Weight Loss & Diet Plans

You: On a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management

You: On a Diet: How It Works continued...

"Large bellies cause insulin resistance and inflammation," says Roizen, "inhibiting blood sugar from getting into brain cells and muscles that control hunger."  The answer, say the authors: Improve insulin resistance with waist-loss, physical activity, and more natural foods.

You: On a Diet recommends dedicating at least 30 minutes a day to walking, even if you do it in 10-minute intervals. Making exercise a priority helps build psychological discipline and foster compliance, say the authors.

Dieters are also encouraged to do 5 minutes of stretching every day, and 20 minutes of strength exercises three times a week, to help increase muscle mass and counter the natural slowdown in our metabolism. Illustrations in the book demonstrate how easily dieters can stretch and do strength training without equipment or joining a gym.

You: On a Diet: What the Experts Say

The reason You: On a Diet is a best-seller is because, overall, it's a solid diet book that makes dieting fun. "They present scientific information in an easy-to-understand, light-hearted, and humorous manner," says American Dietetic Association spokesman, Elisa Zied. The diet "has great appeal, and is getting people excited about learning about their bodies and shrinking their waist sizes."

For those bored with diets and looking for a fun and campy approach to dieting, this just may be the diet for you. "Wonderful illustrations help explain the body and how it works, along with lots of scientific references for anyone who wants to learn more," says Zied, who likes the book's positive approach, exercise recommendations, and realistic goal-setting aimed at helping people trim inches from their belly for health benefits beyond looking slimmer.

While You: On a Diet is ideal for people with belly fat, Zied disagrees with the one size fits all approach. "Everyone is different and if you carry excess weight below the waist, this may not meet your individualized needs," she says. And while most of the book's information is sound, some recommendations may be overstated and are not substantiated with scientific studies, Zied says.

Zied also thinks the recommendation to eat the same foods every day is extreme and impractical. To help people stick with the lifestyle changes necessary for a healthy diet, Zied recommends a slow, gradual approach, with plenty of professional support.

You: On a Diet: Food for Thought

If you're tired of extreme and fad diets, and want to start living a healthier lifestyle, You: On a Diet could be your ticket to permanent weight control with the added benefit of reducing the risk of chronic diseases with a slimmer waistline.

With You: On a Diet's emphasis on choosing healthy foods, getting in touch with hunger and satiety, and getting regular exercise, it's possible this plan can help people find success improving their health, their diet, and their waistline.