In How The Rich Get Thin, Jana Klauer, M.D. tells us how she helps her Park Avenue, upper crust clientele lose weight. Actually, wer'e told via the subtitle that Dr. Klauer is going to reveal the “secrets” to losing weight and feeling great. In case you’ve missed the memo, there are no “secrets “ to losing weight and anyone who tells you differently is not being honest.
Most diet and exercise books follow the same basic outline and – for the most part – most of these books actually contain the same information.
What you find in these books – and what people pay for - are chapters that give you information that can be found for free in many other places, the Internet, magazines, library books, etc. For example, physiological/biological information is what it is. Think “text book stuff” or “glossary.” There’s very little “personalization” with regards to this info.
Once you get beyond the science of the body, other chapters in these books contain info that is more personal to the authors' program. Habits, techniques, exercise recommendations and recipes are all examples of the more “personal” elements.
Oh, and there are the anecdotal “success stories.” These stories are meant to “prove” the author’s point. They are the author’s way of saying, “See these people did it, so what I’m telling you is right and good and you should buy into it.”
There’s an old saying about excuses, and how they are like a certain orifice that everyone has. This saying applies to these “success stories.” In case you don’t know the saying, it ends with “…they all stink and everyone has one.” The huge problem is – when it comes to diet and exercise books - anecdotal evidence doesn’t count for too much.
After all of this information – most of which is available elsewhere for free – there are usually 15-20 pages, or a chapter or two, where an author really makes their case. These are the pages where the author tells us the true nature of their program, or why their program is different/better/more efficient than the rest.
From my perspective as a fitness professional/reviewer, this is where the gimmick lies.
You can measure the worth of How The Rich Get Thin by looking at the 15 pages that make up Chapter 3, entitled “Calcium – The Miracle Mineral.”
Article comments
1 - Dick Hanneman
Your description of the role of salt reduction on the effectiveness of the DASH Diet is just plain wrong. Correcting mineral deficiencies in DASH -- while holding sodium (salt) constant -- made the difference; reducing salt added nothing in six of the eight subgroups: if you are an older, overweight African-American, salt restriction added some BP benefit (but not necessarily a reduced rate of heart attacks). Consider two facts: With sodium constant at near-normal levels, those with high blood pressure who followed the DASH Diet cut their systolic blood pressure (the important "top number") by 11.4 mmHg. By also cutting salt by 60% (never achieved in a free-living population), the hypertensive subgroup reduced SBP by 11.5 mmHg. So, 11.4 mmHg was the "DASH effect" and 0.1 mmHg was the "salt effect." 'Nuff said.
For more see the Salt Institute's Salt and Health website: http://www.saltinstitute.org/28.html.
Dick Hanneman
President
Salt Institute
2 - sal m
Mr Hanneman:
Perhaps you need to reread what I wrote and the DASH introduction.
Here is what the DASH intro says,
"Recently, two studies showed that blood pressure can be lowered by following a particular eating plan...and reducing the amount of sodium consumed...the combination of the eating plan and a reduced sodium intake gives the biggest benefit and may help prevent the development of high blood pressure."
If you object to the findings of DASH don't waste your time here. Whether or not your industry agrees with the findings matters not one bit to me, but if you disagree go bother the people who did the DASH study.
I used DASH because the author of this book intimates that somehow this study found that calcium had a direct role in lowering blood pressure, not because I am promoting DASH in particular or a low sodium diet.
3 - Angela Groninger
Maybe some of the information contained in Dr. Klauer book can be found online for free, but as a person who has gained and lost probably hundreds of pounds, I find her program and tips quite encouraging. Yes, some of it is condesending, but no doubt, as a women who likes to eat, I've found a loss in my normal cravings and do feel satisfied with her diet. The elimination of "white" foods and lowering empty carbs is awesome. Sure this diet caters to people who can eat less and eat well, so may not be for everyone. It works for me. I feel great and am losing weight. I've tried Weight Watchers and actually GAINED weight...go figure.
4 - Melaine Hruska
I myself am a scientist and have found some issues with the books claims. But there is a message in the book that I do not feel is unhealthy or dangerous! The book is a great motivational tool. I have used it in my weight loss goals and found myself to have more energy than ever, many of my health issues, such as skin and general allergies, subsided. Now, way is this? Because I took the message of eating smaller portions, eating food that American’s have cut completely out of our diet, deceasing things in our diets that are harmful such has high amounts of fats and breads, and drinking the daily amount of water, not soda, sports drinks or even infused fruit waters. Also, getting up and exercising! None of it I find harmful, unless you take it to the extreme! That is true for any diet and why you should consult a doctor before starting a diet/exercise plan.
As for “Starving” on this plan, from my experience I was more filled than I had ever been and for longer! My cravings for fast food and quick fix caffeine drinks diminished over time and I felt great. When ever I did try to start a “FAD” diet that’s when I starved, still not seeing result and consuming twice as many calories! But this is a personal experience! I did ease back into eating small amount of wheat enriched foods but never to the excess that I did! This book offers motivation, encouragement, and a starting point. A starting point to reevaluate what we put in our body’s as American’s and individuals.
5 - Lourdesee
I have done very well on this diet. It really isnt a diet at all. It is eating Healthy foods vs. crap. I too have been on weightwatchers and didnt do as well as Im doing. I have never ever had a sugar low and Am now down from 2500 of metformin..for diabetes to 1000 mg. That is awesome. I do exercise and eat well and never hungry. So I dont care why you dont think this is enough calories its great for me and Ive never felt better.....
6 - Lourdesee
Sorry...I forgot to mention...Take some kind of fiber with this diet...This way is eating is the only thing this diet is lacking is fiber.....
7 - Erin
Started this diet plan yesterday and am off it today. I felt full all day but had an awful headache and mood swings all day and into the evening. Sure it'd probably go away after the Jumpstart or something but I have a job and a one year old, this is not the ideal diet for me.
8 - Lourdesee
Still on this way of eating and down 65 lbs. I have tried every diet and its the only one that I have done well. My Blood sugar is great, I still walk and try and eat well always. I sometimes have to eat cookies or pizza, just not every day.
9 - Alaina
i usually skim diet books to see what they are trying to get to. i did the same with this one. first thing, part of the program is exercising for an hour a day, first thing in the morning. that's excellent advice that should be common sense. but it isn't. second thing, drinking a bunch of water throughout the day. again, should be common sense. but it isn't. eating only small portions BUT eating throughout the day. these portions consisting of whole foods that haven't been processed beyond recognition. getting more spinach in your diet, or broccoli or a cup of yogurt and cutting back on sugar. all of these things should be common sense. but they aren't. this book is a way of getting past our upbringing as a child so we don't know that food is for fuel, not comfort. and some foods really AREN'T food.
to sum it up, this book is informative and i've never felt better. it was a motivator. it's not "new" information, but maybe it is.
10 - Anton
I started this diet in May 2007 in combination with 5 gym sessions a week and by December that year I lost almost 40 kilos. I was initially a whooping 123 kg and came down to 85kg -- from a waist size of 46 to 32.
I take issue with most of the criticisms. I found this diet aspirational and made me feel good about myself and began to look at my body with admiration. For the first time in my life I gained an interest in fashion, started wearing skinny trousers and slim fit shirts and felt great as a result.
The book has valuable principles to remember, such as "if you don't know what's in it dont eat it". These are things that make you choosier about the food one consumes - cleaner and healthier things.
I found the addition of calcium in my diet made me feel great, more satisfied and my skin looked radiant.
Friends told me that I looked 10 years younger.
One of the downsides of the diet -- I think -- is that the low calorie count made me sometimes light headed. As my work is mostly intellectual, one shouldn't play with key things like glucose (the brain's food) and I wonder if this diet might have a weakness in this regard.
Regrettably I was not able to keep the weight off for long. I succeeded in staying in a very enjoyable (and skinny!) plateau for about a year, and gradually I began to pile up the pounds again - albeit slowly, and I'm now back at a rather unhappy 114 kg. I feel that I took my eye off the ball with the alcohol particularly and have lifted any restrictions on starchy foods.
I am going to go back to the method and loose weight again - hopefully to keep it off for good!
11 - Marie
What is missing from your commentary is that this book offers a broad range of summary information covering why & how foods contribute to better skin and health, not just weight loss. It also gives a nice list of supplements you can take, and explains how your body needs them. I have read many 'diet books' and this is the first to put all of this information together. Incidentally, I have had high blood pressure for years, and am not overweight, so I was surprised to 'learn' of Dr. Klauer's recommendation of the Calcium to lower blood pressure. Since meds, lower salt, and exercise have not lowered my BP, I may try the CA supplements!