Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell: Winning Weight Control Strategies for Women Over 35 to Stay Fit Through Menopause

I read a lot. A whole lot, and it's not just limited to health and fitness books, either. However, the book that I recommend the most is this one, Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell by Debra Waterhouse. I have it on my wish list, but I've already taken it out of the library and read it four times, front to back. Why? Well, Dr. Waterhouse has written a clear, concise, sometimes humorous self help book that is actually HELPFUL! She explains what the changes are that a woman from around 35-55 might go through, why it is so easy to gain weight and so difficult to get it off, why we start gaining in our tummies, why all of the things we did in our twenties to lose suddenly don't work anymore, and why we need to make peace with these changes and respect what our bodies are trying to do for us. Her writing style is practical, upbeat, and motivating. Her recommendations for how to halt spare tire encroachment make sense and genuinely work. Her advice also provides the added benefit of halting osteoporosis, and maybe even reversing it. No gimmicks here. No magic bullets. But you also won't have to live on bean sprouts and tofu(unless you want to). The author gives you permission to weigh a few pounds above the recommended insurance charts, and the means to see that it looks good on you. I've read and recommended some other health and fitness books that are quite good, but none surpass this one. It needs to be on every woman's shelf. Period.

I'm a fat acceptance advocate who hates diet books on principle. Someone suggested I read this book anyway, and I'm glad I did. It confirmed the conclusions I've come to on my own after many unhappy years of struggling with an illusory "weight problem": diets make you fatter, skipping meals is bad for you, there are no "bad foods," you should listen to your body and eat when you're hungry, and the only way to stay in shape is to exercise. Her theoretical explanations made a lot of sense, and her attitude was reassuring: this is the way a woman's body WORKS, and if you gain some weight or change shape in midlife it's not because you're "doing something wrong." I don't agree with her completely: I think she's unnecessarily judgmental about "emotional eating" (if you're under stress and can't do anything else to alleviate it, is it better to overeat for a few weeks or to take up smoking?). Also, she seems to feel that the only way to build strength is to work out with free weights, but many other exercise programs can have the same effect -- even yoga, if you select the right asanas to practice. Still, in general, hers is the ONLY sensible approach to managing one's weight that I've ever read (any diet book that lists the National Association for Fat Acceptance as a "support group" is all right with me!), and I'd like to recommend that every woman (fat or thin) read it as she enters midlife.

I'm 45 and exercise regularly and was dieting yet continued to gain weight. This book helped me to understand why my body was not co-operating with me. I started eating more often and increased my activity level and in two weeks I finally lost 4 pounds. The book has a very positive approach to the menopause experience.

One of the best books I've read in years. It's filled with facts, based on reality, and is easy to read. The author uses analogies, stories and humor to educate the reader. I highly recommend this book to all women over 35 AND their mates. You'll be glad to know you AREN'T imagining things, it's NOT in your head, and you aren't alone! When you finish, you'll know what's happening to you, why, and how to live with it postively. I laughed, I cried, and I've already loaned my copy out.

I went to bed one night relatively trim and able to fit in my clothes. I woke up the next day and I had a "stomach!" That's how it seemed at least and I didn't know why. I was aware that I had seen the same thing happen to many of my friends at about the same age and didn't know why. My eating habits hadn't changed; I never was an exercise buff...but why suddenly this mid-life bulge? I ran across this book quite by chance and the cover caught my eye. I wanted to know how to "outsmart the mid-life fat cell" and I was certain it existed. This book was better than the best novel. I couldn't put it down. It was so easy to ready and understand and supplied graphics to further explain the reasoning and science behind each explanation. I am well on my way to outsmarting the fat cell and it is easy. The book is really very sensible and not a fad diet. The authors credentials give the book the crediability it needs to be taken seriously and has dependable, seemingly accurate explanations. Not to be missed. Actually, I think when every women turns "50ish" it should appear in their mailbox from....?