It's not all about the jeans; flattening the tummy helps fight "Toxic Fat"--the disease-inducing weight Dr. Pamela Peeke teaches women how to conquer in Body-for-LIFE for Women. Her firm belief is, most women already know what they're supposed to do: eat a balanced diet, ditch junk food, exercise, think positively. Peeke strives to show her "girlfriends" how to accomplish these tasks, customizing plans for young and old. Clients' stories (including a 95-year-old who worked herself out of a wheelchair and into a martial arts class, and a 14-year old who replaced 90 lbs. of fat with a healthy load of self-confidence) lend credence to Peeke's 12-week weight reduction plan; so do the wowsie before-and-after pictures. Gender-specific scientific evidence supports Peeke's premise that women's bodies require different care than men's. But she doesn't stop there.

Read our interview with Pam Peeke

Peeke digs deeper for her audience, defining four hormonal milestones of a woman's life (menarche to beyond menopause) and customizing a physical and mental transformation plan to suit each. Easing off on strict calorie and weight guidelines, she focuses instead on serious fat reduction, muscle improvement, and practical suggestions for self-care. A handful of charts and formulae help readers assess their progress; sample exercises and fitness logs help, too. But for Peeke, weight reduction pales to bolstering a woman's self-worth through nurturing healthier habits. The only rough pill to swallow is Peeke's two-page list of smart foods: it lacks suggestions for turning acceptable proteins, carbohydrates and fats into palatable daily meals.--Liane Thomas

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Set for success?,

Will "Body for Life for Women" be as successful as the original "Body for Life" by Bill Philips? At the moment we don't know, but there are a few aspects of the book that put it on a good path to a great success.

First of all I like the author's holistic approach. It is pointless to try to win the weight loss game without understanding how our minds, our feelings, our thoughts, and our daily life all affect our bodies. The Mind-Mouth-Muscle template is a great thing. It not only helps you to loose weight (or "remove it," as the author names it) but at the same time, to increase your energy and stress resilience while being satisfied with your healthy life.

Ms. Peeke does not offer any of the fad diets. I like the fact that she offers "smart fats, carbs and proteins". She is short on providing good, tasty recipes but it is understandable. You cannot be a physician, nutritionist, a workout specialist, and a chef at the same time... Dr. Tombak in his book "Can We Live 150 Years?" is also short on this subject, but similar as Dr. Peeke, he provides the ground rules for healthy life style that bring about great results: what and how to eat, breathe, sleep, exercise, think, and much more... Once you understand the rules, and follow them the results are just a natural outcome of the new life style that you adopt. There is really no need for "cooking instructions".

Life-Changing Book!

I bought this book two weeks ago after unsuccessfully completing the original plan by Bill Phillips. This book is completely different- a life-changing outlook on women and weight "removal". I had the chance to meet Dr. Peeke and Eva at their offices and really felt compelled to continue with the challenge. The book, along with the support and encouragement I received at my appointment have really helped me to continue to delve deeper into myself and issues with weight struggles. For the first time in 10 years I've begun to drop weight, feel good about myself and make the mind, body, mouth connection that Dr. Peeke refers to so often in her book. Definitely a MUST HAVE for any woman with ANY struggle with fitness, weight and health. Thank you Dr. Peeke!!

She Gets It

As a 57 year old woman continually trying to attain mind/body health, marathon runner, psychologist, mother, I INSIST that all women purchase and keep next to their beds "Body for Life for Women." Pam's mantra is all about life style and taking care of yourself, without which you simply cannot nurture the other important people in your life. She understands that beauty is not a number on the scale or solely what exists externally. A beautiful woman is a whole woman, well-balanced and well cared for.

I have bought copies of Pam's book for my grown daughters and all my female patients have homework assignments - to imprint the book on the brain. If you read nothing else the rest of the year, do yourself a favor and buy "Body For Life For Women." It is a treasure that will nourish you for the rest of your healthy life.

Dr. Deborah Potashnik Hecker, Washington DC