Lightweight Eats

I had been eying this book for a few weeks when our roommate purchased a copy. After he mentioned a few interesting ideas from the book, I bought my own copy.

An incredibly quick read, I'd finished it only a few days later.

Like many dieters, the initial stages of my weight loss involved much more reading than doing. Still hoping for the easy way out, I read the pros and cons of just about every diet iteration out there, and a lot of general nutrition articles searching for that magic ingredient.

Of course, that magic ingredient was hard work, but in the meantime, I learned about a lot of the research presented in this book. While it was nice to have it all pieced together, I guess I had hoped once again to find some new magic ingredient.

Fitzgerald's approach is common sense, no nonsense. It's about fuelIng your body with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. Still, he manages to put a spin on the concept that makes you want to eat those foods.

Particularly interested was his discussion of determining the appropriate ratio of macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) based on your level of activity. While it certainly wasn't an exact science, it was a new approach.

Overall, I'd give this book a lukewarm recommendation. If you're an endurance athlete who has never dieted or considered your diet before, read it! For me, I would buy it again, but I expect it won't earn a coveted spot on the bookshelf--it will probably be passed along to a friend, teammate or relative.