Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food
304
Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food
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Overview
Find out why Somersizing has swept the nation! In Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, the number one New York Times bestseller and sequel to Eat Great, Lose Weight, which also went to the top of the Times list, Suzanne Somers will show you how to shed pounds for good and have more energy than ever before — without dieting. This lifestyle-altering book provides you with:
* The guilt-free way to lose weight and reprogram your metabolism — including more than 100 delicious Somersized recipes that leave you both satisfied and indulged
* Breakthrough research on food and nutrition that changes the way you think about your body
* Moving personal testimonials guaranteed to motivate and encourage you
* An easy-to-follow weight-loss plan that teaches you how to combine foods properly so that you'll get, and stay, skinny without feeling deprived
Join the millions of people who have lost weight safely and effectively with Get Skinny on Fabulous Food and start celebrating good health and good times with Suzanne's delectable, simple, and balanced Somersized meals.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780609802373 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Harmony/Rodale |
| Publication date: | 03/13/2001 |
| Edition description: | First Paperback Edition |
| Pages: | 304 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.38(w) x 8.96(h) x 0.78(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Part One
A NEW WAY OF LIFE
Diets—The Ultimate Empty Promise
If you've ever had a problem with your weight, you've probably tried one diet after the next. At first you stick to it diligently. You're excited because you really think this is going to be the one to solve all your problems. You count and measure and deprive yourself of eating the foods you love, all in the quest to become thin. The pounds drop slowly . . . too slowly. Irritability increases because you're hungry and cranky. As the days pass you're upset because you feel surrounded by thin people who seem to be able to eat whatever they want while you hold the dressing on the salad and eat a boring chicken breast with no sauce. You watch those fat grams, keep those calories down. You're miserable because your whole life seems to revolve around what you can eat or, rather, what you can't eat. But you stick to it, because nothing would make you feel more attractive and healthier than a new slim figure.
After two solid weeks of dieting, you pass by the open cupboard and notice a bag of Pepperidge Farm cookies that has been left opened. You go to roll down the top of the bag to keep them fresh, but first you peek inside. Oh, the smell. There is one broken cookie left on the top row. You can't eat it. Well, you could, but you shouldn't. But it just looks so messy having that one broken cookie resting on the white ruffled piece of paper. You decide you really should clean up that bag and remove that top piece of paper. You bite your fingernail and rationalize that since you've been so good, it would be okay to treat yourself to one minuscule crumb. You go for it, and your mouth explodes. Oh, what you've been missing! One little cookie crumb instantly makes your willpower crumble. It's okay, you convince yourself. It's not gonna kill you to eat the rest of that one measly little broken cookie. You look to see if any family members are nearby. The coast is clear, so you pop the delectable treat into your mouth. It's crunchy and sweet. The chocolate is rich and delicious.
Since you've already blown your diet, before you know it you've removed the white paper and are digging into the second row for another cookie. After one and a half cookies you decide you might as well have another to completely satisfy your craving so you can get back on track tomorrow. You inhale cookie number two, licking your fingers to get every morsel. You go to close the bag and realize there's just one cookie left in the row, and it looks entirely too lonely sitting there by itself. You down it and remove the second piece of white paper. Now you're full, but there is only one row left in the entire bag—and having them around may tempt you to cheat again—so you polish off the rest of the bag and hide the evidence in the trash can.
Then comes the guilt. "I shouldn't have done it." Then comes the bloating. "I feel sick to my stomach." Then comes the despair. "I'll never lose this weight." Then comes the depression. "What difference does it make. I'm gonna be fat forever." So much for the diet. In a short time you gain back all the weight you lost and a few extra pounds on top of that. Then it's time to scour the fashion magazines and find the new diet that promises to help you lose the weight and keep it off for good.
Diets—the ultimate empty promise perpetuating the same cycle over and over again. We've all been victims of yo-yo dieting. We stick to some diets longer than others, but c'mon, just how much cabbage soup can a person eat? Let's face it . . . most diets fail because they are based on deprivation, and after depriving yourself for a period of time, you will eventually want to reward yourself. During the reward time, you will probably gain back all the weight, plus more. Staggering statistics show that 95 percent of us who go on diets gain back all the weight. Something is terribly wrong!
So how do we beat the statistics? I'm happy to say I have finally figured it out. If you read my first book, you heard about my battle with dieting and how a trip to France in 1992 and an introduction to food combining changed everything for me. I stopped dieting on plain, boring, unsatisfying food and started eating rich, delicious meals full of flavor and, yes . . . fat. I got skinny on fat and realized I would never have to diet again. By eating a balanced diet including fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, butter, cheese, eggs, meat, and even cream, I went from 130 pounds down to 116, the amount I weighed as a teenager. And because I give my body real foods, my hunger is satisfied and I am meeting my body's nutritional needs. In the last six years my weight has not fluctuated by more than five pounds. This is not another diet full of empty promises . . . it's a remarkable program that has helped over a million people to lose weight and gain energy—Somersizing.
MESSING WITH YOUR METABOLISM
Why do diets fail time and time again? First of all, diets are about deprivation. We simply don't get to eat enough food, or enough of the right kinds of food, to satisfy our bodies' needs. Let's look at what happens when you restrict your calories from, for example, 1,500 to 1,000 calories a day. Since your body is used to running on 1,500 calories, it must make up for the missing fuel source by burning off first your glycogen and protein stores and then your fat reserves to provide you with enough energy to get through the day. This initial burning of fuel is why you will lose weight when you cut your calories. (Glycogen is stored with water, and therefore weighs more than fat. The scale may reflect a substantial weight loss due mostly to the loss of water, not fat. That's what the term "water weight" means.) But the human body is a remarkably complicated and adaptable machine. As your glycogen and protein stores are being depleted, your metabolism will actually slow down to keep you from starving to death. It's a survival instinct. Your body adapts to survive on 1,000 calories, or less fuel than it needed before.
Interviews
On Wednesday, May 5th, barnesandnoble.com welcomed Suzanne Somers to discuss SUZANNE SOMERS' GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD.
Moderator: Good evening, and welcome to the Auditorium, Suzanne Somers! We are so excited you could join us to chat about SUZANNE SOMERS' GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD. How are you this evening?
Suzanne Somers: Wonderful! And thin!
Colette from Ohio: I am ready to start -- what is the best way to begin? Just an all-out dive in? How quickly should I expect results?
Suzanne Somers: A lot of people have results in the first couple of weeks -- weight loss of 10 pounds, 12 pounds, 15 pounds. It depends on your body type. For me, personally, it took two months before I saw results. I was almost discouraged. But with what I now know, I realize that I did not have any water gain to lose, so I didn't see that immediate loss of weight. So what was happening with me was I was eating off my own fat reserves, which is one of the things that happens on this program. And one day, two months later, I woke up, and the "melt," as I call it, had begun! I lost an entire me -- I was thinner in my neck, chest, arms, abdomen, hips, thighs -- truly as though an entire me had melted off. And that was ten years ago. And I haven't put the weight back on since!
arn from lpb: I think you are a very beautiful and talented actress, so why did you write this book? Do you have plans to write anything else in the future, and if yes, what kind of book? Ever thought of a short stories book or a novel or something a little more artistic?
Suzanne Somers: Hmmm. GET SKINNY is my sixth book. I look over the books that I've written, and my subject matters are varied, and I write books pertaining to that which I'm dealing with at the moment. At this particular time, I am responding to the thousands of letters and requests that have poured in since the publication of my fourth book, EAT GREAT, LOSE WEIGHT. Everybody wanted more recipes! Everyone loved the food! And I was able to pass on new information on the benefits of fats in your diet, real food, no chemicals, and the letters from diabetics who have found eating this way has lowered their sugar levels, from heart patients who have said eating this way has drastically lowered their cholesterol, and from people who suffer with obesity, who have reported major weight loss -- up to 250 pounds. I have a new book that comes out in the fall of this year, November, called 365 WAYS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE, which is the other passion in my life: why we are the way we are, and if there are things in your life you don't like, it's up to us to make the changes. For years I have been working on a novel, and I'm sure when my publishing schedule loosens up a bit, I can finish this and stick it in my repertoire. Thank you for asking.
Terese from Port Huron, MI: Dear Suzanne, I have read your book and agree with what you state about losing weight because I have tried it and it works. But I had a baby five months ago and have 25 pounds still left to lose, and because I am nursing I have had to cut out my dairy products and chocolate, so that leaves a big void in my eating. Can you help me?
Suzanne Somers: Well, there's always olive oil and foods that are Tuscan-based. For instance, how about for dinner tonight having flattened, pan-fried porterhouse steak, cooked in olive oil, one hot red pepper, fresh rosemary, and sliced elephant garlic? Add to that a big, green salad, loaded with your favorite vinaigrette -- hopefully one from my cookbook! Fresh is always best, because there's no hidden sugar, and lots of vegetables -- for instance, broccoli tossed in butter, or for your purposes, toss it in olive oil, and seasoned with salt and pepper. If you're still hungry after all that, have seconds! Breakfast is a little more difficult for you at this moment, because you cannot have dairy. How about making oatmeal pancakes, which have no egg, and instead of butter, substitute a good vegetable oil in the batter and serve it with a raspberry puree. You can make the batter on Monday and store it in the refrigerator so that all you have to do each day is heat a fry-pan and pour the batter into it for as many pancakes as you require. For lunch, try a big Caesar chicken salad. There are all sorts of options and always substitute olive oil for dairy, and you'll be fine, and the weight will melt off!
Fran from srothstein@ameritech.net: Suzanne, ideally, what is the latest time you can have dinner, and how do you curb late-night munchie attacks?
Suzanne Somers: It's always good to leave a little space between eating and lying down in bed at the end of the day. The best thing to eat at night in general is protein, fat, and vegetables. For instance, if you're in an Italian restaurant, have chicken piccata with lemon-butter sauce, lots of vegetables, and a big salad. You'll sleep like a baby. Or substitute and have some form of turkey, which is loaded with tryptophan, which is a natural sleep aid.
Anika Bartley from California: Your hair always looks so great! What kind of shampoo do you use?
Suzanne Somers: Thank you! I think it's important to rotate shampoos. Hair gets tired, and the same old shampoo starts weighing it down. So, I change shampoos a couple of times during the week. And I truly believe that my eating program promotes healthy, shiny hair and hair growth, because in my program fats are not the enemy, and fats -- besides all the other wonderful things that they do -- also make soft, supple skin and healthy hair.
Andi from Hoboken, NJ: Hi, Suzanne -- what do you think is the worst mistake people make when going on a diet? What in your opinion makes a good diet work?
Suzanne Somers: The most important aspect of a diet is edible food. The reason diets fail is that generally, the food is lousy! And after a while, you're going to go off the program. I believe the reason there are over 1 million people who are Somersizing is that my food is fabulous! It's all your favorite things that traditionally diets say you may not have.
EV from Lighthouse Point, FL: The ideal woman advertised today is definitely skinny, and we all know that this image of the ideal plays a major role in the self-esteem of all the women out there who just don't have the ideal body. As someone who is one of the leading personalities in the diet industry, how do you handle these issues?
Suzanne Somers: I agree. Too much emphasis is put on youth and thinness. Unfortunately, society has dictated that we like women thin in this country. The magazines promote thinness, and it makes it very difficult for people who do not come by slimness naturally. That, unfortunately, I cannot do anything about. But I have been astounded by the weight loss indicated by letters from people who have tried my program. I know for myself that when I gained the 20 pounds that started me on this path, I felt uncomfortable in my tight clothes and unattractive. So, I know somewhat of what these people are speaking. If you read my book, GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD, you will see the testimonial letters peppered throughout the book from people who have lost anywhere from 10 pounds to 250 pounds. And I have to say that without the weight, they are living happier and healthier lives. If weight is a problem that seems out of control, I urge you to try my program for the following reasons: My program not only allows but urges you to eat three times a day, eat until you are full -- and that may mean initially seconds and thirds -- and do not skip meals! It has been my experience that even people who have given up and decided that they are going to be living an obese life have tried this program and changed. If you're curious, read the letter in my book on page 12 from Lynn Thorpe, formerly 407 pounds, now at 170 pounds and still losing. Don't give up, because not only will this make you feel better externally and physically, but this will prolong your life. I am sad to say that I have never seen an old overweight person.
Valerie from Houston, TX: I was in a used bookstore, and I came across a copy of TOUCH ME -- your early book of poetry! I was surprised -- I never knew you were a poet. Needless to say, I bought it and loved it. Did you want to be a poet when you were younger? What inspired the collection? Do you still write poetry?
Suzanne Somers: Congratulations! You have one of the few copies of my very first book, TOUCH ME -- not even I own one! I started writing poetry as a little girl as a way of dealing with the pain of the life I was living. As chronicled in three of my books, I was raised in a violent, alcoholic, frightening atmosphere, and my poetry took the form of writing to an imaginary person who understood me. And it was a great outlet for me. And now in retrospect, I look back and realize that it fulfilled the function of therapy for me unwittingly. I don't write poetry as much as I once did these days, because I am at such a happy, peaceful, serene place in my life, and I find that the best poetry seems to come from pain. But that does not necessarily mean that I will never write it again. Life is a journey you cannot plan.
Toni from Indiana: I have been on Dr. Atkins's low-carbohydrate diet for the last seven months and have lost 40 pounds. I have heard that your diet is somewhat similar with a few exceptions. Is this true? Could you list a few of the similarities/differences between the two diets? Thank you for your time.
Suzanne Somers: I have not read Dr. Atkins's book, although I admire the work he is doing. From what I understand, we are both promoting a similar style of eating. Mine is slightly less radical in that I allow some carbohydrates, particularly for breakfast or lunch -- never for dinner. And note in my book that some carbohydrates are better than others, i.e., whole-wheat bread instead of white-flour bread. The main difference, from what I've been told, is that my food tastes better than anybody else's! Mine is a program for hedonists, because every once in a while, we all like to have a glass of wine or a piece of chocolate and, of course, all the cheese you can eat! I hope this answers your question.
Jon C. from NYC: This may sound like a silly question, since so many diet plans are geared toward helping women, but have you heard any success stories with your plan from men?
Suzanne Somers: Absolutely! I would say half of my success stories are men. Because there is no portion control on my program, and you can eat as much as you like and eat until you're full. This is very appealing to men, because as a general rule, men have heartier appetites. I have a couple of testimonial letters in the book from men, one a construction worker and the other a doctor who prescribes this program to his patients. So, enjoy!
Sarah from NYC: Congratulations about your latest book! I've ordered my copy, and I can't wait to try it! I've been a huge fan of yours since the early days. Do you have any inside stories you could share with us right now from "Three's Company"? What were your off-screen relationships with your coactors like, and do you still keep in touch?
Suzanne Somers: Thank you for staying with me all these years. I do see John Ritter occasionally, and I was so happy to see Norman Fell at a local restaurant near my home one week before he died. We had a nice talk and a hug. I have not seen Joyce in 20 years. I don't know where she lives; I don't know what she does. But she's always into something interesting, and I'm sure that's what she's doing.
Jen from Jersey City, NJ: I love your books on healthy eating, but I'd love to hear your recommendations for other books! What do you like to read? Who are some of your favorite authors? Have you read any good books lately that you have enjoyed?
Suzanne Somers: Thank you for liking my books! My favorite all-time author is John Irving. I think he's an incredible storyteller. Lately I have read all three Conversations with God books and found them life-changing. I read all the time. ANGELA'S ASHES is another one at the top of my list. A book called POWER was fascinating. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA was incredible. So, my interests are varied. I love quality women's fiction, self-help books, and I devour anything on spirituality. My husband likes to read biographies and books on terrorism, so between the two of us, we pretty much cover the gamut.
Renee from Chicago, IL: Who is the ideal audience for your books? Would you recommend this for people who are very overweight? Should people who are already in good shape try this?
Suzanne Somers: I believe eating this way should start in childhood. That's when our habits are developed. It would be a tremendous advantage to start out life on a low- to no-sugar diet. Unfortunately, most of our children in America are growing up on a diet that consists primarily of sugar and chemicals. Combine that with their computers and TV sets, and you see the direction this generation is going. Weight and obesity will be epidemic in the next generation if their eating habits are not changed. Parents need to understand that feeding children noodles and white-flour pastas is akin to feeding them sugar for dinner. The body recognizes sugar in all its forms as sugar. For example: white flour, white rice, corn, potatoes, beets, and carrots are all high-starch carbohydrates. The body already makes enough sugar in the form of glucose, so when we add these foods, the body doesn't know what to do with the excess sugar, so the pancreas secretes insulin, and the insulin is stored as fat in the fat cells. Better to get children excited about vegetables and the wonderful sauces that come from protein meals, stews, and butter sauces and gravies that are made without flour. I used to love when my mother would make beef stew. The house would smell incredible, and we'd have a big green salad, and I remember it as one of my favorite comfort foods. But now, it's become so easy to feed children pasta, and because it tastes so good, they don't want anything else. And thus, the bad habits are born. I know it's a long answer, but I felt it's important for you and anyone else who reads this to understand what sugar does to our bodies. If you want to watch the effects of sugar, give a happy little child who is skipping and playing and laughing an ice cream bar and then observe the mood swing a half hour later. Usually, they are melting down, having crying fits.
Anika Bartley from California: You need to come up with a good cookie recipe. Any suggestions?
Suzanne Somers: Cookies are difficult for Somersizing purposes because of the combination of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. It kinda goes off the Richter scale. Better -- and I know this is crazy -- you should have crème brûlée, which happens to be in GET SKINNY, because crème brûlée is made of eggs, cream, and low sugar. It's absolutely delicious, and it causes less of an insulin spike than a cookie or a piece of cake. It's all about cleaning out your body of all of its stored sugar. Once that happens (and you will know when you stand naked in front of a mirror, if you can see your waistline) then you can start incorporating your favorite foods in moderation, and if that happens to be some cookies, then by all means, enjoy!
Moderator: What is your ideal summer vacation?
Suzanne Somers: For me, personally, I travel about 300 days a year! The perfect vacation is staying home, turning off the phones, putting on great salsa music, opening the doors and windows to the sea (I am lucky to live close to the ocean), and going on vacation in my own house. I cook and sleep and have friends over and dance with my husband and have a great time.
Anika Bartley from California: I just love this way of eating! I have told everyone I know about it! My brother lost 60 pounds eating this way. My question for you is in your new book you have lemons under fruit. Can we use lemons throughout the day, in water, or is that a fruit? Thanks for such a great book!
Suzanne Somers: Thank you for the compliment! Lemons are essentially a free food. Have all the lemons you want, anywhere you want, any time of the day. Lemons are great for flavor and make great drinks, so enjoy!
Moderator: Do you have any books you have been saving up for summer reading?
Suzanne Somers: Yes, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, but I've just jump-started and started reading it this week, and now I'm almost finished with it. My publisher, Crown Publishing, sends me oodles of free books, and I have them stacked next to my bed in anticipation of a wonderful summer read.
Kendra from Bangor, ME: I'm fascinated by the Somersized philosophy! Did you figure this out yourself, or did you discover it through a nutritionist?
Suzanne Somers: I have interviewed over 100 nutritionists and doctors, but this year, while writing GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD, I came across Dr. Diana Schwartzbein, out of Santa Barbara, California, who not only wrote the foreword to my book but educated me on the value of fats in our diet and the importance of understanding what sugar does to the body. Her work is primarily with diabetics, high thyroid, heart disease, and menopause. All four of these conditions are exacerbated by high insulin levels. My eating program deals with high insulin levels in cleaning out ourselves of sugar that has been stored from carbohydrates.
Moderator: Thank you so much for joining us this evening, Suzanne Somers! You have been a terrific guest, and we are thrilled you could be with us to chat. Before you go, do you have any parting thoughts for your online audience?
Suzanne Somers: Yes. I appreciate the opportunity to tell my online audience that I have been eating the Somersize way for a decade now. I'm in better shape than I was during the "Three's Company" years. My cholesterol is perfect, as are my sugar levels. My hormone levels are balanced and perfect. I'm experiencing none of the trauma hormonally that other women my age seem to be experiencing. The only thing that I am doing different is eating the Somersize way. I would never go back to my old eating habits. The food is so good, I plan to eat this way until I see the white light! And then, I'll turn on the heavens to my Somersize program! [laughs]