Women's Health Perfect Body Diet: The Ultimate Weight Loss and Workout Plan to Drop Stubborn Pounds and Get Fit for Life » (Reprint)

CASSANDRA FORSYTHE, MS, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Connecticut, studying exercise science and nutrition. She also works as a nutritional educator and weight loss coach, assisting with exercise training and testing. She lives in Connecticut.

Carrying the trusted Women’s Health name and featured on the Today show and in Time magazine, this diet combines a customized eating program with a body-shape-specific exercise plan. Women all over the country are discovering how it transforms their bodies in record time. Keys to the plan’s success include:

- customization for a woman’s hormonal balance, body shape and current weight, individual metabolism, personal goals, and lifestyle

- two types of balanced-macronutrient diets— Greens and Berries (slightly lower in carbs, higher in fats) and Grains and Fruits (lower in fat, higher in carbs)—with tests to show a woman which type she needs

- glucomannan, a natural, soluble fiber that when used properly makes one feel full faster, stay satisfied longer, and consequently eat less

- 2 weeks of meal plans, more than 80 easy-to-prepare recipes using glucomannan, and 73 exercises

Thanks to Women’s Health Perfect Body Diet, every woman has the tools to achieve her personal best and make her own body the best it can be.

Publishers Weekly

This excellent addition to the literature on women's health and weight loss will help veterans of the dieting roller-coaster overcome hunger, build lean muscle mass, burn fat and maintain energy and mood levels. Developed by the editors of Women's Healthmagazine, the eight-week program consists of two eating plans, with each of the five-to-six daily meals containing a balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate. After determining body shape, calculating ideal weight and doing a simple test for carbohydrate tolerance, readers will know which plan to follow. Both plans pivot around hunger-banishing fiber, particularly glucomannan, a soluble fiber that stimulates satiety, helps burn fat and is featured in many of the plan recipes. Although daily meals for the entire program are charted, readers will learn enough about "perfect" and "not-so-perfect" proteins, fats and carbohydrates for their type to create meals that are low in sugar, high in nutrients and efficiently metabolized by the body. The exercise portion of the plan is rigorous: at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day of the week (three days each, strength training and cardio workouts; one day of general physical activity), but even those with no gym experience will be able to follow the detailed daily routines. In fact, this convincing presentation of the benefits of calorie-burning exercise may cause many to dive in with enthusiasm, knowing that they can eat well and maintain their weight. (Jan.)