Recommended reading: good books make great gifts

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 2003 by Nancy Clark

Whether for the holidays, birthdays or "just because," a good book makes a useful gift for yourself, your better half, family and friends. The following list of titles might interest active people who want to optimally fuel themselves (and their families), invest in good health and be at peace with food, weight and their bodies. Most of these books--plus a plethora of others screened for quality information--are available at www.gurze.com (800-756-7533) and www.ncescatalog.com (877-623-7266) as well as your local library or bookstore. Happy reading, be it on the exercycle, while icing an injury or enjoying a rest day!

Family

Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family by Ellyn Satter.

Instead of fighting about "good" and "bad" foods, learn to enjoy family favorites--healthfully. Satter, a renowned family-feeding specialist, has also written Child of Mine: Feeding With Love and Good Sense (for infants and young children) and How to Get Your Child to Eat ... But Not Too Much.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child.

If your child is a fussy eater, this children's book might be the perfect girl to inspire a change in attitude and eating behavior.

The College Student's Guide to Eating Well on Campus by Ann Litt, M.S., R.D., L.D.

If your college student is fighting the "Freshman 15," complaining about school food and eating less-than-optimally, this guide provides the information to get through college in top form.

Outsmarting the Mother-Daughter Food Trap: How to Free Yourself from Dieting--and Pass on a Healthier Legacy to Your Daughter by Debra Waterhouse, M.P.H., R.D.

The title says it all! If you're a mom who struggles with food, now's the time to put those issues behind you and become a role model for peaceful, healthful eating.

Food Politics

Hope's Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe.

Thirty years ago, Frances Moore Lappe's first book taught us to eat foods from the bottom of the food chain (i.e., consume plants). Her new book, co-authored with her daughter, goes beyond the many reasons to become a vegetarian and discusses genetically engineered foods, worldwide famine and the increase in obesity-related health issues. The bottom line--personal food choices can make a difference.

Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle.

The food industry competes for our dollar. This book takes a behind-the-scenes look at how this competition (e.g., via advertising and grocery store displays) affects how we buy food--and how that affects our health.

Cookbooks

American Heart Association Meals in Minutes Cookbook: Over 200 All-New Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes

You can eat well despite a hectic lifestyle! This collection of 200 recipes emphasizes preparation ease and great taste--all in 25 minutes or less--with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

5-a-Day: The Better Health Cookbook by Dr. Elizabeth Pivanka and Barbara Berry.

To help you eat the recommended five (or more) servings of fruits and vegetables per day, this guide is filled with food ideas and recipes for enjoyable, mouthwatering meals and snacks.

General Nutrition

The American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, Second Edition by Roberta Larson Duyff, M.S., R.D., FADA

In this excellent resource for positive, practical ways to eat well at any age, you'll find answers to food and nutrition questions, from choosing baby food to tips for seniors. This new edition offers more information on nutritious ethnic foods, supplements and women's nutrition.

Weight Management

The Cooper Clinic Solution to the Diet Revolution by Georgia G. Kostas, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.

If you have repeatedly lost weight only to regain it, this book teaches you how to lose fat and keep it off. The step-by-step weight loss plan allows you to eat foods you love and lose weight in a healthy, balanced way. It "also includes cooking-free menus.

Thin for Life: 10 Keys to Success from People who Have Lost Weight and Kept it Off by Anne M. Fletcher, M.S., R.D.

This book is filled with advice from 160 masters who have lost, on average, more than 60 pounds and kept it off for over three years. The book provides inspiration to those who have worked hard to lose weight and want to stay lighter and leaner.

Sports Nutrition

The Vegetarian Sports Nutrition Guide: Peak Performance for Everyone from Beginners to Gold Medalists by Lisa Dorfman, M.S., R.D., L.M.H.C.

Written by an elite vegetarian athlete, this book teaches how to follow a healthy meatless diet and includes personal stories of athletes who have switched to a vegetarian lifestyle.

Nancy Clark's Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions by Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D.

If you know a novice athlete who is considering walking or running a marathon, this book will ease anxiety about running out of energy. It's perfect for marathon training groups.

Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

The Don't Diet, Live-It! Workbook: Healing Food, Weight & Body Issues by Andrea LoBue, LMFCC, and Marsea Marcus, LMFCC.