REVIEWI think that the first thing I should say is that I am not a nutritionist or a dietician, maybe only for myself. But I have studied biology and chemistry as major in my high school (and passed several important exams - please, consider the differences between different national systems of education). Besides that, the weight was…is a “healthy preoccupation” in our family… and a beauty one. I said all these only for you to know the angle from which I will treat the information given by Mrs. Lisa Tillinger Johansen: I’m not a novice, but neither an expert in the matter.
I could say that the book is parted in two main parts, both important and useful.
The first part has the role to open the eyes of those stu… naïve persons in rush for the fast and fabulous effects of a diet or of those even more naïve that will start a diet only because of some commercial and/or of the declaration of a celebrity.
The author takes every diet known on the “market” and (with much more diplomacy I can offer or “those” people earned) shows their bads and goods, if the case may be, aspects. In plus, Mrs. Lisa Tillinger Johansen stresses the effects of these diets for the ones with medical problems.
So many diets!! So many absurdities!
The information is presented in a very accessible way, for everybody to understand. The explanations are in enough doses to be useful, but not to bore or to angst the reader.
In the second part, we received author’s own recommendations. What is most important is that she doesn’t only present the rules of what a person should eat in order to lose weight, but also she offers guidance regarding the eating habits and how to change them for the better.
We get some organized information as different formulas of calculation, tables of elements, but also examples that applied the notions previously presented. All these are good to kept in mind when you hear about one new and fabulous diet and you want to try it.
I cannot say that I agree with all of the author’s opinions, but also I can recognize that she offers many pertinent and good information and advices. If you want to keep a successful, healthy diet (and a life style) you should try to discover the traps of the media and diet industry.
To be clear, I do not accept any kind of bullying inclusive the one based on weight, but also I do not agree that only the inside beauty is the one that matter. So, be healthy and beautiful and if you need help, you could read Stop the Diet, I Want To Get Off.
About the author:
LISA TILLINGER JOHANSEN, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian who counsels clients on a wide range of health issues. Her debut nutrition book, Fast Food Vindication, received the Discovery Award (sponsored by USA Today,Kirkus and The Huffington Post). She lives in Southern California.
The Paleo. The Zone. The Gluten-free. Another day, another diet. We’re caught in a never-ending merry-go-round of weight loss plans, fueled by celebrity endorsers,
The Paleo. The Zone. The Gluten-free. Another day, another diet. We’re caught in a never-ending merry-go-round of weight loss plans, fueled by celebrity endorsers, TV doctors and companies angling for a piece of a $60 billion industry. But do these diets really work? And how healthy are they?
Registered Dietitian Lisa Tillinger Johansen examines dozens of the most wildly popular diets based on medical facts, not hype. And along the way, she reveals tried-and-true weight loss strategies, relying on her years of hospital experience, weight-loss seminars and community outreach efforts. With insight and humor, Stop The Diet, I Want To Get Off shows that the best answer is often not a trendy celebrity-endorsed diet, but easy-to-follow guidelines that are best for our health and our waistlines.
GUEST POST
The Art of the Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo dieting. It’s so prevalent and has been a part of many of our lives. Have you lost weight on a diet only to gain the pounds your shed, perhaps even more, down the road? And then you tried dieting again only to repeat the weight loss, weight gain cycle? Then welcome to the world of the yo-yo dieter.
Why does this happen? Why can’t we keep the weight off? It’s often because we go on some restrictive fad diet that we can adhere to for some period of time, but not for the long-term. Or perhaps we’ve gone on a meal delivery program that works for us until we stop it and move on to preparing our own meals. Typically, in all of these type of diets we don’t learn how to eat for life. Some of us are looking for quick weight loss which often isn’t sustainable.
No one wants to be a yo-yo dieter. It’s so frustrating and can be harmful to our health. Some studies suggest that it may affect blood pressure, cholesterol and gallbladder health among other things. And that’s important to know. But what can be a very prevalent side effect of yo-yo dieting has to do with our psyche.
It’s a bummer to lose weight and enjoy our new bodies, only to see it all fall away as we pack the pounds on. It can be discouraging and depressing. Some of us just might throw our hands up in the air and give up. Let’s not do that.
So what’s the answer here? It’s really just simple common sense. Fad diets don’t work long term. Let’s get that drilled into our heads. Let’s make a pact here that we’ll turn our backs to them and never look back. We’ll take a new road, the healthy eating path.
What do we do to lose weight and keep it off? Here are some tips. Don’t skip meals, eat balanced meals with half the plate non-starchy veggies, one-quarter of the plate starch (preferably of the whole grain variety) and the other quarter of the plate lean protein. Prepare your food in a healthy manner, monitor portion sizes and don’t drink your calories. And add exercise into your daily routine. For weight loss, aim for sixty minutes of physical activity most days of the week. This can be done in ten-minute increments. Cutting five hundred calories a day through diet and exercise should result in one-pound weight loss per week. Reducing daily intake by one thousand calories a day should result in a two-pound weight loss per week. But don’t go below 1,200 calories without medical supervision. We need about that amount for our bodies just to go. And I do recommend speaking with your healthcare provider regarding your diet and before embarking on an exercise program.
Remember slow and steady wins the race here. Healthy balanced diets get the gold star. It’s our ticket to helping avoid admittance into the yo-yo dieting club. Let’s grab it and go.
About the author:
LISA TILLINGER JOHANSEN, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian who counsels clients on a wide range of health issues. Her debut nutrition book, Fast Food Vindication, received the Discovery Award (sponsored by USA Today,Kirkus and The Huffington Post). She lives in Southern California.
Author's Giveaway
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Caviar Living is a hand guide of home-spun lessons from a life well lived. Marilyn Whelan shares her wisdom from how to connect with your community to how to play your mortgage like a game.
“Life must be a mixture of frugality and luxury.” -- Marilyn Whelan
Caviar Living is a hand guide of home-spun lessons from a life well lived. Marilyn Whelan shares her wisdom from how to connect with your community to how to play your mortgage like a game.
With short snappy chapters Whelan gives us tips and tidbits on:
· Fun ways to teach your kids and grandkids about money
· How to keep a clutter-free house – and why!
· Creative ways to get a tax break
· How to stretch a dollar on everything from real estate to creative vacations
Part budget guide, part spiritual manual, and a whole lotta charm, Caviar Living is a lifetime of lessons wrapped up in this 98-pages of fun.
1) I understand how The Law of Attraction works and use the law on a daily basis to enrich my life style. I believe it is easy to put into effect and available to all.
2) I have a knack for finding unique, amazing deals. Some say I can make one dollar do the work of ten. Some examples are:
I visited Costa Rica and Tica Airlines actually provided a small plane to transport me and four of my friends cross country for the same price as a ticket on the large jet.
I purchased a Time Share condo for $200 which I have used as a basis for more than 20 vacations in different locations.
I spent a week in a beautiful Spanish Resort all meals and entertainment included for the cost of airfare alone.
3) I started a Mystery Shopping Company in my sunroom which is now the largest on the east coast.
4) My book Caviar Living on Fish Stick Money was my very first book. The thrill of seeing it in print will never go away.
5) Although I know absolutely nothing about boating, I captained a canal book through the canals of England with two friends. It was a true miracle that we and the boat made it without major mishap.
6) I always say I want to die with something on my bucket list not yet accomplished. That is because when something is crossed off, I immediately establish a new goal.
7) I made a spur of the moment decision to sell my home and move to Clearwater, Florida. My home sold in six days and I moved in 30 days. I love my home and my community. I live On Top Of The World and no kidding that is the name of the community.
8) My passion is travel. I am Vice president of my community travel club and head the trip team. We are responsible for planning many of our community trips. Our trip last week was to Plains, GA. where we attended a Sunday School Class taught by President Carter. We had our photo taken with President and Mrs. Carter and were hosted Ms. Jan Williams who was Amy Carter's teacher.
9) Among my top five blessings, I count my friendships. Old friends are gold and new ones silver. I have friends of all ages and every one of them enrich my life to the extreme. It is wonderful to share the good and the bad with those you love. Each brings something different to the table as they say.
10) I am mother to three, grandmother to seven and great grandmother to three.
GUEST POST
Ten Things You Didn't Know About Marilyn Whelan
1) I understand how The Law of Attraction works and use the law on a daily basis to enrich my life style. I believe it is easy to put into effect and available to all.
2) I have a knack for finding unique, amazing deals. Some say I can make one dollar do the work of ten. Some examples are:
I visited Costa Rica and Tica Airlines actually provided a small plane to transport me and four of my friends cross country for the same price as a ticket on the large jet.
I purchased a Time Share condo for $200 which I have used as a basis for more than 20 vacations in different locations.
I spent a week in a beautiful Spanish Resort all meals and entertainment included for the cost of airfare alone.
3) I started a Mystery Shopping Company in my sunroom which is now the largest on the east coast. 4) My book Caviar Living on Fish Stick Money was my very first book. The thrill of seeing it in print will never go away.
5) Although I know absolutely nothing about boating, I captained a canal book through the canals of England with two friends. It was a true miracle that we and the boat made it without major mishap.
6) I always say I want to die with something on my bucket list not yet accomplished. That is because when something is crossed off, I immediately establish a new goal.
7) I made a spur of the moment decision to sell my home and move to Clearwater, Florida. My home sold in six days and I moved in 30 days. I love my home and my community. I live On Top Of The World and no kidding that is the name of the community.
8) My passion is travel. I am Vice president of my community travel club and head the trip team. We are responsible for planning many of our community trips. Our trip last week was to Plains, GA. where we attended a Sunday School Class taught by President Carter. We had our photo taken with President and Mrs. Carter and were hosted Ms. Jan Williams who was Amy Carter's teacher.
9) Among my top five blessings, I count my friendships. Old friends are gold and new ones silver. I have friends of all ages and every one of them enrich my life to the extreme. It is wonderful to share the good and the bad with those you love. Each brings something different to the table as they say.
10) I am mother to three, grandmother to seven and great grandmother to three.
The good news is that anxiety can be overcome without relying on medication. Psychologist David Berndt, Ph.D., in Overcoming Anxiety outlines several self-help methods for management of anxiety and worry.
The good news is that anxiety can be overcome without relying on medication. Psychologist David Berndt, Ph.D., in Overcoming Anxiety outlines several self-help methods for management of anxiety and worry. In clear simple language and a conversational style, Dr. Berndt shares with the reader powerful step by step proven techniques for anxiety management.
You will learn:
· A Self-hypnosis grounding technique in the Ericksonian tradition.
· Box Breathing, Seven Eleven and similar breathing techniques for anxiety relief.
· How to stop or interrupt toxic thoughts that keep you locked in anxiety.
· How to harness and utilize your worries, so they work for you.
· Relief from anxiety through desensitization and exposure therapy.
The book was designed to be used alone as self-help or in conjunction with professional treatment Dr. Berndt draws upon his experience as a clinician and academic researcher to give accessible help to the reader who wants to understand and manage their anxiety.
GUEST POST
Skin Picking and Anxiety
David Berndt, PhD author Overcoming Anxiety
Picky, picky, picky. We all have nervous habits that seem to be left over from childhood. Who doesn’t wring their hands when uncomfortable? Or, when you are put on the spot, maybe you will tap your feet or pace? Or perhaps you pick too often at a scab or blemish? While nowadays you may well dismiss these habits as “nervous” or even consider them part of a wider mental health issue like an anxiety disorder, they are typically not abnormal.
Truth is you didn’t learn these quirks accidentally. Most of these habits, back in the day, actually helped; that is why you kept doing them. In my just-published book Overcoming Anxiety, I explain that one of your nervous system’s reaction to stress is cold hands and feet. It seems that when you feel you are under threat, your body naturally moves the blood away from the skin and extremities (hands and feet) to the center of your body and the big muscle groups. So when your hands start to shake, if you are “anxious” that is a natural shiver reflex: to warm up what is cold. That is why you tap your fingers and feet, and wring your hands, as well. As a kid you learned that it helps a little. In the book I explain how to mine that and other “talents” in order for you to develop grounding techniques you can use to help you relieve anxiety. Skin picking, however, is more of a problem than it is a help, at least for my clients who take it to something of an extreme. Skin picking is a special problem for some people who are chronically stressed and anxious, and in its most severe form, can feel all-consuming and take up too much of the day. The technical name for this when it becomes a disorder is Excoriation Syndrome.
People with Excoriation Syndrome do not just have a bad habit. They repetitively (and often compulsively) scratch, rub, touch, and pick at their skin, ostensibly with a purpose of improving perceived irregularities or imperfections. Sometimes they will “excavate” a pimple or blemish, and they can do it so deeply as to cause scarring. Excessive picking and popping can spread the infection that was contained, or introduce new irritants and infection.
This problem of skin picking can co-occur with other anxiety-based problems that also focus on repetitive body-focused behaviors. They all can be considered a special variant, or at least close relative, to body dysmorphic disorder, a problem that will also be discussed in greater depth in my second Psychology Knowledge book Special Topics in Anxiety, which will be released in October. Examples of these repetitive behaviors include hair pulling (trichotillomania), severe nail biting, and sucking and biting on the inside of the mouth and cheeks. These Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRB’s) are, at least initially, typically a compulsive response to stress and anxiety, but they can be harmful and damaging, if not disfiguring, to the body. The nervous habits mentioned above – the ones that actually are an effort to warm the hands and feet back up, do not typically take on a compulsive and OCD life of their own, but they can. However with BRFB’s there is no warming effect and so there is no functional reason for the client to pick, bite, scratch or pull.
Ruling out other causes is an important first step in dealing with Excoriation, as the treatment will vary with different causes. Medical problems like autoimmune disorders, dermatological problems, opiate withdrawal, autism, medication reactions, and – when confined to the face, it might be rosacea.
What are the treatments for the true skin picking disorder? Usually they involve help from a psychologist or other therapist experienced with anxiety, and ideally with skin picking. Among the things they may suggest are strategies that interfere with the habit, like wearing gloves or standing far enough from the mirror that a blemish would be hard to see (a piece of tape on the floor, where you should stand, can help). In many cases techniques like mindfulness or exposure therapy can be helpful, especially when the habit occurs in a person who tends to be obsessive and compulsive. Finding something else to do with your hands can be a good strategy, and one thing you can do with your hands that kills too birds with one stone is to add makeup to conceal the blemish.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be very effective, by providing you with a healthier thought process, You might, for example, learn to replace the thought “I need to pop that black head so it doesn’t get worse,” with a more accurate thought along the lines of “I should let my body handle that, and not pretend I am a dermatologist.” (of course if it really did get bad, then a dermatologist would know more than you would about what to do).
If you are going to mess with a pimple yourself, then consider what would a professional do? First and foremost a dermatologist would wait: there is plenty of time for a black head to develop into a white head (the white is evidence you have been fighting an infection). Usually there is no need at all to drain it, but if there is a real need, waiting adequately will allow it to move closer to the surface, and that would make your efforts easier, with less likelihood of your making things worse. If you are going to proceed, and you insist on not going to a doctor, wash your hands thoroughly, and use soap. Then, after sterilizing a needle, you could prick it at the center of the white area (gently make a fine hole) and next, using a cotton swab, you can gently squeeze the pimple from the edges. If it does not come out, you are likely in too big a hurry, you need to wait until a later time when it is ready. You can then apply a small amount of alcohol and/or ointment.
Thank you for your time and the opportunity to do a guest post at Mythical Books and it’s good to have a Romanian connection. I saw the cool translate button, I guess I have got to try and use it. I hope you will consider reading Overcoming Anxiety, which in eBook form is for the moment exclusively only at Amazon ™, but is widely available in print. To keep up with what I am writing and get lots of free information and reports you can sign up for the Psychology Knowledge Readers Group.
About the author:
David J. Berndt, Ph.D. was an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago where he published or presented over 80 papers and articles before establishing a private practice.Dr. Berndt currently lives in Charleston, S.C. where he also teaches in an adjunct capacity at the College of Charleston.
He is best known for his psychological tests The Multiscore Depression Inventory, and the Multiscore Depression Inventory for Children, both from Western Psychological Services.
His latest book is the nonfiction self-help, Overcoming Anxiety.
#1 Amazon Bestseller
# Winner of the 2014 Global eBook Award Bronze (women’s studies)
# Winner of the 2014 Honourable Mention Award London Book Festival (memoir)
#1 Amazon Bestseller
# Winner of the 2014 Global eBook Award Bronze (women’s studies)
# Winner of the 2014 Honourable Mention Award London Book Festival (memoir)
# Five-Star Review Midwest Book Review
# Five-Star Review San Francisco Book Review
# Five-Star Review #1 Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer – UK
# 3 out of 4 stars Official Online Bookclub
Australian actress and author Vanessa de Largie is a survivor of domestic violence.
Don’t Hit Me is the true diarised account of her time living with an abusive man. The story is conveyed through poems, journal entries and fragments of lyrical prose.
The book is a snapshot of domestic violence in real time. Raw, poignant and brave – it’s a tale that will stay with you.
The book is a snapshot of domestic violence in real time. Raw, poignant and brave – it’s a tale that will stay with you.
GUEST POST
Don’t Be a Statistic
by Vanessa de Largie
I read the news with my morning coffee; another woman has been killed at the hands of her partner. This man was supposed to love and protect her – not end her life.
When we are caught up in the chaos of domestic violence, we delude ourselves that our abuser is not as bad as others. He may beat us and sexually abuse us but he would never murder us.
Women who have been murdered by their partners thought the same thing. They stayed because they thought the situation might improve. They stayed because they believed he loved them. They stayed because they were too scared to leave.
Men that love you do not hit you.
Men that love you do not sexually abuse you.
Men that love you do not degrade you verbally.
I decided to publish my raw journal as Don’t Hit Me! The book is unique as it captures domestic violence in real time. Most books about DV are told in retrospect or from memory.
If my book can inspire one woman to leave her deadly situation, then the book has been a success.
Goodreads ** Goodreads Book Club ** Amazon ** Barnes&Noble
About the author:
Vanessa de Largie is a multi-award-winning actress and author based in Australia. She was introduced into the world of make-believe when she was 3. Her mother was a film buff, who made her watch films from the 50's era. Her father, an avid reader and vinyl collector gave her a love of books and music. Combined, her parents influence allowed her to know early on, what she wanted to do with her life. At 22, Vanessa left her hometown of Perth for Melbourne and within a month, she had a lead role in a play at Melbourne's La Mama Theatre. Over the next decade, she would begin to hone her craft.In 2006, Vanessa was cast in the lead role of Nocturne, Night of The Vampire, directed by prolific Melbourne film maker Bill Mousoulis. The film earned her the Best Female Actor Award at the 2007 Melbourne Underground Film Festival. The film was accepted into the main program of the Athens Film Festival, Cork Film Festival and the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival. Vanessa was flown over as a guest. (Nocturne, Night of The Vampire is now distributed by Troma.)
In 2009, Vanessa was cast as the lead in horror film Context, the film premiered at the Razor Reel Film Festival in Bruges, in which Vanessa flew over as a guest. Context is part of the extras on the American release of El Monstro Del Mar by Breaking Glass Pictures Distribution. (Unfortunately it isn't listed on the dvd's cover.)
Later in 2009, Vanessa was accepted into the New Actors Workshop in New York, run by famous film director - Mike Nichols (The Graduate.) On her return she worked on the film Crazy In The Night starring film director Frank Howson and Prisoner actors Tommy Dysart and Joan Brockenshire. Vanessa won a second Best Female Actor Award at the 2010 Melbourne Underground Film Festival for her leading role in the film.
In 2011, Vanessa was selected as a Victorian finalist in The Miss Pinup Australia Pageant, where she competed under the title Miss V-Bomb. She was given a spread in Beat Magazine as well as being interviewed by various Victorian newspapers.
In 2012, Vanessa became a freelance writer and mentor for Topic Media, writing over 90 lifestyle articles and winning many writing awards. That year, she was also commissioned by Australian publisher Hampress to write her erotic memoir Tantric Afternoons.
Tantric Afternoons launched in April 2013 to rave reviews. Vanessa followed the book's release with 4 more titles - Tough Choice, Powers At Play, Lascivious and her latest book, Don't Hit Me!
