FOREWORD

I grew up in the Venezuelan tropics, where we had a healthy and plentiful mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and meat along with some carbohydrate staples. Combine that with parents of Eastern European background, and I developed a passion for eating at an early age. But no matter how well we ate, thanks to our steady diet of Hollywood movies and television we were always envious of the American way of life. When I first came to the US to practice medicine, I could not believe the endless buffets, the incredible variety and the supersized meals. I arrived in the 1970s and there was plenty of obesity, but nothing like today’s epidemic.

Unfortunately, as I adapted to this country, so did my eating and exercise habits. I suddenly found myself among the increasingly overweight population. As a physician I knew all the medical implications of being overweight, but that didn’t change my habits. It took a chance encounter with a friend and client of weight-loss coach Charles D’Angelo to start the chain of events that put me on the path to a healthier life.

When I first met Charles, I was struck by his energy and enthusiasm. He’s in excellent shape, and if you didn’t know already, you would never dream that as a teenager he weighed 360 pounds. He found the strength to change and overcome what seemed like an inevitable family destiny. And he did this despite the fact that he was suffering from a crippling lack of self-confidence, and despite the fact that many of his family members suffered from severe obesity due to extremely unhealthy attitudes about food. It is this very personal story that will pull you in and inspire you to join Charles’ successful team. By sheer will, determination and hard work he broke the cycle for himself and has now helped countless men, women and children lose thousands of pounds of excess weight.

As a kidney doctor dealing with hypertension, diabetes and dialysis, I am very familiar with the need for dietary health restrictions, which are often difficult to accomplish without the necessary drive. And we are all familiar with the roller-coaster effect of fad diets. In this book, Charles explains why those diets are often doomed to failure. In a clear, articulate and engaging way, he explains the importance of balance and how severe fat or carbohydrate restriction can lead to cravings followed by binges. He then provides you with an easy and understandable list of good, moderate and bad foods. There is no guesswork on the reader’s part: This is a road map anyone can follow.

I had years of careless eating under my ever-growing belt and the pounds had piled up. Charles proved to me that being overweight begins in the mind. That’s where his focus lies – in changing the way we think.

Throughout this book, Charles offers anecdotes and imagery to which we all can relate. His clear and knowledgeable guidance makes it possible – and even exhilarating – for someone to establish new patterns and habits, which is key to his program’s success. His is a very simple approach – there are no magic tricks or gimmicks. Reinventing yourself takes effort, will and a true desire to change for the better.

Charles D’Angelo helped me find that motivation to incorporate a well-balanced, consistent diet and program of physical fitness into my life without any feelings of deprivation. I am confident that he can do the same for you.

Marcos Rothstein, M.D.

Professor of Medicine,

Washington University in St. Louis

Medical Director, Dialysis Services,

Barnes-Jewish Hospital