Dr. Cheskin (Losing Weight for Good), Director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Clinic, and Better Homes and Gardens
present a nutritionally sound eating plan to lose and then maintain weight. The three main steps are: determining your body-mass index (BMI) via a chart included herein; ascertaining your appropriate calorie-count based on your lifestyle; and then choosing a daily eating plan from Cheskin's calorie-based table. The various eating plans take into account the nutritional pyramid of starches, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and fats. The book's 110 recipes list nutrition information, percentage of daily values and units of starches, vegetables, fats, etc. per serving. Illustrated with scrumptious photographs, the recipes are categorized basically by meal: breakfast and brunch, salads, fish, meats, sides, desserts. The dishes are light but filling when served with the suggested accompaniments. Lively seasonings are the order of the day, from the fresh basil in Summer Chicken and Mushroom Pasta to the sweet and sour Sesame-Teriyaki Sea Bass. Sides such as Lemon-Marinated Vegetables and the robust Orange-Sauced Broccoli and Peppers provide great accents to elegant main dishes like Turkey Mushroom Marsala. Many of the dishes are Asian in origin, but Caribbean, South American and European cuisines are duly represented in recipes like Chicken with Pear, Sage and Cheese, and Orange Roughy with Nectarine Salsa. Opening and concluding chapters, including an exercise section, form a crucial framework for the recipes. People who struggle with their weight will enjoy these healthy and tasty recipes and Cheskin's realistic program. (Dec. 15)
