To begin my review I'd like to give a brief explanation about how I ended up looking for a book such as this to begin with.I first became inspired to try the counting calorie approach when a friend and her daughter lost 60 pounds together just by following there own diet of lowering there calories (1200 to 1400) and following a low carb diet. I desperately need and want to loose weight, but have had a terrible time learning how to cook "low calorie". Either I ate to many rich delights (that, I'm afraid happened more often than not) or I went the "oatmeal & egg whites for breakfast, salad for lunch" ect ect. direction..which I found incredibly boring; which in turn led to more days of trying to figure out how to fit a t-bone steak with all the fixings into my new low calorie approach. Needless to say, it wasn't working out very well for me, but I KNEW watching your calories worked after seeing myself how well my friend and her daughter were doing. I had nearly decided that they just had more will power than me and I wasn't going to be able to stick to it.I came across the 400 calorie fix weight loss book while browsing the diet books at our local bookstore. (Been there, done that a thousand times, got the t-shirt, ya know?). This time though, I was amazed to find a book that laid the whole idea of loosing weight by NOT just watching your calories , but by breaking down the approach so that even I could grasp just how easy it could be.Instead of those other diets that say " Going by your body weight and height we recommend this many calories" (I have been on one to many web sites that said that, and then proceeded to encourage me to pay high dollar for a monthly meal planner, that had you eating what they decided you should eat. I always hated to be told "what to eat" and truly I have never seen so many delicious options as what are laid out in this book! If you can think it, it's in the book!It IS a diet book that shows you how you can adjust a low calorie (or should I say "healthy calorie" range) into your lifestyle, wether you eat out quite often as we do, or cook most of your meals at home. The author breaks down this idea by having you look at your food in "400 calorie" windows, so that you are eating four 400 calorie meals a day (three if you aren't active).There are 14 chapters:1) Why We've Grown2) Why Slim Is Simple3) Find your 400 Calorie Fix4) See 400 Calories Anywhere5) 2 Week Quick Slim6) Packaged Food Meals7) Takeout8) Casual Dining9) Quick-Fix & No Cook10) Breakfast & Brunch Recipes11) Soup, Salad & Sandwich Recipes12) Poultry & Meat Recipes13) Seafood & Vegetarian Recipes14) Snacks & DessertsThe best part of the whole book in my opinion, is the way the photos and captions are displayed. It is very reminiscent of Dr. Howard Shapiro's "Picture Perfect Weight Loss" books and the popular "Eat This Not That" series. If you own or have browsed those books and enjoyed the large pictures and eye pleasing lay out, I think you will love this book too! The biggest difference between those books and the "400 Calorie Fix" though, is there are no "bad photos" of the foods you shouldn't eat. The whole book is filled with gorgeous photos, nutrition information, recipes and meal ideas all geared to help you create 400 calorie meals.Because I was already trying to watch my calories before I came across this book, it has really helped me understand how to "build" my meals, which I needed help with. If you are counting calories I would totally recommend this book to you 110% . I have already pre ordered the 400 Calorie Fix Cookbook which comes out in September 2011. If there is a more eye appealing and easier approach to loosing weight (by watching your calories) book on the market, I have yet to come across it.