Can a health and fitness book help you lose weight?

[Carla Hurst-Chandler]

If it is very large and you bench-press it...or carry it around while exercising and watching your portions...the last bit being a 100 percent weight loss program
All joking aside...you have to be self-motivated.

[asmaahsan]

Maud, rightly said. Help is needed to lose weight in my case too.

Jyoti. Taking an initiative is the difficult part

[LeannMA]

I think a health and fitness book can help a person loose weight in the same way a self help book can give a person confidence. A person can read on any topic and choose to believe the information to be true or false. A person can also read a book, such as a health and fitness book, and not apply any approach learned. Whether it be reading books on strategies for loosing weight or self help books on ways to improve confidence, a person will only succeed if they choose to use the information and put forth the effort to applying the information.

[Carla Hurst-Chandler]

I think a health and fitness book can help a person loose weight in the same way a self help book can give a person confidence. A person can read on any topic and choose to believe the information to be true or false. A person can also read a book, such as a health and fitness book, and not apply any approach learned. Whether it be reading books on strategies for loosing weight or self help books on ways to improve confidence, a person will only succeed if they choose to use the information and put forth the effort to applying the information.

Well put!

[talia_in]

I guess it can. However, you have to be fully committed to losing the weight. The book can motivate you but you are the one who has to get up and do the exercises.

[m_buckner]

I’ve read my share and I believe it still comes down to the strength to change your lifestyle. A book may present the approach that just makes everything fall into place. That’s the book that works for that specific individual. You’re personal ‘lightbulb’ moment.

[jsinard42]

They can only help if you follow through. Even then be careful what you believe not all health and fitness books are written by professionals in the field.

[carag4]

It depends on where you are in your life when you read the book. I had read health and fitness books, I knew the idea behind eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle, but it wasn't until I was ready to change that the information finally clicked. The book that marks my turning point was The Hunger Fix by Pam Peeke, Md, MPH, FACP. In her book, Peeke discusses the possibility of food addiction and it's causes. I've read many more books and articles about diet since reading Peeke's book, I'm not only 40 pounds lighter, I've changed career paths and am on my way to a degree in nutrition.

[Fran]

Only if it's heavy enough to keep the lid on the cookie jar

[Loveabull]

I watched my Mum yoyo diet as long as I can remember...Weight Watchers, liquid diets, Atkins, every diet that came down the pike. She loved to eat but hated to exercise. My Dad on the other hand has never been heavy. His only approach to weight maintenance is to be on the move as often as possible and have a pair of pants that fit you when you're at a good weight. If they get tight you cut back until they're comfortable again.

Mum died of heart failure at 66. dad is still running circles around us at 90. I think this says something about "dieting". Me? I've gained at midlife, nothing awful...from size four to size eight...that's not hippo like or anything. I Love walking my dogs miles and miles. My job has me on my feet almost full time. I don't think any diet really works, it has to be a change in lifestyle or you lose the weight on a diet, then it comes back if you go back to your old habits.

If you follow a book and KEEP following the book you can keep your weight reasonable certainly.

[augusteh]

Right out of college I gained weight; from high school graduation to the second semester of my freshman year I had gained 20 pounds (lots of hot fudge sundaes). The change in how I felt in my body got my attention and my path to learning about nutrition and health began with a vengeance, that and my mother's comment about how big my butt had gotten!

It took several years for me to get control of my weight and it was all through reading and experimenting with what the books I read were telling me.
Basically, I would have a question like how to get rid of tummy fat and would find authors who wrote about this. In the days before the internet this was a slow process. Now getting the answers is a Google away of course, but it still requires my own empirical research and asking the right questions.

So, yes, books help immensely but so does taking action: 50-50 or maybe more like 30 (books-70 (action).

[prisailurophile]

Attitude

[x1f4j8k9]

The book can do nothing more than give you suggestions, so no. It's up to you to act upon them, and solely you, only you can help you lose weight.

[TrishaAnn92]

If you find a book that works for you and you stick to the routine I don't see why not.

[tracydinh96]

It could give you tips to lose weight.