Did you know that most of us eat a diet rich in protein, whether we know it or not? I didn’t either until I read Johansen’s book, Stop the diet, I want to lose! Did you know that the US is among the top 10 countries with the most overweight people?… that three out of ten people are currently trying to lose weight?… that the grapefruit diet has been around since the from 1930?
Johansen has prepared us a plate of common sense healthy facts and truths about diet. He gives 12 characteristics of fad diets and explains how to spot them. Specifically, he lists 15 of those diets by name: Jenny Craig, Paleo, Atkins, Gluten Free, Cleanse, Blood Type, Nutrisystem, etc. -and he logically explains why these diets are not beneficial and even harmful for most people.
Below, Johansen explains who should and who shouldn’t limit or avoid foods from certain food groups. After all, as she points out, “…it’s important that we don’t develop an unhealthy or fearful relationship with food.” In her book, she also explains how to visualize serving sizes. For example, it may be easier to regulate food intake when you think of a baseball-sized cup of cereal or three ounces the size of your checkbook or a paperclip-sized gram.
For dessert, part of the book is ironically hilarious when Johansen explains ridiculous diets like “cotton ball nonsense” in which a person eats 5 cotton balls soaked in lemonade. As he reads through these once popular “diets,” he’ll gain a clearer perspective on today’s fad diets. Plus, over 30 tips for healthy eating are provided, such as: “Don’t Drink Your Calories,” “Practice Mindful Eating,” “Leverage Your Support System,” and many more. Additionally, six indicators of not getting enough water and a description of our most efficient energy source are served to the table along with the main content.
Finally, Stop the Diet, I Want to Get Off, provides two websites where you can find a wealth of information on healthy eating while designing a diet specific to your needs.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who eats and reads, especially anyone who has been on a diet, is currently on a diet, or is thinking of going on a diet.
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My favorite quote: “…keeping a food and exercise journal is one of the most useful weight management tools available.” -Lisa Tillinger Johansen
