A Small Guide to Losing Big, written by Cheryl Forberg RD, is a compact, no-nonsense plan for weight loss based on the author’s expertise as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, her training as a James Beard award-winning chef and her hands-on experience working one-on-one with clients, both privately and as the nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser. It is meant to be a step-by-step pocket guide for busy people who want to change their lifestyle habits for good. In it, she outlines a twelve-step jumpstart plan, focusing on the most critical steps in the process, and includes two weeks of 1200 calorie menus, 25 recipes, shopping tips and a sample food journal. Many thanks to Cheryl for giving me a copy of this book for the purpose of a publishing a review.
Cheryl Forberg’s approach to helping people achieve weight management is backed by years of proven success. She acknowledges that weight management is often about more than what we eat, citing that emotions, hormones, busy schedules and finances affect our everyday choices. She tackles these concerns and succinctly describes the underlying principles of good nutrition—including how to set a daily calorie (and protein) budget, write a healthful shopping list, understand label reading and incorporate meal planning and exercise that supports both physical and emotional well-being. In addition, she explains many of the key biomarkers of good health and encourages readers to measure baseline levels and track and recheck them as an important part of their weight loss journey. While this guidebook is clearly written for client use, I believe it also serves as a handy reference tool of tips and techniques for registered dietitians who provide weight management counsel in their own practice. The book retails for $12.99 and can be purchased at cherylforberg.com. If you decide to read this book or use it in your practice, please share your experience. Comment below, tag me at NutritionConnectionsLLC on Facebook or tweet @KarenBuch using #FoodNewsReviews.