Wednesday 29 August 2012

Your Diet Habits

Your Diet Habits
The recent sunny weather has made the fast-approaching summer season seem all too real. If you want to drop a few pounds before bikini time, then help is at hand with the plethora of new diet books launching this spring. To really reap the benefits, first identify what type of dieter you are before you reach for one of the latest healthy-eating bibles. Are you an erratic one who tries every new fad going, or an exercise nut that needs to fuel your fitness? Whatever your preference, we’ve found one that will work for you…


The Social Dieter
Your Diet Approach: You probably live in the city and work long hours. Being in shape is important to you, but so is socialising so you need a diet that takes into account the fact you have little or no time to prepare meals and that you eat out, a lot.
The diet book for you:The Manhattan Diet, £19.16, at The Book Depository
The Manhattan Diet is written more like a novel than a non-fiction diet book and definitely has a feel of Sex and the City about it, except replace the gossip about sex with talk of food. The author Eileen Daspin talks to various city-dwellers in this book to find out exactly how Manhattanites stay so slim in such a foodie city (Manhattan is the slimmest of all the 62 New York State counties). With tips from real people, a weight loss plan, and recipes that are quick and easy to adopt in to your busy schedule, this is a refreshingly practical and enjoyable take on the typical diet book.
You might also like:The French Twist, £10.19 at The Book Depository
Same idea, different city. Carol Cottrill spent time in France researching how people over there are able to eat what they like – croissants, patisserie pastries and Croque Monsieurs – but still manage to stay slim. Her new book The French Twist reveals the answers.
The Healthy Dieter
Your Diet Approach: For you dieting is less about losing weight and more about being as healthy as possible. You eat well because you want to feel energised and look better. You’d opt for superfoods over fast food any day, and while you’re not one to follow faddy diets, you’re looking for some new recipes and tips to keep things fresh.
The diet book for you:Eat Yourself Young, £8.44 at WHSmith
Eat Yourself Young isn’t a diet book, instead it’s about eating foods that make you look younger on the outside (red beans, garlic and lemon), and skipping those that age you (salt, ‘bad’ fats and cow’s dairy). The author, Elizabeth Peyton-Jones offers some interesting points about how inflammation and acid affect your looks. The meal suggestions are really tasty, ELLE loves the antioxidant-rich Beanie Brownies that taste like chocolate brownies and with the ever-youthful Thandie Newton as an advocate it’s well worth a read.
You might also like: Eat to Live, £8.65 at Amazon
In this book Eat to Live the author Dr. Fuhrman looks at everything that is wrong with diets; how healthy eating really can extend our lives and offers a recommended eating regime. His approach is more about losing weight with nutrient-rich food in an attempt to be as healthy as you can be, rather than encouraging a fad diet that will help you slim down while not actually being good for you.
The Erratic Dieter
Your Diet Approach: Cabbage Soup diet? Check. The Zone diet? Check. Dukan diet? Check. In fact, you’ve tried almost every new diet going. You’re always trying some new trick or fad to help you shift weight, and you get bored easily.
The diet book for you:Escape the Diet Trap, £8.99, at Waterstones
Escape the Diet Trap proclaims that it is ‘not a diet book’ and sets out to explain why BMI isn’t a great tool for measuring your weight; why the less hungry people are the more they tend to lose and why low-fat doesn’t equal weight loss. It’s an insightful, useful read especially if you’ve been stuck on a conveyer belt of different diets for years.
You might also like: The Drop 10 Diet, £11.03 at The Book Depository
Written by editor–in-chief Lucy Danziger of Self magazine (a US health mag) along with a team of nutrition experts, The Drop 10 Diet is all about how to diet healthily. Instead of encouraging self-denial this book allows you to enjoy all the foods you love like chocolate, cheese and coffee while still losing weight and staying healthy.
The Fit Dieter
Your Diet Approach: When it comes to losing weight exercise is your main tool, but you also understand the importance of pairing your training regime with the right food, to get the best results. You’re looking for a diet plan that gives you enough calories sourced from good, healthy foods so you have the energy to really push yourself when you exercise.
The diet book for you:The Lean, £15.29 at Amazon
The Lean encourages you to be healthy in a gradual, sensible way that allows you to keep exercising (you won’t be cutting out tons of calories or food groups). So, for instance, on day one the author Kathy Freston has you focusing on drinking more water and that’s it (you can still eat all your usual food); day two sees you drinking more water and eating a hearty breakfast; day three involves drinking more water, eating a hearty breakfast and eating an apple. Each day builds on the day before. And it’s more about adding in, than cutting out. Perfect.
You might also like:Turn Up Your Fat Burn, £14.65 at The Book Depository
This book takes you on a four-week journey to boost your body’s ability to burn fat, thus the title Turn Up Your Fat Burn. It shows you how to get your body burning fat stores to product energy using cardio intervals and strength circuits. There is also an optional diet plan to help ramp up the effects. Not for the faint-hearted but ideal for those who feel the effects of their exercise regime has plateaued.
The Foodie Dieter
Your Diet Approach: You love food. Regardless of the type of food you love – junk, organic or Michelin-starred, what every foodie has in common is that you really look forward to eating. Often being on a diet can feel miserable if you’re very restricted, which is why you need to follow a plan that will keep you satisfied as you’re doing it.
The diet book for you: The Happiness Diet, £17.99 at Amazon
By eating the right foods you could actually be happier, what could be better? The Happiness Diet reveals how eating healthy can enhance your mental power, focus and mood and it just so happens these foods can help you lose weight too. It’s also not about restriction – you can eat the burger on the cover, you just need to make it yourself and ensure all the ingredients are the best for you they possibly can be (read: organic, free-range). Throughout the book it reveals, among other things, 100 reasons why we shouldn’t eat processed foods. A really interesting and enlightening read.
You might also like: The Carb Lover’s Diet Cookbook, £16.45 at The Book Depository
Following on from the successful Carb Lover’s Diet which helped people realise you can eat carbs (bananas! bread! potatoes!) and actually lose weight The Carb Lover’s Diet Cookbook is filled with yummy recipe ideas like pecan blondies, dressed up burger (we’re not sure what it’s dressed up in) and mini pizzas. A great buy, especially if you have the preceding edition, if not read our review of The Carb Lover’s Diet here .

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