Secrets of a Former Fat Girl: How to Lose Two, Four (or More!) Dress Sizes–And Find Yourself Along the Way by Lisa Delaney is a good read. Delany gave a fresh sense of reality and able to address the PERMANENT weight control in a clear, simple, practical way. Many of us have gone through temporary success in losing some weight and gaining them back again. Sometimes, we gain even more.

A reader, Beth T. (Windsor, Ontario Canada) shared her view below:

*****************

The few times I have managed to keep weight off for any length of time I instinctively used part of Delaney’s seven-point system but somehow missed a few of her other–and obviously very important–points having to do with self-image and self-sabotage, the supreme importance of INO, and how to handle all types of Food Pushers who, like the experts, just don’t understand. And the insights she gives are from years of really dealing with the problems, unlike the Experts who research like crazy but rarely have lived with our realities.

Delaney lost major weight (50+ lbs.) and has kept it off for more than 20 years unlike most of the Experts who have lost perhaps a few pounds and think, because of the alphabet soup after their names, they know it all and want to sell it to us in another dieting-Bestseller-of-the-Month with a gymicky title.

As a former Library Director, I have a few fancy degrees too, but when it comes to my blubber, my newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes and my high blood pressure, I can tell you they don’t mean squat. The way I see it, only someone who was a chronic dieter who has succeeded knows the true secrets. People who follow the Diet Doctors’ advice fail over and over and over again as the current obesity epidemic is proving.

I believe in Delaney. Her approach reflects simple common sense, a practical grasp of reality and a sense of humor : ingredients–pardon the pun–for successful PERMANENT weight loss. This book should be required reading for anyone thinking of going on yet another diet and for any of our young people who need to get on the right track, in terms of healthy weight control, and stay there!

*****************

In fact, this is not your typical diet book. There is no list of good foods or bad foods, no list of do’s and don’t–because, and this is something everyone who has tried to lose weight knows–diets do not work. Go on your choice, Atkins, South Beach, Zone, whatever, return to your old habits and the weight begins to pile back on. Delaney continue to remind us that the  real weight loss is a process and it is a lifestyle change. She also admits that she has moments of weakness or doubt, but something inside of her is fueling her to change her life for the better, to put herself first.

It’s about looking in the mirror and like the person you see. If you’re absolute comfortable at a size 12, that’s great! There is nothing embarrassing about. In this  book, she is making an important statement for all women, not just “fat girls” or “former fat girls” because when we’re surrounded by images that constitute modern notions of beauty, we all feel imperfect.

Secrets of a Former Fat Girl: How to Lose Two, Four (or More!) Dress Sizes–And Find Yourself Along the Way is a book that provide great support and inspiration especially when you have a hard time losing weight.

These days, you can simply ignore promises like “Drop a dress size in two days!” – bikini diets that sound too good to be true usually are.

Do you know that when your body suspects you’re starving, it stores extra fat around your middle? Why, you must be wondering? Reason:  so you could survive longer in a real starvation situation.

An average woman needs 1,200-2,000 calories a day. So, you should never drop below this. Extreme dieting often leads to a cycle of starvation and overeating, which can slow your metabolism.

If a diet is unrealistic you won’t stick to it, and you will start to overeat. In the end, you’ll be disappointed and go back to your diet, then fall off it again. Yo-yo dieting creates havoc with your metabolism, thus, it is making it harder for you to keep the weight off.

During summer, people tend to consume more cooling alcoholic drinks like Long Island Iced Tea and Pina Colada. Drinking these cooling drinks are so appealing when the weather is warm.

According to Carina Norris, a nutritionist, she said that alocholic drinks are packed with calories and it is true that people drink more when they go for holiday or during summer.

A Long Island Iced Tea cocktail contains 280 calories. So three is the equivalent of a portion of fish and chips.

A Pina Colada has 275 calories, so avoid that too. Instead, have a Cosmopolitan, which weighs in at 99 calories. Or if you’re really thinking about your bikini, have a vodka and cranberry juice for only 60 calories.

Similarly, wine and beer are equally bad. A large glass of wine can contain up to 160 calories, and a pint of beer has 200 calories. So stick to smaller glasses of wine and drink water in between.

To help you to get rid of the toxins the next day, Carina suggested to have poached or scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast for breakfast. Why? Eggs mop up toxins in your liver, and the fibre in the wholemeal bread will fill you up and satisfy your hunger.

If you just want to have a cool drink without putting on weight, how about drinking a cool tea instead? Check out the tea below: