The Diet for Teenagers Only

Tailored for 13- to 19-year-old girls (sorry, guys) The Diet for Teenagers Only dishes up a sensible balance of recipes, weight loss strategies, and straight talk about food. Writing partners Carrie Wiatt (Eating by Design) and Barbara Schroeder convey all the messages nutrition-wise moms want their daughters to hear--in an informed, best-friend voice their teens will actually listen to.

Trust builds as readers discover "Things They Never Told You;" like how puberty naturally increases a girl’s body fat, diet soda promotes weight gain, and carbohydrates aren’t all bad. No mention of ideal weight spoils the fun, here; rather, Wiatt and Schroeder utilize an age-appropriate BMI (Body Mass Index) to help judge who’s truly overweight and who simply needs "a better body image reality check." Doodled stars and hearts further enliven the book’s chummy tone, but never upstage the important stuff: food portion guides; nutrients for healthy bodies; calorie requirements based on BMI ranges; low-fat cooking techniques and recipes; weekly menus and shopping strategies for weight loss; and discussions about how a teen’s emotions often drive her eating cycle. Q & A sections slip between meatier chapters, allowing tough issues like fasting, cravings, and eating disorders to be addressed with empathy and pragmatism. Surprisingly helpful are the restaurant and vending machine guidelines, featuring side-by-side substitution lists, titled "Eat This" and "Not That". Brimming with loving encouragement and the wisdom of gals who have been there, The Diet for Teenagers Only sends a clear message to girls: form good habits now.--Liane Thomas