Book Review: Fight Fat After Forty: The Revolutionary Three-Pronged Approach That Will Break Your Stress-Fat Cycle and Make You

Amazon.com ReviewnnIf you're a woman over 40, you are undergoing physical and emotional changes, declining metabolism, fat deposits at your waistline, decreased energy, mood swings, food cravings--do we need to continue this list? Now pile on chronic, long-term stress (which the author terms toxic stress), which hits women between 40 and 60 and leads to self-destructive eating behavior. "Uncontrolled or toxic stress keeps the refueling appetite on, thus inducing stress eating and weight gain," Peeke explains. The stress triggers are constant, so the body never gets to turn off the stress response. The weight gained from this chronic, toxic stress--toxic weight--settles inside the abdomen and is associated with heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.nPeeke explains the association between stress and fat gain, and describes the stress/eating cycle ("the itch you can't scratch"). Then she teaches tools for "regrouping": formulating and following a contingency plan of nutrition, exercise, and self-care. Next are suggestions for a nutritional plan tied to stressful times of the day and an explanation of food needs after age 40. In the final chapters, Peeke nudges us to exercise to relieve stress, reduce body fat, and benefit overall health. Peeke is a highly regarded scientist and clinician who studies the link between stress and fat at the National Institutes of Health. She's also Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and works with Vice President Gore as the Medical Director of the National Race for the Cure for Breast CancernnProduct InformationnnIt's a fact: stress makes you fat. Renowned clinician and scientist Dr. Pamela Peeke goes beyond diet and exercise with a lifestyle program that shows women how to stop being diet "POWs" ("Prisoners Of Weight") or victims of "Toxic Stress" and how to evolve into physically and mentally stress-resilient individuals. Peeke helps women identify their stress-eating profiles (Are you a stress-overeater? A stress-undereater?) and explains that to remove weight, you have to lift weight. She explains what to eat and, equally as important, when to eat by navigating the afternoon "CortiZone," the hours of highest vulnerability to stress eating. Learn how to put it all together through the fine art of regrouping.nnWomen can tailor this accessible program to their individual needs using Peeke's three behavior templates:nn• Stress-resilient nutritionn• Stress-resilient physical activityn• Stress-resilient regroupingnnDr. Peeke's program is a must for women who want to break the stress-fat cycle that has thickened their after-forty waistlines.nnTo view this book on Amazon.com, click here.