Books that have helped motivate you or helped you lose weight

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  • Thanks for this thread...just put about 10 books on hold at the library
  • getting ready to go to the library...so now i got a few ideas on what to look for..and hopefully i can add what i like soon.
  • This isn't specifically weight loss related, but it is definitely fitness related. I loved Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. I think it's been out for quite a while now, but I just finished reading it. It's basically about the whys, hows, and whos of distance running. There are a ton of really interesting and well-written anecdotes about running, pulled together by the ongoing story of how the author came to be involved in a 50 mile distance race with some elite American ultrarunners and some elite Raramuri runners in Mexico. Highly recommended. It made me feel like it would be no big deal for me to get up and run for 12 hours. (Not that I've gone and done so!!)
  • The book that motivated me to stay the course when I first started losing was Fatland: How Americans Became The Fattest People in the World by Bill Critser.

    There are a detailed descriptions of the health effects of obesity. The book has its critics and it's a bit dated now, but it just about scared 10 pounds off me!
  • Younger Next Year for Women by Chris Crowley & Henry Lodge,M.D. Geared towards pre and full menopausal women, it addresses everything about aging which includes weight management, nutrition, exercise and more.The tagline is" Live like you're 50-strong,fit & sexy-Until you're 80 and beyond.
    Works for me!
  • Just checked out Born To Run by Christopher McDougal today. Will keep everyone posted on it's motivation power
  • I posted in another thread pertaining to motivational book and I am not a maintainer yet, but I thought the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougal was amazing. As a newbie runner and a person who loves to write, he captivated me with this running adventure story. It's wonderfully written and really motivates me to run, just for the joy of it, because I was born to do it. <3 Great book!
  • the ultimate weight loss solution for teens, (its fine for adults to) it talks alot about the mental part of over eating and weight. also i writen by Dr. Phils son. enjoy
  • Lyle McDonald's "The Ultimate Diet 2.0", "The Ketogenic Diet", and "The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook".
  • Quote: Lyle McDonald's "The Ultimate Diet 2.0"...
    Ooh, The Ultimate Diet 2.0 is very hard-core! It's designed for bodybuilders who want to strip off that last bit of body fat before a competition. It also works well for crazy people.



    I followed it for six weeks, lost some fat, gained some muscle, and gained some strength. But I'd only recommend it to people who are a) crazy and b) have a lot of free time.

    But I did get two great things from it.

    1. After I lost weight I was convinced that my metabolism was completely stuffed, that I wouldn't respond to the diet and would blow up like a balloon. I didn't and the diet worked like a charm, confirming that my metabolism is just fine.

    2. The "refeed" day, in which you eat refined carbs and lie around coping with the effects of wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels, turned me off white rice, raisin bread and white bagels forever! In fact, I feel slightly ill just thinking about it now.

    Lyle McDonald's Guide to Flexible Dieting is also a good resource. It's a commonsense companion to a sensible diet.
  • Quote: Ooh, The Ultimate Diet 2.0 is very hard-core! It's designed for bodybuilders who want to strip off that last bit of body fat before a competition. It also works well for crazy people.



    I followed it for six weeks, lost some fat, gained some muscle, and gained some strength. But I'd only recommend it to people who are a) crazy and b) have a lot of free time.

    But I did get two great things from it.

    1. After I lost weight I was convinced that my metabolism was completely stuffed, that I wouldn't respond to the diet and would blow up like a balloon. I didn't and the diet worked like a charm, confirming that my metabolism is just fine.

    2. The "refeed" day, in which you eat refined carbs and lie around coping with the effects of wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels, turned me off white rice, raisin bread and white bagels forever! In fact, I feel slightly ill just thinking about it now.

    Lyle McDonald's Guide to Flexible Dieting is also a good resource. It's a commonsense companion to a sensible diet.
    Thanks for the insight!

    Yes, he states that "12-15 % bodyfat" is a requirement (p. 2). I am at 19.58% so this is the time for me to get educated on the method.

    Navigating the many alternative to IP products--$4 a bar!-- has been made easier by reading his texts, and posts from folks like you on this forum.
  • Quote:
    That one too. In fact, I just recommended it to someone on another forum.
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  • the thin c
  • urg...

    the thin commandments is a great book. I haven't "met" many people who have read it... its probably what most jumpstarted my refund dedication to getting it off