Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program for Permanent Weight Loss (Paperback)
Amazon.com Review
On the left is one small, fat-free, no-sugar-added muffin. On the right is a cornucopia of food–several pounds of fruit and a pair of whole-wheat rolls. The calorie counts are identical: 720.
There sits Dr. Howard Shapiro’s point: dieters imagine that they’re saving calories by eating the “virtuous” snack on the left, whereas in reality they’re depriving themselves of the mountain of food on the right.
Dr. Shapiro believes that there are no bad foods, no right or wrong reasons to eat, no perfect number of meals in any given day. He doesn’t believe in telling clients at his weight-loss clinic in Manhattan when they can or can’t eat. Some of them are celebrities and corporate executives with such busy lives that mealtimes are often unpredictable. So Dr. Shapiro reassures them that a calorie is a calorie, whether you eat it before or after 9 p.m. He helps them lose weight by showing them different foods, set side by side, and how the seemingly healthier choice might actually be equal to or greater in calories than a bunch of foods that would seem to be off-limits to someone trying to lose weight.
In Picture Perfect Weight Loss, he uses photos of foods to demonstrate these choices. Thus, a “healthy” carob bar is shown to be equal in calories to 10 scoops of Italian ices. A 10-ounce loaf of crusty bread is shown to be equal to a tiny dish of Chex Mix. Two ounces of reduced-fat cheese are shown to be equal in calories and fat grams to two ounces of salami.
The photos pit all types of snacks and many meal choices against each other, and account for sugar, salt, and starch cravings. The text–easy to read even when discussing scientific principles that scientists don’t fully understand yet–covers everything from exercise to nutrition labels to menus from some of the world’s top restaurants, with the healthiest food choices highlighted.
Regular dieters, though, might want to skip all that until they’ve read the appendix explaining why the most popular fad diets–from the Atkins diet to Suzanne Somers’s–are unhealthy, overly restrictive, or just based on misunderstood science. That alone might be worth the price of Picture Perfect Weight Loss. –Lou Schuler
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
A New York-based physician specializing in weight control, Shapiro will no doubt startle many lifelong dieters and experts with his approach to eating. There are no “correct” portions and there are no bad foods. Instead, he insists that people must become aware of what they’re consuming. To illustrate this principle, the book is filled with color photographs of different foods. For example, one page shows a handful of mixed nuts, potato chips and vegetable crisps: these three portions have 400 calories each, but 10 cups of popcorn has the same number of calories as the rest. A one-cup serving of Quaker Natural Cereal has 540 calories, but that same number of calories is found in 16 low-cal Fudgsicles. Shapiro uses real-life examples of people with weight problems and includes practical advice, albeit in brief chapters, on exercise and the psychological reasons why people become overweight. However, the power of this book is clearly the illustrations showing the “right” and “wrong” food choices. Shapiro walks readers through ethnic menus (Chinese, Greek, etc.), explaining which choices make the most sense healthwise. This is a smart approach to dieting from which everyone, regardless of their weight, will benefit. $175,000 ad/promo; 10-city author tour; 20-city TV satellite tour. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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12 Responses to “Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program for Permanent Weight Loss (Paperback)”
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Dr. Shapiro’s book demonstrates very succinctly how to make some simple yet profound changes in your eating styles/food selection and how these choices will ultimately lead to maintained weight loss. The biggest factor working for him is the fact that this is not a “diet” — i.e., replete with complicated and stringent eating rules and regulations — he simply shows you that by increasing your consumption of fruits/vegetables and decreasing your consumption of other foods (not necessarily eliminating them however) you can eat a good deal of food (even interesting food) and still lose weight/maintain weight. The only thing I wish he had added to the book: 1. more info on better meat choices (i.e., lean chicken etc.) 2. ideas for people with seafood allergies (i.e., he includes many examples of low cal meals based on shrimp, scallop, clams, etc- – but if you’re allergic to seafood this part can be somewhat disheartening). Overall, as I mentioned in the title of this review — it’s a well-written, well-illustrated book and it is worth a read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dr. Shapiro’s Quick Weight Loss Diet Cookbook
This book has wonderful, simple, healthy receipes and I have enjoyed it. I am not a cook so I can recommend this book to those who, like me, just want simple, quick meals that are…
3.0 out of 5 stars
Raises food awareness, but short sighted
The first time I read this book, I was shocked and amazed. Then I thought about it critically and realized, like most diet books, it is flawed.
Dr. Shapiro’s book turned me around overnight. I’ve never gone on a diet before -so I don’t know how the others work. I was simply ignorant of how many calories were in different foods. I just ate what came before me, including junk foods at the convenience store. After ,looking at the sensible pictures (well done, by the way), I changed my eating routine immediately, with no regrets. I simply eat stuff that has less calories- without having to diet. Every now and then I have a “treat” if I feel like it. My pounds are lessening and I have done nothing but made the right choices. I feel great! Thanks Dr. Shapiro!
3.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful but not trustworthy pictures
Let me start with my end recommendation: yes, do read this book (from eBay or the library), but don’t believe it too closely.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A picture worth a thousand words. You will learn a lot from this book!
It’s easier to understand a book when it contains many pictures. I am a weight consultant & I find it easier to teach my clients when I show them the pictures in this book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Picture Perfect
This book has great picture illustrations to compare certain foods and view how making the right food choices can be most effective when reducing caloric intake.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Picture Perfect Book!!! This really works for me!If you are a visual learner like I am, “Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss” and Dr.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Picture Perfect Weight Loss:The Visual Program for Permanent Weight Loss
It has been a very good investment. The book had been recommended by a doctor in Switzerland and I am very happy I followed her advise.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss
This book contains valuable information to assist anyone trying to shed the pounds. If you are a diabetic, you must be reminded that this doesn’t compare carbs but calories…
5.0 out of 5 stars
This plan actually works…I am living proof
I’ll be honest with you, when it comes to nutrition, I am illiterate at best and just plain lazy at worst. I have never had to pay much attention to my weight (so I thought).
5.0 out of 5 stars
reality check
I use this book as a reality check when I start to slip into bad habits. By flipping through the photo camparisons, it helps me to focus on the issue of making better choices.