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A nine step program:

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The authors' approach is to advise a gradual shift based primarily on adding foods that are good for you.

Meat is not eliminated. Instead, it is moved from the center of the plate to the side, making space for whole grains and vegetables in the center.

The shift is towards something similar to the "Mediterranean" diet.

 This is a positive approach based on what you can eat and enjoy. It avoids the restrictive emphasis of most weight loss diets that prove to be "too monotonous, deprivation-driven, or extreme to stick with - - - leading many dieters into an agonizing loop of gaining, losing, and gaining again - - - which is as bad for health as it is for morale."
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  The authors' approach is to advise a gradual shift based primarily on adding foods that are good for you. They provide a nine step program to guide the adjustment process. The emphasis is more on what you should add to your diet than what you should reduce or eliminate.

  "The more you embrace the Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less ideas, the more colorful and delicious your meals will become -- and your waistline will trim down in the process. Good habits will gradually nudge out the bad ones, and you will feel and perform better in many ways."

  The plan is flexible. It can be followed rigorously through all nine steps or it can be used just as a guide to making more healthy choices in a regular diet. Meat is not eliminated. Instead, it is moved from the center of the plate to the side, making space for whole grains and vegetables in the center. The plan is about "shifts not radical changes." Although the weight loss period requires measured portions, thereafter the intent is for portions to be guided by "of all things, your appetite." The shift is towards something similar to the "Mediterranean" diet. Just taking step one provides substantial benefits.
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  Katzen provides the recipes.

  "[Her goal is] to find the most appealing and delicious ways to prepare and present fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good oils, legumes, and nuts -- and dairy, and, yes, meat, if desired -- and to get people eating beautifully, and feeling and looking wonderful."

  Meals and snacks are designed to be tasty and pleasantly filling - consisting of the "slow-burning fuel" the body runs best on.

  "Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less is a garden- and orchard-based eating plan centering around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts, and healthy oils, augmented with a good variety of healthy proteins."

The body-mass index:

  The authors provide a formula and a chart that set forth ranges for healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. However, there are other factors that establish more individual indications. A weight gain of more than five-to-ten pounds since age 20 is a negative indication even if weight is still within the healthy range on the body mass index. Also, fat gained around the waist is a negative indication, especially for increased risks of diabetes and heart disease.

  "Other than not smoking, weight control is the single best thing you can do to get healthy and stay healthy."

  Thus, the plan advises efforts to slowly shed excess fat. Willett explains the balance between the body's calorie intake and usage, and the importance of getting calories from the healthiest possible choices.

  "If you're trying to lose weight, don't just indiscriminately cut out fat, carbohydrates or protein. Eat the right kinds of each, and burn more calories than you eat."

Food guide pyramids:

The Agriculture Department doesn't distinguish between good fats and bad fats. It doesn't distinguish between good and bad carbohydrate sources. It doesn't distinguish between healthy proteins and those high in saturated fats. It "recommends far more dairy products than you need."

  "Part of what's wrong with the USDA pyramids is their source. They come from the United State Department of Agriculture, not the National Institutes of Health, the Institutes of Medicine, or the Food and Drug Administration. They're designed, in part, to promote American agriculture, and what's good for agricultural interests isn't necessarily good for your body. Serving those interests while trying to provide impartial nutritional guidance is a tricky task -- and the result is a set of all-inclusive, often wishy-washy recommendations that frequently distort the truth."

• The Agriculture Department doesn't distinguish between good fats and bad fats. Some fats are actually vital for the body.
• It doesn't distinguish between good and bad carbohydrate sources. Many sources are highly processed and should be limited.
• It doesn't distinguish between healthy proteins and those high in saturated fats. It "recommends far more dairy products than you need."

  Willet's "Eat Drink & Weigh Less" alternative food guide pyramid rests on a foundation of daily exercise and weight awareness. It stresses the most healthy foods across its broad bottom levels. This indicates that fruits and vegetables, plant oils, whole grains, nuts, tofu and legumes, and seafood, poultry and eggs, will comprise the bulk of a healthy diet. Dairy or supplements for calcium plus vitamin D are in the narrowing middle levels of the pyramid, along with a daily multivitamin supplement. Alcohol and dark chocolate are options placed at those levels for consumption in moderation.
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  Placed near the narrow top of the pyramid for limited consumption are lean red meats, butter and butter-fats, with refined carbohydrates squeezed for restricted consumption above that. At the very tip of the pyramid are soda and sweetened beverages, white bread, white rice, white pasta, white potatoes, sweets - "the things you crave." These should be consumed rarely, if at all.
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Step One - vegetables and fruits:

White potatoes and French fries are not to be counted as vegetables, Willett warns.

  Since these foods have less calories, they can be eaten in fairly large satisfying portions. Katzen provides many delicious ways to prepare them and methods to jazz up that salad. Olive oil and nut oil sauces are easy to prepare and can add to both flavor and nutrition.
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  White potatoes and French fries are not to be counted as vegetables, Willett warns. They are mostly starch. Colored potatoes - sweet potatoes and yams - however, are recommended in moderation as vegetables.
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  Katzen provides a positive note - on how to simplify and reduce the time of preparation. Also provided are segments on the important nutrients in fruits and vegetables, and why a supplement is no substitute for the real thing.
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  A gradual increase in consumption is recommended to give the digestive system a chance to adjust to a higher fiber intake. It should take only a little while to get past feelings of bloating and flatulence.
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The recommended "five-to-nine" servings per day is generally an easy requirement since the "portions" we eat are generally large enough to equal two or even three servings, and there are simple ways to add other dishes like salads and soups and whole grain rice or pasta.

  Go for the most colorful fruits and vegetables.

  "When you're shopping for fruits and vegetables, go for a variety of color. Get plenty of green, yellow, orange, red, purple, and white. Each of these colors offers unique combinations of phytochemicals, so filling your grocery cart the way a painter loads a palette is an easy way to be sure you're getting a good nutritional mix. Besides, it makes a plate more appealing and eating more fun."

  Fruits and vegetables are best when fresh, raw, or lightly steamed, but ordinary cooking damages only certain nutrients like vitamin C and folic acid. Heavy cooking, however, damages other important phytochemicals. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are good for when the fresh varieties are unavailable, as long as they don't include substantial additives like salt and sugar. Tomatoes, on the other hand, thrive on cooking - especially when cooked with a vegetable oil that increases the digestibility of lycopene.
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  Variety is important, because no individual group contains all the beneficial nutrients.
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  The book provides useful information on appropriate daily intake of various fruits and vegetables, pure fruit juices and dried fruits. There are tips on simple preparation methods. The recommended "five-to-nine" servings per day is generally an easy requirement since the "portions" we eat are generally large enough to equal two or even three servings, and there are simple ways to add other dishes like salads and soups and whole grain rice or pasta.
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  The good news is that the initial increase to five daily portions of fruits and vegetables provides the greatest benefits of the diet, so just getting started on step one is worthwhile even for those who do not continue with the rest of the program.
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Step two - good fats:

Olive oil - an important part of the Mediterranean diet - can materially increase satisfaction and willingness to permanently stay with a healthy diet.

  Adding good fats - especially olive oil - in place of bad fats and just for the taste is the second step in the program. Unsaturated fats can improve cholesterol and fat particle levels in the blood, "strengthen the heart against dangerous erratic heart beats, and fight the gradual clogging of the arteries."
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  Another advantage is that the use of unsaturated fats can improve the taste of your vegetable dishes and reduce the temptation to eat simple or highly processed carbohydrates - like sugar, white flour, white rice and potatoes. Olive oil - an important part of the Mediterranean diet - can materially increase satisfaction and willingness to permanently stay with a healthy diet. Nuts, fish and poultry also contain unsaturated fats, as does soy milk, beans and peas, and avocadoes.
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Eggs have many beneficial properties that outweigh their cholesterol content. 

  "Our bodies can't manufacture these essential fats, so we need to get them from the foods we eat. That's why a healthy diet should include a mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats."

Willett advises just shifting from the bad fats to the good fats rather than trying to restrict total fat intake

  The omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for many body functions but must be derived from foods. The omega-3 fatty acids in particular are often deficient. Fish, fish oils, walnuts, flax seeds and flaxseed oil are good sources.
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  Willett advises just shifting from the bad fats to the good fats rather than trying to restrict total fat intake, and Katzen provides many tasty ways to use them. The many delicious uses of olive oil, avocadoes, nuts and natural nut butters are highlighted.
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Step three - whole grain carbohydrates:

Whole grain foods digest slowly, provide manageable amounts of glucose over time, and leave your appetite feeling satisfied longer.

  Refined carbohydrates pump too much glucose too quickly into the blood stream, putting a strain on the body's insulin glucose management system. Type 2 diabetes can over time be the result. Other nasty results are increased levels of blood triglycerides and reduced levels of HDL - "good" - cholesterol, both of which can lead to cardiovascular disease.
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  The alternative is whole grain foods. These digest slowly, provide manageable amounts of glucose over time, and leave your appetite feeling satisfied longer.
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  It is not a matter of 'simple" versus "complex" carbohydrates, Willett warns. It's how fast and how much sugar the food releases into the bloodstream. This has been tested scientifically and rated by use of a "glycemic index" and "glycemic load." Both the speed of digestion and the total load per portion are evaluated. Thus, a carrot has a high glycemic index or 136 - higher even than white bread or sugar at 100 - but only 4 grams of carbohydrates, so there is a low total for the glycemic load for carrots of just 5. The glycemic load for mashed potatoes is 38 - for cooked ordinary pasta its 28.
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Whole grain foods are increasingly popular, but packaging can be deceptive.

  The short answer is to shift to whole grain foods as well as fruits and vegetables and away from refined grains, potatoes and white rice. Quinoa, brown rice, barley, bulgur, and whole wheat couscous are easy to prepare, easy to combine with vegetables and good oils, nuts, poultry, and herbs and spices, and can provide handy leftovers that keep well in the refrigerator for several days. Katzen provides the details for their use.
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  Whole grain foods are increasingly popular, but packaging can be deceptive, the authors warn. Whole grains should be listed high on the ingredient statement, rather than as just add-ins lower down.
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  Breakfast can start the day with a hot or cold whole grain cereal. Lunch sandwiches should use whole grain breads - including pitas or tortillas. Whole wheat pastas are increasingly popular for dinner. Whole grain flours can be substituted for half of the refined flour used for baking.
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Step four - protein:

Vegetarians have to eat a good mix of vegetable protein sources to get all the different amino acids that they need. They will also need a vitamin supplement that includes vitamin B12.

  Willett doesn't advise elimination of red meat and dairy. He advises just a reduction to "moderate" amounts in a shift towards healthier vegetable sources and fish and poultry that are lower in saturated fats. He advises a goal of 50% plant-based sources for protein.

  "So, if you love red meat, choose the leanest cuts you can find, and don't go for huge amounts. About two servings of red meat a week, each about the size of the palm of your hand - or roughly 4 ounces each, if you prefer to think that way - in the context of a balanced diet and exercise, is generally just fine. Chicken, turkey, and fish are better options, and you can have slightly larger portions than of beef. Beans, nuts, grains, and other vegetable sources are excellent, because they're low in saturated fat and high in fiber."

  Willett provides charts of protein sources - both good and bad. Epidemiological studies show a 21% decrease in risk of developing type 2 diabetes for those who eat peanut butter sandwiches instead of processed meat sandwiches for lunch. Nuts, nut butters and sauces are great additions to vegetable dishes, salads and sandwiches.
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  Vegetarians have to eat a good mix of vegetable protein sources to get all the different amino acids that they need. They will also need a vitamin supplement that includes vitamin B12.
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Step five - water:

If consumed in place of sugared drinks, water greatly reduces weight gain and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Even pure fruit juice should be consumed in moderation because of its concentrated dose of calories. Vegetable juices have fewer calories, but often have salt added.

Carefully examine the ingredient statements to eliminate juices with unhealthy additives. Sodas should be eliminated.

•   The harm caused by sodas and sugared and salted juices is emphasized by Willett. Even pure fruit juice should be consumed in moderation because of its concentrated dose of calories. Vegetable juices have fewer calories, but often have salt added.

  Willett advises that juices be diluted with increased amounts of water until you are drinking only 25% juice. Also, carefully examine the ingredient statements to eliminate juices with unhealthy additives. Sodas should be eliminated. Single serve bottles of citrus flavored sparkling water can provide a good substitute.

•   Milk is loaded with calories and saturated fat. It is not advised as a daily drink for adults. (Many adults have health problems with milk - frequently too subtle for them to immediately notice but detrimental over time.) A calcium and vitamin D supplement is a better choice for those concerned about getting enough of those nutrients.
•   Coffee - although containing the addictive drug caffeine - seems to be a good choice with more benefits than risks - if taken in moderation. Filtered coffee - including espresso and French press - is best. Unfiltered coffees contain substances that raise cholesterol levels, and "serial lattés or highly sweetened variations on milky themes" should be avoided or sharply limited.

  Moderate daily consumption is up to 3 ordinary cups with modest amounts of low fat milk and/or sweetener.

  "Moderate coffee drinkers tend to see a lower risk of developing kidney stones, gallstones, and type 2 diabetes. And coffee's antidepressant qualities are real and not insignificant. Suicide rates have been shown to be as much as 70 percent lower among coffee-drinkers as compared to non-coffee drinkers."

•   Sports drinks are useful for those engaged in sustained vigorous activity - lasting longer than an hour. For normal levels of activity, water is sufficient, with a few salty snacks added if activity involves continuous sweating.

Step six - alcohol - is optional:

Consumption of alcohol provides no real benefits for those under 40.

  "Studies have shown that moderate consumption of alcohol -- and not just red wine, but white wine, spirits, beer, and any beverage containing alcohol, does protect against heart attacks and ischemic strokes, and there is increasing evidence suggesting that it also protects against diabetes, gallstones, and kidney cancer. Drinking alcohol raises levels of HDL - good - cholesterol and reduces the formation of arterial blood clots, which can cause heart attacks."

  An increased risk of some cancers has been associated with even moderate alcohol consumption, but only for those whose diet is deficient in folic acid - a B vitamin. A multivitamin that contains folic acid should be sufficient to take care of this risk.
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Step seven - vitamin supplements:

"Folic acid and vitamins B6, B12, D and E are the five vitamins most people don't get enough of from their diets." Folic acid is especially important if alcohol is being consumed. Women in their child-bearing years also need folic acid.

  This is an "addition," not a "substitute," Willett emphasizes. "Folic acid and vitamins B6, B12, D and E are the five vitamins most people don't get enough of from their diets." Folic acid is especially important if alcohol is being consumed. Women in their child-bearing years also need folic acid.
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  Any good multivitamin and mineral supplement will do. However, Willett suggests that the supplement chosen provide 1,000 IU per day of vitamin D. There has also been increasing evidence that 400 to 800 IU per day of vitamin E significantly reduces heart disease risks. 500 milligrams of calcium is probably enough to make up for the elimination of dairy products from the diet - and is much healthier. As the years pass, the evidence of the many benefits of a good multivitamin and mineral supplement keeps increasing.
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Step eight - exercise:

  The shift towards getting regular exercise can begin with as little as about 30 minutes per day. A brisk walk is fine. Whether social or solitary, competitive or not, all at once or in convenient segments - physical exercise can be whatever suits you. It does not have to be painfully strenuous, and offers many benefits besides assisting with weight control.
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  Physical activity reduces risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers, type-2 diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis. It helps digestion, bowel regularity, mood, self-image, clarity of thought. It relieves symptoms of depression. Improved oxygenation, movement, flexibility and muscle tone are the direct benefits. It burns calories and uses the excess for building muscle rather than fat. Muscle burns calories even when at rest. If you don't use it, you lose it - and it is replaced with fat that makes weight control harder.
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  Adding some resistance exercises - weight lifting and pushing or use of exercise equipment - maintains and strengthens upper body muscles and bones. Use it or lose it applies to these, too. A few minutes for each major muscle group - about 15 minutes, three days a week - can make a huge difference.
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  Willett advises that the shift to regular exercise be made slowly and should be built up over several weeks to gain and maintain muscle tone. A personal trainer can provide a good program and help in avoiding bad habits.

  There is increasing evidence concerning the importance of mental exercise. Use it or lose it may apply to the brain, as well. Mental activity uses a great deal of calories. A wide variety of games - chess, bridge, backgammon, checkers, Chinese checkers, etc., - can help maintain mental capabilities and widen social participation. Crossword and other puzzle games provide noncompetitive alternatives.

Step nine - proper psychology: 

Eat at the table. Don't multitask. Eat slowly, chew deliberately, savor every bite.

  Achieving the proper psychology of healthy eating is the final step of the program. Pace your meal properly. Be sure to eat all three regular meals each day - consisting of nutritious, natural foods that provide slow-burning calories and keep you feeling satisfied without being full. A good breakfast is especially important. Each meal should begin with a glass of water.
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  Think about your food while you are eating. Eat at the table. Don't multitask. Eat slowly, chew deliberately, savor every bite. Katzen provides 100 pages of recipes for delicious meals delightfully prepared and served with marvelous dressings, sauces and gravies. These meals will be more enjoyable and satisfying and you will be less likely to overeat than if you permit yourself to be distracted.
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  Willett warns about the danger of skipping meals. This may begin a roller coaster ride for your hunger and blood sugar levels as you grab snacks and then eat too much at the next meal.
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  When you reach for a snack, make sure it is to satisfy a physical hunger rather than an emotional hunger. Emotional problems should be dealt with directly - not by stuffing food in your mouth. Tips on appropriate snacks are provided by Katzen.
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Flexible diet plans:

• There is a full 21 day menu demonstrating a permanent healthy diet totaling 1,500 to 1,600 calories per day for weight loss purposes. It includes items that can be eaten in unlimited amounts - usually vegetables in salads, soups, or raw or cooked. Items that are nutritionally alike can be freely substituted as available or as desired. Snacks and deserts are included. When just weight maintenance is desired, some extra items - and extra calories - can be added as desired.
• A 7 day "portable" plan is provided for the busy student, traveler, or anyone else for whom the 21 day menu is impractical or simply not acceptable. It requires just minimal kitchen facilities and is "based mostly on ready-to-eat fare procurable from just about any grocery store with a decent deli and a reasonably good salad bar." It includes two regular meals - breakfast and dinner - and two "lunch-snacks." They should if possible be eaten at regular intervals - approximately three hours apart. "Grazing" is to be avoided.
• A "warm-up" plan is provided for those who wish to shift slowly into the full program. It is also for those who don't want to undertake more significant diet changes or who just "want to do something immediately" without committing to anything more. It fits on one page that can be posted in the kitchen or elsewhere as appropriate, and is based on the lists of recommended fruits and vegetables in the book and on the other recommended steps.

"In diet management, as in life, happiness counts for a lot. And mindfulness is next to happiness."

  Willett sums up the fundamentals of the nine step program.

  "Accentuate the positive. Tastier, not more boring. Satiety, not deprivation. In diet management, as in life, happiness counts for a lot. And mindfulness is next to happiness. Smell the roses -- and the rosemary. Enjoy your food. And take pride and pleasure in knowing you're making positive choices based on sound, proven principles."

  A score card to help keep track of progress is provided.
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Real world traps for the unwary:

Check ingredient statements carefully, especially for calorie content and additives.

Package labels such as "healthy" or "natural" are devoid of meaning and can be misleading.

  The final chapter provides practical advice for making your way in the dangerously deceptive and often unhealthy world of commercial foods.
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  The information in the book about healthy eating should be used to question clichés, assumptions or common "wisdom." Check ingredient statements carefully, especially for calorie content and additives. Items not recommended in the book may be consumed, as long as it is knowingly done and limited to the rare occasion.
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  Package labels such as "healthy" or "natural" are devoid of meaning and can be misleading. Commercial foods can contain unhealthy ingredients and additives. A list of examples is provided by the authors. Tips are provided for healthy choices in the various types of restaurants - including diners, a wide variety of ethnic restaurants, and even fast food joints. Tips for healthy eating when traveling are also provided.
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  In many ways, healthy eating and weight control require that you THINK about your food.