Fight Fat After Forty (Hardcover)

by Pamela Peeke (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
If you're a woman over 40, you are undergoing physical and emotional changes, declining metabolism, fat deposits at your waistline, decreased energy, mood swings, food cravings--do we need to continue this list? Now pile on chronic, long-term stress (which the author terms toxic stress), which hits women between 40 and 60 and leads to self-destructive eating behavior. "Uncontrolled or toxic stress keeps the refueling appetite on, thus inducing stress eating and weight gain," Peeke explains. The stress triggers are constant, so the body never gets to turn off the stress response. The weight gained from this chronic, toxic stress--toxic weight--settles inside the abdomen and is associated with heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Peeke explains the association between stress and fat gain, and describes the stress/eating cycle ("the itch you can't scratch"). Then she teaches tools for "regrouping": formulating and following a contingency plan of nutrition, exercise, and self-care. Next are suggestions for a nutritional plan tied to stressful times of the day and an explanation of food needs after age 40. In the final chapters, Peeke nudges us to exercise to relieve stress, reduce body fat, and benefit overall health. Peeke is a highly regarded scientist and clinician who studies the link between stress and fat at the National Institutes of Health. She's also Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and works with Vice President Gore as the Medical Director of the National Race for the Cure for Breast Cancer. --Joan Price

From Library Journal
Nutritional expert Peeke, who has just completed three years at the National Institutes of Health studying the relationship between stress and fat, here reveals what she found. Expect tons of publicity on this one.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (April 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670889199
• ISBN-13: 978-0670889198
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #506,362 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What was really keeping me overweight and how I overcame it, June 11, 2000

By	Buffy - See all my reviews

We diet, lose weight and gain it all back again. Why? Like so many people my weight issues weren't totally about overeating. They were intertwined with issues about self-esteem and, of all things, money. It took me years to realize this but once I did I was finally able to lose the weight and keep it off. I found a combination of three books that helped me put an end to my self-defeating habits: "FIGHT FAT" has helped me with my final weight issues.

"NECESSARY JOURNEYS," by Dr. Nancy Snyderman helped me finally resolve my leftover anger and feelings of failure following my divorce.

"SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS," by Nancy Lloyd helped me finally end my overspending and love-hate relationship with credit cards. My debts are now under control, I feel like a weight has been lifted and I'm almost down to my college weight. These three books have changed my life like nothing I've ever tried before. They could work for you too. You have nothing to lose but those unwanted pounds.

143 of 147 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How I cut my stress and lowered my blood pressure without Rx, June 12, 2000

By	carrie - See all my reviews

It took me years of failed dieting and finally two years of therapy to discover that the root of my weight trouble was caused by low self-esteem which led to excessive spending. I wish I had read this book years ago along with the other book mentioned, "SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS," by Nancy Lloyd. Each book has shown me unique ways to control the "excesses" in my life and slim down my debt and my waistline. My blood pressure has also dropped (without the use of medication) because I no longer feel stressed all the time and I am finally HAPPY!

141 of 146 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TOXIC STRESS + DEBT = FAT, June 22, 2000

By	Kathie J. - See all my reviews

At 42 I was forced to confront a lot of things in my life. My mother became seriously ill and I was on the verge of losing my job and my weight MUSHROOMED! I tried diets, yoga, and even therapy. It wasn't until I started keeping a journal that I was finally able to understand the root of my troubles. I had low self-esteem which I "dealt with" by buying stuff. I'd buy things I didn't need and couldn't afford for myself. I also would try to buy friendship by lavishing family and friends with gifts. As my debt grew so did my waistline and my metabolism was now slowing down so those quickie diets I had been using no longer worked.

In the end, all I got was a huge amount of credit card debt and fat. I started dealing with my stress by using Dr. Peek's book and a book by Nancy Lloyd called, "SIMPLE MONEY SOLUTIONS: 10 ways you can stop feeling overwhelmed by money and start making it work for you." These two books together have significantly improved the quality of my life. My weight and debt are now under control. What a relief. Both books work!