Real Food Has Curves: How to Get Off Processed Food, Lose Weight, and Love What You Eat

by Bruce Weinstein, Mark Scarbrough

CURVE YOUR APPETITE. Dumping the fake stuff and relishing real food will make you feel better, help you drop pounds, and most importantly, take all the fear out of what you eat. Does that sound too good to be true? It isn’t—despite the fact that lately we’ve given up ripe vegetables for the canned stuff; tossed out sweet, tart orange juice for pasteurized concentrate; traded fresh fish for boil-in-a-bag dinners; and replaced real desserts with supersweet snacks that make us feel ridiculously overfed but definitely disappointed. The result? Most of us are overweight or obese—or heading that way; more and more of us suffer from diabetes, clogged arteries, and even bad knees. We eat too much of the fake stuff, yet we’re still hungry. And not satisfied. Who hasn’t tried to change all that? Who hasn’t walked into a supermarket and thought, I’m going to eat better from now on? So you load your cart with whole-grain crackers, fish fillets, and asparagus. Sure, you have a few barely satisfying meals before you think, Hey, life’s too short for this! And soon enough, you’re back to square one. For real change, you need a real plan. It’s in your hands. Real Food Has Curves is a fun and ultimately rewarding seven-step journey to rediscover the basic pleasure of fresh, well-prepared natural curvy, voluptuous, juicy, sweet, savory. And yes, scrumptious, too. In these simple steps—each with its own easy, delicious recipes—you’ll learn to become a better shopper, savor your meals, and eat your way to a better you. Yes, you’ll drop pounds. But you won’t be counting calories. Instead, you’ll learn to celebrate the abundance all around. It’s time to realize that food is not the enemy but a life-sustaining gift. It’s time to get off the processed and packaged merry-go-round. It’s time to be satisfied, nourished, thinner, and above all, happier. It’s time for real food.Shape your waist, rediscover real food, and find new pleasure in every meal as Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough teach you how • Eat to be satisfied• Recognize the fake and kick it to the curb• Learn to relish the big flavors you’d forgotten• Get healthier and thinner • Save money and time in your food budget• Decode the lies of deprivation diets• Relish every minute, every bite, and all of lifeREAL FOOD. REAL CHANGE. REAL EASY.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Health, Cookbooks, Cooking

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough are QVC favorites with five sell-out appearances. They've appeared on everything from the Today show to corporate-sponsored events, making ice cream, gelati, sherberts, and sorbets. They're also experts on the desserts that pair with these frozen treats, having written bestselling brownie and cookie books and all-purpose cookbooks with desserts aplenty and countless features for Fine Cooking, Eating Well, and The Washington Post. Their cooking podcast, Cooking with Bruce and Mark, is available on iTunes. They've written numerous cookbooks, including A la Mode and The Turbo Blender Dessert Revolution (11/1/16). They live in Connecticut.

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much better than I expected and wasn't all just a rehash of the things we all already know about avoiding processed foods.

It shows you why eating real food is not difficult, and is certainly not a sacrifice and why the things you make using real ingredients will taste so much better and be far more satisfying. When your food is more satisfying, you'll eat less, the authors explain.

The book is also full of simple recipes, and lots of basic information abvout which oils to use and how to choose the best produce, how to avoid fake-foods full of chemicals and so on. The listing of foods into categories of real food, almost real food, barely real food and not real food was an excellent idea.

My only criticism is that the authors are still slightly tainted by the 'low-fat' and 'low-calorie' paradigm, which is unfortunate. (Low fat or no-fat milk or yogurt is not as good for you or as satisfying as full fat, and is full of awful milk powders. Cutting meat portions right down and adding more potatoes is also unlikely to be as satisfying, and there are imnportant nutrients to be gotten form meat as well.) Overall though I was happily surprised by how little these very popular but wrong ideas made an appearance, especially considering the authors' ties to Weight Watchers.

The book also avoids issues of food intolerance and other health related dietary restrictions, but then that is beyond what this book is trying to do - this book is more a starting point on the healthy diet path. It does one thing well, which is fair enough.

The authors clearly have a real passion for the topic but are not in the least annoyingly preachy.

If you're stuck in a processed food rut and lack the knowledge or even the motivation to change your ways this book could be just what you need.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a number of new things… We hear a lot about the using/getting more whole grains in our diets, and the horrors of high fructose corn syrup. This book goes beyond what's in the news and gets into greater depth on both grains and sugars - providing definitions and descriptions of the processes that create the products we see in the grocery store and on food labels. Additionally, they touch on some of the food additives, and what their alternate uses are – I don’t want to spoil the surprises, but check out pages 36-37 for an eye opener!

The authors emphasize that having more real food in our lives should be a process of continuous improvement – it’s not the all or nothing mentality that tends to come with traditional diets. They encourage us to move a little slower and make these changes a part of our life – to move toward more real food.

The humor is great! The recipes… I can’t wait to try! Happy eating!

[Kristine]

this book rang true as far as to the "sane-ness" of a plan.

The book is outlined as follows:
1. Learn the secrets to satisfaction
2.Make Informed Choices
3. Relish What You Eat
4. Detox your palate from useless salt, fat, and sugars
5.Take the Long View
6 upgrade your choices
7. treat yourself well.

Although none of the recipes really stood out to me, the overall ideas of the book are things I would like to embrace. One headline read "Real Meals to Help Us Forget Deprivation Diets" - don't forget to engage all of your senses in appreciating the complex flavors and the memories they invoke. Did you know that eating the same tired meals, you may miss the signs of being full, and just eat to eat and/or overeat. The book suggests getting past this by trying new things or making your plate have a great variety on it.

I could see reading this again when I get closer to my goal, because more of the recipes may resonate for me then!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well-researched and went beyond just the basic "eat more veggies" and "high fructose corn syrup is bad." Yes, those things are said in here, but there's much more to it.

Somehow Americans have lost their way in regards to the food we put in our bodies. Convenience has won out over nutrition and pleasure. Not only that, but we've fooled ourselves into thinking those convenience items taste good, when they really have very little complexity and are just pumped full of preservatives, salt, or sweeteners.

This book gives you a step-by-step process of how to rid yourself of those processed food, and has some great recipes as well.

[Anne]

Trying to join the wholesome food movement. Where does frozen pizza fit in?

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a diet book that teaches cooking as a fun part of life, not a chore, and definitely not something to feel guilty about! My grandmother, who cooked without a recipe book most of the time (perhaps she had a copy of the original BH&G) would have approved of the concepts of this book: sit down and enjoy your food with friends and family, eat more vegetables and avoid unhealthy snacks.
This book has a warm, joyful style that makes you want to cook something, but it's so well-written, I often just kept on reading. It has a lot of information on food additives, their purpose and what harm they might do. I found the descriptions of Real Food/Almost Real Food/Barely Real Food/Not Real Food informative and helpful. It has a whole chapter on detoxing your tastebuds from the salt, fat and sugar of the "not real food" you've been eating too much of. The real food recipes are delectable! I have made my own version of their breakfast musesli twice, the wholegrain waffle mix, and I have several dinners planned. But the best thing about this book is the good thoughts that fill it cover to cover: good food, good friends, good memories, just relax and cook together.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

There wasn’t anything “new” in this book (published 2010), but it never hurts to revisit healthy eating strategies. I have to say that the authors were quite entertaining, I caught myself chuckling out loud more than once. I especially liked the way they laid out real food, almost real food, barely food, not real food. Having that scale helps with the mom guilt of not preparing organic, made from scratch food every time my child is hungry. I would recommend for anyone just now getting into “real food” as a way of eating.

[Amanda Gallenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was also quite interesting; often times in direct contrast with the book Change Your Mind, Change Your Diet. While that author very much tauted a carnivore diet, the authors of this book really emphasize fruits and vegetables. Real food, in general. They have a much more balanced philosophy that I favored and I appreciated some of the recipes they included, as well.

[Go2therock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking for a book to give my daughters. As young women, ages 15 and 17, they are in the early throes of self-analysis. We all get there sooner or later. Unfortunately, this game of body comparison is so stacked against a girl ever establishing a positive and healthy self-image, it's worse than the tables at Vegas (not that I've ever been there, but it seemed like a good metaphor.)

In my search, what I've found is book after book that seems decidedly geared to feed those obsessions and distortions of a person's self image. Bottom line: here's how to lose weight - because of course you NEED to. So much is made of the growing rate of overweight children in our country, that virtually all of our girls think they fall into this category rather than the 85% of girls who are in a normal or even below normal weight group. Not only that, but all kinds of blucky counsel and "optimal" food recommendations are given like margarine, low-fat this, and skim-that. Are you kidding me? Parents, avoid these well-intentioned but misaligned guides in snappy book covers. God has a better plan, and it doesn't come from the USDA or FDA.

I'm only on page 21 and I'm already writing a pre-review. Does that tell you something? THIS is a book I can recommend to others, and even more importantly, give to my girls to read. Encouraged to seek whole foods, savor their goodness, revel in your senses as you eat, learn to listen to your body, be conscious, choose wisely, and understand from the beginning that you have the power to eat well.

And the BONUS (although it's not even presented as a bonus) is that all throughout the teaching, the author has liberally sprinkled excellent culinary advice and recipes to make this an education of experience.

I'm going to go ahead and give it 5 stars right now. If I don't come back and change this, you'll know: it deserves every one of 'em.

God's peace and glory.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't really a diet; it's a way of encouraging people to get back to eating 'real food'. Generally, when that happens and people make sensible choices, weight is lost. Also, it can add real enjoyment to our lives. The book is very easy to read, and both authors are very knowledgeable about food. The recipes don't provide calorie counts, but generally seem moderate. They're easy to follow and generally pretty easy to prepare, though many of them have more ingredients then I'd like for something that's supposed to be simple.

One of my favorite things was the efficiency/effort point they bring up. Like, how people eat prepared fish sticks because it's supposedly less expensive and quicker. They tested regular store-bought, wholesome store bought and homemade fish sticks. The homemade were the cheapest; the best tasting, and surprise! it only took 4 more minutes to make them than the cheap store-bought. It does require more effort, and they didn't really address that - how tired parents could find it draining to prepare a meal at the end of a long day. I liked the conclusions they drew, but the authors live a sort of charmed life - they're a couple that both work from home in the food industry, without children - and I thought they could have better addressed the psychological reasons people don't prepare food. They did a little - but then told us to sort of 'just do it'.

Worth reading - even skimming for the recipes alone - this would be a great way for most people to eat.

[Ruthie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous! I love that the authors (Mark the writer and Bruce the chef) recognized their own unhealthy eating and worked towards fixing it (the book is filled with short examples of their own experiences). This book gives practical advice with a note of humor, and there are several recipes to try out. I have already begun to make changes in my attitude as well as in my pantry. I spent an extra hour at the grocery story yesterday because I was reading labels. Making informed choices is exhilerating - and I was surprised at what I thought was healthy. This book breaks the transition off of unhealthy processed food into steps that make sense and are easy to follow. The authors also break down food into four categories (real food, almost real food, barely real food, and not real foood) - real food such as a whole peach, a potato, fresh pasta, etc. These categories make it easier to decide what to stay away from and what to eat in moderation and what foods to eat instead. They emphasize reading labels at every turn because we have to take charge of our own health. Another great aspect of this book is the encouragement to actually enjoy what we eat (savor). If we enjoy our food, we feel satisfied and full longer. I'm trying! I also made the decision today to get off fake-out sweeteners such as Splenda - yikes! Read this book if you're scared out of your wits about all the chemicals and mystery ingredients we ingest every day and all day.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because it actually had information that I didn't know. It really laid out the things that make foods "not real" food, or processed food. I feel like I have a much better grasp of what to look for when shopping, and I also understand more about how processed foods affect the body. The book promotes an appreciation for real food -- it urges you go stop and enjoy it. To quit eating on the run, quit eating junk and to learn to appreciate food.
This book is not about a "diet." It's about returning to a more wholesome way of eating. It's a way of eating that can easily be maintained because there really is no elimination of food groups -- unless you count junk food as a group. You can still have your dessert, as long as you make it from "real" foods and don't buy some preservative-laden product from the store.
The author's partner works in recipe development and there is some good info in this book about how food manufacturers change food. Kind of repulsive!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a diet book, although I suppose you could turn it into one. Weinstein and Scarbrough do a great job pointing out the differences between variations of a food that take it from real food to not so real food to almost food to yuck. It's not cheap and it's not the most convenient way to eat; in fact, they make the point that it's not a lack of time that causes people not to cook and eat well, it's a lack of effort. The recipes that I tried were quite good and not too time-consuming. You've heard a lot of what they say before, but they often make it funny and certainly make the case for turning off the tv, sitting down, and paying attention to what you're putting into your body.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. I have been talking about it all the time I have been reading it to everyone. It has many recipes, but what I find helpful is the information and how to look at food differently so you can eat better. Reading labels and putting all food in one of 4 categories between real food and not real food. The goal to get away from the not real food with preservatives and additives as much as you can. Getting back to the most basic form of the food and if not available, the next best. As well as cutting down on sugar, salt and fat. It's made me look at food in a new way and I think that will be a good thing.

[Danica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was pretty good. I like it more in theory than practice. I found myself thinking as I read a lot of the recipes, "don't have that tool," or "don't know how to do that." So I think it's a larger learning curve for an ordinary person as opposed to a chef. I also found that a lot of the ingredients are pretty expensive. So I love the idea of the book and would like to make some of the recipes, but I don't think it's very practical for me. Still, I very much appreciated the charts and information about real food versus fake food.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a person that struggles with weight, head aches and other problems, I have searched and searched for a non-diet that helps me acheive my goals. This book is wonderful at explaining how bad processed foods are and why you shoulf not count calories, but instead listen to your body and eat as much natural REAL food as possible. Have tried some of th suggestions and boy am I feeling good for the change. There are some nice recipes, but the information was exactly what I was looking for.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good companion to some of the other "real food" books I've read recently. This one takes us back to the basics - appreciating what we eat. The look, smell and feel of food, and taking the time to fully appreciate its taste. The book includes some wonderful charts. Too bad I checked it out from the library, as they would make a great reference.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought similar ideas as the Mediterreanean Diet -- essentially whole foods, less sweets, less junk and processed foods and a better you. I really enjoyed it. It seems a wonderful way to take back your life and appetite. Now, if they could do a version for my kids to get them off of chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, I'd be thrilled!

[Tanya]

I would like to try some of the recipes in this book. I liked the mantra about saying, "yes" to more vegetables. I have long encouraged this as a dietitian and getting back to less processed food is a message I've been touting (though not always practicing) for years, especially with kiddos in the house.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. Some interesting food for thought (omg, I wasn't going for a pun, don't judge me!), but pretty much like any other "non-diet" diet book out there. Eat better foods- I think we all know that, by now.

[Tana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some good advice and recipes. As with most books that promote "clean" eating, I find that it nearly impossible for me financially and time wise to feed my family of five a clean diet. I want to, but I can't afford it! But I guess every little bit helps, right?

[Dana Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really gets you thinking about what real food is, what it tastes like, how it's prepared and how little of it we actually ever eat. Very much motivates you to make positive changes to your diet without being preachy. Includes some flavorful yet simple recipes.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was a solid way to address the issue of eating. Instead of vilifying food or a food, it takes a good look at what we're eating and what is food and what isn't, as well as where we end up adding all kinds of sugar, salt and fat that we don't taste but makes us sick and/or fat.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the premise of the book was great. Thinking of food in a much more positive light. I was disappointed by the recipes, none of them called to me or felt like something I would add to my repertoire.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good refresher about nutrition and fueling your body with the right foods. Overall I liked it and have tagged a few recipes to make.

[Janis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book. It has really made me think about what is in the food I'm eating. Many of the recipes sound good but I have not tried any yet.

[Aspasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explains the true meaning of real food and fresh food. Full of simple ways to get off processed junk food that is consuming America.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, very engaging and might even make me want to cook again! Want to cut out all the junk in my diet anyway and this book is a good start.

[Pam H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just picked this book up and am excited to begin reading it!

[Hien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with good reciepes. I wished I bought the book to keep it as a reference.