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By Barbara M. Dixon, L.D.N., R.D.,
nutritionist, author, and health educator

Throughout the ages, food has been a focus of our daily life. Food is satisfying, and it's associated with our memorable events: births, deaths, religious ceremonies, weddings, holidays, and personal accomplishments. Yet "over-indulgence" in food contributes to a variety of not-so-pleasurable side effects.

We Americans know this all too well; we are the most well fed people on earth. We enjoy abundance: food is everywhere and there seems to be no end to offering more and more in supermarkets and restaurants. It's no wonder we're a nation plagued with obesity and a host of digestive problems. There are likely as many remedies for obesity as for heartburn, indigestion, gas, belching, and bloating. And there's an abundance of published literature and research on these health problems. But are we alleviating our national problem of obesity and intestinal difficulties?

The answer is no. Americans are getting fatter and the availability and sales of products for indigestion continue to soar. And we continue to spend lots of money hoping that things will improve. Each year Americans spend billions of dollars on methods to counteract obesity. We also spend millions in health-food stores and in pharmacies on products such as antacids and antigas, antidiarrheal, and anticonstipation agents to prevent or control digestive problems.

Could the solutions to these health problems lie in what we eat, when we eat, how much we eat, and how our body uses the food we eat for nourishment and energy? I think so. And you'll read more about this in the pages to come. However, there's still a lot more we need to know about the effects of food on our overall health. Fortunately, the amount of medical and nutrition research is at an all-time high.

We know that certain foods can alter our moods, promote good health, protect us against or prevent disease, help our medications work better, and give us energy to enhance our athletic performance. Both professionals and nonprofessionals in the health field have theories regarding the role food plays in good or poor health. Some of these people have been criticized, some have sold millions of books, and some have been labeled "experts" and authorities on the subject. What we have to remember is that, like medicine, nutrition is a science that fosters differences of opinion and in research results.

Personally, I keep an open mind when it comes to the pursuit of good health. Whether answers come from our country or internationally, by professional or lay sources, I'm willing to listen, dissect the information, and come to a conclusion as to whether an approach is sound or unsound. Like most of you, I'm also interested in learning what can help us have long, abundant lives or maintain healthy bodies with plenty of energy and vitality. And, like most of you, I often look to those in the public eye-television and film celebrities, professional athletes, performers/musicians-because they are so visible that their health and physical condition can't go unnoticed. The success of their careers depends on good physical health.

Suzanne Somers is one very good example. Have you ever wondered how she does it? I must admit, I was curious myself. Aside from keeping her physical body in great shape, I wondered, What does she eat? Through this book, I became aware of her approach to healthy eating. As you'll learn, Suzanne believes strongly in eating a variety of foods in digestive-appropriate combinations. This approach (food combining) has been practiced for many, many years and is advocated publicly by many individuals, including Professor Arnold Ehret, Herbert Shelton, Marilyn and Harvey Diamond and Dick Gregory, and Dr. John Demartini. Even orthodox Jews practice food combining in their dietary laws, by refraining from eating meat and milk dishes at the same time. And personally, my mother and aunt would remind me when I was a young child not to eat certain foods together because they would make me sick. Since I figured they had experienced the side effects of such food and beverage combinations, I avoided them as suggested.

No, food combining is not new! However, Suzanne has learned to take the basic principles of food combining and tailor them to fit her lifestyle. She's found that, for her, it is this way of eating-not dieting-that helps her maintain a healthy weight.

I have to admit, I had some concerns about this type of program used to encourage weight loss or maintenance. My initial questions were, Is the program sound or does it contribute to nutritional deficiencies? Are there individuals who should not choose this way of eating, because of existing health problems? Does the program really lead to weight loss, even with more liberal, less restrictive choices in food? And is there any scientific foundation to support the benefit of food combining for healthy digestion? Further, I wanted to know if this program encouraged exercise, gradual weight loss, behavioral modification (changing eating habits for life), and a "balanced" diet, including a variety of foods in moderate amounts.

After reviewing Ms. Somers' manuscript, all of my questions were answered. I'd like to share those answers with you.

First, as you'll learn, Somersizing (as Suzanne appropriately refers to this program) suggests you eat a variety of foods. A limited variety is certainly not an issue here; the focus is on selecting foods that can be eaten at the same time. On a daily basis, a wide choice of foods is suggested in meal plans and menus and recipes. She includes meat, chicken, seafood, vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and fats ... all of which can be included in a healthy diet.

Suzanne doesn't place emphasis on exact quantities of foods you're limited to eat, but the portions and types of foods she suggests should satisfy the average nutritional requirements. (If you want to make certain you are meeting your daily nutritional needs or Recommended Daily Allowances [RDA], use the USDA-based Food Pyramid as a guide. The Food Pyramid illustrates the ranking of categories of foods by their importance in the diet.) In your daily intake, try to include at least six to eleven servings of breads, cereals, grains; two to four servings of fruits; three to five servings of vegetables; two to three servings of meat, poultry, fish, beans, and meat substitutes; two to three servings of dairy products; and limited servings of fat (choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats more often than saturated fats).

I think you get the picture: a variety of "properly combined foods" can meet your nutritional needs. Therefore, you can easily adopt this way of eating without fear of nutritional deficiencies. As with any program intended for the general public, this program is not modified or restricted in foods and amounts that are appropriate for those with various health problems, including diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, or coronary artery disease (with elevated total blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels), hypertension (high blood pressure), and renal (kidney) disease. If you have these or other health problems and have been encouraged to follow a specially prescribed diet given to you by a physician, registered dietitian, or nutritionist, please check with him or her before starting this program.

Regarding the weight-loss component of the program: Suzanne and others following this program say they have lost weight and are able to maintain their weight losses. Suzanne credits this weight loss to better digestion of foods due to eating foods that are properly combined. We nutritionists know that digestion is a complex normal body function and that each type of food is digested differently. Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where the teeth grind food and digestive juices begin breaking it down, making it easier to swallow. Then, food particles go to the stomach and are mixed with digestive "juices" (hydrochloric acid, lipase, gastrin and protease, among others) to further break down foods for more complete digestion. The stomach is normally emptied of food about one to four hours after a meal, depending on the amounts and kinds of food eaten. When eaten alone, carbohydrates leave the stomach and are ready for further digestion first and most rapidly, followed by protein, then fat. A mixed diet (containing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) stays in the stomach longer before it empties. Food particles then enter the small and large intestines, where absorption of nutrients (vitamins and minerals, amino acids, sugars, and fats) takes place. Healthy digestion means that the body receives all the nutritents it needs and eliminates that which the body doesn't need, in the form of waste (feces), which is passed out of the body without discomfort or delay.

Does more efficient digestion mean dietary "excesses" don't matter?

Well, while I'd agree that efficient digestion is extremely important, so is setting limitations on the amounts of foods you eat. Keeping your diet simple rather than eating lots of different combinations of foods can certainly help prevent indigestion and the discomfort associated with it. Overeating creates problems, too; it makes you feel uncomfortable and can contribute to weight gain. A perfect example of abusing both the amounts and kinds of foods you eat often occurs during the holidays ... with endless banquet tables, and a morning after you're not likely to forget. Some people eat like this on a regular basis!

When it comes to the chief contributors to being overweight or obese, energy input versus energy output ranks high. Simply put, if you take in more energy from food than you use, or "burn," for normal body functions, you will gain weight! While this program focuses on food combinations for better digestion, this doesn't mean that you should eat more foods than you need. Moderation is the key. Suzanne suggests you eat "until you are comfortable and satisfied"...not stuffed! Moderation is important for weight loss. Somersizing emphasizes lots of vegetables, fruits (eaten alone), and whole-grain complex carbohydrates (terrific sources of fiber). These foods are great for good elimination and fill you up, too! Avoiding foods containing large amounts of sugars is also a good idea for those seeking weight loss.

Is fat an issue in weight management? Definitely! You don't have to eliminate fat from your diet altogether, but keeping the amount of fat you eat to moderate amounts is important in helping reduce your risk of heart disease and certain forms of cancer. Watch the amount of animal products you eat because they are high in cholesterol, and getting too much raises blood cholesterol levels. If remembering percentages for fat in the diet is boring to you-as it is for Suzanne-you'll find it easy to simply avoid fried foods, to limit the amount of fat you add to foods, and to look for "hidden" fats in snack foods, whole fat dairy products, and salad dressings and sauces. The bottom line is that combining foods for good digestion is a great idea, but remember, as Suzanne does, that moderate eating and listening to your body help bring about weight loss.

What about exercise? Exercise and physical activity is important in achieving and maintaining weight loss. We know Suzanne exercises-just look at those thighs! Suzanne's approach is to make sure she gets enjoyment out of her physical activity. She doesn't like rigid exercise programs; neither do I, nor do most people I counsel. Whether you walk, run, swim, bike, hike, aerobic dance, or climb the stairs in your home, the idea is to keep moving every day. Physical activity enhances good digestion, relieves stress, and increases your metabolism.



The nature and causes of obesity are still puzzling to us. That's why intensive, continuing research is so important. Environment, genetics, culture, diet, and metabolism are all important contributors, and maybe one day we'll truly conquer our nation's obesity problem.

Could planning meals with combinations of foods that improve digestion, absorption, and elimination be the answer? It very well may be. In her book, Suzanne Somers is willing to share this way of eating-with lots of recipes and meal suggestions-that helps her maintain her healthy weight and gives her an abundance of energy.

Should you give it a try? Why not? Somersizing contains all the important elements of a sound weight-loss program: variety in food choices, gradual weight loss, and components for maintaining a desired weight. It encourages changes in eating habits for life, it doesn't severely restrict your calorie intake, and it encourages physical activity.

Suzanne makes the principles of food combining easy to follow and utilize when eating out in restaurants, or at social gatherings, or when preparing meals at home. If her program works for you, I hope you'll let Suzanne know. After all, eating great and losing weight is a combination we'd all like to experience!

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Many years ago, when I was just starting out in television, I landed a guest-starring role on a hit series called Starsky and Hutch. It was a huge break for me; I was a single mother who had just moved to Los Angeles to get my career started, and this was a week's worth of work at a time when I desperately needed the money. Three days before I was supposed to start, I got a call from the producer. My ears perked up when I heard his voice. He told me that he and the director had been sitting around talking, and they decided I was just "a little too chunky" for the part. They recast the role and I cried myself to sleep. I was twenty-nine years old and twenty pounds overweight.

That's when my diet roller coaster began. Determined to lose those pounds, I tried every diet in the world. Remember the TWA stewardess diet? You lose ten pounds in four days-unless you pass out first. Oh yes, and the waterman diet; that was a lot of laughs. You consume only meat and water for two weeks. I had horrible dog's breath and was constantly on edge ... wonder why! Another diet I tried involved choking down this gelatinous intestinal cleanser-gag city. Or what about the four-day diet where on Day 1 you eat nine bananas; Day 2, nine oranges; Day 3, nine hot dogs; Day 4, nine bananas. Terribly convenient at a business lunch.

I tried them all! The shakes, the calorie counting, the packaged foods, the fasting, the grapefruit, the cottage cheese, the celery ... and guess what? They all worked. That's right. Every time I went on a diet, I lost weight. But, within a short time of going back to eating like a normal person, I would gain back all the weight and often a little extra. Then I'd scour the fashion magazines for the next dieting trend, and off I'd go on my path toward deprivation-all in the name of being thin.



My diet roller coaster continued for many years. I had come to think that depriving myself of foods that I loved was a way of life. This was a huge sacrifice for me! I consider eating to be one of life's great pleasures. I have always loved to cook for myself and my family. My most treasured moments in life revolve around family gatherings, with wonderful spreads of food. Preparing food for my family and friends is the way I express my love for them. My romance with my husband, Alan, began in the kitchen, preparing incredible meals for one another. My son, Bruce, was an adventurous eater from the time he was a little boy. He would devour linguine with steamed fresh clams at the age of four. And although it took a while to win the affection of my stepchildren, Leslie and Stephen, they liked my cooking right away!

On and off the diets I went. I had no choice. Keeping control of my weight was essential to my career. The lovable Chrissy from Three's Company wore clothing that didn't leave much to the imagination. So I became accustomed to dieting. I suffered through the bland foods, the dismal portions, and the constant hunger. After a period of deprivation, I would reward myself with rich foods like cake and chocolate and all the others things I loved. I have always had a hearty appetite. Bruce used to call me Mr. Ed, after the horse, because I could outeat him and all of his friends.

But it seemed that right about the time I hit forty, things began to change. My metabolism slowed down and it became harder than ever to control my weight. The diets were no longer effective. Suddenly I grew hips with handles and my thighs would rub together when I walked. After I would eat a meal my stomach would bloat, and there seemed to be no way to hold it in. I found myself buying control-top panty hose to hold in that tummy. I continued the dieting and the deprivation, but I was getting fewer and fewer results. I remember Joan Rivers making a joke that I would be a good candidate for liposuction. Ouch!

The year 1992 was when everything changed. My revelation began on a trip to France for my stepson's wedding. Alan's son, Stephen, had met a wonderful French woman named Olivia, and they were to be married in her hometown-a small, medieval stone village in central France. Our whole family made the trip from Los Angeles. Alan and I went early and were later joined by Bruce and his wife, Caroline, my stepdaughter, Leslie, and her best friend, Brigid.

The first night at Olivia's was magical. She and her family were positively charming-consummate hosts, and very bright and interesting people. They made us feel extremely welcome at their spectacular home, which was on the hillside of a valley. Each room was a stone bungalow connected to the outdoors by a stone staircase and pathway. The garden was in full May bloom. The table was set outside on the patio, under a cherry tree dripping with beautiful ripe cherries.

Olivia's mother, Mizou, prepared an outstanding meal. We started with a superb pate served on a bed of greens dressed lightly with lemon, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil. The entree was a beautiful piece of lotte (a French white fish) in a butter and wine sauce, accompanied by an assortment of fresh spring vegetables. Every bite was to die for. (To this day I consider Mizou one of the best cooks I know. She makes simple foods, using the best ingredients available, and she prepares them to perfection.) After dinner the cheese tray was passed: from the ripest triple creams, like Saint Felician, to an aged Stilton, to a firm Port-Salut. A basket of breads accompanied the cheese: whole-grain toast points and chewy French sourdough. And, of course, dessert was yet to come. It was a dark-chocolate mousse served with whipped cream. Simple. Elegant. Unbelievably delicious.

Each course was complemented by selections from Olivia's father's extensive collection of wines. Her father, Jean Pierre Fougeirol, buys and sells chateaus in Mirmande, France. One of the benefits of his business is that, when he buys a chateau, he is often given the wine before selling the property to the next owner. His selections for our first dinner together were incredible. The wine tasted divine, like drinking nectar from the gods. It perfectly accentuated the flavor of the food.

We chatted long into the evening, conversing in both French and English. I struggled with my broken French; however, it improved dramatically with each sip of wine! Fortunately, Olivia's family speaks almost perfect English.

After a thoroughly enchanting evening, we gathered our coats and began saying good-bye to our new extended family. We stood under the cherry tree and I plucked a cherry from one of the branches and popped it into my mouth. It burst with flavor. The cherries were so unbelievably good that soon all of us were stuffing our faces. After devouring all the cherries within reach, Bruce hopped onto Alan's back to reach a little higher into the tree. Stephen brought a chair and Leslie stood on it to gather a few more handfuls.

Suddenly Jean Pierre appeared from the house and bellowed a warning in his thick French accent: "You must not eat zee cherries!" We were like kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar! I had to spit out the three or four pits in my mouth before I could ask why. My God, were they covered in pesticides? "No," he explained. "Do not eat the cherries! If you eat the cherries after your dinner, you will experience horrible indigestion. You will get zee gas something awful."

And was he ever right! All night long we tossed and turned. My stomach was distended and I felt extremely uncomfortable. I thought about the cherry warning, but I assumed I was feeling bad because of the cheese and the wine and the butter sauce and all of the rich food we'd eaten. I remember thinking, How can the French eat such rich food and stay so thin? I could never survive for any length of time in France. I would be as big as a house if I lived there.

The next day I asked Jean Pierre about his warning, and he explained the basic premises of food combining to me. Fruit can upset the digestive process when eaten with other foods. Therefore, he told me, I should always eat fruit on an empty stomach. He went on to explain that protein or fats should not be combined with carbohydrates. I thought about the meal we had eaten the night before and realized there were very few carbohydrates. Bread was passed with the pate course and the cheese course, but Olivia's parents did not take any; they ate their cheese with a knife and fork.

Jean Pierre then explained that protein and fats are easily digested when eaten with vegetables only, and that carbohydrates should be eaten in their whole-grain form without any fats at all. This method of food combining is common in France, where people routinely combine their foods to keep their digestive tracts working smoothly and their weight under control without sacrificing flavor. "You mean to tell me that I can eat pate and salad and fish with lemon butter sauce and vegetables and cheese and wine and chocolate and still lose weight?" It sounded too good to be true! This was something that required further investigation.

When I returned home to the States, I started my quest to learn about food combining. The basic concept has been around for many years. It was developed in the 1800s and was later denounced in the mid-1900s. It came back to the forefront of the weight-loss movement in the 1970s, with Fit for Life and Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution. I tried Fit for Life, and although I agreed with the basic principles and I did lose weight, I couldn't stay on it for any length of time. It was much too restrictive. I ate mostly fruit and vegetables, very little protein, and almost no fat. Deprivation, deprivation, deprivation! Dr. Atkins' plan was full of flavor, but too restrictive in carbohydrates. There was so much protein and fat on the program that even though I lost weight, I felt terribly unhealthy eating such high quantities of meat and fat-even though they were combined correctly. My objective was to find a way to eat healthy, nutritious, yet flavorful foods in substantial portions and still lose weight.

I'm happy to tell you I have found it. After working with many nutritionists, reading several books, and practicing trial and error on my own body, I have finally found a way to control my weight without deprivation. I call my program "Somersizing," and Somersizing is not a diet. Diet is a nasty four-letter word that conjures up negative thoughts of sacrifice and obsession and guilt. Somersizing is a lifestyle that will change your way of thinking about how to lose weight and how to increase your energy. Eating the Somersize way is a pleasure. It is a program for life, a program I will happily live on for the rest of my life. There are a few basic rules you will learn, and then you're free to eat whatever you want, in a restaurant, at home, or on the road.

Food is only one component of a happy, healthy life. I firmly believe that you must master not only your physical health but also your emotional wellness. In this book, I'll show you what works for me. You'll learn how to be fit, not fanatic; how to make movement and fitness a pleasurable part of daily life; how to make the most of every moment of every day, including your meals.

Since I started properly combining my foods, I have trimmed down from 130 to 116 pounds-the amount I weighed as a teenager. And since I reached my goal weight, I have fluctuated no more than 3 pounds. I eat delicious foods-I eat cheese, I drink wine occasionally, and you would be shocked to know how much chocolate I eat and still maintain my weight. My husband, Alan, started Somersizing, and he lost fifteen pounds and significantly lowered his cholesterol. My daughter-in-law, Caroline, gave birth to my beautiful granddaughter last October. Caroline gained forty pounds during the pregnancy. Within seven weeks she had Somersized her way back down to a size four. And Alan's daughter, Leslie, lost those last ten "hard to lose" pounds on this program. Recently Leslie married a wonderful Frenchman named Frank Buffa, a personal trainer and former Mr. France. Frank has used food combining for years, and he and Leslie have helped numerous clients lose weight with Somersizing. My sister Maureen has been resisting me for several years. Finally I convinced her to try Somersizing, and she lost ten pounds in the first two weeks! My eighty-one-year-old mother is Somersizing to help her digest food more easily. And as for those of my initially doubtful friends who tried Somersizing with hesitation, they too were knocked out by the results: they've lost ten, fifteen, twenty pounds, and more.

How can it be so easy? How can I possibly be losing weight when I am eating more than ever before? My accountant has dieted all his life. He lost twenty pounds in one month and calls Somersizing the easiest way to lose weight he's ever tried. My neighbor Irv lost twenty-seven pounds on the program. He hates to diet and he hates to count calories. Somersizing is perfect for him. In fact, everyone with whom I have shared this program has had dramatic results for the better, and they have all urged me to share Somersizing with you.

Many experts will argue that food combining is a myth-a calorie is a calorie and it doesn't matter how you combine them, it only matters how many you eat and how many you burn off. The debate has gone on for many years, and I'm sure it will continue for many more. Say what you want about food combining. All I can tell you is that it works for me. I can eat all the wonderful foods I love and still lose weight. I don't have to give up flavor. I don't settle for boring meals with no sauce. I enjoy rich and flavorful foods. I don't count calories or fat grams. "Calorie, Smalorie," that's what I say. And after you try Somersizing and see and feel the results of this simple and satisfying way of life, I'm sure you will agree.

Throw everything you think you know about diets out the window. Somersizing is an easy and effective way to look and feel your best while enjoying life to the fullest. You'll have more energy than ever before; you'll say good-bye to the bloating and gas that used to routinely follow mealtimes; and you'll lose weight.

I put this book together to show you how I eat and to share how I cook for my family. I've compiled more than a hundred of my favorite Somersize recipes for you to try for yourself-everything from Thanksgiving Turkey with Mushroom Sausage Stuffing to Decadent Chocolate Cake-and I'm sure you will agree that this is a sinfully delightful way to Eat Great, Lose Weight. Enjoy!

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