Fat Free, Flavor Full: Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Guide to Losing Weight & Living Longer (Paperback)

by Gabe Mirkin (Author), Diana Rich (Author) "I led my class in cholesterol..." (more)
Key Phrases: add the remaining bouillon, remaining ingredients except the mayonnaise, cups bouillon, United States, Journal of the American Medical Association, Flavor Frill (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Ever since the Rubenesque standard of beauty for both sexes was abandoned, there has been a love-hate affair with dieting. That is one reason why more Americans than ever are overweight, a situation that propelled former surgeon general C. Everett Koop on a health crusade. Mirkin is certainly no newcomer to the U.S. obsession with food; he understands the diet mentality (or lack thereof) and bases his answers and regimen (prepared with coauthor Rich) on a program much less dictatorial than, say, Pritikin's. Also, his explanations of why fat must be reduced, of exercise options, and of food facts and fiction, among other medical-nutritional topics, reflect a kind and gentle era of doctoring; harsh words will not change lifestyles. Examples of his patients' successes--and the 250 recipes--just might. Mirkin cares a great deal about all of us winning the low-fat game. Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
No fat with a tasty new twist! Nearly 300 deliciously simple, meatless meals, plus a medically tested health-and-fitness plan make this bestselling book a must for anyone who wants to lose weight and feel better. Illustrations & charts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316574732
• ISBN-13: 978-0316574730
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #420,934 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only thing that has ever got me to lose weight, April 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fat Free, Flavor Full: Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Guide to Losing Weight and Living Longer (Hardcover)

I lost 30 pounds in 6 months on this diet and kept it off. The reason this book succeeded for me where all other diets failed is that it supplied me with lots of recipes for food that I could stuff myself silly with. There is no limiting portions or stopping at one serving (with the high fiber, low fat recipes). I can make a whole pot of stew and eat the whole thing at one sitting if I want. It works for me because I find the recipes absolutely delicious. This book won't help people who dislike grains, beans or the exotic flavors it uses. But if you like this type of food, this is THE weight loss book to use!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easiest diet I've ever done., January 28, 2000

By	Michelle Berkovitz (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

The book is inspiring, and I highly recommend it. What made this diet extremely easy for me (as a working mom with a nursing 1-year-old I have little time to cook) is that there's a company near me called Diet-to-Go that delivers Mirkin Meals to my home. I feel like I could eat this way forever. I have lots of energy, and after just two months of eating Mirkin-style, even my pre-pregnancy clothes are all loose on me. For people who like whole grains, beans, veggies and fruit, this way of eating is extremely satisfying. The food is filling, and it seems like I'm getting a very nutritious diet every day, with enough protein, complex carbs, vitamins and minerals. I find that I really don't crave the fat, and that 20 grams of fat per day is plenty. I think this type of diet also boosts the immune system, because even though others in my household (who are not on the diet) have been coming down with colds and viruses, I've stayed healthy. Mirkin recommends exercise, but with so little time, the best I can manage is to wear a pedometer and try to walk 10,000 steps each day. But, I've found that even walking an average of 4,000 steps seems to be sufficient to cause weight loss on the Mirkin diet.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sensible look at food, dieting, and exercise., December 29, 1998

By	Levi Wallach (Vienna, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Gabe Mirkin and Diana Rich (his wife) have a talk show in the DC area where they discuss nutrition, diet, medicine, disease, etc. This book covers mainly his philosophy on eating. However, half of the book is a compendium of his low-fat, high fiber recipes, most of which are vegetarian, but some of which involve fish and shelfish. Basically Mirkin's philosophy involves eating low-fat, high-fiber foods. You are supposed to eat no more than 20 grams of fat per day. And you are allowed only 2 or 3 serving per day of low-fiber foods (like milk, jam, bread, pretzels, etc.). This may seem a harsh regimen, but Mirkin includes some leeway as well: for one or two meals a week you can have whatever you want, which makes eating out much easier; and you can have as many whole grains (whole wheat, barley, oats, etc.), beans, fruits, and vegetables as you want. The idea is that you will never feel deprived because you can always go to the cupboard and eat two cans of beans, a pineapple and a pound of broccoli. Mirkin emphasizes that his eating plan won't take pounds off unless you exercise, so this is no magic formula. What I liked so much about this book was how Mirkin describes the science of how fats break down and are absorbed into the body and used, the chemical differences between saturated, mono-saturated and poly-unsaturated fat, and how curbing fat and calorie intake can not only elleviate many of the health problems that we already associate with obesity (such as heart disease), but can actually cure other problems such as adult-onset diabedes. If you're not into dieting or healthy eating, it's at least interesting as a scientific look (albeit at a layman's level) at food and how the body is affected by it.