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 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
ASIN: 006001203X
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: All The Stars In The Heavens For This Masterpiece
Comments: Everyday, new studies come out confirming what Dr. Atkins' has known for years: His diet is the safest, most effective long-term weight loss method. Now, a new study from Duke University actually shows that a group on the Atkins diet had HEALTHIER hearts and lost much more weight than the group on the American Heart Association low-fat "diet". I used to be a confirmed believer in the low-fat approach. I read books by the likes of Jane Brody, who advocated a high-carb, low-fat approach. I devoutly believed I was doing the right thing, but over a period of fifteen years, I gained
48 lbs. Yes, you read that right. I believed that the low-fat approach was correct, but that I lacked willpower. It was only when I came across the most recent research that I began to understand that the high-carb, low-fat approach was fundamentally flawed. I pity those people who still cling to the high-carb, low-fat approach, despite all the evidence to the contrary. As their waist lines continue to grow by the day, mine has gone down to 29", which is where it was when I was in High School. I can wear tight fitting clothing, something I never would have considered in my obese days. Now that I am on the Atkins plan, I know that I have found the Rosetta stone, the holy grail, and the skeleton key to weight loss and good health
- all rolled into one. Get this book! Dr. Atkins lays it all out for you in plain English.
Happy weight loss, good health and longevity - the Atkins way!
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 The Low-Carb Comfort Food Cookbook
ASIN: 0471267570
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Delicious!
Comments: Great recipes, easy to follow -- the best cook book for eating like a human being should eat thus far!
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 500 Low-Carb Recipes: 500 Recipes from Snacks to Dessert, That the Whole Family Will Love
ASIN: 1931412065
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: The BEST Low-Carb Cookbook Out There!
Comments: I NEVER write reviews, but I had to with this book! The recipes are easy to follow, use ingredients that are easy to find, and, on top of all that, the food is absolutely delicious! We prepared our Thanksgiving dinner out of this cookbook! Everything from "fake mashed potatoes" to desserts... This book is great!
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 The Secret to Low Carb Success!: How to Get the Most Out of Your Low Carbohydrate Diet
ASIN: 1575668955
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: A Tweaker's Best Friend
Comments: This book is an excellent compilation of all the best advice gleaned from the author's own low carb dieting experience, as well as online resources. Ms. Richard has a witty and entertaining style of writing, which makes this book a genuine pleasure to read. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone on a low carb diet who does not have access to the Internet, or who does not have the time or patience to weed through millions of posts on Internet support boards in order to find those few pearls of wisdom that are always hiding among a proliferation of other posts.
This book includes a brief individual summary of each of the following low carb plans:
Atkins diet
Carbohydrate Addict's Diet
The Zone
Sugar Busters!
Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution
Protein Power
The Schwarzbein Principle
Neanderthin
Thin for Good
The Secret to Low Carb Success also provides this summary in the form of a chart, allowing you to compare all of the plans side-by-side. You can reference subjects like caffeine on another comparison chart and see what each of the individual author's opinions is on a given subject.
One of the most helpful sections of this book and will no doubt be Chapter 2, "Know What to Expect." This is where you get the real nitty-gritty -- the lowdown on how much weight you can really expect to lose on a typical low carbohydrate plan, the definition of a true stall and plateau versus the typical periods of slow or no loss that plague all of us, and a discussion of "whooshes" as well as "set points" and "natural body weights" that are difficult to move beyond. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of how muscle growth masks fat loss, and how, as we all know, "scales are for fish".
The book goes on to discuss how water retention masks fat loss. She explains it very well: since a pint is a pound the world around, the weight of the water that we drink and retain fluctuates daily.
Another very valuable section has been devoted to the subject of hidden carbs. Very few of the official diet plan books even touch upon this so-important subject. This book includes images of actual nutritional labels, and it drives this important point home very well.
The author has cleverly combined the advice of many successful dieters into one easy-to-read narrative. Bravo, Laura Richard!
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 Life Without Bread: How a Low-Carbohydrate Diet Can Save Your Life
ASIN: 0658001701
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: More good things from Austria
Comments: In the field of economics, Austria produced some of the best theorists of the past 150 years, and if Wolfgang Lutz is representative, their medical practitioners aren't so shabby either. Dr. Lutz' original book (Not By Bread Alone) was one of the most honest and sensible available on diet and nutrition. Despite its choppy English translation, it stood head and shoulders above all other 'low CHO' books (whose proponents have tended to be their own worst enemies), as well as the more recent 'paleo' genre. This new edition is highly recommended to a prominent position alongside the economic opera of Ludwig von Mises.
Verbose Post Script: As an answer to the Bellevue/scurvy q&a, last I checked, raw meat does not contain ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) per se, but is known empirically to contain antiscorbutic factors which cooking destroys. The Bellevue boys had learned to enjoy raw flesh while living among the Eskimo (and strange treats too, like greens/cud fermented underground in their original container - a caribou stomach). As I recall, their meat at Bellevue was very lightly cooked. It was also consumed with healthy amounts of mutton, Stef claiming to have learned the hard way that a diet of lean (protein) only led to a wasting state called 'rabbit starvation'. This stands in contrast to some of today's more protein-centric, lipid-phobic diets, most of them based on observation of the Kalahari !Kung in a relatively marginal environment for fauna. What most proponents conveniently ignore is the recurring observation that animal fat is highly valued by almost all cultures, with availability tending to be the limiting factor. In fact, the cross-cultural evidence against the 'low fat' paleo could be considered overwhelming. Unlike the anthros and MDs who have introduced the modern 'paleo' diets to us, Stef had no choice but to fully participate in the dietary practices of the culture he was observing, which he did for many months, and on a later expedition, several years. On the first expedition his ship became ice locked in the Arctic, with nary a reed of wheat in sight. He thought for sure he would die eating as his Eskimo hosts did, but instead was amazed at his improved health and increased vigor. In fact, a few years earlier, Dr. Kellogg was known to have issued proscriptions against meat consumption on the basis that it would increase sexual appetite (for those who are actively seeking diminished vitality, I will be happy to absorb your 'share' of red meat and venison!). The original articles and papers on the Bellevue Experiment are still available from most medical school libraries, and your local library should be able to track down some of Stefansson's books. I'd especially recommend Fat of the Land and his autobio, Discovery. For armchair anthropologists or sportsman, Hunters of the Northern Ice is good too, but might be tougher to track down.
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 The 30-Day Low-Carb Diet Solution
ASIN: 0471430501
Customer's Rating: 4
Summary: Low Carb Simplified!
Comments: The Eades have been promoting a low carb lifestyle for many years. They have authored a number of books including Protein Power and The Protein Power LifePlan. In their latest book, "The 30 Day Low-Carb Diet Solution", the Eades have simplified low carb living. They give easy to understand explanations as to why low carb eating is the solution for weight and health problems. They outline a 30 day eating program. Tips are given for what foods to eat and what to avoid. They also include close to 100 recipes such as Hobo Pork Chops, Swiss Egg Casserole, Salmon in Tomato Tubs and more. Each recipe includes the carb and protein count. Instead of complicated charts, easy self-assessment quizzes are included to help you determine the portions of carbohydrate foods you can enjoy to reach your goals. The book is laid out in a reader friendly format. Pick it up and start losing right away. No complicated science that can become overwhelming, just clear explanations that make sense. Follow the 30 day food plan for exactly what to eat or interchange the meals. An appendix gives the carbohydrate content of many foods. Also portion sizes are illustrated. The Eades also include a sample meal planner worksheet and recommendations for vitamins. The book's one drawback is it does not include inspirational stories of folks who have lost on the plan. Nor does it include any ideas for keeping yourself on track mentally.
If you are looking for a simple to follow low carb plan, this is the book for you!
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 Lauri's Low-Carb Cookbook: Rapid Weight Loss with Satisfying Meals! (2nd Edition)
ASIN: 0966796314
Customer's Rating: 4
Summary: Good Variety and Easy Steps Make This Book a Winner
Comments: I received this book, the second edition, two months ago and I am very happy with the variety and ease of preparing the foods. While I could have done without the brief personal info of the author at the beginning of the book, her tips for dining out, and the typical grams of carb in raw foods (although not quite accurate), were very helpful.
The ingredients were easy to find at my local grocer, outside of the Atkin's Baking Mix - which I haven't tried. The average recipe is 3-4 steps and relatively easy to make with nearly any level of cooking skills.
This book is not without some minor (or if you count carbs closely, major) flaws. As I mentioned earlier, some recipes mention inaccurate carb counts. One example (however a personal favorite recipe of mine) is the Breakfast Custard Squares which appears later in the Desserts section of the book as simply Baked Custard. These are both the same recipe to the last measurement, except their serving sizes vary from 6 for the Breakfast Squares, and 4 for the dessert. According to Lauri's book, the smaller serving size Breakfast Squares claim to have more carbs per serving than the larger custard dessert of the exact same recipe! So, don't count on this book for accurate carb counting.
The only other issue I have is the number of recipes calling for artificial sweeteners. I am not a fan of artificial anything, especially aspartame, and I find the number of recipes with Sweet 'N Low (saccharin) to be a little high for me. However, I use an "herbal supplement" (can't be called sweetener according to the FDA) called Stevia which can be found at health food stores (Whole Foods is where I get it) that seems to substitute well enough. Lauri mentions that she doesn't care for this herb, but this herb varies in taste wildly by manufacturer, so experiment if you choose to try it. Anyhow, my point is we're trying to wean ourselves away from sweet cravings (especially those with carb addiction), maybe reducing the amount of recipes that call for sweeteners would be helpful.
In closing, despite this book's minor drawbacks, the recipes are really what I wanted to add some variety to the chicken and broccoli routine. This book satisfied my need and I highly recommend it for this purpose.
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 Protein Power: The High-Protein/Low Carbohydrate Way to Lose Weight, Feel Fit, and Boost Your Health-in Just Weeks!
ASIN: 0553574752
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: For $5.59 You Can Possess a Miracle!
Comments: I started this diet eight days ago, October 26, 1998. Today it is November 3, and I have lost 8 pounds. I feel wonderful. I have no cravings (including for beer, which I LOVE -- major carbo), sleep like a baby, and my body already is taking on hints of the shape it had when I was in college. One of the main reasons I am writing this is because I do not want the review written by "A Reader from Austin TX (Oct 26)" to be the highest-tiered review on this site -- this person, unfortunately for him or her, is confused and I think has not carefully read the book nor applied its principles. I hope s/he will go back and reread it. This book does not advocate the reckless consumption of fatty red meat and eggs -- it says one can do this within reason. Same with protein -- it is an "adequate protein" diet (I do think it's unfortunate that they titled the book "Protein Power" -- I hesitated buying the book for that reason, thinking it would advocate eating too much protein). The book does NOT advocate an anaerobic workout, either -- it emphasizes weight lifting, yes, but the authors say, "...aerobic exercise is good(p.196)...make your [weight lifting] workouts aerobic so you get benefit of both weight training and endurance exercise. You do this by not slowing down between sets"(p.198). Friend, read the book and try the diet for two weeks before you condemn the program. You'll be converted.
As an example of what I have been eating on this program (I hate to call it a diet, as painless as it is): Breakfast: raspberry or strawberry fruit smoothy -- satisfies my sweet tooth for the rest of the day
Lunch: egg salad (the book's recipe is great) on whole wheat tortilla
Dinner:anything that doesn't send me over my carb limit for the day
Snacks: veggies, string cheese
Is it tough steering clear of carbs? You betcha. Is is worth it? You better believe it, and after a 3-5 day adjustment period you'll not miss them, and you'll feel better than you ever had.
Give this diet an honest shot and you'll be sold.
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 The Ultimate Low-Carb Diet Cookbook: Over 200 Fabulous Recipes to Add Variety and Great Taste to Your Low-Carbohydrate Lifestyle
ASIN: 0761534563
Customer's Rating: 3
Summary: Great book
Comments: I just made the Pumpkin and Walnut Bread (used pecans though) and it is great. I felt like I was cheating on my diet. I recommend this book highly, especially if you are tired of just sugar-free Jell-O desserts.
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 Living Low-Carb: The Complete Guide to Long-Term Low-Carb Dieting
ASIN: 0316557684
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Living Low-Carb
Comments: This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone trying to live a low-carb lifestyle and hoping to stay on it long-term. The tips, insights and secrets alone are more than worth the price of the book...and then there are all those great recipes! Yes, some of the ideas and ingredients are not found in your average store, but she makes sure you know how and where to find everything you need. And the recipes are not the same recipes that are in her previous book, The Low-Carb Cookbook...also a must have. I keep this book on hand, ALL the time!
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 The Carbohydrate Addict's Cookbook: 250 All-New Low-Carb Recipes That Will Cut Your Cravings and Keep You Slim for Life
ASIN: 0471382906
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: This book gave me my motivation back!
Comments: I was starting to get tired of the same old low-carbohydrate recipes. My husband surprised me with this cookbook and promised to try the Hellers program. Now he's losing weight too (I've lost 65 pounds) and we're both enjoying our wonderful and delicious meals. Thanks to the Hellers we're doing so well. I'm even looking forward to going back to the doctor's for my blood test and weighing. I never thought I'd say that. The recipes are really good and delicious for anybody. I especially love the Quick fix recipes, too.
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 Bread and Breakfast Baking Low Carb II
ASIN: 0967998816
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Perfect for Low Carbers
Comments: This second Baking book by Diana Lee is wonderful, with new ideas for those living the low carb lifestyle but who don't want to completely give up baked goods. The bread machine recipes turned out very nice and did not have the spongy texture the commercial mixes have. A few ingredients will have to be searched out at your local health food store, but Diana gives excellent sources for those items not available in your area. I've enjoyed looking through the variety in this book. The cookies are interesting, and I have given them to guests who were shocked to find they were low carb. The book is well organized and carb and protein counts are given. Look for all of Diana's Low Carb cookbooks, they are a must have for all living the low carb way of life.
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 Fabulous Lo-Carb Cuisine
ASIN: 0970629303
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Will satisfy any appetite
Comments: In Fabulous Lo-Carb Cuisine, Ruth Glick presents a culinary wealth of more than a hundred easy to prepare recipes ideal for anyone seeking delicious, nutritious meals that are low in carbohydrates. From Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip; Broccoli-Cauliflower-Pecan Salad; Asian Steak; and Italian Chicken with Peppers and Onions; to Philly Cheese Steak; Mexican Stuffed Peppers; Almond Coconut Candy; and Hazelnut Truffles, Fabulous Lo-Carb Cuisine offers a diversity of dishes that would grace any meal and satisfy any appetite.
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 Low-Carb Meals in Minutes
ASIN: 157959512X
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Yum... oh, and healthy too!
Comments: Laying it straight out is "Low-Carb Meals in Minutes." Though being pushed by their marketing guys as a "hot diet," it is a legitimate and tasty cookbook and planner.
A lot of the difficulty in diets is getting the infrastructure together. You've got to buy the stuff, budget things, and then schedule your meal plans.
In "Low-Carb Meals in Minutes," you still need to do your homework, but Gassenheimer lays in out in a sensible, easy-to-follow way. She teaches you how.
In fact, one of the first things you'll see is a two-week menu plan to get you going.
I fully recommend this "Low-Carb Meals in Minutes," but I'd better stop writing. Her whisky pork chops would taste great about now.
Anthony Trendl
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