Easiest read in a general LC Book?

[Baerdric]

I'm looking for a book that my in-laws can read, that doesn't have the word "Atkins" on the front, but is a more general description of the science behind low carb. Problem is, it has to be readable by an elderly woman who balks at "all that science stuff". So it can't be GCBC.

Plus, I will have to read it first, so I can't just read them all and decide for myself.

Any suggestions?

[Womb]

I was thinking that the information detailed on this particular page ( http://www.lowcarb.ca/atkins-diet-and-low-carb-plans/ ) might be worth looking over on their behalf. There might be clues within each definition that might give you an answer to your question? Some plans may not fit them as well as others depending on numerous factors. Maybe have them decide which sounds right to them personally?

[Baerdric]

Well, they're not really trying to choose a plan, it's just that they are interested but my SIL keeps turning it into an argument. But that's mostly because it's me. She is mad at me and won't let anything I say go unchallenged.

So if I could hand them a small book, which they could read when neither of us are there, then at least they would get the idea.

[doreen T]

Check out Jonny Bowden's Living the Low Carb Life (http://www.amazon.com/Living-Low-Carb-Life-Carbohydrate/dp/B00104I6YW/ref=sr_1_5/105-1919920-3673214?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209658532&sr=1-5). You'll notice there's 22 reviews posted on that page (amazon.com) and ALL of them are 5 stars :thup:.

The book reviews several of the more popular published LC plans, including Atkins, Carb Addicts etc, so it's basically just what you're looking for. The bonus is that Jonny is a good writer, he's clear and concise .. he has the ability to take a complicated subject, including scientific studies, and explain them in a way that's easy to grasp. He's also very motivational.

I have this book, and also his earlier book, Shape Up. Highly recommended :cool:


Doreen

[amandawald]

I'm looking for a book that my in-laws can read, that doesn't have the word "Atkins" on the front, but is a more general description of the science behind low carb. Problem is, it has to be readable by an elderly woman who balks at "all that science stuff". So it can't be GCBC.

Plus, I will have to read it first, so I can't just read them all and decide for myself.

Any suggestions?

I can wholeheartedly recommend "Natural Health and Weight Loss" by Barry Groves. Notice lack of the word "low-carb" in title! I found it very readable and it got me onto low-carbing straight away. I did order DANDR, but found it completely unreadable and stuck to the Barry Groves plan. It's not a whole lot different to the Protein Power Lifeplan (although they do scare you a bit, in my opinion: I felt I should race out to the Doc and get all sorts of levels checked and buy a million supplements). Barry Groves is British, but I hope that isn't a problem for you! Another book which is similar in terms of carb numbers is "Life Without Bread", but the English version is a pretty dry read.

All in all, I recommend Barry Groves. And get "The Great Cholesterol Con" by another Brit (a Scot) whilst you're at it! That is a bit more technical, but it makes great sense. But you have to have a taste for British sarcasm - he does lay it on a bit thick (I loved it, but then I'm British, too!).

And by the way, I've lost 5kg in 3 months since following the BG plan. Last year I tried it, but didn't reduce my beer consumption and that was a dead loss. Now I've seriously cut back on beer (this is criminal in Germany because they have very good bee here!) and feel a whole lot better, and a whole lot lighter!

Let me know what you buy and whether you liked the Groves' book, if you would.

amanda

[Mama Lu]

There are a couple of on-line physician blogs that promote lower-carb eating. Although they will only go so far as to talk about severely limiting carbs, they're very good at interpreting studies (using very clear language) that point out the damage that carbs can cause. One is William Davis of The Heart Scan Blog (http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/cheerios-and-heart-health.html) who has success in unblocking arteries with fish oil, niacin, and vitamin D and is highly critical of pharmaceutical companies, stents and by-passes, and refined carbs (the link leads to his Cheerios entry). The other is a British physician, John Briffa (http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2008/04/25/review-details-why-many-carbs-arent-harmless-for-the-heart/), who writes newspaper columns on health. I've linked to an interesting entry on an article in a journal called Current Atherosclerosis Reports that describes how carbs cause cardiovascular disease.

They might be more credible since their messages aren't exclusively about low-carb eating.

[Korban]

I like Barry Groves Book (http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Health-Weight-Barry-Groves/dp/1905140150/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211125561&sr=8-1) too Natural Health and Weight Loss. It is enormously readable, published in 2007 and 5 star with only 6 reviews on Amazon. I have not read DoreenT's recommendation of Living the Low Carb Life so can't say anything about it except that she only has over 26,000 more posts than I have...

I think I may run out and get Living the Low Carb Life...:)

/smile