Fighting Fat
Break the Dieting Cycle and Get Healthy for Life
Tips on creating a personalized nutrition plan bolster the usefulness of this science-filled guide.
In the midst of a widespread obesity crisis, many people are advised to “eat less and move more,” but if this simple strategy worked, the obesity rate wouldn’t keep climbing, believes Steven Lamm, an internist and faculty member at the New York University School of Medicine. “One thing the new science has made clear to those of us in medicine is that when it comes to weight, every person requires an individualized approach, one size truly doesn’t fit all,” he writes in his compact but useful guide to breaking the dieting cycle, Fighting Fat.
Going against prevailing diet and fitness advice, Lamm notes that traditional diet and exercise programs aren’t long-term solutions for people with weight issues, since new insights on biology show that obesity and excess weight are far more complicated than previously believed.
By understanding biologic drivers of obesity, it may be possible to come to a more realistic solution that ensures long-term success, the author advises in a way that’s straightforward and accessible. This program might include reviewing current medications, improving sleep hygiene, evaluating stress, and checking for deeper conditions like sleep apnea, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He writes, “The key is assessing each person holistically, both to look at how excess weight is affecting their health and quality of life and to find a solution that is realistic for their lifestyle.”
Since Lamm advocates an individualistic approach, the book’s main challenge is that the advice is often more of a starting point than a comprehensive plan, but that’s also its strength. Unlike some diet and fitness authors, Lamm doesn’t claim that his remedy is all that someone would need for long-term weight loss. Instead, he focuses on health in a way that’s designed to give readers insight into potential causes of their weight issues—genetics, prescriptions, habits—and shifts them toward a more educated track. With worksheets for notes, information on surgery, and numerous references for further research, Fighting Fat arms a reader with an arsenal of helpful tips and insights.
Reviewed by
Elizabeth Millard
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
