Why Women Need Chocolate: Eat What You Crave to Look and Feel Great

by Debra Waterhouse

Do you know why women are - 76% more likely to crave chocolate? - 22 times more likely to eat chocolate to feel better? - Twice as likely to feel good when they fulfill their food cravings? Or why men are -78% more likely to crave meat? -five times more likely to "dislike" chocolate? -four times more likely to feel good when they deny their food cravings? Debra Waterhouse, renowned nutritionist and author of "Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell," shows you how to use the natural cravings and needs of your body to enhance emotional and physical well-being. Through her five-setup plan, you'll maximize the mood-elevating brain chemicals, boost energy, lose weight, and finally trust your body to tell you what and when to eat.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Erick]

Muy controversial respecto a las ideas de la nutrición y medicina natural actuales.Sin embargo propone sus ideas con evidencia, aunque está evidencia es de instituciones como "Universidad Rockefeller" que podría representar un conflicto de intereses o un libro que promueva la industria chatarra actual,no deja de tener razón (a mi parecer) y lógica en mucha de sus ideas.Cada idea tendría que juzgarse según un análisis de la evidencia.En general nos dice que el cuerpo de las mujeres es muy diferente al de los varones,sus necesidades de grasa son mayores en el cuerpo femenino ya que evolutivamente hacen mayor uso de estás para gestar,por contextura de su cuerpo,por su funcionamiento normal,por almacén de alimento para gestacion,entre otros.Recomienda el consumo moderado de grasa,azúcares y fecula.Muy interesante libro,que la norma sea cuestionar todo lo que lees aquí,te llevarás muchas sorpresas.

[Karin]

Easy to read and understand her ideas. Premise is that women's bodies differ from mens' bodies, so when and what to eat is different for each. Also that too strenuous exercises shuts down the body's fat cells instead of burning them off. So exercise for 30 (takes body this long to think about opening up fat cells) + 15+ minutes = weight loss, burning fat cells. Do it 3 times a week; not 7 b/c the body needs some rest also. Eat your fruit and veggies, spread your 3 meals into 5 meal servings during the day and drink water.

The only thing i don't know is whether this is true or not. Just cause she believes it doesn't make it true. Hence only 2 stars for good writing . Will update stars if i lose weight! I've read lots of nutrition books and some diet -type books and they all say they're the truth. So the rest of the stars are for validity, not writing style.

[Beth A.]

I’m divided on how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I believe some of the theories. The biggest one: the theory that severely restricting calories can lead to weight gain. By slowing the metabolism, in part, but mostly by setting up a feeling of scarcity. I see this in my own behavior. “I better have that ice cream now because I’m starting a diet tomorrow.” “Well, I already blew my diet today, I might as well have these cookies.”

At one point I was a fan of Geneen Roth's theories, which are about listening to your body’s requests, trusting that your body knows what you need, and that once it’s convinced that you won’t deny it, it will start requesting healthy foods in the amounts that it needs. And that if you are following this, paying close attention to your hunger signals, meeting your emotional needs, and totally ignoring the scale, weight loss will naturally follow. Except, when I did this to the best of my ability, I gained weight. I may not be an ideal case due to insulin resistance, but I’m evidence that this doesn’t work for everyone.

I really don’t know how to reconcile this one. I know that dieting doesn’t work for me. I also know that Roth’s plan doesn’t work for me. The last few years, combining exercise with trying to eat sensibly -not dieting- I’ve managed to maintain my weight. Which is not ideal, but better than gaining.

The phrase “Female Food Craving” was used frequently in this book and began to really annoy me. The theory that if I indulge a craving immediately, a small amount will satisfy me is suspicious. The theory that I’m craving certain foods (like fats) because my brain needs more of the nutrients in them- very dubious. I’m pretty sure that my brain has a surplus of fats available to it at all times.

Five small meals throughout the day- that makes sense. Eating the larger meal closer to noon rather than the evening also makes sense. Exercising at a gentle aerobic pace for longer periods of time to burn fat, also something I can buy into.

I would like to have seen more specifics on the research she claims supports her info.

I do think that this book has some good information. And that if you are not one of the many Americans who are insulin resistant, it might even work for you.

[Helynne]

This is not only a fun read,a but a very useful and sensible one, too. Debra Waterhouse, a nutiritionist and author of several other books on eating intelligently for maximum health, gives a lighthearted description of the title question--Of course women crave and need chocolate more than men (who tend to crave meat, meat, and more meat). Partaking of reasonable amounts of chocolate causes a release of endorphins and serotonin, two chemicals that are vital for women's happiness and well-being. Also, Waterhouse outlines why women's peculiar body chemistry, particularly as it cycles through menstrual and menopausal changes, is especially needful of the feel-good chemicals encouraged by the right amounts of sugar and fat. Waterhouse warns against the usual diet routine of depriving oneself of all sugary and fatty foods, which inevitably leads to binging and failure. She, like so many other nutrition and weight-control experts today, advises moderate instinctive eating, and indulgence in small amounts of chocolate, when the need arises. The book contains a lot of other down-to-earth eating advice--avoidance of too much caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol, emphasis on starches (yes!!), deemphasis on dinner, five smaller meals per day, sugar and fat in moderation and no forbidden foods. All this is provided in a fun and well-organized format. Highly recommended!

[Michelle]

Bottom line; trust your body's cravings, and combine with exercise, and you never have to go on a diet again.

Written in 1995, I'm wondering how outdated this nutrition research is. But overall, I'm happy to endorse any book that encourages me to eat chocolate!

[Jacki]

Very interesting book of why women crave foods not just during pregnancy. I now eat choc more but not losing any weight!!

[Lawanda]

The abridged version was mildly disappointing.