THE DISH: On Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!

In an age of frenetic debates over low-carb vs. low-fat diets, O'Neil and Webb advocate for an indisputable method for weight loss: calories out must exceed calories in, while simultaneously acknowledging that dieting doesn't have to focus on deprivation. They draw on their experiences (O'Neil was a CNN producer and Webb is a nutrition writer with a Ph.D.) to create "a girlfriend's guide to eating out, eating in, entertaining, and traveling." Though they claim it's "the very first diet book for glamour girls of all ages and sizes," it's actually more of a lifestyle book, likely to appeal to the demographic of women who read fitness magazines and have 15 or fewer pounds to lose, or want to maintain a healthy weight while living a busy, changing life. The authors give "the dish" on nutrition, eating in, dining out, drinking, exercising, dressing to maximize your assets and even cheating (in moderation), with each author occasionally sharing a personal experience or preference. Throughout, O'Neil and Webb present sidebars (and occasional recipes) from experts, chefs, restaurateurs and magazine editors including Wolfgang Puck, Felidia Bastianach and Bon Appétit editor Barbara Fairchild. Perky writing sometimes belies the deep knowledge and research underlying the nutritional information presented here, yet the authors do a tremendous service by digesting the latest studies on such controversial subjects such as soy ("How much is too much?"), raw food diets and supplements. Their clear analyses will help readers wade through the maze of conflicting nutrition information. Agent, Jenny Bent. (June 18)

Forecast: A seven-city author tour and 18-city radio satellite tour will allow O'Neil and Webb to interact with women readers; their energetic air should help sell books.