LIGHTEN UP, AMERICA

A handbook for weight management based on Clark’s experiences as a family practitioner.

Losing weight is hard; keeping it off is even harder. Clark’s debut attempts to offer guidance for managing weight loss in a healthy, sustainable way. The first section, Education is the Key, discusses the importance of tracking calories, the dangers of obesity, how thyroid function affects weight gain, and how to exercise in a way that will actually contribute to weight loss. The second section, Age and Weight, describes how age and sex affect weight management. And the third, Motivate Thyself, gives tips on using diet supplements and pointers for changing lifestyles in a way that can make dieting easier. Clark includes case studies from her practice and sprinkles in details from her life, emphasizing how she has managed to get herself down to a healthy weight and keep it there despite a demanding job and busy home life. The author has obviously worked with many patients who are trying to drop pounds and get fit, but her guidance isn’t anything unusual or different from what most of us have probably heard from our own doctors. In addition, the text occasionally contradicts itself. For example, the first chapter sternly warns that exercise is not an excuse for having an extra edible treat, but a later chapter states it’s fine to have a slice of cake after a good workout. The book also makes questionable suggestions, such as using exercise machines to track calorie burn; such machines are notoriously optimistic in their calorie estimates.

Uninspiring but mostly sensible advice for weight loss.