What I'm reading: Eat this, Not that: Supermarket Survival Guide

I am generally not one to push for or support weight loss for the sake of it. I'm not sold on the idea that thinner is always better. If you really want to lose weight and are working hard for it, I'll be supportive, but I will not join in on comments around other people weight. For that reason, it's a bit odd for me to recommend a book that is expressly about losing weight.

It happens to be that sometimes, a lot of the recommendations given to lose weight are just good ideas, to improve your health and protect your wallet. That is the case with this book, from the series "Eat This, Not That". The concept of the series is that we all know that we should eat a salad instead of a burger, but that's not a realistic decision that we are making in our day to day. More likely you are thinking "I'm really craving a burger today, and two burger joints are across the street, which one should I go to?". The book provides side-by-side comparisons of products in the same category to help you make a choice.

The supermarket edition is a great quick-reference guide for which brands to choose for each product category. Supermarkets can be overwhelming places (especially American ones), and comparing nutritional tables gets tiring very fast. The book also includes a primer on how to choose vegetables, a glossary of food additives, and 3 steps to a perfect sandwich.

Whether you are a young soul shopping for yourself for the first time or a take-out veteran trying to cook more at home, this guide will help you get better nutrition, whether you lose weight or not.