ZEUS DEFIED

An inspiring, proactive approach to weight loss.

As someone who struggled with chronic debilitating back pain related to his weight, Khan (The Zeus Process, 2017) began a mission in his 30s: embrace the science of dieting and find a weight-loss method that gets lasting results. Here he shares the fruits of his research on the durability of short-term health and fitness gains as well as information on harnessing physical energy; creating healthy, habit-forming patterns; and avoiding unsustainable modern diet plans. He likens the task of Sisyphus, doomed by Zeus to push a boulder up a hill only to have it descend repeatedly, to the seesawing cycles of promising weight losses and frustrating rebound gains. Adopting a fresh perspective on calories and exercise, the author details his weight-loss program—a harmonious nine-phase system with each phase lasting 30 days. His method begins with what Khan considers the most important phase: Participants create momentum via mindful consumption and self-rewards. From there, subsequent phases counsel dieters to incorporate whole fruit and leaner dairy and unprocessed meat choices into smaller, more frequent meals, bypassing processed carbs, sugary foods, and soft drinks. Of course, the success of the program hinges on regular exercise. While these phases don’t really introduce any revolutionary material into the weight-loss arena, new dieters will find lots of motivation, incentives, and lifestyle modifications to guide their journeys toward optimum health and wellness. Khan’s vivid prose and easy-to-follow instructions include clear “Action” and “Benefits” sections along with appendix tables showing food glycemic indexes. As a dieting success story himself, Khan observes that it doesn’t take mythological strength or insurmountable summits to achieve individual weight-loss goals, just willpower and dedication.

The diet-book arena is awash in both old and new methods of weight reduction, but Khan’s focused, strategic approach is fresh and feasible.