The Best Life Diet

"I enjoyed this book and its approach a lot. Things I liked that I haven't found anywhere else:

* Mixing cereals to come up with a different taste. I guess I'm just not creative, but this was a cool idea I've incorporated into my diet.
* Starting out without any restrictions. Every other diet approach I've read recently starts you out with phase one being the most restrictive. This phase one is just the phase, helpful for me because it gave me time to read the rest of the book while not jumping into a diet AND exercise program right away.
* He gives a great list of exactly what friuts and veggies help which health conditions. Good reference page.
* Oprah's recipes-- they were easier and more doable than the others in the book. Especially the turkey burgers. A lot of the recipes just took regular recipes and made them healthier, replacing ground beef with ground turkey and refined flour with whole grain flour.
* He helps you take a look at WHY you overeat. I find myself asking "am I hungry? or am I just stuffing my face because I can't find another way to deal with the frustration of my 4-month-old daughter screaming?" It's usually the second, so I stop eating and say a lil' prayer.
* His emphasis on fiber. This is often neglected in a lot of health-conscious circles, but is vital to the correct long-term functioning of the innards.

I think he hits the nail right on the head with this book the most though. Weight loss is something that has to start first with your issues in life and with this book he helps you go from phase to phase as you progress along in your struggles with weight loss. I think he has a good out look on what it takes to loss weight and I think this is his best book yet. "
~ Written on 2008-01-24

"Of all the Bob Greene books, I think this one is the best. Not because it has some revolutionary diet or exercise plan, but simply because it focuses more on other factors that keep people from losing weight. As the book points out, dropping weight is not just a numbers game, its a complicated web of social rituals, cultural expectations and habits that drive people to gain weight.

The book's plan is a three phase one. The focus of phase one is to move more and change your meal patterns. Phase two is learning how to control your hunger and make dietary changes. Finally, phase three concentrates on improving the quality of one's diet.

The book ends with meal plans and recipes, which roughly make up about a third of the book. Also sandwiched in there is a short section on keeping a positive attitude, which I feel is as crucial as anything else when it comes to losing weight. After all, what good is a plan if you can't stick with it long enough to see results? (Also recommend "The Sixty-Second Motivator" for more on this topic).

All in all its probably Bob's best to date and I'm sure it will help many who struggle with their weight loss demons.
"
~ Written on 2007-03-10