The Slim-Fast Body, Mind, Life Makeover

The biggest problem with The Slim-Fast Body-Mind-Life Makeover is that the plan is based on substituting Slim-Fast shakes and bars for some regular meals. Two shakes a day may help melt the pounds away, but the strategies are likely to leave many dieters feeling hungry and deprived, especially over the long run.

Other than pushing Slim-Fast products, the nutrition, exercise, and motivational advice found in these 350-plus pages is pretty sound. Written by a team of nutritionists and actress-model Lauren Hutton, the book includes a 14-day, 1,400- to 1,500-calorie meal plan, inspirational quotes, exercise strategies, recipes, and plenty of space to record your weight, rate your hunger, and write down your feelings. There's also a chapter devoted to nutrition basics, another chapter on exercise and relaxation, plus plenty of Slim-Fast success stories to keep you going when the thought of drinking yet another shake makes you gag.

If your idea of dieting is downing Slim-Fast shakes, snack bars, and meal bars, than you're going to love this book. If, on the other hand, you'd prefer a weight-loss plan that emphasizes real food, you'll be better off with one of the great new diet books based on low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber eating such as The Pritikin Principle. --Ellen Albertson