The Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry, (Paperback)

Publishers Weekly,In 2001, The Okinawa Program jumped onto bestseller lists, lauding the healthy habits of a group of elderly Okinawans who have some of the world's lowest mortality rates and best health. (Since then, it's been reported that younger Okinawans' weight has been increasing, due in part to the popularity of McDonald's on the island.) Now the authors return, expounding on the Okinawan key to longevity: a healthy, balanced diet. For Willcox, Willcox and Suzuki, "limiting calorie intake is the healthiest approach to eating." The authors present a moderate, easy-to-follow plan, beginning with a guide to their four categories of food, according to calorific density: featherweights (e.g., green tea, asparagus), lightweights (e.g., red snapper, cooked brown rice), middleweights (e.g., hummus, broiled lean beef rib steak) and heavyweights (e.g., cheesecake, butter). They then move on to the 10 principles of the Okinawan diet, from featherweight meal foundations to the staple of Okinawan diets-the sweet potato-which is grandly praised for its rich anti-oxidants. Restricting the Western tendency to overeat is key to longevity, but this doesn't mean going hungry. The book's second half offers more than 160 delicious and healthful recipes, ranging from traditional Japanese fare such as Pork Daikon to Western dishes like Shrimp and Broccoli Penne. Never extreme, the authors counsel readers to treat diet plans "like training wheels on a bike," and the eight-week phase-in plan facilitates the gradual incorporation of the Okinawan regime, so readers feel benefits without frustration and deprivation. Agent, Stedman Mays. (June) Forecast: Fans of The Okinawa Program will surely want to purchase this follow-up, as will readers discouraged by the severity of some other diets. Ads in USA Today and a 20-city radio satellite tour will bump sales. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved