First the bad news. In the decades leading up to menopause, the average woman can expect to gain 29 pounds. The better news is found on the pages of Fit Not Fat at Forty Plus, an outstanding diet and fitness guide from the editors of Prevention magazine. Grounded in the latest research and packed with practical suggestions, the book recognizes the unique gravity-defying needs of women over 40. Early chapters offer a crash course on the "midlife fitness crisis" of lowered estrogen and sluggish metabolism. "To win the metabolic war, you must change the way you eat and exercise," warn the authors. Other chapters offer hope and help for women with suddenly flabby arms, tight jeans, afternoon fatigue, and a bathroom scale that won?t budge. The key is developing a personal diet and fitness strategy to boast metabolic rate and counter hormonal shifts. One standout section explains why stress feeds fat cells and how to define whether you are feeling hungry or stressed. Readers who follow these metabolism-boosting workouts and sample eating plans can lose the over-the-hill birthday cards. --Barbara Mackoff