Being in Denial is Way More Fun

I have been fighting my personal "Battle of the Bulge", during the past couple of years, as I've seen my metabolism do a 180 degree turn. It was wonderful being able to eat a large pizza, chow down on ice cream, and drink sodas without worrying about calorie amounts. According to my parents, who were amazed by my ability to consume lots of food in one sitting, there were warning posters in All-You-Can-Eat Buffets with my mugshot on them. I miss those days of reckless eating, when I wouldn't gain a pound, and didn't have to worry about exercise. While I'm not gigantic by any means, I've learned about having a beer holder above my waist, or another spot to place my cigar ashtray. My doctor gave me a ridiculous, unobtainable weight recommendation based upon CDC guidelines, that would leave me looking like a skeleton. However, I am trying to lose ten to fifteen pounds, because I do realize that my extra weight could cause health problems.

My brother, who I love dearly, gave me a not so subtle hint by giving me "Eat This, Not That!" It is written by David Zinczenko, who's the Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health, and Matt Goulding. It was published in 2008, and has a list price of $19.95, but I'm assuming that my also frugal brother was able to get it for a lot less. According to the book cover, it is a "No-Diet Weight Loss Solution," and I find claims of this magnitude to usually be a bunch of nonsense.  Yet after opening it up, and seeing how the chapters were organized, I thought it could at least be a decent reference. The color coding system is easy to follow, as it breaks up the book into categories, such as Restaurants, Supermarkets, Menu Decoder, Drink This, etc.

The best part is the restaurants section, even though it covers only a limited amount of each establishments menu. There's about fifty restaurants covered, that are among the most popular, and I was shocked and disgusted by what I learned about them. Each restaurant covered has one page of "Eat This," and "Not That!". I like this simple concept, and the pictures are helpful, in reinforcing the importance of what to choose. There are four items you should pick on the one side, and four on the other that you should run away from. If you don't believe them, they break down the food items in calorie, fat, and sodium amounts. I was shocked to see that BK's Whopper Sandwich has 17 grams of fat alone from just the Mayo. Each restaurant also has a bomb with a fuse on it pictured, with a "Weapon of Mass Destruction." This shows you the worst food item each restaurant offers, and I had my appetite literally ruined by some of these. I was also shocked that some of the foods, that I thought were healthy, had large amounts of fat or sodium.

What if a restaurant you dine at, isn't listed in this book? I have to give these authors credit, as they did a fine job, in deciphering some of the confusion you'll encounter with menus. It gives you the 411 on how to figure out how some foods are cooked, and what this can do to your caloric intake. You learn about which sides to pick, so that the main course will not be ruined by something unhealthy. If you like a variety of foods, it breaks down menus by genre, whether its barbecue, Indian, Mexican, Seafood, etc. You won't learn a lot about calorie amounts here, but you'll be able to make better choices with limited information. I was pleased that guacamole, which I love dearly,  has vitamin E and is heart healthy.

I liked the restaurant sections the best, but I did learn a fair amount from looking at their coverage of the supermarket. One item I have for breakfast often, is a few slices of bacon, and I had been buying the turkey variety. It seemed healthier to eat this, rather than the traditional pork, even though I didn't like the flavor as much. I'm back with my old favorite, as it has the exact same amount of fat and calories, but a considerable amount less of sodium! I was surprised by this, and also amazed by how much healthier the "light" syrup is over the regular product. Smartfood's White Cheddar Popcorn, which appears to be a healthy snack choice, is among the worst out there. Its even more shocking to learn how unhealthy some salad dressings are, because they completely wipe out any benefits of eating greens, which I generally avoid like the plague.

Do you like Starbucks Orange Creme Frappuchino's? I don't anymore, as I was disgusted to learn that even without the whipped cream it still has 320 calories. I'm sorry to ruin this experience for you, but reading this book's drink suggestions is another way, that I've learned there are so many ways to add or lose weight. The comparisons between what you should and shouldn't drink are helpful, because there are plenty of healthier choices, that still have plenty of flavor to them. There are a few beers that I'll now be avoiding for now, because they are just loaded down with calories, and there are loads of beers with similar taste that have a lot less. It is reassuring to know that the Michelob Ultra's that I like, are a lot better than most competitors, so there might just be an extra one drank today.

I think this is a fantastic book, and I've actually made some changes based upon its recommendations. There hasn't been a major weight loss, but I've dropped a few pounds, and feel a lot better. A few years ago, there was a Garfield cartoon that talked about not liking diets, because it starts out with "die." How true that is, but a lot of diet are impossible, because they aren't practical with long work hours and having to eat out. This book is the perfect compromise, because it offers you alternatives that still taste great, and it allows you to see visually what's a good choice versus something horrible. It also reinforces some values that need an assist, when battling extra weight, so it does keep you honest.

My brother's gift was very thoughtful, and I think this is the best health book I've ever read. In addition to having tips on what to eat, and what to stay away from, there is information here about how certain foods can improve your health. These are organized in the back, and shows you what to eat to improve your vision, prevent breast cancer, lower your blood pressure, and stop cavities from occuring. This is more food for thought, and I like how even one or two of these items a day, can make a difference in preventative care. I am happy to recommend this book to anyone, because it offers busy individuals realistic possibilities, and it is so easy to follow.