Diets and dieting have concerned – and sometimes obsessed – human societies for centuries. The dieters' regime is about many things, among them the control of weight and the body, the politics of beauty, discipline and even self-harm, personal and societal demands for improved health, spiritual harmony with the universe, and ethical codes of existence. In this innovative reference work that spans many periods and cultures, the acclaimed cultural and medical historian Sander L. Gilman lays out the history of diets and dieting in a fascinating series of articles.

The secret of this diet plan rests with the conscious combining of foods. The book is split into four parts: the first explains the programme; part two shows how to obtain and maintain slimhood; part three is a 35-day weight-loss programme; and the fourth part includes recipes and a workbook.

Discusses positive and negative body image, with an emphasis on body size and weight, and suggests ways to improve self-esteem and develop a healthy body image.

The latest weight-loss research that explains a conscious food-combining program for LIFELONG SLIMHOOD.