Book Review: French Women Don’t Get Fat

French Women Don’t Get Fat
By Mireille Guiliano
Knopf (2004)
Reviewed by Holly R. Layer, RD

Claims:

The author is Mireille Guiliano, a Frenchwoman who splits her time between America (she’s the CEO of a champagne distributor) and France, and who wrote the book because she was once overweight, after a stint in the US during an exchange program. Her basic premise is that French women don’t get fat because they don’t overeat. What we’ve come to call the ‘French Paradox’ (that the French eat indulgent food we avoid, such as wine, butter, cheese, pastries) is alive, but not as well as it once was. Unfortunately, the obesity rates in Europe are climbing. But, as with all stereotypes, they begin with a grain of truth.

Synopsis of Diet Plan:

Guiliano approaches weight loss in the book as a three-month ‘recalibration’ process, during which she recommends writing down your daily intake (even easier these days with smartphone apps) and then identifying what needs to change in your diet to lose weight. She credits ‘ Dr. Miracle,’ her childhood pediatrician, for helping her address her own weight gain through these methods. For Guiliano, that meant taking another route to university upon returning to Paris in order to avoid the countless bakeries with their sweet smells. She also outlines some reasons why French women don’t get fat and American women do, all of which promote health, such as eating slower, sitting while eating, drinking more water and walking more.

Nutritional Pros and Cons:

None of the author’s claims are backed by science, and anyone would lose weight eating her ‘magical leek soup,’ which simply decreases calorie intake and promote water loss. While she doesn’t expect anyone to eat her leek soup indefinitely, she doesn’t outline any structured ‘diet’ or ‘eating plan’ other than embracing the French culture.

Bottom Line:

While Romantic, it’s unrealistic to think traditional Americans can adopt the French way of eating and suddenly drop weight. Guiliano provides an enjoyable read and a lighthearted way of looking at differences in cultures and how it can shape OUR shapes. Coupled with a healthy diet and exercise (which she does include in the book), her advice can promote healthy eating habits and perhaps even weight loss.

Book Review: The Sonoma Diet

The Sonoma Diet
By Connie Guttersen, RD, PhD
Meredith Books (2005)
Reviewed by Holly R. Layer, RD

Named for the California county that shares the same latitude as regions of Italy, Greece and Southern France, The Sonoma Diet highlights the benefits of eating a Mediterranean-style diet. This eating pattern, long famous for its lean meat, plant-based protein and fats and variety of produce, is no stranger to diet books and programs.

Claims:

The Sonoma Diet promises to help dieters shed pounds quickly; in fact, the phrase ‘a trimmer waist and better health in just 10 days’ graces the cover of the book. Additionally, the author claims that ‘every step of the journey from overweight to perfect weight will be comfortable, pleasant and simple.’ By following the diet plan and incorporating ten ‘power foods’ (almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, whole grains), the author enthusiastically guarantees swift weight loss and easy maintenance, all while enjoying a glass of wine or a little chocolate (later on in the diet).

Synopsis of Diet Plan:

The Sonoma Diet is made up of three ‘waves,’ each with lists of allowed foods. The author begins by prescribing a ‘kitchen clean-out’ and instructs dieters to throw out processed foods, sources of sugar, saturated fats and hydrogenated oils, as well as white or refined-grain products and full-fat diary.

Wave 1 lasts for 10 days and ‘will rid you of destructive eating habits that cause weight gain’ and will ‘recalibrate your body.’ During Wave 1, fruits are not allowed, nor are wine or added sugar, some vegetables and up to 3 tsp of fat (in the form of plant-based oils or foods) per day. Low-fat and no-fat diary is allowed, but only in small portions and not as a source of protein.

Wave 2 begins on Day 11 and lasts until a dieter’s goal weight is reached. During this Wave, fruits are back on the table and the list of vegetables gets longer. Additionally, dieters can start incorporating wine, dark chocolate and honey into their diets again.

Wave 3 begins once the dieter has met their weight-loss goal and is designed to ‘extend the diet into a lifestyle.’

Nutritional Pros and Cons:

The diet, while made up of lots of real, healthy food, is very restrictive during the first wave. Because it only lasts for 10 days, it’s unlikely dieters would experience any deficiencies as long as they are consuming a variety of ‘allowed’ foods. By promoting portion control and mindful eating, the author is helping the reader build skills they can use beyond the diet itself. Wave 1 eliminates fruit entirely, which must be noted.

Bottom Line:

There’s a lot to like about The Sonoma Diet and the optimistic tone may help motivate some dieters. The author emphasizes eating real, whole foods as part of a lifestyle change. The book addresses more than just what foods to eat or not eat; the author gives visual examples of plate sizes and portions, as well as addressing maintaining weight loss (Wave 3), how to add indulgent foods back into the diet, and even a diet ‘q&a’ section. Throughout the book, the author includes helpful information, such as the importance of fiber in the diet, tips for eating out and even a list of recommended products by brand.

On the flip side, the author’s overly enthusiastic tone may over-promise results and does not address those with significant medical issues. Some readers may be intimidated by the multiple Wave/Tier system with lists of approved foods and specific percentages of each food group at meals. Wave 1 doesn’t include fruit and allows very little fat, and may not provide enough calories for some dieters. While The Sonoma Diet lauds the enjoyment of eating (hence the allowance of wine and dark chocolate in Wave 2), it doesn’t address the importance of exercise beyond a couple paragraphs. Lastly, the book’s weight-loss claims may be unrealistic for most dieters.

The book includes approximately 170 pages of recipes of varying difficulty and a sample 10-day meal plan for Wave 1.

Book Review: Clean Gut

Clean Gut

By Alejandro Junger, MD
Harper Collins (2013)
Reviewed by Holly R. Layer, RD

Clean Gut—part memoir, part diet, and part theory—offers mind and body healing by starting with the gut. The author writes in a conversational tone from his own journey from poor health, including poor food choices, depression, sleeplessness, allergies, GI issues, and hemorrhoids, to ‘true’ health by healing his gut. Dr. Junger shares with readers his three ‘ah-hah’ moments: his finding of meditation and integrative medicine, his realization of ‘global toxicity’ and the importance of detoxing, and his calling as a functional medicine practitioner and the development of his Clean program.

Claims:

Clean Gut asserts that the root cause of disease, both minor ailments and chronic conditions, is gut dysfunction. Dr. Junger calls the gut the ‘second brain’ and a ‘spiritual and emotional GPS,’ providing information on how our brains and GI tract are linked through the nervous system, hence our term ‘gut feeling.’

Dr. Junger posits various reasons an unhealthy gut can lead to illness, such as depletion of good bacteria through antibiotic use or a poor diet, disruption of our intestinal walls and poor absorption, and improper immune and nervous system responses. Additionally, he traces specific diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, back pain and even infertility, to specific ailments stemming from an unhealthy gut. He says, “periodic gut repair is the best preventive medicine of all.”

Synopsis of Diet Plan:

Clean Gut’s diet plan is based on the four R’s of functional medicine: Remove (ex. toxins, hormones), Replace (ex. vitamins, nutrients), Reinoculate (ex. probiotics), and Repair (ex. intestinal mucosa). The diet is made up of two ‘stages’ in which dieters practice the four R’s and then undergo a ‘reintroduction’ period to identify triggers.

Stage 1 lasts for 21 days and focuses on easily digestible and low-sugar foods, as well as recommended supplements, the ’80-20’ plate rule (80% greens and vegetables, 20% protein and fat, stop when 80% full) and ‘mindful combinations’ of foods. The ‘forbidden list’ includes gluten, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, potatoes, corn and fruit (other than berries). The daily protocol includes water with lemon, a shake, when to take supplements and even a walk.

Stage 2 is a 7-day reintroduction period designed to identify trigger foods. Dr. Junger recommends keeping a journal and offers a schedule of foods to reintroduce and when, as well as an ‘advanced’ reintroduction of additional foods and those to on which to reduce dependency (processed sugar, caffeine and alcohol).

Nutritional Pros and Cons:

Junger’s two-stage diet plan includes eating real food, avoiding known potential irritants and monitoring outcomes during a reintroduction period. The ‘Don’t Eat’ food list contains many items that anyone with IBS-like symptoms will recognize from other elimination diets, but the avoidance of almost all fruit must be noted. Junger eliminates all fruit (with the exception of berries, lemons and limes) during Stage 1, which may prove difficult for many readers and could be unnecessary. The ’80-20’ rule helps readers with portion size and feelings of satiety, both of which promote health regardless of diet.

However, the number and variety of recommended supplements may be unnecessary or turn some readers off to the diet entirely. While he does include a ‘sample day’ schedule for supplements, it still may be overwhelming to some.

Bottom Line:

While Dr. Junger’s claims about gut dysfunction and the benefits of healing the gut may be a bit over-reaching, his diet plan can promote gut health overall and may be beneficial for those with IBS, gastroparesis or other GI-related issues. Clean Gut promotes eating real food (with some restrictions during the first phase) and the eating plan is easy to understand without calorie-counting or restricting calories. Written without a sense of fear but one of hope, Clean Gut may over-promise, especially for those with true medical conditions. He also provides basic information on the parts of GI tract, as well as sections designed to help readers navigate life during and after Stage 1 and 2, such as ‘Guiding Principles for Living Clean for Life,’ which includes ‘upgrades’ to healthy diets with a ‘try this’ example, and ‘Move and Chill,’ which promotes exercise and stress reduction.

Clean Gut features 60 pages of recipes of varying difficulty.