Diet Simple: 192 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & ... (ISBN 0895260700)

Diet Simple:
Katherine Tallmadge's book, Diet Simple,to me is slightly reminiscent of the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonomous. Not that it recommends a 12 step program for people who overeat or who have spent a lifetime battling weight and eating disorders, rather it offers those of us who strugle with these issues some experiance, strength and hope. In the introduction Ms. Tallmadge briefly touches on the behavioral patterns and problems related to eating of three generations of her own family. Fortunately this is up frount in the book because her discussion of her own struggle with over eating, and her cycle of gaining and loosing weight pulled me in and was something I could relate to, the classic "yo yo" pattern as she puts it. Some of the information in this book is stuff that I have read somewhere maybe in a woman's magazine, drink more water, exercise, eat less, etc. However after doing a Google search under the authors name I found that she had written many of these articals. Ms Tallamdge approch has talked me down from the ledge of these carb addict diet books and has me eating oatmeal for breakfast! I have never had more energy for my morning work outs than I do with this suggestion. I was on a protein regime that I though was helping me but I was stuck. These Diet Simple suggestions are balanced and not harsh. In the two months since I picked up the book I have lost 15 lbs. The author's experiance as a practicing nutritionist shows in the many suggestions, mental tricks, substitions, habits and inspirations she anecdotally atributes to from work she has done with her clients over the years. My suggestion is that you skip the nutritionist, come to a place where you are ready to change, use this book as a tool and spend the money you save on new clothes. I should mention that the recipes in the back are tasty and easy for a bachelor with few culinary skills to prepair. It shows us how to make the food we eat health yet exciting. With all this said I have to admit that I bought the book because I saw the jacket photo of the author before I read the title. She is very cute. Sadly there are no pictures inside the book.

Marginally helpful but in an annoying format.:
When I came to amazon this spring to buy a cookbook by one of my favorite Food Network hosts, amazon pitched Diet Simple in one of its "If you buy this, you can get this for only this much." promotions. Being authored by a nutritionist, I figured it was worth a shot for a few bucks more. Um, not really. The book is a series of "diet" tips. I found the format annoying and not easy to refer back to something I'd read. Unless you are just about to start your very first diet, you won't likely come away with much new information. Granted, I've been around the diet block a number of times and have read quite a lot of diet/nutrition-related books over the years, so it wasn't like I expected that anything in this little book of tips would be earth-shattering news to me. Still, I didn't come away feeling like I'd gained much from reading the book. Though stress eating is not a major problem for me, I know a lot of people who struggle with it. I did feel that her chapter on stress eating was quite good and helpful. If you are just starting a diet or launching a healthy eating for life journey, you may find the book helpful in that you may be able to focus on just those tips that will give you the most "bang for your buck." However if, like me, you've been around the diet block a few times, I would recommend "Thin for Life" by Anne Fletcher.

Some good tips, some bizarre tips:
This book could've been about 50 pages long (and greatly improved) if it were better organzied and eliminated redundant tips. I would've liked this book much better if the author hadn't put the number of pounds you could theoretically lose after each tip. I really don't see how some of the tips could possibly result in weight loss (finishing a shower with a blast of cold water?). And the batch cooking concept is a disaster waiting to happen for binge eaters. Many of the tips are useful, e.g. eating a salad before lunch and dinner and keeping a food journal. But the tips aren't novel, and the lack of organization and ensuing repetition is annoying.

Great ideas to help with weight loss progress:
From the first page of the book, there are great ideas on ways to lose weight and permanantly keep it off. This is not a diet but rather a change of life. This is something everyone can do without excuses. You just choose which tricks fit with your lifestyle and your on your way to permanent weight loss. I recommend this book to all who are looking to lose weight, whether it be 5 pounds or 100 pounds.

Coaching for Life Change:
This book coaches you how to make little changes, one by one, that can lead you to your weight loss goals. It's like having a friend cheer you on as you take more and more control of your eating habits. I appreciate the sensible advice and good natured guidance from the author. I don't need a "diet" I need a new way of being, and thanks to this book, I am constructing it.