This is a solid book with a solid eating plan. There aren't any wacky ingredients, just good wholesome foods in controlled portions. I would highly recommend this book, even if you weren't looking to lose any weight.

I thought the book was really good, and he gives reasons how certain aspects can help your system.

I’m not very familiar with the author only knowing he has a TV show, but this book was fairly interesting in its approach towards belly fat (key being microbes). It’s refreshing to have an author/doctor admit “I want to live the longest, healthiest, and most vibrant life possible”, so it’s a bit more believable that what he writes is on the sincere side (and not just for the newest health trend). The author also is accepting of the fact many readers may just skip ahead to the ‘diet’ portion of the book but encourages them to come back and read the beginning chapters to gain insight on why the diet is something to follow. The book is straight text which is a bit hard for me to get through, but it’s interesting to have kimchi, sauerkraut, and other unusual “diet” foods listed. I found myself skimming then going back to read info that I found interesting, but I wanted to get to the meal plans to see what kind of “diet” is being suggested and it’s not too difficult and not much different from what I normally eat in any case, so that was great news. The book includes quizzes which is nice, but overall, I didn’t find it too different from what’s popular (eating unprocessed, clean, protein-rich foods), but it’s definitely a good reminder!

Start the new year with a healthy diet and lifestyle!
Dr. Travis Stork shares new research about how to lose weight and improve your heath with the right foods and exercise.

Buddies in your Belly
In this book, Dr. Stork shares new research that reveals important connections between our overall health and the well-being of the microbes that live in our gut.

The good bacteria and other microbes in our belly work with our immune system to fight off dangerous invaders and help us digest food. Gut microbes play such a crucial role in our health that it is amazing that it has taken us so long to give them the attention they deserve.

Here are some ways you can nourish and support your gut microbes:

Eat high-fiber fruits, vegetables and grains.

Fill your belly with prebiotic and probiotic superstars.

Learn why probiotic supplements are usually not necessary.

Eat nuts.

Avoid excess and unnecessary use of antibiotics.

Be aware of pesticides in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Strengthen your belly buddies with exercise.

Drink plenty of water.

Dr. Stork shares a detailed diet plan to help you lose weight and improve your health.

My Thoughts
I really like the way Dr. Stork explains complicated medical research in a way that is easy to understand and really interesting to learn. This is not a book about losing weight, it is about a lifestyle change that will make you a healthier person. However, weight loss will be a wonderful result of following this diet/exercise plan.

It takes time to change our eating habits, but this book demonstrates that you don't have to be hungry to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

I really enjoyed the way Dr. Stork tells how he goes to the grocery store and chooses healthy veggies from the salad bar when he is traveling instead of eating in restaurants.

I have started to implement this diet in my meals. I am eating a limited amount of meat and focusing on high-fiber raw fruits and vegetables. I am looking forward to a healthy and happy new year!

I recommend this book for your consideration. It will give you insight on how food affects your body...for good and bad. It is never too late to make healthy changes in your diet and lifestyle.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

There was so much that I learned from this book. For me and my body it is a process of learning what I can change. I am a very picky eater and do not like diets. So big adjustments on anything are hard for me. But with this book I finally felt like I got a good idea of what I can change. There is so much more that I want to take from this book. It is one that will be with me for a long period of time.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

'The Lose Your Belly Diet' by MD Stork. Dr. Travis Stork is a ER doctor and also appears on the TV show 'The Doctors". In addition, Dr. Phil McGraw has endorsed this book on his show. That is where I learned about this book and quickly wanted to read it.
This book as most diet books go over the need to change the foods you are eating. But I thought it took it to another level with Dr. Stork and how he has seen the damage that overeating does to a body. I like his approach to loosing the weight and how he explains what is happening to you when you are overweight. Dr. Stork tells you what are the better foods to eat to help you achieve your goal to loose the belly weight and to get healthy. Overall felt this is a great book to help you move forward with loosing the weight. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."

Show this book on the doctor's show. Loved all the helpful tips in book. Hope it helps me lose weight.

Commit To Living An Active, Healthy Life

Prior to reading this book, I had no idea the author was an E.R. physician. In that profession, Dr. Stork has seen what happens if you do NOT take care of your body. The poor folks he sees in the ER room "wish more than anything that they could turn back the clock and live a better, healthier life. They would give anything for a second chance. But many of them can’t. It is too late for them."

THE LOSE YOUR BELLY DIET is primarily focused on changing the food you eat--especially getting more fiber and a diversity of microbes into your diet. That is, it's not an exercise book or a set of short cuts to make you look slimmer. Rather, improving your appearance is actually a side benefit of the better diet. That is, you will naturally have a smaller belly when you incorporate the recommended changes.

The essence of the Lose Your Belly Diet is really just 5 things:

1) Enjoy probiotic foods every day.
2) Eat an abundance of Prebiotic Superstars
3) Pick a mix of proteins
4) Choose great grains
5) Embrace friendly fats

Dr. Stork emphasizes what he calls, "Buddies in Your Belly." These are the microbes in your gut. The doctor emphases the importance of getting a diverse population of microbes into our system: "Gut microbes play such a crucial role in our health that it’s kind of amazing that it’s taken so long for us to start giving them the attention they deserve"

In an era where we emphasize super-cleanliness and use of antibacterial lotions, it's important to take action to improve the diversity of our gut bacteria: "The good news is that we can take significant steps to repair our damaged guts." The doctor points out that increasing dietary fiber is a critical (and pretty easy) step.

Another big emphasis of THE LOSE YOUR BELLY DIET is getting more fiber into our diet. This is not a new idea of course, but it IS a well-supported idea: "Giant piles of research have shown that people who eat adequate fiber have a lower risk of various chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, some kinds of cancer..."

I like the author's willingness to admit when the science is not quite proven in some areas. I appreciate his humility: "Although we have learned so much lately, there are still many things we don’t know about gut bacteria and how best to support it. . . When we don’t know whether A is better than B or C, I’ll level with you and share whatever guidance is available to help you make choices that are best for you."

PART II suggests "Foods That Feed Your Gut." I thought one of the more sections was the "Dozen Easy Ways to Eat More Fiber." I learned several good dietary tactics that I had not thought of. Here are the ones that I found most helpful:

#4: In soups, chili , and pasta sauces, replace some meat with beans or lentil
#7: Choose fruits and vegetables that are highest in fiber. For example, raspberries contain much more fiber (8 grams per cup) than strawberries (3 grams per cup).
# 8. Add beans, lentils , split peas, or seeds to your salads.
#10. Swap hummus for mayonnaise as a sandwich spread. Hummus provides you with protein as well as fiber.

As a result of reading this tips, I am changing the food I eat to try to emphasize more fiber and microbe diversity, as the doctor recommends. I confess I had no idea that raspberries had a lot of fiber compared to strawberries. That seems like a really simple change to do.

Another good way to enhance your gut microbe diversity is to eat probiotic foods, which are "teeming with helpful microbes, you introduce new guests to the microbe party in your gut." The author reminds the reader that yogurt is the "mother of all probiotic food." Kefir is another good choice, because it has many different strains of bacteria, compared to yogurt. I did not know that.

Dr. Stork cites the well-known study showing that kids who grow up in "dirtier" environments are often healthier: "Kids who grow up in homes with dogs have lower rates of asthma, allergies, and eczema than kids without dogs. . . Kids who are raised on farms pick up a wide variety of microbes as they interact with animals." Although the research is not yet conclusive, it seems as though early exposure to microbes improves our immune system.

All in all, I found THE LOSE YOUR BELLY DIET to be a helpful, encouraging book. I didn't see any startling new findings, but there were a lot of practical tips I had not considered. Dr. Stork concludes with an encouraging note: "Make the most of your life by being active and fueling your body in a way that best supports you." Recalling what he sees in the E.R department, the doctor exhorts the reader to take action NOW. Change your diet, and the benefits will start right away.

I thought this quote sums up the book nicely: "Don’t be the person in the ER whose last moments are filled with nothing but regret. Commit to living an active, healthy life."

Advance Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.

Something I love about doctor Travis Stork is that he is great at breaking down medical jargon for the layman. His conversational tone make his books so easy to read and that is helpful when you are reading about your health and trying to do better for yourself. I like that in The Lose Your Belly Diet, Dr. Stork goes into detail about gut health and gut microbiome, sharing some insight into why so many people are obese, as well as what gut microbiomes have to do with overall health. It was an exciting book that I read in one setting. Best of all, the recipes shared at the end all sound delicious. I never like when books like this use the word "diet" in the title, but if that gets some people to read this book than I will forgive it. This is not a "diet" as much as a healthier way of eating and learning more about your body so you can treat it better, I recommend this book to absolutely anyone who wants to take better care of their health, whether that is to lose weight, to tone up, or to just begin (or continue) on a better path to eating well.

This is an easy to understand diet book. Eat more fiber, fruits and vegetables and less animal based foods. Dr. Stork documents his findings with many studies and food trials. Lots of recipes and some interesting equivalent charts for substitutions. Lots of "food" for thought.

This is a cheerful and perky book filled with cute names for things (friendly intestinal bacteria are your Little Buddies, while apples, pears, and berries are Super Fruits. Along with the cuteness you'll find scientific evidence, clearly explained, for the new understanding of obesity and weight loss.

The Lose Your Belly Diet consists of five simple rules. But the book also includes meal plans and recipes to make your new way of eating easier. This book is not really about a diet -- it's about permanent healthful changes in the way you eat that will make you healthier. And help with that belly, too.