book reviews

Knowledge and Nonsense is a definite detour from the books I typically review. Most books that come across my desk are diet and/or exercise and/or weight loss related.

Author Jamie Hale, a highly-respected strength and conditioning coach, and nutrition expert, has created a behemoth of an e-book that is part exercise physiology/nutrition/endocrinology textbook, part myth busting, and part in-the-trenches advice for body composition and performance enhancement.

There is a TON to cover in this one, so let's get started...

I'm always on the looking for new (or at least a new perspective on old) tips for fat loss, and I am thankful for the insights of all sorts of people, as evidenced by a recent Diet Blog entry.

I think we can all use tips once in a while, but tips are only good if they are based on some good information and/or some insightful experience. Doctor's Orders: 101 Medically Proven Tips for Losing Weight is the work of Dr. Kent Sasse, MD. Here's a glimpse of what you'll find...

The pursuit of happiness is one of the most fundamental values of which the US was founded. 230+ years later, not much has changed, we still crave happiness.

Only recently however, have we seen scientific evidence connecting diet with mood. Registered Dietician, Elizabeth Somer, offers up 10 diet "secrets" to improve your mood, curb cravings, and keep the pounds off in, "Eat Your Way to Happiness".

Let's examine...

Author Tosca Reno is set to release a follow up to the Eat Clean Diet. The Eat Clean Diet is all about eating un-processed, whole foods and eschewing pre-packaged and processed sugar and fat-laden foods. The diet has reportedly been quite popular among the celebrity set, and Reno herself is a well known as an Oxygen magazine columnist.

So whats the Eat Clean Diet Recharged all about?

One of my favourite movies of all time is a lesser-known film from early this decade called Donnie Darko. Richard Kelly's underground hit was shunned by big studios largely due to its myriad of genres, and henceforth lack of identity.

Leigh Peele's Body by Eats reminds me of this movie in many ways. Let's take a look...

I don't know if I'm the best person to review a book that is "for Women only" although in reality, the fairer sex is the prime target for marketing of diet books/products.

Henceforth, I have toted this rather large pink-coloured book around with a certain degree of inconspicuousness - determined to unravel the secrets of "a women's last diet book".

This book is the brainchild of Tom Valenti - a man who is aptly qualified, being both a chef and a type II diabetic - and was borne out of experimenting with dishes to accommodate his condition. Eventually the modified meals become second nature to him, and he noticed weight loss, more energy, and better skin as a result.

The book rests on the premise there is no "diabetic diet," meaning every diabetic has differing needs based on individual factors.

To say that overeating is a bit of a problem in North America would be like saying Jimmy Hendrix played a little guitar. Dr David Kessler (MD) explores the world of food addiction, food companies' secrets, and how to break free of the vices that compel us to eat.

Kessler uses sound research, interviews, as well as personal and professional experience to create a convincing and riveting account of why we crave certain foods. He takes us through the biology and psychology of overeating - exploring the circuitry that compels us to eat too much of the wrong foods.

Being hyped as the most important weight loss book of the year isn't an easy accolade to live up to. You never really know how much of the buzz is based on marketing hype or reputation for past works or both. Well, I'm here to tell you with a great deal of confidence - The Body Fat Solution did not disappoint.

As alarmist as the title may sound, start reading this book and you'll get an understanding of a very disheartening (pun intended) reality of the deep-rooted flaws of cardiac intervention. Dr. Michael Ozner takes us a on a journey of why things are the way they are, why the system is so flawed and what we can do about it. Here are some highlights from The Great American Heart Hoax.

Much like diet books, exercise books try to sell us on sex appeal - the promise of wash board abs, celebrity authors and endorsements and the words "chiseled", "ripped", "lean" and of course my personal favorite... "toned". Eric Cressey is of a different mold and so is his latest book, Maximum Strength. Cressey is highly accomplished strength coach that possesses a very unique blend of book smarts and practical know-how. Let's delve deeper in to his book.

This creation of Jonny Bowden is part cookbook and part educational journey into food. It is to say the least a very attractive-looking book. Flip through the pages and you'll be instantly inspired to sample some of the delicacies within. That said, splendid photography does not a good cookbook make, so let's delve into the Healthiest Meals on Earth and see if the contents rival its appearance.

Learning how to "outsmart your metabolism" and "conquer the diet plateau" seems to be a run-of-the-mill promise amongst diet books. It implies a "switch" or a "mode" whereby your body transforms into a machine that burns fat, rather than one which stores it. When you open such books, though, you find an abundance of opinions that vary in their scientific validity, practicality and flat-out saneness. We'll now explore the ideas of author Wendy Chant in her book "Crack the Fat Loss Code - Outsmart Your Metabolism and Conquer the Diet Plateau."

Tom Venuto is arguably the most popular fat loss guru to be found on-line. His downloadable guide Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (BFFM) has been the biggest selling health eBook for many many years.

For many, BFFM became inspirational rulebook for eating right and getting in shape. Venuto has finally produced a book in print. The Body Fat Solution is not shipping until Jan 8 2009 - but has already shot to around the #100 in Amazon's bestseller list (out of all books).

Why all the buzz?

"Toxic" appears to be the buzzword of choice for diet book authors these days. The latest author to festoon this alarmist adjective to a book is none other than Barry Sears of "The Zone Diet" fame. One of the most prolific diet book authors of the past 15 years, Dr. Sears' new book suggests that the experts have got it all wrong when it comes to the cause and cure for obesity.

Let's take a look at some of the philosophies behind Sears' audacious claims within Toxic Fat.

The cover of this book features a fit-looking, 40-something lady who looks like she takes fitness seriously and wants you to do the same. Start reading the book and you'll be amazed to find out she's actually in her 60's. Body Electric is a manual on how to beat the effects of father time with exercise. The sexagenarian I've alluded to is the long-standing host of the fitness show "Body Electric", Margaret Richard.

Here are my thoughts on her book.

I'm sure the title has gotten your attention. Author Dean Geddes offers what he calls a "2 Fuel Tanks System" which ensures fast, efficient weight loss. Let's explore its contents.

Geddes provides a compact and succinctly-versed book that tackles weight loss by finding the most efficient way to tap into fat stores through exercise and diet. The Exercise part is very particular in terms of timing, duration and intensity, while dietary information is quite thorough, but less specific.

This is a guest post from blogger and author Jennette Fulda.

Which can you name more of - recent fad diets or state capitals? Unless you were the winner of your elementary school's geography bee, you probably said fad diets. After all, there are only 50 state capitals but there are 50 bazillion weight-loss books. Well, now there are 50 bazillion and one!

No, wait, don't stop reading! Half-Assed: A Weight-Loss Memoir is about how I lost half my weight without losing my sense of humor and I'm going to tell you why it deserves a spot on your bookshelf and not in the remainder book bin.

The No-S Diet is the simplest diet I've ever come across. It has just three rules: No snacks No seconds No sweets Except (sometimes) on days that start with an S.