Your Body Knows Best: The Revolutionary Eating Plan That Helps You Achieve Your Optimal Weight and Energy Level for Life

by Ann Louise Gittleman, James Templeton (Contributor), Candelora Versace (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews
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Ann Louise Gittleman

There's no one-size-fits-all diet, says author Ann Louise Gittleman (Supernutrition for Women, Beyond Pritikin). That's why some people will drop 25 pounds on fad diets while others will actually gain weight, and why some folks thrive on an ultra-low-fat diet while they make others feel like collapsing. Gittleman says there are some foods that everyone should avoid, such as refined sugar, margarine, and white flour products, but figuring out which foods are good for you is a bit more complicated. She's drawn upon her extensive nutritional background and found that three factors combine to determine which customized diet you should follow. One of these factors is heritage; those with a Scandinavian, Irish, or Welsh ancestry need more essential fatty acids than others, such as those found in cold-water fish. The other two are metabolic rate (some people just burn food more quickly than others) and blood type (type O is the oldest blood type, and therefore folks who are type O should avoid dairy foods and other items introduced late in the evolutionary scheme of things).
She includes a questionnaire to determine how fast you metabolize food, and a week's worth of sample menus to guide you along the appropriate eating plan for your particular profile. Gittleman also debunks the "fat is the root of all evil" diet myth by explaining how fat actually boosts immune function and aids weight loss. There's also extensive supplement information and helpful explanations of the often-misunderstood roles of protein, fat, and carbohydrate, along with resources for everything from amino acid testing for vegetarians to home-study courses in nutrition. This is a fine book for anyone looking to lose weight--not fall victim to the latest dieting fad.

Synopsis
Explaining how to custom-tailor a diet to meet the body's specific needs, a guide to reaching optimum weight and energy levels helps profile body types, provides sample menus, and identifies health boosters. Reprint.

Most Readable Book on Diet Out There, March 26, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from New YorkCity
My sister gave this book to me as a birthday present and I plan to give it out to all my friends as a gift as well. It is astounding to me that nobody has ever put together all the pieces of diet before. The sections on metabolism were so right on. I loved this book. I hope Gittleman writes a sequel.

Why Didn't I Find This Book Sooner?, March 26, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from On the Beach
Wow!!! Why didn't I know about Your Body Knows Best two years ago..I would have saved myself lots of money and heartache buying all the wrong foods for my Fast Burner metabolism.

Best Book I Have Ever Read, March 25, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from Santa Barbara, CA
Your Body Knows Best is the absolute best book out there on nutrition. It makes so much more sense than the Zone and Eat Right For Your Type. Gittleman puts together every possibile aspect of individualizing diet and truthfully as an A blood type and fast burner...Hers was the Only Program that worked for me. I have lost 30 pounds and 18 inches since following her Diet Plan in the book..and this only took me 2 and one half months. I think this book should be on the best seller lists. Its an underground favorite, that's for sure. Many thanks!

A Must-Read for Anyone Struggling with Weight Loss, March 10, 1998
Reviewer: A reader from Vail, CO
With all of the stuff we are getting hit with about what's right and the best way to lose weight, this is finally a book that explains exactly how and why our bodies are all different and therefore we need different strategies for weight loss. I have read and tried dozens and dozens of books about diet and nutrition in a search to discover why I have carried an extra 25 pounds of fat my entire life. Ann Louise finally explains why my body reacts the way it does to what I eat, and now I know what I must do to get rid of the fat based on finally learning what my metabolism is (there's a test in the book) and combining that with my blood type requirements. The only reason why I don't give it a 10 is because it's quite technical and I think many people may get scared away when they start reading. But if you can get past that, it's a fabulous breakthrough in diet and nutrition information. And there's a paperback for under $6! --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Most Common Sense Weight Loss Book On The Market, November 5, 1998
Reviewer: A reader from New Mexico
I have read them all but I must say that Your Body Knows Best makes the most common sense out of all the diet books out there. Gittleman, et.al use ancestry, metabolism and blood type as modifying factors in individualizing diets. When I finally realized I was a fast oxidizer and couldn't burn up all those fat free carbos, the pounds just started coming off real quickly. Bravo. I am sending this book out as my Christmas present this year to all my friends I really care about.

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!!!, May 7, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from Connecticut
Ann Louise Gittleman, et al does a wonderful job of explaining how different categories of foods effect you and why, as well as helping people understand their body and what each body needs for optimum performance. I have been incorporating the guidelines into my diet and the results have been great...I feel better, I'm loosing weight, and I can tell my body is happier!

It Works!, January 19, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from Germany
Individualizing diet is the most common sense approach to weight loss and good health. I took the advice and not only lost 4 lbs over the holidays, but most importantly -- brought my cholesterol down 63 points in just 1/1/2 months!

One Diet Didn't Fit Me, June 1, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from Washington, D.C
This book is great...It made so much sense to me after I figured out that I was doing everything wrong - especially drinking all that fruit juice. As a fast burner, juice is a no- no. Well, I am more energetic and look terrific. I hope Ann Louise does a sequel.