Move over, Jason Derulo!

I have a new boyfriend…Mark Hyman!

Seriously, I love this guy!  He may not sing and dance like Jason Derulo, but then who can?

Mark Hyman is a best selling author, and also the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, and the founder of the UltraWellness Center.  He is on the board of the Environmental Working Group, which I have referred to in many of my posts. His latest book, Eat Fat, Get Thin, sounds like just another diet book, but it is really much more than that.  It is so interesting that even though I finished it a few days ago, I am reading through it for the second time, while I’m on vacation.

Mark Hyman uses both scientific evidence and his own experience with thousands of patients to show how eating more fat, as long as it’s the right kind, can lead to weight loss and optimum health.  This is what I have found personally, and it’s nice to have an MD totally backing up what I have been doing for years.

In one portion of the book, he describes what his typical day of eating looks like, and it sounds like me, right down to the ghee and coconut oil blended into his coffee, and sardines or salmon on his salad at lunch!  Seriously, he’s like the guy version of me.  Well, except for the musical references and inappropriate humor. (He isn’t on the collagen bandwagon yet, though.  I’ll have to talk to him!)

The first part of the book, “How did we get into this big, fat mess?” explains the extremely faulty science behind the advice we were given by our government, the health care system, and the processed food industry, to cut back on fat and replace it with sugar and carbs.  After following this advice for several decades, Americans are fatter and sicker than ever.

The next section, “Separating fat from fiction,” goes into more detail on the dangers of the processed vegetable oils that we have been encouraged to consume, the reason the “calories in, calories out” model doesn’t really work, and the truth about fat and heart disease.  He even has a chapter called “The Bonus Benefits – Fat Makes You Smart, Sexy and Happy.”  Not that different from happy, healthy and hot, right?  See, I told you we have a lot in common!

The third section is “The Eat Fat, Get Thin plan” where he describes his 21 day, easy to follow program that he claims with not only change how you think and feel about eating fat, but will also change how you feel about your body as well as your overall health and well being.  There are no strict menus, just guidelines of what to eat for your three meals and two optional snacks.  Basically you can eat unlimited non-starchy vegetables, reasonable portions of high quality protein, some fruits, and plenty of high quality fats.  No dairy and no grains for the first 21 days.

After 21 days, you can make a decision to stay on the program longer if you have weight to lose or have diabetic tendencies, or to gradually transition to what he calls a “Pegan” diet, which combines the best of Paleo and Vegan, with more liberal quantities of fruit and starches.  Like me, he stays away from dairy and most grains, but feels people that tolerate them can include them in limited quantities.  He is also ok with some wine with dinner.

A few things I should point out…Mark Hyman recommends a lot of supplements to go along with his 21 day plan.  While I have no problems with any of them, it could be a bit of a deterrent to starting the program.  Just following his eating plan without all the supplements would still be very effective.

In the book, he talks about how you can quickly and easily throw together healthy meals, which is what I am always saying.  But then in the section where he offers recipes, some of them sound pretty complicated.  Maybe I can talk someone into making them for me!

If you are interested in losing weight, improving your health, or just having more energy, I highly recommend this book.  It’s in my amazon store at a much better price than I have seen locally.  And if you are interested in trying his 21 day program, leave a comment or shoot me an email  at elizabeth@elizres.com.  I’d be happy to support you!

So, can Eat Fat, Get Thin help you feel happy, healthy and hot?  Absolutely!  You will feel happy eating delicious food that is truly satisfying.  Mark Hyman cites numerous studies that will show you all the health improvements that are possible by eating this way.  And you’ll have glowing skin and a hot body too!  What have you got to lose?