Kick-start your new body with one of these tried and tested diet books
A little over indulgence at Christmas or a dwindling gym membership that never sees any action are familiar to us all. So why not get going with a new health and fitness regime for 2009 with inspirational diet plans in our round-up of the best diet books.
Supereating by Food Doctor Ian Marber, £12.99
Ditch the super foods and start 'supereating', says Marber, whose book looks at how to combine foods for optimum health. For instance, you can maximise your body's absorption of the antioxidants contained in mango by combining it with seeds. Well-explained, east-to-read charts stop it from being complicated or time-consuming. http://www.amazon.co.uk
The Chopsticks Diet by Kimiko Barber, £12.99
Far from the fad diet it might seem, Barber's book explains how chopsticks slow you down and stop you shovelling in huge mouthfuls, while her Japanese menus are accompanied by beautiful photography and packed with fish and vegetables. Barber's background as a cookery teacher shows through in her clear, easy-to-follow recipes. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopsticks-Diet-Kimiko-Barber/dp/1856268268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231328719&sr=8-1
The Chopsticks Diet by Kimiko Barber, £12.99
Far from the fad diet it might seem, Barber's book explains how chopsticks slow you down and stop you shovelling in huge mouthfuls, while her Japanese menus are accompanied by beautiful photography and packed with fish and vegetables. Barber's background as a cookery teacher shows through in her clear, easy-to-follow recipes. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopsticks-Diet-Kimiko-Barber/dp/1856268268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231328719&sr=8-1
The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl by Shauna Reid, £6.99
Forget calorie counting and meal plans, this is one woman's account of her diet when she realises that she no longer fits into the biggest granny pants known to woman. Adapted from her blog, this book focuses on Reid's struggle to get over the beliefs that had made her fat. It's food for thought for anyone who has ever reached for the biscuit tin after a bad day at work. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Adventures-Dietgirl-Shauna-Reid/dp/0552155780/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199289691&sr=1-1
The Diet Delusion by Gary Taubes, £17.99
This rubbishes many of the diet industry claims, based on the premise that 'It's the hormone insulin that makes us store fat. Insulin is secreted primarily in response to carbohydrates,' he explains, 'and the only way to get thinner is to eat fewer carbohydrates. If we eat fewer calories, we'll just get grumpy.' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diet-Delusion-Challenging-Conventional-Disease/dp/0091891418/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199289676&sr=1-1
The Little Book of Calorie Burning by Gill Paul, £4.99
'For girls who want to eat chocolate and still squeeze their butts into skinny pencil skirts,' says the author. Paul explains how to boost your metabolism so you burn calories faster. But discovering that it takes two hours and 38 minutes of high-impact aerobics for a 10-stone woman to burn one slice of Black Forest gateau is rather depressing. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Book-Calorie-Burning/dp/000725198X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199289659&sr=1-1
The Lemon Juice Diet by Theresa Cheung, £6.99
According to Cheung, the new diet accessory du jour is the lemon-squeezer. After a one-day detox, this diet involves sprinkling lemon juice on your food. Why lemons? They're power-packed with zesty nutrients that boost digestion. You are what you digest , not what you eat,' says Cheung. 'If your digestion is poor, weight loss is impossible.' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lemon-Juice-Diet-Marilyn-Glenville/dp/0091923492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199289611&sr=1-1
Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, £7.99
This straight-talking duo tell it exactly how it is. Forget the fad diet books, this is from real women who take a long, hard look at everything we put into our bodies, from cigarettes to caffeine and offers ways to take a full lifestyle change, opening our eyes to everything we consume. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skinny-Bitch-Rory-Freedman/dp/0762424931
Crash Diet ? Lost 7lbs in 7 Days by Monica Grenfell, £4.99
We're not condoning the crash diet, but for some of you who want to lose those extra Christmas pounds around the middle, this could be the answer. Don't panic, there's no hint of a starvation diet here, just sensible, controlled eating, editing out starch, sugar and alcohol from your diet and replacing it with nutritious food. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Diet-Lose-7lbs-Days/dp/0952600420
The Abs Diet For Women by David Zinczenko, £15.99
Zinczenko is a leading health and fitness authority and has focused his attentions solely on women for his book which draws on revolutionary new weight-loss research. His previous book The Abs Diet was an international bestseller and now this version, tailored to women is set to do the same. http://www.amazon.com/Abs-Diet-Women-Six-Week-Flatten/dp/1594866244
The Red Capet Work out
It's unlikely that you're on the guestlist for the Oscars, but that's no reason not to get in award-winning shape. Dubbed the diet book for lazy girls, it includes a 'Champagne shape-up' programme, where you can drink alcohol and still lose weight. Our kind of book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Carpet-Workout-Jordan-Paramor/dp/0755318684/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231329022&sr=1-1