Book Review: Drop 5 lbs.

Good Housekeeping Drop 5 lbs: The Small Changes, Big Results Diet
By Heather K. Jones RD and Editors of Good Housekeeping
Hearst, 2010
English, 272 pgs


Description:
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 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.

HERE'S HOW TO DROP 5 POUNDS IN JUST TWO WEEKS!
o Start with a self-quiz to diagnose your diet pitfalls
o Use our Diet Makeovers to end Diet Disasters
o Steal our Special Diet Tricks for Meal Skippers, Nonstop Nibblers, Liquid Calorie Lovers, Emotional Eaters, and Junk Food Junkies
o Mix and match our Drop 5 advice to change your diet according to your tastes and habits
o Choose from dozens of fat-blasting recipes to drop 5 pounds 

Review:
I fully intend to get this baby weight off. Of course, now that he's almost a year old, I guess it's just weight now. I've been trying everything but for some reason, I just can't get a start. I started exercising, got a cold, couldn't breathe, quit exercising, got out of the practice, Halloween candy....argh...oh and lost $20 in a weight loss bet...

So, this is going to be my plan: make subtle changes that can be sustained for a slower, permanent loss. I love the ideas in the book like bake fries instead of fry them (I can have fries!) and I'm really happy this seems "do-able". Even for someone who has struggled for so long with an extra 40 pounds. I can't even begin to tell you all the tips in the book. There is also a companion food diary to go along with it.

Check back every 2 weeks to see how I'm doing...

I received a copy of the book for review/test purposes. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.