Book Review: "All Diets Work: That's the Problem"

Disclaimer:  I agreed to review this book in exchange for a free copy. No guarantees were given for favorable comments. Just a guarantee I'd write a review.

All Diets Work, That's the Problem

by Jen Brewer, RD

Conquer. That's the word I think of when I spend much time trying to understand how I'm going to get past my food problems (i.e. love of all things bad) and my weight. I want to conquer these things. I want to be queen of the hill; or in this case kitchen and treadmill. But the last thing this overwhelmed and frustrated lady needs is some weight-loss book reminiscent of a college textbook and filled to the brim with medical jargon.

When I picked up "All Diets Work" that was what I was expecting. After all, that's what my past experiences have been. But when it arrived in the mail and I began to leaf through, all the while wondering how I was going to manage to read it in less than two weeks to meet my posting deadline, I found myself pleasantly surprised. This was a book I could conquer. Simply put, it's thin, easy to read, sprinkled with great visual aids and completely un-intimidating.

The title of the book says it all and in a way few people ever consider. All diets DO work. The trouble is sticking with them. That's the argument Jen makes. She makes the point that the real key to weight loss is finding balance; finding the right eating habits and lifestyle changes that you can live with long term because successful weight loss and maintenances is a lifelong project, not a six month purging session.

Jen educates the reader about key Principles that lead to discovering what makes a healthy lifestyle. Things like proper calorie intake vs. expenditure, exercise, sleep and more. She also includes a section filled with tools to help every reader find simple ways to modify their current habits to lead down the path of health. Some of the tools teach about grocery shopping, meal planning, and food tracking (among many, many more). There is also section filled with testimonials. Real people who share what they did to loose weight and keep it off without deprivation and starvation. Let me tell you, these stories are inspirational.

What makes Jen's book a success in my eyes is the simplicity of it. It takes what feels overwhelming and intimidating and breaks it up into digestible chunks that anybody can do. She isn't asking anyone to give up their chocolate cake; merely eat it less often and make a caloric accounting of it when they do.

If you're looking for a way to understand how to make the necessary changes to your life to get rid of unwanted weight or bad habits this is definitely the book for you. Since I began reading it I've already put several of the tools to work in my own life and I feel very optimistic about the outcome. No miracles, just hard work and commitment.

Jen Brewer is a registered dietitian with over a decade of experience teaching about healthy eating.
She teaches in both one-on-one counseling sessions and group seminars, and has appeared on radio programs and in newspapers and magazines.
Her goal is to help people, young and old, gain personal motivation and finally see lasting results.
If you're interested in learning more about Jen Brewer or her book you can check her out here:

www.foodmoodmotherhood.com

If you're interested in having your book reviewed and highlighted here on Mormon Mommy Writers email me at lisaannturner at ymail dot com.