[fikustrees]

What books have helped you most on your way towards getting in better shape. What did you think was trash? Let me know, I have been looking through nutrician, exercise, and diet books and it is so hard to tell what is good info and what is hype.

[Suzanne 3FC]

Here's a few non-nonsense books that have good reputations and that I personally like-

Thin for Life and Eating Thin for Life, both by Anne Fletcher

The Way to Eat by Dr. David L. Katz

Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for Everybody

The Fat-Free Truth: Real Answers to the Fitness and Weight-Loss Questions You Wonder About Most by Liz Neporent and Suzanne Schlosberg

The Perfect Fit Diet By Lisa Sanders, M.D.

The Dish On Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous by Carolyn O'Neil MS, RD and Denise Webb, PhD, RD

I've heard great things about American Heart Association No-Fad Diet and have ordered it.

There are a LOT of books that have ended up in my trash bin

Was there a particular type of book you were interested in?

[funniegrrl]

Here's my list:

Practical Books about Weight Loss and Fitness

• Thin for Life : 10 Keys to Success from People Who Have Lost Weight and Kept It Off by Anne Fletcher
  This is out in a NEW revised edition, I'd recommend getting it rather than an older one, although the older one is fine. This is the book that made me think that maybe, just maybe I could lose at least some weight and keep it off, and there are strategies here that I use to this day.
• The Thin Books: Daily Strategies & Meditations for Fat-Free, Guilt-Free, Binge-Free Living by Jean Eddy Westin
  This is the BIBLE for understanding and recovering from compulsive overeating.
• Fattitudes: Beat Self-Defeat and Win Your War With Weight by Jeffrey Wilbert, Norean K. Wilbert
• The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom by Phil McGraw
  Overall I'm not a Dr. Phil fan but this book pretty much hits the nail on the head.
• Kathy Smith's Lift Weights to Lose Weight by Kathy Smith
• Strong Women Stay Slim by Miriam Nelson, Ph.D. and Sarah Wernick, Ph.D.
  Kathy Smith's book, above, draws a lot on this work and previous works by Nelson. Both are easy, informative reads.
• Kathy Smith's Getting Better All the Time : Shape Up, Eat Smart, Feel Great! by Kathy Smith
  A more general book than the Lift Weights book. Contains some tips about motivation as well as food and exercise advice.
• Yoga for Wimps by Miriam Austin
  Yoga is one of the best things you can do for your body AND your mental / emotional / spiritual life. If you are afraid of yoga or think your body can't do it, this is a terrific place to start. The relaxation techniques alone are worth the price.
• Cool Yoga Tricks by Miriam Austin
  Once you've started real yoga practice, this books teaches a lot of wonderful modifications to help you get more out of poses. I learned some things in here that I use in my yoga class that my teacher didn't even think of.

Mind / Body

• Health Journeys: A Meditation to Help You with Weight Loss (audio tape) by Belleruth Naparstek
• The Mental Edge: Maximize Your Sports Potential With the Mind/Body Connection by Ken Baum, Richard Trubo, Kenneth Baum
  The concepts here apply to ALL facets of weight loss and fitness, not just exercise.
• Get Motivated! : Daily Psych-Ups by Kara Farley
  Ditto
• Meditation for Wimps: Finding Your Balance in an Imperfect World by Miriam Austin, Barry Kaplan

True Stories

• Stop the Insanity by Susan Powter
  This book could fit in a lot of different sections ... I put her here because overall it's very inspiring and has some good factual info about why oxygen is important in fat burning, that it's OK to modify exercises when you can't keep up with the aerobics instructor, etc. But some of her practical advice is misguided (i.e., about how much fat to eat), and she DOES have a thing about men due to her past. But, I got a huge kick and a lot of good info from reading it.
• Fat Chat With Tamara: How I Lost 100 Pounds and You Can Too by Tamara Hill, Maryann Brinley
• Passing for Thin : Losing Half My Weight and Finding My Self by Frances Kuffel
  You may not completely identify with Kuffel, and obviously we are not all 12-steppers, but her story is compelling and insightful.

Related Medical Issues

• Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need to Know by Mary J. Shomon
• The Good News About Women's Hormones : Complete Information and Proven Solutions for the Most Common Hormonal Problems by Geoffrey Redmond

For Those Thinking about Plastic Surgery

• Two Girlfriends Get Real About Cosmetic Surgery by Charlee Ganny, Susan J. Collini
• The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery : Essential Information from a Female Plastic Surgeon by Jean M. Loftus M.D.

[fikustrees]

ooo, thanks for the wonderful lists ladies.

I'm not looking for really anything specific, I just enjoy reading a lot and it is motivating. I just can't seem to find things that look right. You know? There all "10 secrets to lost 10 pounds in 10 days"

[JazzyNurse]

I just read this awesome book from the library called Apples and Pears. It talks about both body shapes, the health risks and special diets for each shape. I'm a true apple shape with all the health risks to go along with it on both sides of my family. This book laid it all out there for me, and I truly got a lot of motivation from it. Plus, it scared the heck out of me, knowing I can really die from having all this fat in the front!

[Sheri~C]

Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey. This guy just makes so much sense and I learned a lot from this book. I follow a lot of his principals of eating and exercise.

[phantastica]

The two most recent ones I've read are:

Fit From Within : 101 Simple Secrets to Change Your Body and Your Life - Starting Today and Lasting Forever by Victoria Moran ... I enjoyed this one because it's something you can pick up and read on a daily basis. Its main focus is on fixing weight issues from the inside out, and I liked that.

French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating For Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano ... I liked 90% of this book. There were some things that were right-on -- as an overweight person I love food; and you might as well choose quality instead of high-carb high-fat high-sodium fast food. Sometimes the pretentious French part of it got annoying.

Next on my reading list is Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates: Simple Lifestyle Choices for Permanent Weight Loss

[RachelleS]

"Next on my reading list is Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates: Simple Lifestyle Choices for Permanent Weight Loss"

I worked with Jill Fleming when I lived in Wisconsin - she is a wonderful person!!!!! I have her book and need to reread it again.

Rachelle

[Organicgirl]

I like the book.."Japanese Women don't get Old or Fat".

[phantastica]

Originally Posted by phantastica

Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates: Simple Lifestyle Choices for Permanent Weight Loss

I bought this and I love it. It's easy to read, it makes sense, and it's been working.

[Amarantha2]

Right now: Body for Life for Women (Pam Peeke, M.D.) ... I am doing the sample rotation in the book to try to rev up my exercise adherence and it's working out great.

[NemesisClaws]

Lately I've been into most of Denise Austin's books and her DVD's. Very easy to read, with plenty of receipes, ancedotes, and a daily menu that you can follow if you like.

[MagentaMaMa]

Thank you all for the wonderful titles. I like to get a different perspective and try to stay educated.

MagentaMama

[DeafinlySmart]

I would love it if someone would recommend a good nutrition book. Specifically I'm wanting something that counts calories, etc, etc, but also shows a count for all the vitamins. It would be even better if it talks about the basic concepts of nutrition and how your body burns calories.

Then I would like a basic book (easy to read) about excercise, what kind does what.

[curlylocks]

an awesome book is "the thin commandments"