New year, new life: star trainer and best-selling author Bob Greene shares why weight loss isn't just about food.(FAVORITE THINGS)(Interview)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Bob Greene wants you to live your best life. And as an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer, best-selling author, and the man responsible for getting Oprah Winfrey into shape, Greene can show you how to do it. His best-selling book The Best Life Diet has helped more than a million people lose weight since it was first published in 2006. Now revised and updated, the book includes more meal plans and recipes, and more of Greene's expert advice. Ultimately, Greene's approach works from the inside out, showing people how to make lifestyle changes that go beyond weight loss alone.

What inspired you to write The Best, Life Diet?

I've been inspired by the men and women I've worked with over the past 27 years who have lost weight and kept it off. They worked hard, they didn't look for a gimmick that made the process "easy," and they adopted exercise as an essential part of their day. All these people took a good, hard look at the way they lived their lives and made some profound self-discovery or tough decision that was a key to their long-term success. I know that the process can be a frustrating one, so I wanted to give people as much support as possible with advice about self-discovery, exercise, and eating.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What are the phases of The Best Life Diet and why do they work?

The three phases of The Best Life Diet are Phase 1) adopting a more active lifestyle, reorganizing your eating, and tossing out the six "problem" foods; Phase 2) increasing your level of activity and learning how to internally monitor physical hunger as opposed to emotional hunger; and Phase 3) fine-tuning your food choices and living the healthy life you've created for the rest of your life. The phases work because you renovate your life in manageable steps and work with your ...