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Suzanne Somers' Eat Great, Lose Weight: Eat All the Foods You Love in "Somersize" Combinations to Reprogram Your Metabolism, Shed Pounds for Good, and Have More Energy Than Ever Before
'Years ago, Suzanne Somers lost the chance to appear on a hit television series because she was "too chunky." That missed opportunity started her on a "diet roller coaster," trying all kinds of diets. Now Somers believes that diets and deprivation do not help people lose weight in the long-term. In Eat Great, Lose Weight, she explains the food-combining plan she calls "Somersizing": eliminate "funky foods" such as sugar ("my body's greatest enemy") and white flour; eat fruits alone on an empty stomach; eat proteins and fats with vegetables and without carbohydrates; eat carbohydrates with vegetables and without fat.
Sommers presents 113 recipes that certainly don't resemble a traditional diet and might make a weight-loss expert's hair curl, such as Crispy Fried Eggplant and Mozzarella Finger Sandwiches, Flourless Cheese Souffle (with butter, eggs, cream cheese, and Gruyère cheese), and Grilled Pepper Steak with Herb Butter (trim the fat from the meat, but add both butter and olive oil). There's no nutritional breakdown, so you can't count fat or calories. Somers admits that "many experts will argue that food combining is a myth," but she says it works for her, and she credits it with trimming her down to 116 pounds, even though she eats "more than ever
213 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
74 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Somers
69 books113 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Suzanne Somers was an American actress, author, and businesswoman. Best known for her role as the ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow on the ABC sitcom Three's Company, she also had a noted starring role on the sitcom Step by Step as Carol Foster Lambert. She later capitalized on her acting career by also establishing herself as an author of a series of self-help books. She had released two autobiographies, two self-help books, four diet books, and a book about hormone replacement therapy. She had featured items of her design on the Home Shopping Network.
Suzanne Somers was an American actress, author, and businesswoman. Best known for her role as the ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow on the ABC sitcom Three's Company, she also had a noted starring role on the sitcom Step by Step as Carol Foster Lambert. She later capitalized on her acting career by also establishing herself as an author of a series of self-help books. She had released two autobiographies, two self-help books, four diet books, and a book about hormone replacement therapy. She had featured items of her design on the Home Shopping Network.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 17, 2009
The premise of this book involves eating a variety of foods, but paying particular attention to combining. What NOT to combine and what TO combine. She stresses the importance of combining because the wrong mixtures are what leaves us feeling bloated, gaseous and tired. Also, the wrong combos can disrupt the digestion process resulting in foods lingering in our tummys too long.
She recommends avoiding "funky foods" (sugars--including carrots!, white rice, white bread and other refined or processed foods). This type forces our bodies to use our stored sugars (fats) in lieu of using what we put into our bodies.
She says that fruit should never (NEVER!) be eaten with a meal. It upsets the digestive process. Her method focuses on combining foods that work together in the body in a harmonious way; thereby, increasing our metabolism.
I liked what she had to say, but believe the book needs to be updated because she recommends using NutriSweet/Sweet-N-Low, no tofu or soy milk (there is an exception if you are a strict vegetarian), eliminating carrots, bananas, yams, winter squashes (she says they are too high in starches which turn into sugar, then fat).
She does indicate other foods that offer similar vitamins in their place, but some of those eliminated were my favorites. If a person eats pasta, their meal should be combined with veggies NOT a meat. If you eat meat, have it with veggies, no bread. And there are time restrictions as to when to eat fruit. It depends on if you are eating meat (protein) or not. Makes sense to me.
For me, I'm not as concerned with loosing weight as with eating more healthy foods and practically eliminating meat (zero hormone injected meat) and no hormone injected dairy products. I will now be more aware of the food combos I prepare and order thanks to this book. There are some neat recipes that I intend to try, too.
She recommends avoiding "funky foods" (sugars--including carrots!, white rice, white bread and other refined or processed foods). This type forces our bodies to use our stored sugars (fats) in lieu of using what we put into our bodies.
She says that fruit should never (NEVER!) be eaten with a meal. It upsets the digestive process. Her method focuses on combining foods that work together in the body in a harmonious way; thereby, increasing our metabolism.
I liked what she had to say, but believe the book needs to be updated because she recommends using NutriSweet/Sweet-N-Low, no tofu or soy milk (there is an exception if you are a strict vegetarian), eliminating carrots, bananas, yams, winter squashes (she says they are too high in starches which turn into sugar, then fat).
She does indicate other foods that offer similar vitamins in their place, but some of those eliminated were my favorites. If a person eats pasta, their meal should be combined with veggies NOT a meat. If you eat meat, have it with veggies, no bread. And there are time restrictions as to when to eat fruit. It depends on if you are eating meat (protein) or not. Makes sense to me.
For me, I'm not as concerned with loosing weight as with eating more healthy foods and practically eliminating meat (zero hormone injected meat) and no hormone injected dairy products. I will now be more aware of the food combos I prepare and order thanks to this book. There are some neat recipes that I intend to try, too.
August 10, 2014
A good read. Eating style makes sense to me -- especially after reading Trim Healthy Mama. Can't wait to try a bunch of the recipes as they work great for my way of eating.
February 22, 2020
Read this approx 1999. I lost 35 pounds and have kept it off for 20 years plus . This book was a life changer for me for sure. My mom Bought for me on a whim with no expectations whatsoever.
October 20, 2022
Interesting book. Some good recipes.
October 21, 2012
I think it's a solid way to eat and the recipes are delicious. The ingredients for each recipe are easy to find in your neighborhood grocery store, not like other cookbooks that use specialty store ingredients. I haven't followed her diet directly, but I apply some aspects of her logic to eating at various times.
October 3, 2011
Picked this up again after several years, wanting to eat in a way that will not combine carbs with proteins/fat... a few good recipes, and information that describes the science behind not combining and not having to eliminate a food group in order to lose weight while eating great.
December 7, 2013
Lots of great recipes. Clear and well-written overview of the author's no-carb and combo plan. It's really helpful to have this book if you're doing a no or low carb diet. Fast-paced and fun to read.
November 1, 2013 Lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks!
December 6, 2013 Lost 20 pounds so far
November 1, 2013 Lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks!
December 6, 2013 Lost 20 pounds so far
June 23, 2008
I really felt great (and lost weight) when I ate following her guide. So it's a mystery why I still don't do so! Sigh. :)
May 3, 2011
I don't follow her system, but there are some tasty recipes.
September 14, 2011
The ideas in this book have helped me lose pounds and it's my go-to way of eating when the jeans start to get a little snug.
February 20, 2013
This book has a lot of good information but it lacked photographs.
July 4, 2014
not reinventing the wheel: still the book has some points worth considering and a couple of recipes that can provide a nice distraction from the usual "diet" stuff.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews