people feel that they are in fact on a "diet" and that they have to eat very differently than they normally do to lose weight. This can make following the program a challenge over the long-term.
Overall, You on a Diet can be a useful resource and motivator, and can be quite helpful resource for those who are tired of extreme dieting and want to start living as they pursue a healthier weight. This book makes a great bookshelf addition for anyone who is willing to take the time to learn how the body works to improve their overall eating habits, get more fit, and lose weight for life.
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