I am a big fan of entrepreneurs who use their talents to promote a healthy lifestyle. Brett Blumenthal, who just released her new book "GET REAL" And Stop Dieting is exactly that. She is the founder and CEO of the popular website Sheer Balance, a web-based resource dedicated to helping individuals find balance and health easily, naturally and sustainably. I also happen to be a guest writer on Brett's website.
Alongside her numerous accomplishments, Brett has just released her new book "GET REAL" And Stop Dieting. Read my interview with Brett about the book, green health advice, and some of her key organic practices that can help you find balance in your life! And congratulations to Brett on this incredible effort!
GSR: What is "GET REAL" and Stop Dieting about? And why did you write it now? BB: The book is meant to demystify healthy eating into five simple rules that are fool-proof and easy-to-digest. Further, it is meant to help individuals move away from the concept of "dieting" and into the belief that healthy eating is a choice...a lifestyle...a way of life. I wrote it because it has become extremely apparent that today, more than ever, people need clarity and simplicity when it comes to making healthy changes in their life. People are overwhelmed and confused by the inordinate amounts of information available on diet, healthy eating and nutrition. It is time to help people make changes that are easy and effective...and most importantly, sustainable. Let's face it...dieting is NOT sustainable.
GSR: With so many health and fitness books, magazines, and shows you can find just about anything out there. Why is your book different?
BB: Great question! Most of us don't have time to read a lot of information and thick books on healthy eating. With "GET REAL" you won't have to. Unlike most nutrition, diet and healthy eating books, "GET REAL" can be read and understood within a couple of hours. I take the MOST IMPORTANT aspects of healthy eating and put them front and center. There is no extraneous information that muddies the waters when it comes to what you need to do to eat healthy. It is simple..straight-forward...and completely effective. If you focus on my 5 principles, you will be able to shed excess-weight (if you need to) and maintain a healthy weight for life. Further, the principles are founded in facts, not fads...which means that implementing these principles will ALWAYS be relevant and important to your health. Lastly, the book comes with a "Toolkit" that will help individuals put the principles into action. Readers will learn how to REALLY read nutrition labels, receive comprehensive "no-fail" grocery lists, get a list of "preferred brands" they can trust to be healthy, understand what is a healthy portion size, learn of healthy substitutions for unhealthy ingredients when baking and cooking; and maybe my most favorite part of the book: 40 scrumptious recipes that will prove eating healthy can be delicious. Plus, we provide healthy lifestyle tips that go beyond the plate.
GSR: What kind of research did you do for this book? Did you speak to specialists, nutritionists and doctors - or - was it more from your own personal learnings?
BB: All of the above. I've done a lot of research on my own and have actually listed a lot of the resources I used in the book. However, I'm not a nutritionist, doctor, or registered dietician. And even though I believe that you don't need to be any of those to eat healthy, it was important to me that the information was accurate, scientifically based and effective. I had registered dieticians, nutritionists and other health professionals read over the material to ensure that the info was accurate. The foreword was specifically written by Stacy Kennedy, a practicing registered dietician with Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. I also am extremely thankful for my two interns, one - Sarah Schumacher - a graduate of Cornell University's Nutrition program and the other - Lynne Morgan - a senior in the same program; both of whom did research and contributed to the content.
GSR: What is the single best piece of "green" health advice you would have for your reader? i.e. food, living, etc.
BB: At heart, I'm a naturalist. I believe that if you can't find what you are eating in nature then you're probably best avoiding the food. This includes how the food is processed. I've never been an extremist with this. I'm not a raw vegan or even a vegetarian. I'm realistic in that most of America (and other parts of the world) like to eat meat...like to indulge...like to have chocolate. This is very human. What I would encourage people to do, however, is really understand where there food is coming from, how it was processed and how it got on their table. Most of our food is highly-touched, even organic and unprocessed foods. Understanding the supply chain of food is important in understanding nutrition.
GSR: What organic and green living practices do you embrace in your own life? BB: Personally, I try to buy organic and non-genetically modified foods as much as possible. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, specifically, I also look to buy locally grown. Why? Because most locally grown produce is in-season, making it healthier, richer in nutrients and tastier. However, if something isn't in season, and I really want to eat the fruit or vegetable, I do tend to purchase organic. Lastly, with fish, I always look for ocean-raised fish, versus farm-raised.
GSR: Who should read this book?
BB: Although the title may not suggest this, the book is meant for EVERYONE. I can't say that enough. People who are trying to lose weight are most drawn to the title...they are hoping there is a solution that doesn't require dieting. WHO WANTS TO DIET? However, people who do not need to lose weight can truly benefit from this book as well. This book is a lifestyle book and NOT a diet book. This book is great for the busy mom or woman who just doesn't have time to read through a ton of information to get the most important nuggets she needs to feed herself and her family healthily. This book is also great for the executive who is always on the go and needs some help navigating healthy eating. The book is also good for those individuals who eat pretty healthy, but really are interested in fine-tuning their eating so that it is even healthier. And, of course, this book is great for individuals who want to lose weight but really have no idea where to begin.
For more information the book or Brett's work, visit "GET REAL" and Sheer Balance.
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