Review: The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and Live Better by Jonathan Bailor

Summary
What if everything you thought you knew about weight loss was wrong?

When it comes to most things in life, we welcome research and progress. From the convenience of our smartphones to the technology in our hospitals, scientific advancement allows us to live better.

So why are we still following weight-loss advice from the 1950s? Why haven't we ever questioned the "calories in/calories out" model at the foundation of every diet and fitness plan—a formula that, not coincidentally, has accompanied record-breaking levels of obesity?

In The Calorie Myth, Jonathan Bailor exposes the fundamental flaw upon which the diet industry is built and offers a new equation:

eat More + exercise Less = weight loss

If calorie math added up, 100 calories of vegetables = 100 calories of candy. That doesn't seem right—because it's not. While some calories fuel weight loss, others work against us. In The Calorie Myth, Bailor shows us how eating more of the right kinds of foods and exercising less, but at a higher intensity, is the true formula for burning fat and boosting metabolism.

Why? Because eating high-quality foods, like whole-food plants, proteins, and fats, balances the hormones that regulate your metabolism. Eating poor-quality foods, like refined starches, sweets, and processed foods, causes a hormonal imbalance, throwing your metabolism off kilter and causing you to store food as fat—regardless of how many calories you consume.

In this revolutionary weight-loss program informed by more than 1,200 scientific studies, Bailor offers clear, comprehensive guidance on what to eat and why, providing an eating plan, recipes, and a simple yet effective exercise regimen.

Losing weight doesn't have to mean going hungry or spending hours at the gym. Don't let outdated calorie math stand between you and the life you want: discover the new science of weight loss with The Calorie Myth.

Review
This book couldn't have come at a better time. With this being the start of the New Year, many of you begin your year with your annual weight loss resolution. What always happens? You are determined to lose a designated amount of pounds but never reach it. Forget all those weight loss programs that you pay per meal or week that you sit down in a group and talk about food. Forget about spending money for a gym membership that you sign up with the intention to spend endless hours daily but will just end up being a yearlong donation. For those of you out there that gets tired of spending money on empty promises and killing yourself at the gym with minimal results that get you defeated. Once you read The Calorie Myth, it will change your perspective with the intention on setting realistic achievable goals rather than drastic measures that contribute to your yo yo lifestyle.

What is great about this book is that it wasn't written by a celebrity or highlighting some new diet with unrealistic goal loss. It was written by someone who understands how the physical body works and what is needed to create prolonged optimal health. I’m not one that would ever endorse or recommend any weight loss or diet book but I was really impressed with the information provided in the book.  Very well researched and supported by science rather than opinions, it really educates you to shift your motivations from chasing a number to a healthier lifestyle.

The book is divided into three sections that are comprehensive and informative filled with educational material about food and how we use it, exercise goals that give you results, recipes that promote a healthier body and a resourceful appendix. This book isn't about making promises but giving the reader a program that focuses on the type of food rather that how much with the intention on long term success rather than quick fixes. It really dives into debunking The Calorie Myth and really shows the reader how to really “eat more and exercise less.” If you are looking to lose weight and maintain results long term or just want to learn a fresh perspective for gaining optimal health, I recommend you grab yourself a copy.

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Book Information
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 12/31/2013
Pages: 336