Genre: Non-fiction, nutrition
Paperback, Hardback # pages
Book Source: the publicist
My Rating: 90/100
From the publicist:
In today’s high-speed culture, sensible nutrition has been sidetracked by convenience foods and fad diets. Fortunately, just in time for the holidays and the New Year, wellness expert Brett Blumenthal has created GET REAL and STOP Dieting! , a straightforward resource that demystifies the secrets of healthy eating once and for all.
Blumenthal’s book identifies simple principles for ditching dieting and making good nutrition a way of life, including:
· Tips on establishing proper portion size
· Shopping smart at the grocery store
· Making healthy substitutions in cooking
· Advice about exercise, hydration, and stress reduction
· 40 pages of simple, satisfying recipes
With over two decades of experience in the wellness industry, Brett Blumenthal and her book, “GET REAL and STOP Dieting!” are resources for adopting healthier eating habits and committing to long-term wellness. In addition to GET REAL, Brett is also the founder of the award-winning website SheerBalance.com and, most recently, TheHealthyRoadWarrior.com. She has received numerous awards for her work including: Shine from Yahoo!’s “Woman of the Year” for her influential blogging; Divine Caroline’s Love this Site! Award in the Body and Soul Category for Sheer Balance; Intent’s Best Healthy Living Site Award; and Healthy Heart from Nature Made. She resides in Cambridge, MA.
Whether striving to lose weight or simply interested in learning more about wellness, people from all walks of life will benefit from GET REAL and STOP Dieting!’s simple nutritional rules.
My Thoughts:
I accepted this book for review because I felt like I needed to clarify what I knew about nutritional needs and dieting. Every time I turn around it is eat this, not that, olive oil is good, now it's bad, carbs: yes, no, maybe so, and so on and so on. Therefore I figured what the heck, let me give this a try. What's the harm?
This book was actually not bad. I was pleasantly surprised. It is a very easy read, and gives common sense reasons for the five "Get Real" principles. Eat more fruits and veggies, and the prepackaged foods that are so prevalent today are not nutritionally good or healthy for us. Come on, you know that Kraft Mac and Cheese can't be good for you :) The book also discusses fiber, protein, and the need to keep it whole, natural and healthy.
The book also explains those confusing food labels and what serving size means. There are some brand food suggestions given (Kashi Go Lean, Amy's Naturals) and some recipes for you to try in the back as well. With respect to the recipes, some contain ingredients that are not easily on hand, like whey protein, but overall they don't seem too bad. Here's an easy looking one:
Mediterranean Penne
1/2 cup whole wheat penne pasta-dry
1/2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic-minced
1/2 cup asparagus-chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes-halved
Dried oregano
1/4 cup white cannellini beans-drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
Salt & pepper
1 Tbs grated parmesan
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add penne and cook fro 9 to 10 minutes or until done. Drain the water but do not rinse pasta.
In same pot, add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, chopped asparagus, tomatoes, oregano, and beans. Stir. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.
Makes 1 serving.
This was a very quick read, and I finished it in one day. The information it contains isn't ground breaking or new, but it did help me clarify my goals for eating well. Plus some new recipes are always good.
So if you are looking for down to earth, no frills, eating guide, this is the one for you.
2010 Challenges Met: 100+
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