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The Whole Body Reset: Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum Health & a Body You'll Love at Midlife and Beyond
New York Times Bestseller Stop—and even reverse!—age-related weight gain and muscle loss with the first-ever weight-loss plan specifically designed to shrink your belly, extend your life, and create your healthiest self at mid-life and beyond.You don’t have to gain weight as you age. That’s the simple yet revolutionary promise of The Whole Body Reset, which uncovers why standard diet and exercise advice stops working for us as we approach midlife—and reveals how simple changes to the way we eat can halt, and even reverse, age-related weight gain and muscle loss. The Whole Body Reset presents stunning new evidence about the power of “protein timing” for people at midlife—research that blows away current government guidelines, refutes the myth of slowing metabolisms and “inevitable” weight gain, and changes the way people in their mid-forties and older should think about food. The Whole Body Reset explains in simple, inspiring terms exactly how our bodies change with age, and how eating to accommodate those changes can make us respond to exercise as if we were twenty to thirty years younger. Developed by AARP, tested by a panel of more than 100 AARP employees, and approved by an international board of doctors, nutritionists, and fitness experts, The Whole Body Reset doesn’t use diet phases, eating windows, calorie restriction, or other trendy gimmicks. Its six simple secrets and scores of recipes are easy to follow, designed for real people living in the real world. A dining guide even shows how to follow this program in popular restaurants from McDonald’s to Starbucks to Olive Garden. And best of It works!
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2022
2262 people are currently reading
972 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
January 1, 2022
This took a whole lot of pages to basically say eat healthy foods, but add more protein at breakfast. This information was shared over and over. There were some good recipes at the end, though.
March 13, 2022
This book is primarily for people around 50 years old, trying to counteract the physical decline of aging - loss of muscle mass being given the most importance.
By following the Whole Body Reset, you are eating protein in the proper amounts during the day and avoiding the crash & burn of carb loading by forcing your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates to keep up a constant source of energy.
This approach is a little more reasonable than strictly limiting carbs altogether.
The recipes are very good and emphasize portion size and timing of meals.
A good rule of thumb is to make sure the amount of protein and fiber you consume at each meal is larger than the amount of sugar or carbohydrates.
This method of weight loss does not promote intermittent fasting, but does say to make your heaviest meals early in the day.
Drinking adequate amounts of water and exercise is of course, important, especially using weights, to build muscle.
I especially liked the kale smoothie recipe and use that for one of my meals.
I have not lost more than 5 - 6 lbs at this time, but the diet is for a 12 week period and I have only been following it for 4 weeks (with 1 week of vacation in between!) However, I wanted to post a review close to the publication date.
The Whole Body Reset method is not totally new or groundbreaking, but it does seem to be a sensible way to live a more healthy life.
I have reviewed a digital copy and will probably purchase a hardback version of this book so I can have easy access to the recipes.
By following the Whole Body Reset, you are eating protein in the proper amounts during the day and avoiding the crash & burn of carb loading by forcing your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates to keep up a constant source of energy.
This approach is a little more reasonable than strictly limiting carbs altogether.
The recipes are very good and emphasize portion size and timing of meals.
A good rule of thumb is to make sure the amount of protein and fiber you consume at each meal is larger than the amount of sugar or carbohydrates.
This method of weight loss does not promote intermittent fasting, but does say to make your heaviest meals early in the day.
Drinking adequate amounts of water and exercise is of course, important, especially using weights, to build muscle.
I especially liked the kale smoothie recipe and use that for one of my meals.
I have not lost more than 5 - 6 lbs at this time, but the diet is for a 12 week period and I have only been following it for 4 weeks (with 1 week of vacation in between!) However, I wanted to post a review close to the publication date.
The Whole Body Reset method is not totally new or groundbreaking, but it does seem to be a sensible way to live a more healthy life.
I have reviewed a digital copy and will probably purchase a hardback version of this book so I can have easy access to the recipes.
February 19, 2023
While not entirely new concepts, "The Whole Body Reset" did provide some good compass points for improving health in middle age and beyond. The first half of the book is based on scientific principle, while the latter focuses on recipes (many of which were appealing). I did find this probably would have stood just fine as a magazine article, as the underlying principles are simple and often repeated: • for women, eat at least 25g of protein per meal
• eat 5g of fiber per meal
• make sure your protein and fiber exceed your grams of carbs
• stack your protein heavier early in the day than later
The focus is on adding nutrients and activity rather than removing "bad" nutrients or habits, which can help many find a sustainable nutrition plan rather than feeling deprived.
• eat 5g of fiber per meal
• make sure your protein and fiber exceed your grams of carbs
• stack your protein heavier early in the day than later
The focus is on adding nutrients and activity rather than removing "bad" nutrients or habits, which can help many find a sustainable nutrition plan rather than feeling deprived.
August 8, 2022
A new way to look at dieting. I love the adding more in rather than cutting and depriving yourself.
March 12, 2022
Outstanding! This book offers a practical, evidence-based, and sustainable approach to nutrition for middle age and beyond. While it is targeted to those 50 and older (a demographic that has not historically been the focus of nutrition research), it is absolutely appropriate for those in their 40s. No special foods are required, and nothing is strictly prohibited (though, not surprisingly, surgery drinks, white bread, and fried potatoes are not recommended as part of your daily diet). Also, this approach is completely adaptable to any diet and lifestyle: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc. Here’s what’s different: New science shows that our metabolism does NOT slow down until about age 60, and even then the decrease each year is minimal (.07%). However, we don’t absorb or as efficiently use nutrients as we get older and this causes loss of muscle mass over time. Loss of muscle mass leads to weight gain (in particular, belly fat), which is correlated with loss of mobility, several chronic diseases, and premature death. Bottom line: You’ve got to preserve that muscle! To do that, it is important to eat at least 25 grams of protein (which helps to build and maintain muscle) at every meal—and, no, you cannot do as most Americans and just eat all that protein at the end of the day with dinner because the body cannot process more than about 30-40 grams at a time. You also need to eat at least 5 grams of fiber at each meal and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. And, you absolutely must do some form of resistance training, whether that be lifting weights or doing bodyweight-only exercises (e.g., yoga, pilates).
I started weight lifting a year ago and began following a nutrition plan similar to what’s presented in this book about 6 months ago and was able to lose all my COVID weight (between 10-15 pounds) and, at 43 years old, become the fittest I’ve ever been. However this book made me realize that I need to eat a bit more protein at each meal, and that I don’t always eat enough in general, so those are changes I have started to make, and I’m already noticing that I have more energy.
The only reason this book does not get 5 stars is that there is quite a bit of repetition. I’m certain that it is intentional, and it does help to cement the ideas presented in the book, but it also makes for somewhat clunky writing. 4.5 stars.
I started weight lifting a year ago and began following a nutrition plan similar to what’s presented in this book about 6 months ago and was able to lose all my COVID weight (between 10-15 pounds) and, at 43 years old, become the fittest I’ve ever been. However this book made me realize that I need to eat a bit more protein at each meal, and that I don’t always eat enough in general, so those are changes I have started to make, and I’m already noticing that I have more energy.
The only reason this book does not get 5 stars is that there is quite a bit of repetition. I’m certain that it is intentional, and it does help to cement the ideas presented in the book, but it also makes for somewhat clunky writing. 4.5 stars.
April 26, 2024
Good book addressing changes needed in diet and exercise for those 50+. It can be summarized as:
✅ Eat more protein
✅ Eat more fiber
✅ Eat more fruits & veggies
✅ Eat less (processed) sugar
✅ Move more
Most of this is fairly sensible diet and exercise recommendations. (I've done WW for years - lost a bunch (60-70 lbs) of weight in 2016-17, and most of their program encourages those principles.) This is focused on better aging and recommends specific diet tweaks as you age.
Eat more quality protein with each meal - 25 to 30 grams - as you age. It's important to get this incorporated with each meal, especially breakfast, to fuel optimal body functions. Top foods for this include fish / shellfish, eggs, poultry, nuts, and complete protein mixes of grains and legumes.
Eat fortified dairy foods 2-3 times a day. He does note that full fat dairy is fine and even cites evidence that those who eat full fat dairy have a reduced risk of obesity than those who mostly eat reduced fat or fat free.
Eat colorful fruits and veggies at every meal / snack. Try to get in a variety of plant foods - shoot for 30 different plants in your diet every week.
Aim for at least 5 grams of fiber with each meal.
Eat more healthy fats - especially dairy fats; omega-3 fatty acids; and fruit / nut oils (olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, etc)
Don't drink your calories / chemicals. Avoid sodas (regular or diet) and other high sugar drinks. Focus on water, unsweetened tea / coffee.
Exercise recommendations include strength / resistance training; cardio; HIIT; balance / stretching. He recommends a variety of movement each week and gives a variety of adaptations for beginners to experienced workouts.
For all of these, there are specific action steps recommendations to help you incorporate them into your life. He recommends balance and even gives tips for making better choices when you eat out. All in all, a good sensible book that can give you those last tweaks to ensure a healthy aging body for as long as possible.
✅ Eat more protein
✅ Eat more fiber
✅ Eat more fruits & veggies
✅ Eat less (processed) sugar
✅ Move more
Most of this is fairly sensible diet and exercise recommendations. (I've done WW for years - lost a bunch (60-70 lbs) of weight in 2016-17, and most of their program encourages those principles.) This is focused on better aging and recommends specific diet tweaks as you age.
Eat more quality protein with each meal - 25 to 30 grams - as you age. It's important to get this incorporated with each meal, especially breakfast, to fuel optimal body functions. Top foods for this include fish / shellfish, eggs, poultry, nuts, and complete protein mixes of grains and legumes.
Eat fortified dairy foods 2-3 times a day. He does note that full fat dairy is fine and even cites evidence that those who eat full fat dairy have a reduced risk of obesity than those who mostly eat reduced fat or fat free.
Eat colorful fruits and veggies at every meal / snack. Try to get in a variety of plant foods - shoot for 30 different plants in your diet every week.
Aim for at least 5 grams of fiber with each meal.
Eat more healthy fats - especially dairy fats; omega-3 fatty acids; and fruit / nut oils (olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, etc)
Don't drink your calories / chemicals. Avoid sodas (regular or diet) and other high sugar drinks. Focus on water, unsweetened tea / coffee.
Exercise recommendations include strength / resistance training; cardio; HIIT; balance / stretching. He recommends a variety of movement each week and gives a variety of adaptations for beginners to experienced workouts.
For all of these, there are specific action steps recommendations to help you incorporate them into your life. He recommends balance and even gives tips for making better choices when you eat out. All in all, a good sensible book that can give you those last tweaks to ensure a healthy aging body for as long as possible.
April 11, 2022
I don't know what I expected from this book developed by AARP. If you are over 50 and haven't read much on senior health and dietary issues it would be helpful. For the rest of us, there is little new information but it is synthesized well for others. The author compares some popular diets with this one which is based on protein timing. It includes many recipes, ways to evaluate the foods we eat, and what to select in stores and in specific popular restaurants. One chapter gives exercises for strength and balance. Action Steps pages at the end of some chapters invite the reader to set improvement plans.
December 20, 2022
Eat protein and fiber. Ta-da!
March 1, 2022
great book here is a link if you want to check on amazon https://amzn.to/3Hz7u5U
February 3, 2023
Meh, it was alright; I liked it enough to finish it. While there are probably a lot of people out there looking for good sound health and diet info who will find this book and its recommendations, recipes and meal plans educational and informative, most of it was stuff that I already knew and have read before. The author is an author and editor for the AARP Magazine as well as the “Eat This, Not That” (I love that column), which gives him some credibility about health and diet knowledge for older people (50+).
There is a lot of good info on how no matter how much you exercise or diet, once you hit your 50’s, your diet and exercise plan can actually work against you and the author explains why and what you can do to change that. As someone who discovered the Mediterranean diet back in my 20’s, when I became a vegetarian for many years, I learned what were the healthier choices when it came to veggies, carbs, fats and protein sources. I learned the value of “protein timing”, which is basically eating more protein earlier in the day. I also learned what healthy portion sizes where and the importance of portion control.
While I’m not a vegetarian anymore, I remain an advocate and practitioner of the Mediterranean diet to this day. I’ve also remained active for most of my life and still exercise regularly, with both cardio workouts and strength training. Unfortunately, I have also learned (the hard way) that my biggest diet weakness (gaining weight) as well as my greatest diet strength (losing weight) is directly tied to my ability to manage and control stress. Additionally, menopause has wreaked havoc on my body. I’m not alone in my difficulty in maintaining a healthy diet because of stress and menopause; a lot of women in their 50’s suffers from this. Unfortunately, neither of these topics warranted more than a brief mention in this book.
Like a lot of folks, the pandemic with its isolation and the stress of remote work took a toll on my life, work, health and my body. My stress levels were out of control. It wasn’t until last year, after a physical where I was told I was pre-diabetic because my A1C levels were higher than recommended for a woman my age, that I knew I needed to make some serious changes in my life. First, was to address my stress levels because I knew, from experience, that nothing else I could do would make a difference until I got that under control.
Today, my stress levels are sooo much better, as a result of instituting some non-negotiable work/life balance parameters. As for my A1C levels, that’s a whole other conversation for another day. After getting that diagnosis, I immersed myself in research on A1C levels (thank goodness, I LOVE to read). Suffice it to say that I was glad to see that the author did address the fact that the US dietary guidelines can, at times, be outdated and not cognizant on new studies and findings about certain types of diet, health and lifestyle choices. Yes, I am more cognizant of my sugar intake these days, however, I am not going to worry about my A1C levels that are just slightly higher than the “recommended” level for a woman in her 50’s. These recommended guidelines need some serious updating.
Once again, this is a good book for someone who doesn’t know what a healthy diet looks like. It’s also good at teaching people like that how to make healthier choices. For that, I would also recommend the author’s health column, “Eat This, Not That”.
There is a lot of good info on how no matter how much you exercise or diet, once you hit your 50’s, your diet and exercise plan can actually work against you and the author explains why and what you can do to change that. As someone who discovered the Mediterranean diet back in my 20’s, when I became a vegetarian for many years, I learned what were the healthier choices when it came to veggies, carbs, fats and protein sources. I learned the value of “protein timing”, which is basically eating more protein earlier in the day. I also learned what healthy portion sizes where and the importance of portion control.
While I’m not a vegetarian anymore, I remain an advocate and practitioner of the Mediterranean diet to this day. I’ve also remained active for most of my life and still exercise regularly, with both cardio workouts and strength training. Unfortunately, I have also learned (the hard way) that my biggest diet weakness (gaining weight) as well as my greatest diet strength (losing weight) is directly tied to my ability to manage and control stress. Additionally, menopause has wreaked havoc on my body. I’m not alone in my difficulty in maintaining a healthy diet because of stress and menopause; a lot of women in their 50’s suffers from this. Unfortunately, neither of these topics warranted more than a brief mention in this book.
Like a lot of folks, the pandemic with its isolation and the stress of remote work took a toll on my life, work, health and my body. My stress levels were out of control. It wasn’t until last year, after a physical where I was told I was pre-diabetic because my A1C levels were higher than recommended for a woman my age, that I knew I needed to make some serious changes in my life. First, was to address my stress levels because I knew, from experience, that nothing else I could do would make a difference until I got that under control.
Today, my stress levels are sooo much better, as a result of instituting some non-negotiable work/life balance parameters. As for my A1C levels, that’s a whole other conversation for another day. After getting that diagnosis, I immersed myself in research on A1C levels (thank goodness, I LOVE to read). Suffice it to say that I was glad to see that the author did address the fact that the US dietary guidelines can, at times, be outdated and not cognizant on new studies and findings about certain types of diet, health and lifestyle choices. Yes, I am more cognizant of my sugar intake these days, however, I am not going to worry about my A1C levels that are just slightly higher than the “recommended” level for a woman in her 50’s. These recommended guidelines need some serious updating.
Once again, this is a good book for someone who doesn’t know what a healthy diet looks like. It’s also good at teaching people like that how to make healthier choices. For that, I would also recommend the author’s health column, “Eat This, Not That”.
May 17, 2022
Book rather disorganized structurally....felt like it hopped around a lot. However, I did pick up some ideas to try for managing weight when older. I will be paying more attention to how much protein I get at breakfast and monitoring my fiber each day.
July 10, 2022
I recently finished the https://flipthischick.com/ program, a transformation program that is similar to The Whole Body Reset. The book gives great advice and confirmed what Alicia teaches.
January 29, 2023
It makes a few good points but is repetitive
The Whole Body Reset makes the case that your nutritional needs change after 50 and as such, your eating patterns should change as well. The book is very specific as to what that should look like, no fad diets here, basically Mediterranean eating with a focus on spreading out protein intake throughout the day, and making sure to eat plenty of fiber and nutrients. Nothing to argue with here.
The writing style is distractingly repetitive and doesn't add anything after a while. The recipes were nice but not that compelling. The exercise descriptions were basically useless without pictures, there are many better ways (videos) to learn the same thing.
Worth a read (or a skim) if you want some reinforcement to take up healthier eating habits.
The Whole Body Reset makes the case that your nutritional needs change after 50 and as such, your eating patterns should change as well. The book is very specific as to what that should look like, no fad diets here, basically Mediterranean eating with a focus on spreading out protein intake throughout the day, and making sure to eat plenty of fiber and nutrients. Nothing to argue with here.
The writing style is distractingly repetitive and doesn't add anything after a while. The recipes were nice but not that compelling. The exercise descriptions were basically useless without pictures, there are many better ways (videos) to learn the same thing.
Worth a read (or a skim) if you want some reinforcement to take up healthier eating habits.
March 16, 2023
First, this is not a diet book. It is a book that teaches us how to eat through midlife and beyond. There's a lot of info about how to stop losing muscle as we age, through simple food choices. I found the info to be straightforward and explained in a way that made sense to me. As a person who has NOT eaten healthy my entire life, I have already made some changes in my food choices. After checking it out from library, I plan to buy my own copy. I am also impressed with the authors' education and experience in this field, and that it's recommended thru AARP.
March 19, 2022
This is not a weight-loss book. These are guidelines for getting the nutrition we need as we get older. Lots of information on what to eat and how to
Incorporate it into your life. Highly recommended.
Incorporate it into your life. Highly recommended.
June 15, 2022
Protein, protein, protein! That is the theme of the book. We don't eat enough of it, especially at breakfast. (And we should eat more fiber, too.) The author explains how these needs change as we age and offers research and recipes as well.
June 7, 2022
Listened to this and it constantly mentioned PDFs for more information yet there were NO PDFs included. Very disappointed.
August 9, 2022
"The Whole Body Reset: Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum Health and a Body You'll Love at Midlife and Beyond" was referenced in a webinar that I took. I looked it up and ordered it. I found the book to be revolutionary for me! If anything, it has generated a lot of discussion with friends and family. My husband bought his own copy of the book, and several others in my sphere have ordered and read the book.
Author Stephen Perrine (with Heidi Skolnik) focuses here on a healthy lifestyle for those fifty and over. AND the lifestyle that he lays out here is based on RESEARCH done with those fifty and over. This is something that we rarely see or read about in the media. Healthy lifestyle recommendations often are really for those younger than fifty. Our bodies and needs change as we age. Duh!
"The Whole Body Reset" focuses on the following:
- increasing daily protein intake (25g. per meal for females)
- increasing dairy intake
- eating colorful fruits and vegetables (30 different fruits and vegetables per week)
- increasing daily fiber intake (5g. per meal)
- eating more healthy fats
- not drinking calories
Takeaways:
1. This is a lifestyle, not a DIET - no counting calories, no measuring portions, no recording food (though these might be good things to do if you're having trouble getting started, or not making the progress you'd like) - no incessant weighing of oneself...
2. Perrine's work is well-supported with research, and that research was actually done with subjects who are 50 and over!
3. This is so doable! Even after making minor changes for a few weeks, I feel better! The idea of eating breakfast and including lots of healthy protein at breakfast was an area where I really needed work.
4. The book recognizes those who are vegetarian, vegan, etc. Personally, I have a dairy allergy. Though this is mentioned, I wish that more time had been spent on how to incorporate more protein (especially at breakfast) for those with allergy issues. Dairy is an easy source of healthy protein, but not all of us can make use of this.
5. Over 100 pages of the book are dedicated to recipes that incorporate the "Whole Body Reset" philosophy - excellent!
I highly, highly recommend this book for those of us who are of a certain age!!! It really has changed the way we eat and live in our household.
Author Stephen Perrine (with Heidi Skolnik) focuses here on a healthy lifestyle for those fifty and over. AND the lifestyle that he lays out here is based on RESEARCH done with those fifty and over. This is something that we rarely see or read about in the media. Healthy lifestyle recommendations often are really for those younger than fifty. Our bodies and needs change as we age. Duh!
"The Whole Body Reset" focuses on the following:
- increasing daily protein intake (25g. per meal for females)
- increasing dairy intake
- eating colorful fruits and vegetables (30 different fruits and vegetables per week)
- increasing daily fiber intake (5g. per meal)
- eating more healthy fats
- not drinking calories
Takeaways:
1. This is a lifestyle, not a DIET - no counting calories, no measuring portions, no recording food (though these might be good things to do if you're having trouble getting started, or not making the progress you'd like) - no incessant weighing of oneself...
2. Perrine's work is well-supported with research, and that research was actually done with subjects who are 50 and over!
3. This is so doable! Even after making minor changes for a few weeks, I feel better! The idea of eating breakfast and including lots of healthy protein at breakfast was an area where I really needed work.
4. The book recognizes those who are vegetarian, vegan, etc. Personally, I have a dairy allergy. Though this is mentioned, I wish that more time had been spent on how to incorporate more protein (especially at breakfast) for those with allergy issues. Dairy is an easy source of healthy protein, but not all of us can make use of this.
5. Over 100 pages of the book are dedicated to recipes that incorporate the "Whole Body Reset" philosophy - excellent!
I highly, highly recommend this book for those of us who are of a certain age!!! It really has changed the way we eat and live in our household.
January 20, 2023
Whole Body Reset is perhaps an overstatement. The point isn’t to lose weight, but to avoid losing muscle as we age. It’s targeted towards so-called elders, many of whom are younger than me these days. Anyway, I like the protein-loading-in-the-morning idea. It does cut down hunger later in the day. The book’s whole point is protein loading, with a side of fiber from veggies. This is good advice, but incomplete for maximum health.
The book de-emphasizes aerobic/cardio workouts in favor of a bit of strength training. In my experience, cardio movements keep the body flexible and increase stamina. Walking is an important skill to maintain! The exercises suggested are easy to do, and there are few of them. But from my experience, other exercises are needed to maintain muscular strength, for example a triceps stretch with weights, and Pilates style movements for core strength.
Overall, I found the dietary information useful. A few of the recipes look good, though I haven’t tried them. I have put the “add protein” idea to use in my own cooking. Hopefully I’m maintaining my muscles, because I did not lose weight! (Nor did I gain.)
Overall 4 stars (really liked it) for quality of dietary information and practical protein-building ideas. Especially the charts quantifying the amounts of protein and fiber in best food sources. But I’d look elsewhere for the important exercise component to maintain and build muscle strength.
The book de-emphasizes aerobic/cardio workouts in favor of a bit of strength training. In my experience, cardio movements keep the body flexible and increase stamina. Walking is an important skill to maintain! The exercises suggested are easy to do, and there are few of them. But from my experience, other exercises are needed to maintain muscular strength, for example a triceps stretch with weights, and Pilates style movements for core strength.
Overall, I found the dietary information useful. A few of the recipes look good, though I haven’t tried them. I have put the “add protein” idea to use in my own cooking. Hopefully I’m maintaining my muscles, because I did not lose weight! (Nor did I gain.)
Overall 4 stars (really liked it) for quality of dietary information and practical protein-building ideas. Especially the charts quantifying the amounts of protein and fiber in best food sources. But I’d look elsewhere for the important exercise component to maintain and build muscle strength.
January 27, 2024
A practical guide to understanding what and how to eat in midlife and beyond to live longer, healthier, and leaner. This isn’t a diet so much as it is a way to eat and nourish our bodies as we age and the WHY behind it, which I really appreciated.
July 10, 2022
A very interesting and seemingly practical way to change the way we eat. Recipes, restaurant information, nutritional information as well as tips and troubleshooting strategies are included. This whole body reset concept makes sense to me.
August 9, 2022
One of the best health/diet books I have read. Practical advice. Doable actions. This was tested by an AARP study and is geared toward older adults. A book I will refer to again and again.
June 11, 2023
Interesting perspective on how our nutritional needs change as we age.
July 4, 2023
Lots of great information in this book to eating healthy. Taking notes was a great idea. It’s the kind of book you may want to purchase. So glad it was recommended to me. May borrow it again from the library. Really enjoyed!
February 25, 2022
Breezy, fun tone; science seems reasonable. I’ve only read it, though—haven’t tried out what it says. If the recommendations pan out, I’ll come back and re-review (I pinky-swear!).
July 14, 2022
** This review was written years after the book had been read. Instead of writing immediately after the reading, some contents may be recalled inaccurately. Date started and date finished are approximate for reference. **
"Weight loss", "Midlife" and most importantly "Flat Belly" have caught my attention to save and read this book. Based on my understanding, it is very difficult to lose weight on a specific part of the body. The closest approach is to train and tone up specific body part or muscle. However, I do not find any information useful or convincing to achieve a flat belly. The counter argument probably pinpoints due to my unwillingness to try the diet plan or the way of living suggested by the book. In contrast, without much convincing argument or evidence, I am not convinced to give a try.
Most contents in the book are not something novel or new to me. Eating and living healthily are keys to achieve good health. However, I do not find its findings or suggestions novel enough to lead to a reset to one's whole body. To me, reset indicates something so novel or intrinsically different to restart or refresh our way of life and our physical body. Eating non-processed food, lean protein, low GI carbo, fat with fatty acid ... have been embedded into our mind (though it is another matter when embedding into our lifestyle).
Still, there are a few points noteworthy including the generic approach of cutting down calories intake to achieve weight-loss without sufficient in-take of quality protein. This approach helps reducing our weight as well as our muscle which is already in the process of losing during mid-age. Muscle is key to our physical strength and fat burning rate. Our aim should focus specifically on reducing fat instead of muscle in our body to achieve ideal figures and weight.
Another point is the harm caused by belly fat on our body. It is a vicious circle of poor diet and living style leading to generation and accumulation of belly fat which causes inflammation to our body and further deterioration to our ill-health. Somehow, I also have some hesitation to this argument as fat also accumulates in different parts of our body e.g. chest, limbs and bottom. Body fat (especially too much of them) certainly causes harm to our health. Most probably, the author wants us to focus on a flat belly and thus mentions this part of body fat most throughout the book.
This book offers a bit of insight on what we should pay attention to when losing weight at mid-age. However, do not expect lots of unknown or innovative information in particular on achieving a flat belly.
"Weight loss", "Midlife" and most importantly "Flat Belly" have caught my attention to save and read this book. Based on my understanding, it is very difficult to lose weight on a specific part of the body. The closest approach is to train and tone up specific body part or muscle. However, I do not find any information useful or convincing to achieve a flat belly. The counter argument probably pinpoints due to my unwillingness to try the diet plan or the way of living suggested by the book. In contrast, without much convincing argument or evidence, I am not convinced to give a try.
Most contents in the book are not something novel or new to me. Eating and living healthily are keys to achieve good health. However, I do not find its findings or suggestions novel enough to lead to a reset to one's whole body. To me, reset indicates something so novel or intrinsically different to restart or refresh our way of life and our physical body. Eating non-processed food, lean protein, low GI carbo, fat with fatty acid ... have been embedded into our mind (though it is another matter when embedding into our lifestyle).
Still, there are a few points noteworthy including the generic approach of cutting down calories intake to achieve weight-loss without sufficient in-take of quality protein. This approach helps reducing our weight as well as our muscle which is already in the process of losing during mid-age. Muscle is key to our physical strength and fat burning rate. Our aim should focus specifically on reducing fat instead of muscle in our body to achieve ideal figures and weight.
Another point is the harm caused by belly fat on our body. It is a vicious circle of poor diet and living style leading to generation and accumulation of belly fat which causes inflammation to our body and further deterioration to our ill-health. Somehow, I also have some hesitation to this argument as fat also accumulates in different parts of our body e.g. chest, limbs and bottom. Body fat (especially too much of them) certainly causes harm to our health. Most probably, the author wants us to focus on a flat belly and thus mentions this part of body fat most throughout the book.
This book offers a bit of insight on what we should pay attention to when losing weight at mid-age. However, do not expect lots of unknown or innovative information in particular on achieving a flat belly.
August 14, 2022
As I generally do with this type of book, I give it 3 stars because I do not have the expertise to judge its nutritional accuracy. Developed, tested, and highly promoted by AARP, its prime focus is to present not a diet, but a way of eating, specially designed for the over-fifty crowd. It promises to help avoid weight gain and promote healthy living, without gimmicks (phases, fasting, etc) and with few foods completely “off the table.” The emphasis is on protein (“protein-timing”) and fiber, spread throughout the day, and from a variety of sources (including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary options) in order to avoid muscle loss.
The book explains why the government’s dietary guidelines are not designed for the needs of older adults, and offers handy shopping and restaurant tips for making the most nutritional food choices. Also featured is a well-rounded exercise program that includes a combination of cardio, resistance, and high intensity interval training, with programs for beginner, intermediate, and advanced workout levels.
Overall, this is definitely an eating plan worth considering. Though I didn’t care for most of the recipes (or their 'punny' names), the food charts and the Q&A’s provided helpful information on meeting the target amounts of protein and fiber. Best of all, it recognizes the occasional need for “discretionary” eating (like birthday cake), and helps balance these with otherwise healthy eating.
The book explains why the government’s dietary guidelines are not designed for the needs of older adults, and offers handy shopping and restaurant tips for making the most nutritional food choices. Also featured is a well-rounded exercise program that includes a combination of cardio, resistance, and high intensity interval training, with programs for beginner, intermediate, and advanced workout levels.
Overall, this is definitely an eating plan worth considering. Though I didn’t care for most of the recipes (or their 'punny' names), the food charts and the Q&A’s provided helpful information on meeting the target amounts of protein and fiber. Best of all, it recognizes the occasional need for “discretionary” eating (like birthday cake), and helps balance these with otherwise healthy eating.
April 27, 2022
Reading a variety of diet books is fascinating because each author develops theories on what is right and what is wrong with our diet, what we should eat, what we should not eat, when we should eat, and when we should not. Each book is motivating, but it leaves the reader confused. What can I eat for optimum health?
When I read these books, I look for what they have in common and what the authors agree on and take it from there. The Whole Body Reset shares the same theories: stay away from refined sugar, processed foods, red meat cold cuts, the middle isles of the supermarkets, and eat more whole foods. Good, solid advice.
I liked this book because it focuses on a specific audience (those 50 and older), how to avoid muscle loss, a realistic exercise routine (including resistance training), solid nutrition guidelines, and it is liberal in regards to the type of foods we can eat. Thank you Mr. Perrine for not making me feel guilty each time I pick and eat a nightshade vegetable from my garden, including my peppers and tomatoes.
When I read these books, I look for what they have in common and what the authors agree on and take it from there. The Whole Body Reset shares the same theories: stay away from refined sugar, processed foods, red meat cold cuts, the middle isles of the supermarkets, and eat more whole foods. Good, solid advice.
I liked this book because it focuses on a specific audience (those 50 and older), how to avoid muscle loss, a realistic exercise routine (including resistance training), solid nutrition guidelines, and it is liberal in regards to the type of foods we can eat. Thank you Mr. Perrine for not making me feel guilty each time I pick and eat a nightshade vegetable from my garden, including my peppers and tomatoes.
February 8, 2023
My 1st recommendation for following the advice in this book, is to contact your physician and ensure that your kidneys can handle this level of protein. While I understand the need to have adequate protein, and to space it out for better absorption and utilization, I also recognize many older folks have less than perfectly functioning kidneys. (Retired nutrition professional)
Pros:
It's a fairly easy read
The explanations of other diet plans is decent
Advice to eat more whole grains and produce is excellent
Options for lean proteins and vegetarian sources are abundant
This can be done fairly well on a tighter budget.
Cons:
The book could be far shorter.
If a person who doesn't eat much fiber hit this too hard, too fast they might experience GI distress as they adapt
Sodium could be high if eating out too often
Exercise chapter not well done. No illustrations
E version is difficult to read. Charts are split between pages
No real consideration as to a person's size. I tried the principles for a week and was miserably full. I normally follow a DASH/Mediterranean style of eating, and it was simply too much food.
Pros:
It's a fairly easy read
The explanations of other diet plans is decent
Advice to eat more whole grains and produce is excellent
Options for lean proteins and vegetarian sources are abundant
This can be done fairly well on a tighter budget.
Cons:
The book could be far shorter.
If a person who doesn't eat much fiber hit this too hard, too fast they might experience GI distress as they adapt
Sodium could be high if eating out too often
Exercise chapter not well done. No illustrations
E version is difficult to read. Charts are split between pages
No real consideration as to a person's size. I tried the principles for a week and was miserably full. I normally follow a DASH/Mediterranean style of eating, and it was simply too much food.
March 19, 2022
I’m in my mid 60’s and trying to eat well and stay healthy. I’ve been incorporating more resistance training into my weekly routine and realized that I probably wasn’t getting enough protein. This book gave me some good tips on upping my protein and protein timing which I was not familiar with. The premise is pretty straight forward: spread your protein out through the day. Aim for at least 20 to 25g per meal for women which means don’t skip breakfast. Add in some protein rich snacks. That’s a major change for me. But so far I do feel better with more energy and less hunger later in the day. I am eating more than I used to on an average day but still slowly losing some excess weight. You also have to increase your fiber. The book is a bit repetitious in spots but it gets the message across. There is a short section on resistance training, some decent comparisons of this way of eating with the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet and others. I really only needed a few tweaks but I this gave the motivation I needed to make the changes.
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