Meh. A diverting read that helped keep my head in the game for a few days.

While Mr Cizmar's weight loss is admirable, I found his judgmental nature grating - often going far out of his way to cast disdain on various groups (not all of them even diet related). While I can sympathize with this attitude, one notable difference, is I don't go about professionally publishing my hipster haughtiness as fact.

To conclude, I will admit that this repulsion is mostly due to his consumerist mentality. If the idea of frozen dinners and recipes that instruct you to throw away food does not make you die a little inside then you will probably enjoy this book. ( )

Anyway, Chubster, a "hipster" weight loss guide from a self-called hipster in Phoenix. I've really lived in NYC too long if I think his hipster habits are completely normal and anything super hipster-ish, except talking at length at how the Chubster non diet is better than every other diet out there. Oh, and everything is ironic. No one ever just does something, they do it....ironically. That said, it was a fun, light, two-day read.

I really liked his start with calorie counting. I truly don't understand the national fear of calorie counting, especially with the umpteen smart phone apps that will now do the math. I lost weight more quickly when I was doing WW, but I also had a lot more weight to lose then I do now. Of course I was going to lose more quickly. I also shared his issues with Points Plus. I don't like it when weight loss methods change with the latest fads. If you stick with science* you understand what causes weight loss and how to "fix" it if you go off track.

The irritating thing with this book is that he couldn't decide whether he wanted to allow all foods, or judge all foods. That was inconsistent throughout and he seemed to do it at whim. Frozen foods, OK. Bagels, evil. I think that was part of the hipster coming out -- his preferred foods, masquerading in science. The same can be said for his perception of shots as a "grownup" drink and mixed drinks as not.

One of the best thing about this book was his insight into the calorie counts for some foods. Some I knew, but for some I had the same challenge as he did in a) making healthy choices, b) finding the NI for non chain foods. For example, I still cannot find the calorie count for my occasional indulgence - a glass of Stella, so I was grateful for his type by type analysis.

As others have mentioned, there wasn't much new in this book but it was a light, easy read and I'd probably read something else by him.

For more: http://www.travellingcari.com/2013/05/26/chubster-where-reading-and-weight-loss-... ( )