Book Name: Fight With Fat
Author: Dr. Kamal Mahawar
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Fingerprint
Rating: 3.9/5
Book Blurb: Are you overweight? You are not alone. Globally, approximately two billion people fall in this category. Closer home, India too battles this pandemic with over three crore of its population obese, and a much larger number overweight. The numbers keep showing an upward trend and the health index a downward one. And yet, at least in theory, obesity is completely preventable. So, how do we do it? After his last book, ‘The Ethical Doctor’, which focused on structural issues with Indian healthcare, Dr. Kamal Mahawar is now back with his take on what you can do to manage your weight and health. In a gripping text interspersed with biting, no-holds-barred commentary on contemporary Indian intelligentsia and outdated social norms, Dr. Mahawar, with ‘Fight with Fat’, presents all that you need to know about obesity and how you can fight it.
Review: Fighting fat and getting rid of obesity is extremely difficult. Given the rise of obesity in metro cities and the misinformation that is generated on the internet via free articles and memes, it is important that Fight With Fat fights fat with facts.
A lot of fad diets are recommended by people who have no clue as to how obesity affects our bodies. following such diets over a long period can do the body more harm than good. This is why this is such an important book. It deals with calories and the root cause of obesity before offering solutions.
“All I am saying is that it is your responsibility to find out what a healthy weight range is for you (for most individuals this will correspond to a BMI of 20-25) and then stay within that by watching your calorie intake.”
The book also delves into how teachers, parents and workplace environment should be advocating a more healthy lifestyle and how fast food is destroying our nutrition.
“Another important thing when it comes to your total calorie make is to think about liquid calories, as drinks can have a significant number of calories within them.”
The book is structured well and is a holistic account dealing with almost all aspects of obesity and their solutions are also presented in detail. It is written in a simple manner devoid of scientific jargon making it easy for the common folk. Each chapter is followed by a summary of main points for quick reference.
Fight With Fat however, comes across as more of a science lecture rather than a personalised account. It would have helped if it also included accounts of patients and their individual stories.
The best chapter is the one on healthy cooking that dispels many myths regarding what is good for our bodies.