How Not To Get Fat: Your Daily Diet. Ian Marber

A common-sense guide to a healthy weight: know what to eat and when.

Nutritionist Ian Marber believes that few, if any, of us were taught how to eat properly; instead, we were taught how to diet. "How Not to Get Fat" is about avoiding diets in the first place. It looks closely at how our emotions and actions are usually at odds with the biochemistry of our bodies. By understanding these relationships readers can learn how to satisfy hunger, enjoy good food and minimize cravings.

The book is divided into three sections: Section one clearly explains the body's biochemistry -- digestion, glucose, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, metabolism, hunger signals and much more. These are the basis of any successful eating plan. Section two is a fascinating discussion of how thought processes and emotions control a person's ability to keep a healthy weight. It examines the powerful forces that come into play when deciding to eat: habits, social attitudes, genetics, subliminal influences, choices, portion control, gender and more. Section three explains how, armed with a new understanding of how their body works, readers can create a personalized eating plan that addresses their body's biochemical needs, thereby avoiding the emotionally damaging roller coaster of diets. It also sets out simple eating rules that are easy to follow.

This is a straightforward and encouraging guide from an expert nutritionist. It is a no-pressure, liberating approach to one of our most basic needs, and proof that prevention is better than cure.