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.

The appealing factor about The Mayo Clinic Diet is that it relies on the essentials of weight loss, not radical changes that would be difficult to follow. You can follow the rule about sticking to the perimeter of the supermarket for your food, skipping the overly processed stuff in the middle of the store.

In addition, the food pyramid of The Mayo Clinic Diet is based on vegetables and fruits at the wide bottom, with carbohydrates next, followed by protein/dairy, fats and finally sweets (the smallest point of the pyramid).

This includes exercise and the Mayo folks, led by their diet expert Donald Hensrud, M.D., are smart about this aspect, too: They say the best exercise is what you can do. If you like walking, fine, walk a lot, park the vehicle far from the store and walk when you’re shopping. Skip the elevator at work and take the stairs, etc. Gardening and housework are good forms of exercise, too, they say. Ride your bicycle or get an exercise bike and use it when the weather discourages you from taking to the road.

The authors use common objects like baseballs, tennis balls, dice and playing cards to help you measure your portions. Thus, it helps to clear your confusion between portions and servings. The reason that you are gaining weight and eating too much is simply that your portions are too big.

Furthermore, the authors highly suggest that you stay away from restaurants — all restaurants, not just fast-food places. The reason: you can’t tell what goes into your entrees at a restaurant and most people tend to eat too much of the wrong kind of food if they want to lose weight.

Interestingly, the book DOES provide a guide to healthy entrees at a variety of ethnic restaurants, including Mexican, French, Chinese, Japanese and Italian.

The book’s Part One, “Lose It,” includes a two-week intro program designed to result in six to 10 pounds of weight loss, provided readers take up five new habits, including eating breakfast and upping their intake of whole grains, while quitting five old habits, like eating in front of the TV.

Part Two, “Live It,” modifies those techniques to sustain one to two pounds of weight loss a week. Part three helps readers with immediate and long-term challenges like behavior modification and stress, as well as meal planning and eating out.

The lavishly illustrated book gives you the last diet you’ll ever need — a diet that helps you accomplish real and lasting weight-loss. It talks about what motivates us… find what will give you an ongoing, burning desire to succeed.

Click Below to Check Out: