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(Note: I am NOT a medical professional. The writings shared here on this site are of my own experiences as I journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Please seek advice from a medical professional before you attempt any change in your eating or exercising.)
- Updated 11/19/06! New books added on top -
There are a couple of books that I have read recently which deserve a mention here on my website. The first is Curves, the book based on the popular fitness center. There is lots of good information in the book and the plan is probably going to be easy to follow for most people. The book details the program as it occurs at the fitness center so would be good for someone who does not have access to or the money for the Curves program.
Another good book is Your Perfect Weight. This book is very sensible and even though I already know a lot about nutrition and exercise, I still learned a few things in this book. It has a 52-week plan for taking the weight off slowly and adding in exercise slowly, too. I would highly recommend this book for someone who has the patience to work through their weight loss slower so that they can keep it off!
I guess I'll start off first by sharing the book that REALLY started me thinking about healthy eating, Nourishing Traditions. This book will challenge you! As long as I've been married, I have focused on cooking from scratch. We don't eat out a lot at all and my husband grew up on a farm with a mom that cooked regular "meat and potatoes"-type meals. There isn't much convenience food in our house. I must say that I've read this book several times, but have yet to adopt any of the practices in my house. As I research insulin resistance more and find out that it's really my liver that needs supporting, I am finding myself more interested in some of the ideas proprosed in this book. I don't agree with everything, but there are some things that I am going to take a closer look at and I'll update these pages with the results of my experiences!
Other good books that I would recommend if you want to try to avoid getting insulin resistance are those books by Diana Schwarzbein. "According to The Schwarzbein Principle, the high-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein diet that most dieticians and disease-prevention organizations recommend is the culprit that turns people into diabetics, makes them age faster and get degenerative diseases, and keeps them fat and unhealthy. She supports her theory with case studies of people who were sick and miserable on high-carbo, low-fat diets and who sprang to life when they "balanced" their diets with more fat and protein. Schwarzbein recommends avoiding "man-made carbohydrates"--processed carbs--in favor of those you could "pick, gather or milk." She instructs patients to eat "as much good fat as their body needs": eggs, avocados, flaxseed oil, butter, mayonnaise, and olive oil. Sorry, but fried foods and hydrogenated fats are "bad fats," or "damaged fats," as Schwarzbein calls them. You can eat as many eggs a day as you want on this plan, plus meat (even sausage--as long as it's nitrate-free--and pâté), saturated fat, cream, and nonstarchy vegetables. The book includes a four-week meal plan and about 15 recipes." This was the first book that I read when I was trying to figure out why I wasn't losing weight. I intend to get it back out again and re-read it.
Another book that may possibly help me, Ultrametabolism by Mark Hyman, MD.
You are probably wondering how I can sound so sure that this is another book to help me on my road to better health. I say this because it is the first book that I have read which explains exactly WHY I have various ailments, explains how certain diseases are interrelated, tells me that it's not a matter of willpower (which I already knew!), and uses food as "medicine" to treat the underlying causes instead of using medication to treat the symptoms. It was amazing to read how my various problems are ALL interrelated. Of course, it's overwhelming to read how I need to treat each situation, but I've chosen one problem to work on first - internal inflammation - and I do believe that the other problems will be easier to work on once the inflammation is lessened.
Ultrametabolism is not about an easy fix, but it is going to lead to PERMANENT changes, I do believe. This is the first time in a long while that I've felt excited to make some changes and learn how to cook differently and feed my family so that they are healthier, too! There are 3 different phases to the program. Phase I is a detox, going "cold turkey" week where you eliminate sugars, white flour and other "white food" from your diet. Phase II is 4 weeks long and this is when you focus on eating whole foods and getting the processed foods out of your diet. At the end of this phase, weight loss will probably be around 5-10 pounds. Phase III is 4 weeks and then maintenance following the same principles. After the first 4 weeks in Phase III, total weight loss for the entire 8 weeks will be around 11-20 pounds. I would be very happy with even 5 lbs as long as I'm feeling better! There is also a website that you can check out - Ultrametabolism.com.
It is my hope that you will find something useful here on my site!
I currently enjoy the privilege of being able to stay at home
to homeschool my children and I am always striving to be
the best caretaker for my precious family.
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."
~ Philippians 4:13 ~
Website owned and all Content Copyrighted by Kris Price.
All Rights Reserved. © 2006.
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