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Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight Loss Battle For Good
What’s holding you back? What excuses are you making up that are stopping you from living your best life? I used them all, and look where that got me! Are you ready to stop living insane and get real with yourself?Al Roker’s aha! moment came a decade ago. Closing in on 350 pounds, he promised his dying father that he wasn’t going to keep living as he was. That led to his decision for a stomach bypass—and his life-changing drop to 190. But fifty of those pounds crept back until he finally devised a plan and stuck to it.Never Goin’ Back is Roker’s inspiring, candid, and often hilarious story of self-discovery, revealing a (slimmer) side of his life that no one knows. With illuminating and sometimes painfully honest stories about his childhood, his struggle against the odds to make something of himself, and his family life today, Roker reveals the effects that a lifelong battle with weight issues can have on a person—and how, regardless of the frustration and setbacks, you must never lose faith in yourself (just inches).Most important, he knows that losing weight is as much—if not more—a state of mind as of body. That’s why he’s to recharge your willpower and see you through it like a friend—with warmth, humor, and a healthy new outlook on life.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2012
57 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Al Roker
27 books132 followersAl Roker is an American weather forecaster, journalist, television personality, actor, and author. He is the current weather anchor on NBC's Today.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
March 6, 2013
Terrible. This book was so disappointing. Al Roker had the perfect platform to advocate for healthy eating, growing up with hard working parents, how he made it in his career. And he honestly fell so short, the book only skimmed the surface of his life. He never went into depth about much, except for the joking. He made (not funny) jokes about everything, it became tiresome and was a chore to finish the book.
January 29, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I haven't always been a fan of Al Roker on the Today show, but I feel as though this reveals him to be a very warm human being.
Al struggled with his weight most of his life. He would diet, lose weight, and then gain it back plus packing on more weight. Sound familiar? Yes, a lot of us have been there.
He made the decision to undergo weight-loss surgery and was able to lose over 150 lbs. However, he did end up regaining some and knew that he needed to make some more changes in his life in order to maintain his new-found health.
Having had weight-loss surgery myself (though I had the sleeve over the bypass), I related to everything Al was talking about. I appreciated how open he was about the discrimination overweight people suffer, and how he admitted that he had it easier as a man. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
*She couldn't wrap her mind around why it was so hard for me to say no to something as simple as fried food or not go for that second, third, or fourth roll in the bread basket...she didn't get it and never could have because she had never struggled with food like I have.
*I actually worried that people would think I'd cheated the system to lose weight. I wasn't necessarily worried about my public image as much as other people seeing the surgery as a cheat. What I eventually realized is that there is no difference between overeating and alcoholism or a chemical dependency. It's a disease. If I had heart disease and underwent bypass surgery, no one would think anything of it. For me, a gastric bypass was no different.
*The overweight are a target group that suffers day-to-day indignities and discrimination, not to mention inconveniences that are completely self-inflicted.
*When you think about it, no one would say something intentionally impolite or make a crass joke to a person who had a physical or mental disability or any other type of affliction. But for reasons I will never understand, they feel perfectly free to make comments and fat jokes as if it were okay - and it's not.
*People have asked my advice many times on the right way to approach someone when it comes to weight. Here's the things. There is no right way. Fat people know they're fat. They know they need to lose weight. When you're buying a size 60 suit and wearing a 56 pant, you know you're a fat. There's no fooling yourself or anyone else. So even though you think someone is too heavy, keep your mouth shut; that person already knows.
*To overcome this habit - which you likely formed as a response to stress, anger, sadness, insecurity, whatever - is to physically and consciously reset your response to a new, healthier behavior. It's simply reshaping how you think. When X happens, instead of doing Y, I will now do Z.
*The road to failure is paved with good intentions. I knew everything about about this process, and I thought I had my stress-eating under control, yet it took only my mother getting sick to trigger those old unhealthy habits.
*People who don't struggle with their weight don't have a clue what it's like to go through life thinking about our girth every waking moment, yet they feel the need to lecture, judge and offer unsolicited opinions we don't want to hear. It's like a sober guy trying to convince a drunk not to drink. It doesn't work. If it did, AA wouldn't exist.
Highly recommend.
Al struggled with his weight most of his life. He would diet, lose weight, and then gain it back plus packing on more weight. Sound familiar? Yes, a lot of us have been there.
He made the decision to undergo weight-loss surgery and was able to lose over 150 lbs. However, he did end up regaining some and knew that he needed to make some more changes in his life in order to maintain his new-found health.
Having had weight-loss surgery myself (though I had the sleeve over the bypass), I related to everything Al was talking about. I appreciated how open he was about the discrimination overweight people suffer, and how he admitted that he had it easier as a man. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
*She couldn't wrap her mind around why it was so hard for me to say no to something as simple as fried food or not go for that second, third, or fourth roll in the bread basket...she didn't get it and never could have because she had never struggled with food like I have.
*I actually worried that people would think I'd cheated the system to lose weight. I wasn't necessarily worried about my public image as much as other people seeing the surgery as a cheat. What I eventually realized is that there is no difference between overeating and alcoholism or a chemical dependency. It's a disease. If I had heart disease and underwent bypass surgery, no one would think anything of it. For me, a gastric bypass was no different.
*The overweight are a target group that suffers day-to-day indignities and discrimination, not to mention inconveniences that are completely self-inflicted.
*When you think about it, no one would say something intentionally impolite or make a crass joke to a person who had a physical or mental disability or any other type of affliction. But for reasons I will never understand, they feel perfectly free to make comments and fat jokes as if it were okay - and it's not.
*People have asked my advice many times on the right way to approach someone when it comes to weight. Here's the things. There is no right way. Fat people know they're fat. They know they need to lose weight. When you're buying a size 60 suit and wearing a 56 pant, you know you're a fat. There's no fooling yourself or anyone else. So even though you think someone is too heavy, keep your mouth shut; that person already knows.
*To overcome this habit - which you likely formed as a response to stress, anger, sadness, insecurity, whatever - is to physically and consciously reset your response to a new, healthier behavior. It's simply reshaping how you think. When X happens, instead of doing Y, I will now do Z.
*The road to failure is paved with good intentions. I knew everything about about this process, and I thought I had my stress-eating under control, yet it took only my mother getting sick to trigger those old unhealthy habits.
*People who don't struggle with their weight don't have a clue what it's like to go through life thinking about our girth every waking moment, yet they feel the need to lecture, judge and offer unsolicited opinions we don't want to hear. It's like a sober guy trying to convince a drunk not to drink. It doesn't work. If it did, AA wouldn't exist.
Highly recommend.
December 10, 2019
Like many celebrities that have lost a profound amount of weight - and managed to keep it off for a period of time - they feel the need to write a book about their struggles with weight and how they have succeeded to losing it.
The only thing that most people would love to lose and never find again. . . .
Al Roker, that 'jolly, rotund,weatherman' from the TODAY Show, promised his dying father that he would work at losing weight especially since he was over the three hundred pound mark.
Although it felt like admitting he was a failure at losing the excess weight by himself, he underwent gastic bypass surgery and dropped significant pounds. But the weight started to creep back on until he managed to find a program he was able to work with and has ever since.
He goes from his childhood through the college years, his first marriage as well as his second and all through this relaying of personal history, he also reveals the hold his appreciation of food as well as his attempts at weight loss.
The major words-of-wisdom: just like any other addict - be it caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs or food - the individual has to find the reason to lose weight within themselves. Nagging does nothing except exacerbate the guilt and negative feelings they already have about their weight. They know they are fat. They know they have a problem. They do not need backhanded compliments nor sarcastic commentary. They need positive support which can be very hard to provide. And just like any other addiction, this fight will be a life-long one.
His actual story ends on page 184 with 91 pages of recipes, mostly vegetarian. Of course, having the financial means to purchase some of the items - coconut and almond milk as well as salmon and organic fruit and vegetables does make it a problem for a member of the general public to adhere to especially if they also have to buy a completely different diet for the other members of their family that are not participating.
He writes just like he speaks if you have seen him on broadcast TV. The book is very enlightening and Al himself is encouraging. Especially the part where the individual can have setbacks and momentary failures but they just need to have faith in themselves and get back on whichever path works for them.
2019-176
The only thing that most people would love to lose and never find again. . . .
Al Roker, that 'jolly, rotund,weatherman' from the TODAY Show, promised his dying father that he would work at losing weight especially since he was over the three hundred pound mark.
Although it felt like admitting he was a failure at losing the excess weight by himself, he underwent gastic bypass surgery and dropped significant pounds. But the weight started to creep back on until he managed to find a program he was able to work with and has ever since.
He goes from his childhood through the college years, his first marriage as well as his second and all through this relaying of personal history, he also reveals the hold his appreciation of food as well as his attempts at weight loss.
The major words-of-wisdom: just like any other addict - be it caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs or food - the individual has to find the reason to lose weight within themselves. Nagging does nothing except exacerbate the guilt and negative feelings they already have about their weight. They know they are fat. They know they have a problem. They do not need backhanded compliments nor sarcastic commentary. They need positive support which can be very hard to provide. And just like any other addiction, this fight will be a life-long one.
His actual story ends on page 184 with 91 pages of recipes, mostly vegetarian. Of course, having the financial means to purchase some of the items - coconut and almond milk as well as salmon and organic fruit and vegetables does make it a problem for a member of the general public to adhere to especially if they also have to buy a completely different diet for the other members of their family that are not participating.
He writes just like he speaks if you have seen him on broadcast TV. The book is very enlightening and Al himself is encouraging. Especially the part where the individual can have setbacks and momentary failures but they just need to have faith in themselves and get back on whichever path works for them.
2019-176
August 15, 2022
I felt as if Al Roker was sitting and talking with me. I appreciated the honesty in describing his weight loss struggles.
April 5, 2013
Watching Al Roker on the Today show I have enjoyed his role in the group. He often plays the joker and engages the crowd as part of his wind-up to the weather forecast, but I have often felt that under his smiling facade, he wants to say something not so nice under his breath. This book shows more of the main behind the personality, but even here, he is on the defensive, and perhaps a little mean in the process.
I find I don't care for Roker's tone throughout this book. Comments about what salespeople must be thinking, repetitive references to being fat all his life, and poking fun at his past self as he recounts experiences all left me feeling like he's got a bit of a chip left on his shoulder.
I understand and empathize with what an overweight person experiences in our society. I felt like this book could have explored his story much deeper, giving us a truer understanding of his experience. Instead his story is clogged with distraction and leaves me uninterested. I haven't finished the book yet, and I hope I rally and find that in the latter pages he figures out his path and lets some of the struggle go.
I find I don't care for Roker's tone throughout this book. Comments about what salespeople must be thinking, repetitive references to being fat all his life, and poking fun at his past self as he recounts experiences all left me feeling like he's got a bit of a chip left on his shoulder.
I understand and empathize with what an overweight person experiences in our society. I felt like this book could have explored his story much deeper, giving us a truer understanding of his experience. Instead his story is clogged with distraction and leaves me uninterested. I haven't finished the book yet, and I hope I rally and find that in the latter pages he figures out his path and lets some of the struggle go.
May 20, 2013
This was an awesome quick read. I read an interview that Roker did with Parade magazine a few months ago. It was humurous and genuine and he offered strategies that he uses to keep the weight off.
The one that really caught my eye was weighing himself every day. I lost 43 pounds over the course of a year and have been battling with the scale, but I must admit when I started weighing myself daily it eased the pressure.
Before reading the article, I'd weigh myself once a week and be heartbroken if I gained weight or didn't lose any. Now, I feel like I really know what is going on with my body and stepping on the scale no longer evokes fear.
After reading the article, I decided to read the book. Roker mixes humor in with his battle against the bulge. He does make it clear that he is not offering any advice, he is simply telling the reader how he did it and I appreciate that.
So many times, we see people lose weight and suddenly become fitness experts. What works for one person may not work for you and I'm glad Roker makes that clear.
With that said, if you are interested in losing weight or in the midst of the battle of the bulge, pick this book up. It is a good read.
The one that really caught my eye was weighing himself every day. I lost 43 pounds over the course of a year and have been battling with the scale, but I must admit when I started weighing myself daily it eased the pressure.
Before reading the article, I'd weigh myself once a week and be heartbroken if I gained weight or didn't lose any. Now, I feel like I really know what is going on with my body and stepping on the scale no longer evokes fear.
After reading the article, I decided to read the book. Roker mixes humor in with his battle against the bulge. He does make it clear that he is not offering any advice, he is simply telling the reader how he did it and I appreciate that.
So many times, we see people lose weight and suddenly become fitness experts. What works for one person may not work for you and I'm glad Roker makes that clear.
With that said, if you are interested in losing weight or in the midst of the battle of the bulge, pick this book up. It is a good read.
Read
March 14, 2023I've just started watching the Today show within the last year, and it was interesting to read about the old Al I never knew. It focuses almost soley on his weight loss battle. It was a good read, and he gives lots of good tips. He says that you can't truly get healthy and stay healthy unless you do it for yourself.
September 1, 2018
If you like Al and are interested in weight related issues you will probably like this book. I did.
December 15, 2024
Memoir & summary of weight loss approaches.
Gave this 3.5 stars.
Al's father on his death bed asked Al to promise
to lose weight. Al was morbidly obese, someone
considered 100 lbs. or > overweight.
Al's mother & father both rewarded Al with food,
starting as a child. His mother then castigated
him for gaining weight! Al's 3rd wife Deborah
lectured him on self-esteem and weight loss.
Some co-workers thought Al a typical fat, funny
man.
Al reviewed his various attempts to lose weight.
He finally had gastric by=pass surgery, but
regained some of the weight. He mentioned 2
nasty surprises after he ate a small meal, 1 too
high in sugar, & 1 too high in fat.
He found a solution for him: spirituality+ slow speed
method+ "clean" eating. Slow speed referred to
gym/ wt training created by Kim Hutchins. "Clean"
eating involved, with the help of a registered dietician,
unprocessed fruits and veggies & lean meats & limited
alcohol/ avoidance of sugary alcohol drinks. He gave up,
for the most part, his beloved York Peppermint Patties.
He even ran marathons!
Al did a good job showing the emotional component
of poor food choices and/ or overeating.
Gave this 3.5 stars.
Al's father on his death bed asked Al to promise
to lose weight. Al was morbidly obese, someone
considered 100 lbs. or > overweight.
Al's mother & father both rewarded Al with food,
starting as a child. His mother then castigated
him for gaining weight! Al's 3rd wife Deborah
lectured him on self-esteem and weight loss.
Some co-workers thought Al a typical fat, funny
man.
Al reviewed his various attempts to lose weight.
He finally had gastric by=pass surgery, but
regained some of the weight. He mentioned 2
nasty surprises after he ate a small meal, 1 too
high in sugar, & 1 too high in fat.
He found a solution for him: spirituality+ slow speed
method+ "clean" eating. Slow speed referred to
gym/ wt training created by Kim Hutchins. "Clean"
eating involved, with the help of a registered dietician,
unprocessed fruits and veggies & lean meats & limited
alcohol/ avoidance of sugary alcohol drinks. He gave up,
for the most part, his beloved York Peppermint Patties.
He even ran marathons!
Al did a good job showing the emotional component
of poor food choices and/ or overeating.
April 9, 2021
Al shares his struggles with food and weight from childhood thru adulthood. Except for 1 chapter which he shares specifics from an exercise routine and lifestyle diet he was or is using at the time he wrote the book. He really doesn't give advice but more shares his experience and thoughts. The last few chapters are very good especially for someone who has a loved one who is obese. Overall I think this is a good book. It feels like you are sitting down with a friend hearing his journey. I had no idea he was an author. He has written over 20 books according to goodreads. I am very interested in reading a book that his wife and him wrote about parenting.
July 21, 2019
I typically don’t read a lot of diet books. But I like the Today Show and I enjoy Al Roker, so I wanted to give this a try. He shares his weight loss journey through diet changes, exercise, and gastric bypass. He is very open, honest, self-deprecating, and frankly relatable. He does get a bit redundant at times, but he comes off so down to earth and kind that’s he’s forgiven.
Al shares his recipes that have worked for him- I plan to try a few, they sound delicious. I am glad he found something that worked for him.
Al shares his recipes that have worked for him- I plan to try a few, they sound delicious. I am glad he found something that worked for him.
July 12, 2017
This is not a diet book, rather a story of Al's lifelong journey to weight loss and healthy living. And it will continue to be his journey; like he says, he's never going back. He does provide ideas for meals taken from his daily routine, and there are some recipes. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story.
November 1, 2018
I was hoping to relate to this as I have struggled with weight my whole life. This is a story though of a guy with a serious food addiction. I can’t relate to that. In the end I was super disappointed the book turned into a commercial. I didn’t find any of his stories very relatable and even not enough personal stories to overlook other parts.
February 12, 2020
If you're a fan of Al Roker, I recommend that you not read this book. The serious, personal subject matter had the potential to be poignant and informative, but was treated with insensitivity and a misguided humor that often struck me as deeply offensive. The author's voice was not at all aligned with Roker's brand or personality as a beloved member of the Today show.
January 23, 2020
Loved it! But then I've always been an Al Roker fan! I found his story enlightening, affirming, and so well written. This was the perfect book to help me on my journey to a healthier lifestyle this new year. Thanks, Al!
February 8, 2018
Entertaining book. Sounds like you're watching him on TV!
March 27, 2018
In this book, Al talks about his childhood, his career, & his decision to lose weight & get healthy. Very insightful & interesting.
April 11, 2018
Love his candor and his menu/recipes.
April 26, 2020
Fun for a closet thin guy
Necessary reading for a person struggling with weight. Great insight and fun read much to learn and consider in your quest
Necessary reading for a person struggling with weight. Great insight and fun read much to learn and consider in your quest
November 1, 2021
Enjoyed this a lot! I really like Al!
June 8, 2022
A good book to read if you struggle with your weight and want to hear about some ways to work through that from someone who has been there.
August 31, 2024
Started out good, ended as a commercial for a cleanse and a way of maintaining weight is that is only obtainable to celebrities. What could be an encouraging story was the exact opposite!
March 17, 2017
I suppose it would be helpful to maybe a select group of people... those who have never tried to diet, and have never learned "eat less, move more" and those coming from a place of privilege where they can afford to eat organic, grass fed lean proteins all the time.
Truth of the matter is, this was something between an autobiographical account of bypass surgery and hawking a few celebrity diets and exercise regimes -- this contained little to no actual information on bariatric surgery, and Al hardly touched on the actual, nutritional requirements and goals that WLS patients need to adhere to. Half the book is him talking about how he would eat all these terrible foods, a third of it is about what happened after he had the surgery, and the rest of it is recipes post-surgery life.
It was terrible.
Truth of the matter is, this was something between an autobiographical account of bypass surgery and hawking a few celebrity diets and exercise regimes -- this contained little to no actual information on bariatric surgery, and Al hardly touched on the actual, nutritional requirements and goals that WLS patients need to adhere to. Half the book is him talking about how he would eat all these terrible foods, a third of it is about what happened after he had the surgery, and the rest of it is recipes post-surgery life.
It was terrible.
February 19, 2013
‘Never Going Back’ is segmented into different areas of Al’s life and his focus on his life struggle with weight loss. He first introduced his family background. His dad’s dedication to working hard for his family and his mom’s comfort food laid the foundation on Al’s hard-working attitude and his love for food. When Al’s father was on his dead bed about fifteen years ago, Roker Sr. pleaded to Al to do one thing for him – make a commitment to get his health and weight in check so he could live a long life for his kids.
Roker did make this promise. After his dad’s death, Al let his promise to his dad resonate in his mind, yet he didn’t make the move to alter his life just yet.
After trying every diet, he started doing the research for gastric bypass surgery. He dismissed the surgery initially, but a few years down the road Al ran into a colleague who had the surgery and raved about her results. Roker called it being in the right place at the right time and was convinced he would give another doctor a call.
Al’s weight loss journey has been a rollercoaster ride for over twenty years. From ballooning to over 300 pounds at his last wedding to eating clean on a detox plan, Al has finally learned the right choices to a healthy lifestyle.
Sometimes I felt Al’s anecdotes were all over the place. He would talk about his gastric bypass surgery but then talk about shopping for suits or his favorite dessert. I think his editor could have helped him tie all the stories together a little bit better.
Also, I felt like some of his personal stories were TMI, but that was the point of his memoir. Al wrote, “If you’re going to get anything from this book, I’m hoping you will embrace my honesty and find some solace that you are not alone on this journey. I have chosen not to hold back because it’s a road we have all traveled, and you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.” Amen.
This quote makes sense and does put an angle on Al’s book and differentiates itself from ‘just another weight loss book.’ Eating disorders and weight issues are the hardest to admit sometimes. It can be a skeleton in someone’s closet for years and years until it’s hard to release. Sharing your story can only let you free. You go, Al!
Roker did make this promise. After his dad’s death, Al let his promise to his dad resonate in his mind, yet he didn’t make the move to alter his life just yet.
After trying every diet, he started doing the research for gastric bypass surgery. He dismissed the surgery initially, but a few years down the road Al ran into a colleague who had the surgery and raved about her results. Roker called it being in the right place at the right time and was convinced he would give another doctor a call.
Al’s weight loss journey has been a rollercoaster ride for over twenty years. From ballooning to over 300 pounds at his last wedding to eating clean on a detox plan, Al has finally learned the right choices to a healthy lifestyle.
Sometimes I felt Al’s anecdotes were all over the place. He would talk about his gastric bypass surgery but then talk about shopping for suits or his favorite dessert. I think his editor could have helped him tie all the stories together a little bit better.
Also, I felt like some of his personal stories were TMI, but that was the point of his memoir. Al wrote, “If you’re going to get anything from this book, I’m hoping you will embrace my honesty and find some solace that you are not alone on this journey. I have chosen not to hold back because it’s a road we have all traveled, and you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.” Amen.
This quote makes sense and does put an angle on Al’s book and differentiates itself from ‘just another weight loss book.’ Eating disorders and weight issues are the hardest to admit sometimes. It can be a skeleton in someone’s closet for years and years until it’s hard to release. Sharing your story can only let you free. You go, Al!
February 9, 2015
I liked Al Roker when he was heavy and I like him trim. He seems like the genuine deal -- straightforward, funny, competent, empathetic, bawdy. I like Never Goin' Back a lot. He sketches his fight with weight -- that is to say, with eating out of control. It takes courage to admit that publicly. And he describes his work to leave off that unhealthy eating and take on a healthy life.
He talks about his own choices for healthy eating and exercise without in the least proclaiming that this is what other folks should do. Absence of a messianic attitude about right eating and moving is surely effective because each of us is unique in the combination of factors that challenge us and the steps that work for us. "The Best Advice Is No Advice" is one of his chapters. As for me, for example, I eat dry oatmeal (1/2 c) with strawberries and blueberries (or apple or orange) every morning. I don't expect anybody else to find dry oatmeal moistened with fruit to be to their taste.
The food that he likes and the recipes thereto -- big help for me. I will be cooking up some of his recommendations, like roasted chickpeas and classic hummus. My exercise path differs greatly from his -- I'm not likely to take up running again; but tai chi and walking, and a little gym work are my path.
He doesn't explore the context -- that America is an advertising-conditioned and culturally contradictory land when it comes to food. ("Eat all you want but be thin.) As close as Roker gets is: "My cravings were actually drtiven by the imbalances in my insulin levels, which would spike from eating so much sugar, and then dip." But our man David Kessler, former head of the Food and Drug Administration and author of The End of Overeating has investigated America's glut of bad-for-you food at every hand. Roker's practical and cheery story is just what the doctor ordered.
Thanks Al! Good job! I appreciate it.
He talks about his own choices for healthy eating and exercise without in the least proclaiming that this is what other folks should do. Absence of a messianic attitude about right eating and moving is surely effective because each of us is unique in the combination of factors that challenge us and the steps that work for us. "The Best Advice Is No Advice" is one of his chapters. As for me, for example, I eat dry oatmeal (1/2 c) with strawberries and blueberries (or apple or orange) every morning. I don't expect anybody else to find dry oatmeal moistened with fruit to be to their taste.
The food that he likes and the recipes thereto -- big help for me. I will be cooking up some of his recommendations, like roasted chickpeas and classic hummus. My exercise path differs greatly from his -- I'm not likely to take up running again; but tai chi and walking, and a little gym work are my path.
He doesn't explore the context -- that America is an advertising-conditioned and culturally contradictory land when it comes to food. ("Eat all you want but be thin.) As close as Roker gets is: "My cravings were actually drtiven by the imbalances in my insulin levels, which would spike from eating so much sugar, and then dip." But our man David Kessler, former head of the Food and Drug Administration and author of The End of Overeating has investigated America's glut of bad-for-you food at every hand. Roker's practical and cheery story is just what the doctor ordered.
Thanks Al! Good job! I appreciate it.
February 10, 2014
This is a personal view of his struggle with weight. Like all "self help" books it is verbose and repetitious, but this just serves to pound the message into the reader; it reads well and all this is helpful. It includes many embarrassing incidents, from childhood bullying to daily insults to diarrhoea in the White House. On the positive side, helpful hints on how to deal with the situations, from the viewpoint of an adult - kids and spouses are dealt with in detail. Includes a few bad words, but not many; kids may amplify their vocabulary this way. Part of his routine is pretty expensive but can be adapted to one's own economic level. Emphasizes slow but steady, and encourages us all to get with the effort. Also includes some of his recipes, as yet untried by me but many look good. Remember - diet AND exercise, CONSISTENTLY but not monotonously. Recommended for all who need to lose weight and for those who love us.
February 25, 2013
The likable Al Roker talks about his lifelong weight problem and how he has overcome it for good, by means of a gastric bypass operation and a strict "cleansing" diet. The best parts of the book are the personal anecdotes, especially the opening when he tells of his deathbed promise to his beloved father that he would lose weight and be around for his own children.
How much of Roker's advice will be helpful to other obese people is debatable: gastric bypass is radical, expensive and dangerous, and the cleansing diet sounds tough to adhere to.
The book is padded with recipes, and co-authored with Laura Morton which makes one wonder how much of the voice here is really Al - but all in all it passed an enjoyable couple of hours.
How much of Roker's advice will be helpful to other obese people is debatable: gastric bypass is radical, expensive and dangerous, and the cleansing diet sounds tough to adhere to.
The book is padded with recipes, and co-authored with Laura Morton which makes one wonder how much of the voice here is really Al - but all in all it passed an enjoyable couple of hours.
June 22, 2013
I have watched the Today show so much, and I love Al Roker's great personality. His story was very similar to what I have read from Oprah's struggles with her weight. Emotional eating, wishing someone would have said something about getting fat, not wishing anyone said anything about being fat, etc. Both thought they were fine bc they were successful and wore designer clothes. Both in serious denial. Both finally kicked the habit (a few times) when they decided they were ready, and no sooner and for noone else. Both met the challenge of a marathon. It was a good read, and the recipes look amazing. I completely agree (and wish I could emulate) the clean diet. Love Al Roker, and the book just reinforced my feelings.
July 2, 2013
In his book, "Never Goin' Back", popular TV weatherman Al Roker does tell his life story, but does so in light of his weight. He shares about his struggle with being overweight for much of his life. However, when his father passed away, his dad had Al make a deathbed promise that he would lose the extra weight -- for good! For awhile, Mr. Roker notes, he had trouble trying to figure out how to do this. He recounts how he had tried just about every fad diet out there, only to lose the weight and then regain it back, and then some! Does this sound familiar?
For the rest of my review, please visit: http://www.bubblews.com/news/747177-b...
For the rest of my review, please visit: http://www.bubblews.com/news/747177-b...
January 25, 2013
Al Roker does a great job writing this book! It is very humorous while discussing a very serious matter -- weight management! He gives practical and easy to follow advise as it pertains to the subject. My major "take-away" is that we must re-focus our thoughts from "dieting" to a "life-style change". I am VERY motivated to lose the remaining weight that I had been struggling with. There are meal plans and exercise recommendations as well as easy recipes! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a "boost" of motivation right now! WARNING: There is a little strong language (I was not bothered by it at all, but others may find it offensive).
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