Work Your Butt Off...

 Last week we featured books for brain health and overall health and wellness. This week we are featuring diet and exercise books to help you meet your goals.

"Sometimes it's the simple choices-like switching diet soda for regular; selecting a less-caloric sandwich at the fast food joint; stopping at just one dip into the candy bowl; filling up on salad rather than bread before your main course; or taking the kids for a bike ride instead of hanging out in front of the TV-that make the pounds melt away almost effortlessly. Whether you're a junk food junkie, an emotional eater, or even a mindless muncher, Good Housekeeping Drop 5 Pounds by Heather K. Jones offers hundreds of ideas for small and very doable changes in your diet that can add up to significant weight loss. The Diet Decoder quiz right at the start helps you pinpoint your particular eating patterns and food pitfalls, priming you for a transformation. Then, follow the icons to identify customized strategies that target your behavior. Plus you'll learn about diet destroyers like the hidden calories in “friendly” foods; simple substitutes that make both home-cooked and restaurant-bought foods less fattening; how to avoid holiday weight gain; and practical ways to incorporate exercise into your routine. Easy-to-follow charts identify “Diet Madness” meals and give you “Diet Makeover” alternatives, plus “Make This Swap” suggestions. Every chapter opens with “Drop 5 Top 5" strategies to ditch the pounds at home, at work, and at play. 

• Start with a self-quiz to diagnose your diet pitfalls
• Use our Diet Makeovers to end Diet Disasters
• Steal our Special Diet Tricks for Meal Skippers, Nonstop Nibblers, Liquid Calorie Lovers, Emotional Eaters, and Junk Food Junkies
• Mix and match our Drop 5 advice to change your diet according to your tastes and habits
• Choose from dozens of fat-blasting recipes to drop 5 pounds" (from Amazon.com)

"This completely revised and updated edition of the popular Mayo Clinic Diet is a practical, no-nonsense approach designed to help you lose weight and, most importantly, keep it off. The book includes step-by-step advice on key behavior changes to promote weight loss, plus four weeks of daily menus and all-new recipes. Based on years of experience with thousands of individuals trying to lose weight and research into the behaviors that do and don’t work, this guide establishes five habits to include in your daily routine, five habits to break, and five bonus habits to increase your chances of lasting success. The Mayo Clinic Diet includes: 

• A two week quick-start program designed to help you lose 6 to 10 pounds in a safe and healthy way

• A long-term maintenance plan in which you continue to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week until you reach your goal, and learn how to maintain a healthy weight for life

• Meal plans, recipes, food lists, tips on overcoming challenges, and much more" (from Amazon.com)

"Want to finally lose the weight and keep it off? Want to be able to eat the foods you love? Reaching your goals can only happen when you don't feel deprived and you continue to stay motivated. Now, celebrity trainer and star of the hit reality series The Biggest Loser, Dolvett Quince, tells you how to do all of that and more in his revolutionary program, The 3-1-2-1 Diet. This 21-day program works by manipulating your body's natural tendency to slow its metabolic rate in response to calorie restriction. It takes a new approach to getting lean-one scientifically based on changing up food and calories to tap into your body's potential to burn fat. This unconventional plan results in greater muscle and less fat than any other diet you've ever tried. Dolvett's effective eating plan is as easy as 3-1-2-1: three days of clean eating, one day of cheating, two more days of clean eating, and one final reward meal at the end of the week. No foods are off limits and you will never feel deprived because the plan is flexible enough to fit into any lifestyle. You'll lose weight fast-10 pounds or more in just 21 days-and you won't plateau. Dolvett's simple meal plans and delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes, together with his fast and effective workouts that combine cardio and body-shaping moves, will have you back in your skinny jeans in less than three weeks!" (from Amazon.com)

"A month from now, you'll wish you had started today. Yes, a month is all it takes to see long-term results. And seriously - even YOU can lose that weight! Food and exercise fads come and go, mainly because they just aren't sustainable. After a few days, you're hungry, bored, or hungry AND bored. That's why the Today Show's very first lifestyle and fitness correspondent, Jenna Wolfe, created her famous 30-Day Fitness Challenge for her viewers. The challenge was wildly successful because of its unprecedented and simple approach to everyday health and fitness - one small tip a day for 30 days. 

Now, in Thinner in 30, Jenna takes her foolproof program to the next level, giving you the tools and motivation you'll need to achieve your wellness goals with 30 small changes that add up to big results - in as few as 30 days. It's all possible without joining a gym, counting calories, or signing up for a trendy class you can't even pronounce. The perfect plan for busy men and women of all ages and fitness levels, Thinner in 30 puts the focus on small, bite-size tips which lead to long-term weight loss. Jenna blends athletic wisdom, laugh-out-loud humor, and easy-to-follow advice, like how many times to chew your food per bite, what the heck carbs are all about, and how to sneak in workouts without any time, money, equipment, or energy (pretty much covering any excuse you may have). Thinner in 30 will help you discover just how easy it is to get healthy without having to deprive yourself or work out 12 hours a day." (from Amazon.com)

Fitness expert and media icon John Basedow's body-transforming plan is literally Fitness Made Simple. After trying just about every fitness fad and gimmick with little success, John developed this multidimensional approach that is improving the bodies and lives of thousands of men and women, from teenagers to grandparents. Fitness Made Simple is not just about losing weight. It's about changing your entire body composition so that you increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat. This easy-to-follow program eliminates all the guesswork for building the body of your dreams with John's comprehensive “Fitness Triangle”:

• Nutrition: By concentrating on natural protein sources, healthy fats, and slow-digesting carbs, you'll never be hungry, your junk food cravings will disappear, and fat will melt from your body.
• Exercise: Utilizing a combination of cardiovascular and weight training workouts, you'll look great, feel better, and strip away fat to reveal those six-pack abs!
• Supplementation: Not all supplements are created equal. John shows you which fat loss and muscle building products can actually produce cosmetically significant results, rather than just false hope and a depleted bank account.

Plus, John tells his own inspiring story of how he took control of his body and life, while accumulating years of health and fitness wisdom along the way. His signature “John-isms”--helpful quotes sprinkled throughout this book--will keep you motivated to stick with your new fitness lifestyle." (from Amazon.com)

"America’s favorite fitness expert presents a breakthrough program to win the war against aging–a battle she has personally fought and won. We all know that aging is inevitable–but how gracefully you age is up to you. Scientific research shows that we can turn back the clock and retain our youthful strength and energy through a targeted regimen of age-busting exercise and nutrition. Now, in Fit and Fabulous After 40, award-winning fitness expert Denise Austin presents her own revolutionary, sure-fire plan to help you stay healthy, strong, slim, and fabulous–no matter what your age. Built around Austin’s five-part pyramid plan of exercise, diet, health, beauty and attitude, Fit and Fabulous After 40 features a fat-blasting anti-aging regimen that helps you literally defy gravity (no more sagging body parts) and sculpt every inch of yourself, from chin to kneecaps with special “Stop-the-Clock” fitness routines. By exercising for just thirty minutes a day, and using cutting-edge fitness techniques such as yoga and Pilates-based exercises, you will build strength, shed extra pounds, improve flexibility and balance and look years younger. Austin then shows you how to eat for optimum health and vitality, with delicious slimming recipes that complement the vitamins and supplements she recommends. She also presents invaluable advice on common health concerns for women, such as menopause, breast cancer and heart disease, as well as special beauty tips–including anti-wrinkle exercises." (from Amazon.com)

The Exercise Bible is by Joanna Hall. "This is a guide to exercise and physical activity to help the reader achieve body wellbeing. It provides information on all types of exercise, whatever the reader's aims, fitness level, body shape, available time and budget. Each of the three exercises (cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility) necessary for whole body health are covered, with explanations of how they benefit the body, the types of sports that involve them and how to use them for maximum effect. Each of the chapters is supported by a number of practical exercise programs. Diet is also examined. Using scientific research, sample daily menus, recipes and advice on snacking and nutritional supplements, it shows how to eat and drink to optimize and boost energy." (from Amazon.com)

Happy New Year!

Did you know that our hoopla app has tons of diet and fitness books for your enjoyment? To get to these selections, just:

• Go to: www.wcvpl.biblionix.com/catalog
• Scroll down until you see the hoopla link on the left side of the page.
• If you don't have an account, click on Register.
• Enter your email and library card info.
• Choose your book.
• Check-out.
• Read.
• Enjoy!

 Here are some of the available titles:

The Rainbow Diet by Deanna Minich is a "Holistic Approach to Radiant Health Through Foods and Supplements." Don't just eat your greens-eat your reds, yellows, and blues with this guide to the colorful world of nutrition and optimal health. Forget about bland, colorless diet foods. Vibrant health begins when we embrace the full spectrum of naturally occurring nutrients. In The Rainbow Diet, nutritionist and health expert Deanna Minich, PhD, explains how foods of different colors correspond to different dietary needs. You'll learn how to create a balanced meal featuring colorful foods that boost your mental clarity, emotional wellbeing, spiritual fulfillment, and more. Providing information on foods and supplements, Minich also includes delicious recipes, as well as activities to help you heal and flourish.The Rainbow Diet combines ancient healing and eating practices with modern nutritional science to create an integrated view of body, psychology, eating, and living. With this holistic approach, Minich gives readers an easy-to-follow guide to attaining physical, mental, and spiritual health through colorful whole foods and natural supplements." (from hoopla website)

Change Your Schedule, Change Your Life is by Suhas Kshirsagar and Michelle D. Seaton. "An eye-opening handbook from a leading Ayurvedic physician that blends cutting-edge science on "clock genes" with ancient eastern wisdom to help us understand how to harness the power of chronobiology to effortlessly lose weight, sleep better, exercise stronger, reduce stress, and boost our well-being."It's not you, it's your schedule." Does it sound like magic? It's not. We've all heard of circadian rhythms-those biological processes that give us jet lag and make us night owls or early birds. But few of us know just how profoundly these diurnal patterns affect our overall health. Bad habits like skipping meals, squeezing in workouts when it's convenient, working late into the night to maximize productivity and then trying to "catch up" on sleep during the weekend disrupt our natural cycles. A growing body of research on chronobiology reveals just how sensitive the human body is to these rhythms all the way down to the genetic level. Our "clock genes" control more than we realize, and small changes can make the difference between battling our bodies, and effortlessly managing weight, sleep, stress, inflammation, and more. Marrying ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with the latest scientific research, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar's holistic step-by-step 30-day plan gives you the tools-and the schedule-you need to transform your life. With diagnostic quizzes to determine your specific mind-body type, you will learn to adapt you schedule for effortless wellness for life." (from hoopla website)

Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge was written to help you "Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy-Until You're 80 and Beyond." The bestselling, breakthrough book on reversing the aging process, updated for its 15th anniversary to include important information about how the Younger Next Year rules affect the brain as well as the body. Yes, you can be functionally younger year after year, by following Harry and Chris's rules for exercise, eating, and connection." (from hoopla website)

The Big Book of 30-Day Fitness Challenges by Andie Thueson shows you "60 Habit-Forming Routines to Make Working Out Fun. Sticking to a fitness routine has never been this much fun! We all know we should be getting some level of physical activity every day. But it's hard to decide which kind. And it's even harder to find the time. Packed with fun fitness ideas, this creative and colorful book offers over 60 month-long challenges that solve both those issues. Each challenge is broken down day by day so you always know exactly what you should be doing, and provides a tracker so you can see your progress. The challenges range from low-impact yoga flows to running routines to family group activities, and also include support challenges and habits to improve your mental toughness and endurance. The Big Book of 30-Day Fitness Challenges will be the most fun you ever have exercising and the easiest way to build a healthy exercise habit." (from hoopla website)

Jump-Start Your New Year's Resolutions

Zero Sugar Diet: The 14-Day Plan to Flatten Your Belly, Crush Cravings, and Help Keep You Lean for Life is by David Zinczenko with Stephen Perrine. Sugar is making us fat and sick and it lurks in the most innocuous of foods--pizza, oatmeal, pasta sauce, and even foods marketed as "health" foods. Excessive intake of sugar has been proven to increase abdominal fat, trigger diabetes, heart disease, cancer, liver disease, fatigue, and tooth decay. This book was written to help people live their happiest and healthiest lives without the tons of hidden sugar in the modern American diet. The authors have come up with a plan to help you avoid those hidden sugars manufacturers love to cram into their products while still eating the foods you love. You will replace empty calories with essential ones by swapping added sugars for whole foods and fiber. You will be able to conquer cravings and lose up to one pound per day.

The Paleo Diabetes Diet Solution: Manage Your Blood Sugar with 125 Recipes Plus a 30-Day Meal Plan is written by Jill Hillhouse, CNP with Lisa Cantkier, CHN. This book contains all the information you need to understand how blood sugar works in the body and how you can effectively manage your diabetes with the paleo diet approach. A paleo lifestyle may be able to halt, if not reverse, the negative effects of blood sugar disorders and type 2 diabetes. The authors give you 100+ recipes and a 30-day meal plan to help you begin your road to better blood glucose levels. You will also learn how to navigate eating away from home, how to read and understand food labels, and how to stock your pantry with whole foods the will help you restore your health.

Eat What You Love!

Most people recently get really upset when they are diagnosed with diabetes.  However, it is not "the end of the world" when it comes to never eating the foods you like again!  While I am not a doctor, treating diabetes  is all about portion control, being aware of what you are eating, and getting enough exercise.  The library has many books on good diets for diabetics and we have recently received another excellent one.  Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes:  A Mindful Eating Program for Thriving with Prediabetes or Diabetes by Dr. Michelle May is a wonderful book that aims to help diabetics feel better and make sensible (but enjoyable) food choices.  Dr. May's dedication page sums up the whole premise of the book, "May these words unlock the prison of restrictive eating and open the door to mindful diabetes care."  Dr. May teaches the reader how to practice "mindful eating," which is, in a nutshell, teaching the diabetic to not follow rigid nutrition rules and strict exercise regimes but rather making them aware of their beliefs, thoughts, and physical states in order to enable long-term lifestyle changes.  This book is great for any person trying to maintain a healthy weight, because it really does teach practical tools that anyone can use.  The biggest plus in this book is that it teaches the reader to be more aware of what, when and how he/she eats so that he/she can increase his/her satisfaction from the whole experience of eating and ultimately eat less and healthier foods.  There are also chapters on strenth training and the types of food diabetics should eat, and a wonderful chapter on stretching and "mindful movement."  This is a very well-rounded book that would be perfect for the newly-diagnosed diabetic or anyone struggling with this disease. 

The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet

The library has received a great new diabetes book, The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet! The idea behind this book is that beating diabetes, or improving your blood sugar, involves the basic concept of eating less and moving more.  Now, we all know that is a great theory, but actually putting that into practice is tough! The weight-loss experts at the Mayo Clinic have put together a great combination of diet tips, recipes, good and bad habits, the food pyramid and other ideas to help you lose weight and keep it off. The book is well written and the tips are easy to follow. This book is geared toward all types of diabetics, newly diagnosed or not, and will provide great inspiration for all readers.

An Interesting Way to Lose Weight

Are your skinny jeans starting to feel a little snug? You don’t have the right clothes for the gym. You don’t do protein powders, wonderberries, or green tea. The idea of going without beer makes you weak in the knees. But there’s no denying you are one, fat hipster. Lucky for you, Martin Cizmar has come up with the least awful diet plan of all time, which he details in his book, Chubster: A Hispster's Guide to Losing Weight. His plan revolves around calorie counting (deal with it) and enjoyable undercover exercise (urban hiking). Martin gives you the tools to become a self-sufficient weight-loss machine capable of functioning in any environment. From frozen dinners to drive-through menus, from ethnic eating to microbrews, he’ll point you to the responsible choice, steer you clear of the real diet killers, and dispel some of the myths giving you the tire around your waist. Like, that Stella you’re holding? It has more calories than Guinness.