The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno

Ok, so I talk about this book so much you would think I make a commission off it or something. BUT I really just LOVE it THAT MUCH. When I started working out, I was on a mission to do things right and wanted to learn how to eat right. I KNOW I am not the only one who was completely confused by the P90X Nutrition Guide. NOW I understand it, but when I started it might as well have been in chinese lol 

It has tons of info, tips and inspiration on the Eat-Clean Diet philosophy. It is full of "eye candy" with striking photos on nearly every page of the thick glossy paper. Sprinkled throughout are "Dear Tosca" letters from readers with inspiring testimonials, as well as small boxes of tip items. There are also numerous info-boxes with a wide variety of topics such as "Common Foods and Fiber Counts," "My Clean Oats and What I Put on Them," "Making Water Better," and "Solutions for a Busy Day."

We also get to read Tosca's story, sprinkled throughout the book. She knows what it is like to be fat (weighed 204 pounds at one time!). "I am a normal woman with everyday issues, just like everyone else, and for a long time, I carried excess weight, too." She encourages us, "There is infinite joy to be had in living life with a healthful, lean physique" and tells us we are in good company because stars like Angelina Jolie use the clean diet approach (according to tabloids).

There are 17 chapters, and each one is color coded at the bottom right hand corner for ease of flipping through the chapters. At the beginning of the book we learn the Eat-Clean principles, which are also summarized neatly on one page, and include for example eating six meals a day and combining lean protein with complex carbs at each mini-meal. We also learn what to expect, the basics of metabolism, and the power of water. 
Here's the breakdown of Chapters:
1. The Eat-Clean Diet Principles
2. What to Expect
3. Breakfast – An Entire Chapter
4. The Basics of Metabolism
5. Hydration – The Power of Water
6. Reclaiming Your Life
7. Shopping Clean
8. Eating Clean On the Go
9. Eating Clean in Social Situations
10. Getting Started with Exercise
11. Cellulite, Loose Skin and Saggy Bits
12. Longevity
13. Making the Most of Superfoods
14. Meals and Grocery Shopping Lists
15. Recipes
16. Frequently Asked Questions
17. The Eat-Clean Diet at a Glance

The middle chapters deal with getting inspired, shopping clean, eating clean while traveling and in social situations (even includes a chart for fast food dining), and how to exercise. The latter chapters involve cellulite, loose skin and sags (one entire chapter on that!), longevity, superfoods, meal plans and grocery lists. Gluten-free and vegan meal plans are included. Some of the superfoods include game meat, coconut, seafood, chia seeds, and kefir. She explains how you can benefit from 5 cents a day worth of flaxseeds.

Finally, there are 50 new recipes with mouth-watering photos for nearly all of them. These are divided into breakfast, starters, salads, soups/stews, proteins, complete meals and desserts. The desserts include a couple of biscotti recipes that look like something from Starbuck's, as well as chocolate covered bananas. Each recipe has nutritional info per serving, number of servings, prep time and cooking time. After that is a chapter on frequently asked question and answers, and one with the eat-clean diet at a glance.

This is a great book for inspiration, education and reference. Not to mention the recipes! And its $12 on Amazon.com- Cant beat that! Get it HERE. PS I looked for it at Barnes & Noble...$20 Im a cheapo so I say find it online