Obviously, none of them worked for me as I still have that last 20 lbs that I’d like to get rid of. I was fortunate enough to review a new book called Mind Over Body by Nordine Zouareg.

Zouareg, a fitness coach at Miraval Spa in Arizona, was a former Mr. France, Mr. Europe, Mr. World and Mr. Universe. He speaks from his own experience with weight struggles as well as his professional experience coaching thousands of people at the Spa. Born prematurely in the back of a French army truck in Algeria, weighing less than two pounds, Zourareg had to overcome his obstacles - being a skinny, scrawny kid - to sculpt his body so he could reach his goal of becoming Mr. France and eventually Mr. Universe. What makes this book so vastly different from other diet fads and books is that Zouareg spends about half the book working with you on discovering and refining your core desire. The book is not just about losing weight - it’s really about overcoming your fears and discovering your true desires in order to have a fit, healthy body.

You see, eating well, exercising and taking care of your body is more than just something you need to do, it’s a way of life and an identity of who you are. If dieting is just something you do, you’ll abandon it when you become bored or when faced with an inconvenient decision. Lasting weight loss must come from such a deep desire that you have no other option but to lose the weight. You decide that you never want to live another day unhealthy.

The best book reviews often come from people who have first-hand experience with the quandary that a book tackles and can tell you a very personal story about how the book affected him or her. Well, here I go, at the risk of exposing some of my weight loss fears to the Well Fed family of readers.

It’s true that I’m not classified as “fat” with a measly 20 pounds to lose - but its been the same 20 pounds for the past 10 years - so obviously, there is unopened emotional baggage. As I was reading Mind Over Body and going through its workbook, I was shocked to learn so much about why I could never lose weight. I’ve been so stressed out and full of anxiety that my overloaded body had no choice but to revert to a perpetual state of “fight or flight” mode. In this emotional state, my mind, body and spirit resists change and craves consistency and comfort. Like the comfort of eating and the consistency of my habits. Anything new, like a new diet, would be exciting for a little while, but when it came time for that defining moment of decision, “do I go to the gym or relax on the couch?” or “should I order the salad or the hamburger?” I automatically went back to what I was familiar with.

Zouareg explains that all of this is quite normal, but there is a way to change it. The change must come from an identity shift and from a desire for happiness that resides behind the veil of fears, behind the doors of external factors and from under that heavy box of stress to something he calls, “Core Desire.”

Now understanding Core Desire and why diets have failed me in the past, making the change to a healthy lifestyle is more important than just obsessing about every pound that I lose. Before, on fad diets, I’d weigh myself once a day, seeking improvement and reassurance that the sacrifices that I was making was producing results. If I didn’t lose any weight, I’d get a little discouraged. Therefore I would abandon the diet quickly, since my motivation was in “losing weight.” and “looking good in my jeans.” This time, my motivation comes from within: “living healthful, being vibrant and worshipping my body.”

Mind Over Body also features a diet of fresh foods, good carbs, lots of water and appropriate portions of food. Rather than give you a day-by-day eating program, Zouareg guides you through getting yourself to make the right decisions about food choice and your hunger level.

Most of the fitness exercises he gives, you can do right at home with a mat and a few dumb bells. I recommend that you follow his stretching exercises, but I would refer to a more detailed exercise/training book for work with weights. I’m on my second week of reading this book and living my new “core desire.” I know I’ve been eating differently and in no way does it feel like I am limiting myself. Instead, I know in my heart that I must take care of my body - I choose carefully and I fully enjoy what I eat. Gone is the mindless eating, the unsatisfying snack and automatic grazing. My body is my temple and I’ll be damned if I let my stresses and fears take control of my beautiful body.