November 23, 2009
Author of the bestselling 5-Factor Diet
, Pasternak is a fitness trainer and nutritionist to big-name celebrities like Halle Berry, and Jessica Simpson. Accompanying his clients on international tours and to far-flung film sets, he discovered and now shares food preparation techniques, recipes, and weight-loss secrets from the world's healthiest countries—China, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea , Spain, and Sweden. Pasternak lists the five reasons Americans are overweight—caloric overload, portion distortion, on-the-go eating, animal product excess, and lazy lifestyle—and suggests remedies borrowed from nations with leaner, healthier populations. The original 5-Factor diet couldn't be more basic: five meals a day to elevate metabolism and decrease body fat; five specific nutrients for each meal (protein, carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fat, and water or tea); five-minute prep time for meals with five core ingredients; and a 25-minute workout five days a week. There is also, once a week, a free, eat-whatever-you-want day. The book's 120 recipes and five-week menu plan are appealing, and there are tips for understanding exotic ingredients and smart shopping.