Suzanne Somers, Somersizing and her books

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The diet industry is a big selling place these days since most women are desperate to achieve the TV star look which is thin to the extreme. So who would be likely candidates to sell diet books but TV stars who have achieved this look.

Suzanne Somers, actress and featured on the TV show, "Candid Camera" has written two books about her 'new' program which she calls "Somersizing", probably a pun on sizing down for summer. Her latest book is entitled GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD. Those words are music to any red blooded American woman's ears so I decided to purchase the book and investigate somersizing.

Somers was not fat and doesn't claim to have been in the book. But she said she was tired of living on a diet to stay thin and when she discovered her new program, she not only could eat more delicious food but also lost all of 14 lbs.

Although the book promises to detail the program, I found the descriptions vague. More importantly, very little information is given about portion size although when Somers described the food she eats in a typical day, I counted about 1100 calories which is considered a semi-starvation diet in most circles.

Somers is against refined flour and sugar (probably basically a good idea if one wants to give up some significant quality of life) and against the artificial sweetener, aspartame/ Nutrasweet which I definitely agree with. Her program seems to be basically low carb. In the early part of the book she re-hashes ideas about cutting carbs first introduced by Robert Atkins including the claims that carbs raise the insulin level. However, none of this information has been scientifically proven and Somers does not cite her statements at all except to include an introduction by a physician who agrees with the low carb concepts.

Somers is not as extreme as Atkins however and does allow small amounts of carbs. She's also advocates the French method of 'food mixing' which she claims is better for digestion as well as prevents the body from storing fat. She refers to her program as balancing one's hormones and states that one will know when one makes the wrong food choices and causes a 'hormonal imbalance'. However, there is no medical evidence suggesting that 'food mixing' has any effect at all or that the storage of fat is caused by a 'hormonal imbalance'.

There is a long list of forbidden foods which includes the usual sugar, refined flour, sugary cereals etc but also includes some rather healthy choices like potatoes and bananas.

I found Somers charming. It is refreshing that she is very family oriented. She has good relationships with her adult kids and also, is in a 15 year marriage. I enjoyed her including several photos of her family in the book.

Somers is honest, telling about times when she has 'cheated' on her eating program as well as mentioning that her father was alcoholic. She is friendly and down-to-earth and the reader can't help but like her as a person.

Since her descriptions of the program are vague, I don't think that one would be guaranteed weight loss or even weight maintenance on Somersizing. However, her charm, and refreshing honesty made the book a good read if for nothing else than for entertainment. Also if you are into cooking, you might like to try some of the recipes included.