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We’re just one week into the new year, and I’ve already failed at my “resolution” to give up sugar. I don’t typically make resolutions, but rather set small, attainable goals so I don’t set myself up for failure. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are just part of our overall wellness plan for 2014. And while I’m very much committed to feeding my family wholesome meals made from real food, I’m also realistic. There are days when we stop at a local restaurant for lunch because I simply don’t have time (or the ingredients) to make something from scratch. At times, we buy ready-made foods for those nights when my son has soccer practice or my daughter has dance class. While I tend to be an avid label reader, David Zinczenko’s lastest book Eat It To Beat It was eye-opening.
I was first introduced to the New York Times bestselling author via Twitter when I happened upon @EatThisNotThat and got lost reading status update after status update. You might know Zinczenko from his Eat This, Not That! series or perhaps seen him on ABC News where he serves as the Nutrition and Wellness Editor.
It goes without saying that what we put into our body matters, but as our food becomes more complicated, so does the ability to decipher what is in it. In Zinczenko’s latest book Eat It To Beat It, he exposes the hidden calories and surprising ingredients in commonly consumed foods. Since our country suffers from a range of chronic medical conditions including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, Zinczenko offers practical solutions to making smart food choices without giving up those we love.
Eat It To Beat It is best viewed as a guide, and one I’d wish was a tiny bit more compact so I can carry it with me to the grocery store and our local restaurants. There is a short 10-page introduction that you must read because it’s highly informative and gives some guidance as to how the book is best used to advise food choices. After an eye-opening chapter detailing the most polluted foods in our country, Zinczenko breaks down foods and types of foods into “best” and “worst” categories with suitable alternatives. These foods include those commonly found in restaurants and store shelves. Interspersed throughout these chapters are tips and guidelines such as how to read a chicken, how peanut butter can help you lose weight and lower blood pressure, and how drinking green or black tea can mitigate the mercury found in our seafood.
Since I received the book to review, I’ve referenced it a number of times, particularly while at the grocery store. Perhaps the most shocking thing I learned was that just because something says “organic” or “natural” does not mean it should be consumed. And, since the term “natural” is so loosely defined in our country, I’ll be paying a bit more attention to its use since it can refer to everything from wood chips and duck feathers to human hair (read the intro!).
At the end of the book, Zinczenko offers 18 recipes which he incorporates into “A Perfect Week of Eating.” This one-week meal plan is a great way to kick start your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and reduce your consumption of salt, sugar, fat, and cholesterol. I personally think his next writing venture should include an entire cookbook dedicated to these types of recipes and a smart phone app to accompany Eat It To Beat It.
Eat It To Beat It retails for $22, but you can find it at Walmart for $13.92.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? I’d love to share your ideas for a healthy start to 2014 below.
Image: Walmart
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