Book Review: EAT THIS, NOT THAT! NEW! UPDATED 2012 EDITION

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Summary:

With an angry food industry hot on their heels and a ravenous fan base clamoring for more, Zinczenko and Goulding once again redefine the American food landscape.

Featuring up-to-the-minute information on the ever-changing array of supermarket and restaurant offerings, Eat This, Not That! 2012 reveals the shocking calorie counts, mind-bending sugar and fat loads, and deceptive advertising and marketing techniques that are making America fat—and gives readers the information they need to fight back.

Packed with cool tips, industry secrets, and essential nutrition knowledge, Eat This, Not That! 2012 is a must-have for anyone who cares about what they eat—and how they look.

My Review:

What a true eye opener this book was.  Being a busy mom on the go, I sometimes wind up picking up fast food when I don't have time to whip together a healthy meal for dinner.  But, I will definitely think twice after have read this book.  Just by reading the part about the burger value meal, from when I walk in the door to order the burger, through the time it takes to pass through my body, I now am turned off by fast food burger chains.  If only they ran videos like this on television prior to or after all those fast food chain commercials, consumers like myself, who are looking to provide healthy meals to their families, even on the go, would think twice about what they are putting in their bodies.

Just look at this statistic from the book:

It takes 3,500 calories to create a pound of body fat.  So, if you eat an extra 500 per day -- the amount in one Dunkin' Donuts multigrain bagel with reduced-fat cream cheese--then, you'll earn 1 new pound of body fat each week.  Make that a habit -- like so man of us do unwittingly -- and, you'll gain 52 pound of flab per year.

Check out some of these meal swaps that are listed in the book:

A single cup of APPLE CINNAMON CHEERIOS cereal has 160 calories.  Switch to KELLOGG's APPLE JACKS five times per wee and you'll drop 4 1/2 pounds this year.

A GRANDE JAVA CHIP FRAPPUCCINO from Starbucks has 440 calories.  Switch to an ESPRESSO FRAPPUCCINO three times per week and you'll shed 5 1/2 pounds in 6 months.

STOUFFER's ROASTED CHICKEN FROZEN DINNER had 460 calories.  Switch to Banquet's version of the same meal four times per week and you'll drop more than 2 pounds every 4 months.

An ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD from Applebee's packs an astounding 1,340 calories.  Instead, order the PARADISE CHICKEN SALAD three times per week -- or make a comparable swap at some other restaurant -- and you'll blast away nearly 7 pounds of body fat in just 2 months.

With this helpful book, you will learn ways to swap out foods, saving your from 10 to 1,000 calories.  You don't have to stop eating out, but you need to start realizing the better food option when ordering, as not to pack on the pounds.  I will definitely be reading and re-reading this book prior to heading out to a local restaurant.  In addition, I will let my family and friends read it, so they are more savvy when it comes to ordering a healthier meal while dining out or picking up frozen dinners at the grocery store.

About the Author

DAVID ZINCZENKO is the editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine and the author of New York Times bestsellers The Abs Diet, The Abs Diet for Women, and Cook This, Not That! He splits his time between New York City and Allentown, PA.

MATT GOULDING is a contributing food and nutrition editor of Men’s Health and former professional chef. He lives in North Carolina.

Disclosure:  I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.