Bethenny Frankel, inventor of the "Skinnygirl Margarita" and reality TV show star, authored her diet book "Naturally Thin: Unleash Your Skinnygirl and Free Yourself From a Lifetime of Dieting" to "democratize health." While the book lacks research-based evidence for her assertions, Frankel's witty tips and antidotes make for an entertaining read that may inspire behavioral changes in people who have a few pounds to lose.
Rules
The basis of Frankel's program is the 10 rules that comprise half the book. She promises that if you follow these rules, you will "achieve natural thinness." The rules consist of keeping track of your calories each day, not eating everything that piques your interest at one meal, paying attention while eating, eating from smaller plates and not cleaning your plate. Frankel also advises tasting food without eating an entire plate -- a rule that is presented as "Taste Everything, Eat Nothing." The remaining rules cover binging, eating to suit your body, consuming whole organic foods and making decisions based on what is good for you.
"Bethenny Bytes"
A portion of Frankel's book consists of "Bethenny Bytes," which are intended to demonstrate how "naturally thin people live normal lives and face normal challenges" so that you can better handle difficult situations that arise. Advice on a number of situations is presented, ranging from what type of ice cream to choose when you have a craving for sweets to what to order when traveling. Two of the "bytes" give advice on choosing low-calorie or high-protein candy bars when you have a sweet tooth. However, the best candy bar is no candy bar at all. Eating this sort of refined carbohydrate can lead to weight gain, stall weight loss and promote diabetes and heart disease.
Meal Plan
A seven-day diet plan is provided by Frankel, intended to help you make the 10 rules she provides part of your everyday eating habits. On the plan, a typical breakfast may be a vegetable omelet; lunch might consist of a half a sandwich with soup; and dinner may be grilled salmon with greens. Frankel designates each meal as a "carb meal" or a "protein meal" and advises readers to balance these two nutrients over the course of a day. She provides recipes such as "Mexican Chili," "Rustic Mashed Potatoes," "Amazing Moist Low-fat Brownies" and the "Skinnygirl Sangria." You are encouraged to create your own recipes as well, although calorie, carbohydrate and protein guidelines are not provided.
Caveats
People who are overweight due to medical or psychological reasons are not likely to get much help from Frankel's program. Binge eaters are told to "step up" and "never do it again" without being provided the tools they need for success. Frankel states that "Paris Hilton is a great model for how to eat to be naturally thin" in a paragraph describing how Hilton never turns down cheeseburgers, fries or candy if she wants them, but she simply doesn't consume the entire serving.
If you are interested in losing weight and enjoying good health, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables along with lean protein and whole grains is the way to accomplish your goals. If you struggle with obesity or an eating disorder, talk to your physician about options that can work for you.
Posted in: Diet Plans