With his white beard and twinkling smile, Andrew Weil bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain North Pole denizen. As a doctor, Weil delivers gifts in the form of health and nutrition books, including the best-selling The Healthy Kitchen with former Oprah Winfrey chef Rosie Daley. In Healthy Aging, Weil presents a fascinating, compassionate argument for changing the way we view getting older. In addition to tips for eating well and staying active, he also explores the spiritual side of aging, borrowing ideas from cultures that seem to have discovered the fountain of youth. Okinawans, who have the highest life expectancy in the world (81.2 years), revel in aging and believe that a second childhood begins at 97. In fact, senior Okinawans often proudly introduce themselves by their age. Their secret (which is no surprise) is healthy eating, and staying physically and socially active. Weil combines the best of modern medicine with intriguing ideas, and he delivers a powerful new way of thinking about aging.

This New Year is going to be different. Four months from now, you’ll be shedding pounds and enjoying spring while everyone else will be regretting another season wearing larger sizes. Whether you’re new to weight loss and fitness, or you’ve already made smart diet and exercise choices, there’s enough information in the following books to motivate and invigorate you over the next few months.

Tips for new moms
Every woman who has had a child knows how difficult it is to get back into smaller sizes. Moms-to-be have special diet and exercise concerns, but Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell After Pregnancy: Every Woman’s Guide to Shaping Up, Slimming Down and Staying Sane After the Baby by Debra Waterhouse can help after the new baby arrives. Waterhouse explains why postpartum pounds are hard to get rid of: a woman’s waist has expanded about 50 inches, her skin has stretched by 400%, her hips have widened half a foot and her fat cells have grown to 125% their original size. Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds, new mothers can regain their slim, fit shape by following the sensible advice offered by this respected nutrition expert. Waterhouse dispels long-held myths and shows readers how to achieve a healthier, fitter body than the one they had before pregnancy.

Taking control
In The Take-Control Diet: A Life Plan for Thinking People, Ian K. Smith, M.D., medical correspondent for NBC’s Today show, explains how your body uses energy so that you can stabilize your ideal weight. Smith’s idea is that once you understand your body’s nutrition and exercise needs, you can take control of your life. The author explains why crash diets and medications are not good long-term solutions to weight loss, how to eat sensibly during holidays, vacations and business travel, and how to create menus using substitution options for long-term weight loss. Fortunately, Smith’s plan does not require slavish adherence to specific food preparation or programs, nor does it offer a magic bullet for rapid weight loss. Smith simply presents the truth about losing weight and offers a workable program that will fit into anyone’s lifestyle.

Yee’s yoga
Speaking of lifestyle, yoga has become just that for millions, young and old alike. There is good reason why devoted practitioners continue their programs year after year: quite simply, it works. Yoga:The Poetry of the Body by Rodney Yee, with Nina Zolotow is an excellent book for the beginner and the experienced. With more than 400 photos and easy-to-read instructions, the book offers eight step-by-step, full yoga practices. In addition, readers will find breath exercises and explanations of the philosophy behind yoga. Practicing yoga for more than 20 years and teaching around the world, Rodney Yee has made a name for himself one that has become synonymous with the word "yoga."

Six weeks to fitness
Recognize the names Ivana Trump and Heidi Klum? These gals stay in shape with fitness trainer David Kirsch, and now you can too. Kirsch’s new book Sound Mind, Sound Body: David Kirsch’s Ultimate 6-Week Fitness Transformation for Men and Women reinforces the author’s belief that by changing your mindset, you can change your body. His workout program contains 50 exercises and a comprehensive eating program. Kirsch also includes his strategy for using the mind-body connection to increase workout efficiency and shows you how to set up your own home gym. As an added bonus, the book features photos and instructions for Heidi Klum’s Bikini Boot Camp fitness program, which Kirsch designed to get Klum into shape for a Sports Illustrated shoot. As the owner of one of the finest fitness clubs in New York City, Kirsch incorporates into his book every element of wellness: diet, emotional well-being, stress reduction and spirituality. "You don’t have to spend hours pumping iron," says Kirsch, "But you do need to do the right exercises for your goals; you need to do them correctly . . . and you need to engage your mind." Excellent advice for us all.

Pat Regel lectures on weight loss and fitness for business professionals.

To what extent can our minds be instruments of our own healing, and are there biological bases for this self-help phenomenon? These are the puzzles Jerome Groopman attempts to solve in this series of case studies and reports, most of which are from his own medical files. Groopman holds a chair at Harvard Medical School, heads the experimental medicine division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and is a staff writer on medicine and biology for The New Yorker. In presenting this gallery of patients whose destinies were apparently altered by the presence or absence of hope, Groopman is quick to draw the line between “false hope,” which fails to acknowledge the seriousness of a disease and to cooperate fully in its treatment, and “true hope,” which understands that mind and medicine may be powerful enough to delay or derail what appears to be a certain death sentence.

One of the most fascinating case studies is Groopman’s account of his own struggle with debilitating back pain after he ruptured a lumbar disc in 1979. Despite operations, physical therapy and a severe curtailment of movement, the pain plagued Groopman for 20 years. Finally, he sought relief at the Spine Center of New England Baptist Hospital, where Boston Celtic star Larry Bird had been helped. There, a doctor examined Groopman and told him, “You are worshipping the volcano god of pain” meaning that he had forfeited normal activity in the hope of avoiding pain. The doctor recommended a regimen in which belief in recovery slowly blunted the pain of stretching unused muscles. It was an arduous trip back, but Groopman eventually conquered the pain and “felt reborn.” Since his recovery, Groopman has continued to investigate “the biology of hope” the mechanism between body and mind and his studies have convinced him such a connection exists. “Each disease is uncertain in its outcome,” he concludes, “and within that uncertainty we find real hope.” Edward Morris reviews for BookPage from Nashville.

If you’re interested in living to an advanced age and still having a "a good life" something the Greeks attempted to define 2,400 years ago a new book by a Harvard psychiatrist offers some unexpected and invaluable insights.

Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development casts a spotlight on the behaviors that make for happy longevity and those that result in illness and early death. The conclusions in the book are based on a study of behavior that began with Harvard sophomores in 1938 and is the oldest, most thorough study of aging ever undertaken.

"Aging well involves both mental and physical health," says author George Vaillant, M.D., who began managing the study in 1970. "So when we talk about well-being, we’re talking about two facets, not just one." For example, he notes, "alcohol abuse is bad for emotional and physical well-being. Smoking is only bad for physical well-being." Just as Benjamin Spock taught millions of mothers to anticipate child development and to understand what could be changed and what had to be accepted, Vaillant’s book does the same for the later stages of life. The Study of Adult Development, using periodic interviews and questionnaires, follows three groups of elderly men and women, all of whom have been studied continuously for six to eight decades. First, there is a sample of 268 socially advantaged Harvard graduates born about 1920. Second, there is a sample of 456 socially disadvantaged inner-city men born about 1930. Third, there is a sample of 90 middle-class, intellectually gifted women born about 1910. All of these prospective studies (a "prospective" study is one that studies events as they occur, not in retrospect) are the oldest studies of their kind in the world. From these 824 individuals, the book attempts to generalize theories about behaviors that promote health and good living and those that don’t.

One generalization and perhaps the most important to the average reader is that there are six factors at age 50 that have a great deal to do with whether you will get to age 80. The six are having a warm marriage, possessing adaptive or coping strategies, not smoking heavily, not abusing alcohol, getting ample exercise and not being overweight. Those who observe these factors are better at wending through what Vaillant calls "the minefields of aging." For these people, there is a statistically greater chance to achieve emotional and physical health. He calls them "the happy well." The happy well are those, he says, "who subjectively enjoy their lives and are objectively healthy." By contrast, the "sad sick" occupy another category. "The sad sick are people who feel and are sad and they feel and are sick." Obviously, one can have a majority of the six factors but be felled by a fatal compulsion. So Babe Ruth, a heavy cigar smoker, died of laryngeal cancer at age 53, even though he had a fine second marriage and possessed most of Vaillant’s other factors. A gifted ballplayer, Mickey Mantle often repeated the line attributed to the 100 year-old Hubie Blake: "If I’d known I’d live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself." Mantle’s marriage and then his health were ruined by alcohol. He succumbed to a cancerous liver at 63. Marilyn Monroe’s failing was more subtle. It has to do with what Vaillant calls "taking people inside," the ability to internalize and be enriched by the love and caring of others.

"Look at that famous line when Monroe says to Joe DiMaggio [then her husband], You don’t know what it’s like to have 50,000 people cheering for you,’ and he said, Yes, Marilyn, I do.’ She was a beautiful person physically and quite a nice person and talented, so most people that knew her cared about her, but it did her absolutely no good, because she couldn’t eat any of the fruit she couldn’t take the love inside." Many of the answers that study participants send back offer excellent guides to living the good life. One question was: "What is the most important thing that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?" An 84-year-old study member answered, "I live to work, to learn something that I didn’t know yesterday to enjoy the precious moments with my wife." Other cases offer surprises. Anthony Pirelli was one of the socially disadvantaged inner-city subjects. His parents were born in Italy and barely spoke English. Pirelli grew up poor. Worse, his father was an abusive, alcoholic lout who beat his wife and children. A psychologist described the 13-year-old Pirelli as "unaggressive, sensitive, and fearful of parental disapproval." But the real lesson of his life was that he was not a prisoner of childhood: by age 30 he was a successful CPA and had a successful marriage. Now 70, Pirelli has survived open-heart surgery. He plays tennis, enjoys his retirement and says, "Life is never boring for me." Pirelli’s case illustrates one of Vaillant’s hopeful creeds: The past often predicts but never determines our old age.

Happily, Aging Well is free of the jargon and academic-speak that scares off would-be readers of scientific studies. The writing is clear, passionate and chock-full of poetic sentiments on aging. In one instance Vaillant reminds us of the words of Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: "Men’s courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead. But if the course be departed from, the ends will change." People can change; there is hope. But change is easier when you come armed with sufficient knowledge about how to change. Vaillant has provided that knowledge in Aging Well.

Golden oldies The study identified several factors that affect the quality of life as we age: It is not the bad things that happen to us that doom us; it is the good people we encounter at any age that facilitate enjoyable aging.

A good marriage at age 50 predicts positive aging at 80. But surprisingly, low cholesterol levels at age 50 do not. Alcohol abuse unrelated to unhappy childhood consistently predicts unsuccessful aging, in part because alcohol damages future social supports. Learning to play and create after retirement and learning to gain younger friends as we lose older ones add more to our enjoyment than retirement income.

Healing relationships a key component of aging well are facilitated by a capacity for gratitude and forgiveness.

Guides for shaping up after the holidays For millions of Americans, the increasing obesity rate isn’t just a news story it’s a personal matter. And after rounds of turkey, pie and cookies consumed during holiday celebrations, many people put losing weight at the top of their New Year’s resolutions. To help out, we’ve gathered four of the biggest diet books of the year. With expert advice from the authors of these best-selling books, you and your family can be on the road to health and fitness in no time flat.

Advice for teens Adults aren’t the only ones at risk of being overweight. Increasing rates of diabetes and heart disease in teenagers prove that they too need to be aware of the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Phil McGraw’s son, Jay McGraw, takes on this timely topic in his new book, The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens: The 7 Keys to Weight Freedom (Free Press, $15.95, 295 pages, ISBN 0743257472). As the “teen expert” on the Dr. Phil show and the author of the best-selling Life Strategies for Teens, Jay McGraw understands the specific challenges faced by teenagers. The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens is filled with the personal stories of young adults who have struggled with weight issues (McGraw interviewed more than 10,000 teens while researching the book). He encourages teens to set goals, avoid “bully thinking” (“I’m a failure,” “I’ll never lose weight”), choose a fun method of exercise, find a group of supportive friends and family, and think about how changing their environment can change their eating habits. Each chapter highlights one of McGraw’s seven keys, and includes space for readers to answer questions and find their own solutions to common weight loss problems. The conversational tone and interactive nature of this sensible book make it a must-have for teens and parents alike.

Doctor’s orders Jay McGraw’s book for teens was inspired by his father’s latest bestseller, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom (Free Press, $26, 320 pages, ISBN 0743236742). Talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw applies his no-nonsense attitude to weight loss, reminding readers that losing weight isn’t quick or easy. He believes that in most cases, being overweight is the result of lifestyle choices, and that if people are willing to alter their routines to create a healthier lifestyle, losing weight is all but guaranteed. The Ultimate Weight Solution encourages people to take control of their weight with a common-sense approach to portion sizes, exercise and attitude. Dr. Phil promises that a total commitment to all seven keys will lead to success, and hundreds of people have taken the challenge. This inspiring book which claims that willpower and calorie-counting aren’t necessary for success is a great guide for those who want to slim down.

Going Greene So you’ve got the weight off now what? Another Oprah favorite, personal trainer Bob Greene, is weighing in with two new installments in his Get with the Program! series. Get with the Program! Getting Real about Your Weight, Health, and Emotional Well-Being (Simon &and Schuster, $12, 224 pages, ISBN 0743238044) offers indispensable advice on maintaining a healthy weight along with motivational, personal anecdotes from Greene’s own clients. Greene divides his plan into four phases, which readers can complete at their own pace. Phase One puts you in the right mindset by changing your attitude about diet and exercise. After you’ve made your commitment to staying in shape, Phase Two teaches you how to jump-start your metabolism with exercise. Phase Three seeks out the reasons behind overeating and tries to resolve them, and Phase Four unifies the three previous phases, reinforcing what you’ve learned and helping you step up your exercise and dieting to build muscle. Another excellent resource for people who want to stay in shape is The Get with the Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants. This pocket-sized reference reminds readers of the rules for healthy eating, then lists low-fat menu options at more than 50 chain and fast-food restaurants like Applebee’s, Schlotzsky’s Deli, McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. (Here’s a hint super-sizing is a no-go.) While that Big Mac is always a temptation, Greene’s guide proves that resolute dieters can accompany friends and family to their favorite restaurants without sabotaging their weight-loss goals.

Guides for shaping up after the holidays For millions of Americans, the increasing obesity rate isn’t just a news story it’s a personal matter. And after rounds of turkey, pie and cookies consumed during holiday celebrations, many people put losing weight at the top of their New Year’s resolutions. To help out, we’ve gathered four of the biggest diet books of the year. With expert advice from the authors of these best-selling books, you and your family can be on the road to health and fitness in no time flat.

Advice for teens Adults aren’t the only ones at risk of being overweight. Increasing rates of diabetes and heart disease in teenagers prove that they too need to be aware of the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Phil McGraw’s son, Jay McGraw, takes on this timely topic in his new book, The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens: The 7 Keys to Weight Freedom (Free Press, $15.95, 295 pages, ISBN 0743257472). As the “teen expert” on the Dr. Phil show and the author of the best-selling Life Strategies for Teens, Jay McGraw understands the specific challenges faced by teenagers. The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens is filled with the personal stories of young adults who have struggled with weight issues (McGraw interviewed more than 10,000 teens while researching the book). He encourages teens to set goals, avoid “bully thinking” (“I’m a failure,” “I’ll never lose weight”), choose a fun method of exercise, find a group of supportive friends and family, and think about how changing their environment can change their eating habits. Each chapter highlights one of McGraw’s seven keys, and includes space for readers to answer questions and find their own solutions to common weight loss problems. The conversational tone and interactive nature of this sensible book make it a must-have for teens and parents alike.

Doctor’s orders Jay McGraw’s book for teens was inspired by his father’s latest bestseller, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom (Free Press, $26, 320 pages, ISBN 0743236742). Talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw applies his no-nonsense attitude to weight loss, reminding readers that losing weight isn’t quick or easy. He believes that in most cases, being overweight is the result of lifestyle choices, and that if people are willing to alter their routines to create a healthier lifestyle, losing weight is all but guaranteed. The Ultimate Weight Solution encourages people to take control of their weight with a common-sense approach to portion sizes, exercise and attitude. Dr. Phil promises that a total commitment to all seven keys will lead to success, and hundreds of people have taken the challenge. This inspiring book which claims that willpower and calorie-counting aren’t necessary for success is a great guide for those who want to slim down.

Going Greene So you’ve got the weight off now what? Another Oprah favorite, personal trainer Bob Greene, is weighing in with two new installments in his Get with the Program! series. Get with the Program! Getting Real about Your Weight, Health, and Emotional Well-Being offers indispensable advice on maintaining a healthy weight along with motivational, personal anecdotes from Greene’s own clients. Greene divides his plan into four phases, which readers can complete at their own pace. Phase One puts you in the right mindset by changing your attitude about diet and exercise. After you’ve made your commitment to staying in shape, Phase Two teaches you how to jump-start your metabolism with exercise. Phase Three seeks out the reasons behind overeating and tries to resolve them, and Phase Four unifies the three previous phases, reinforcing what you’ve learned and helping you step up your exercise and dieting to build muscle. Another excellent resource for people who want to stay in shape is The Get with the Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants (Simon &and Schuster, $12.95, 168 pages, ISBN 0743256212). This pocket-sized reference reminds readers of the rules for healthy eating, then lists low-fat menu options at more than 50 chain and fast-food restaurants like Applebee’s, Schlotzsky’s Deli, McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. (Here’s a hint super-sizing is a no-go.) While that Big Mac is always a temptation, Greene’s guide proves that resolute dieters can accompany friends and family to their favorite restaurants without sabotaging their weight-loss goals.

Guides for shaping up after the holidays For millions of Americans, the increasing obesity rate isn’t just a news story it’s a personal matter. And after rounds of turkey, pie and cookies consumed during holiday celebrations, many people put losing weight at the top of their New Year’s resolutions. To help out, we’ve gathered four of the biggest diet books of the year. With expert advice from the authors of these best-selling books, you and your family can be on the road to health and fitness in no time flat.

Advice for teens Adults aren’t the only ones at risk of being overweight. Increasing rates of diabetes and heart disease in teenagers prove that they too need to be aware of the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Phil McGraw’s son, Jay McGraw, takes on this timely topic in his new book, The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens: The 7 Keys to Weight Freedom (Free Press, $15.95, 295 pages, ISBN 0743257472). As the “teen expert” on the Dr. Phil show and the author of the best-selling Life Strategies for Teens, Jay McGraw understands the specific challenges faced by teenagers. The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens is filled with the personal stories of young adults who have struggled with weight issues (McGraw interviewed more than 10,000 teens while researching the book). He encourages teens to set goals, avoid “bully thinking” (“I’m a failure,” “I’ll never lose weight”), choose a fun method of exercise, find a group of supportive friends and family, and think about how changing their environment can change their eating habits. Each chapter highlights one of McGraw’s seven keys, and includes space for readers to answer questions and find their own solutions to common weight loss problems. The conversational tone and interactive nature of this sensible book make it a must-have for teens and parents alike.

Doctor’s orders Jay McGraw’s book for teens was inspired by his father’s latest bestseller, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. Talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw applies his no-nonsense attitude to weight loss, reminding readers that losing weight isn’t quick or easy. He believes that in most cases, being overweight is the result of lifestyle choices, and that if people are willing to alter their routines to create a healthier lifestyle, losing weight is all but guaranteed. The Ultimate Weight Solution encourages people to take control of their weight with a common-sense approach to portion sizes, exercise and attitude. Dr. Phil promises that a total commitment to all seven keys will lead to success, and hundreds of people have taken the challenge. This inspiring book which claims that willpower and calorie-counting aren’t necessary for success is a great guide for those who want to slim down.

Going Greene So you’ve got the weight off now what? Another Oprah favorite, personal trainer Bob Greene, is weighing in with two new installments in his Get with the Program! series. Get with the Program! Getting Real about Your Weight, Health, and Emotional Well-Being (Simon &and Schuster, $12, 224 pages, ISBN 0743238044) offers indispensable advice on maintaining a healthy weight along with motivational, personal anecdotes from Greene’s own clients. Greene divides his plan into four phases, which readers can complete at their own pace. Phase One puts you in the right mindset by changing your attitude about diet and exercise. After you’ve made your commitment to staying in shape, Phase Two teaches you how to jump-start your metabolism with exercise. Phase Three seeks out the reasons behind overeating and tries to resolve them, and Phase Four unifies the three previous phases, reinforcing what you’ve learned and helping you step up your exercise and dieting to build muscle. Another excellent resource for people who want to stay in shape is The Get with the Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants (Simon &and Schuster, $12.95, 168 pages, ISBN 0743256212). This pocket-sized reference reminds readers of the rules for healthy eating, then lists low-fat menu options at more than 50 chain and fast-food restaurants like Applebee’s, Schlotzsky’s Deli, McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. (Here’s a hint super-sizing is a no-go.) While that Big Mac is always a temptation, Greene’s guide proves that resolute dieters can accompany friends and family to their favorite restaurants without sabotaging their weight-loss goals.