UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS DOCTORATE STUDENT TEAMS UP WITH AUTHOR TO WRITE HEALTH BOOK ON DIETING; "THE CAKE AND ICE CREAM DIET," BOOK SIGNING SET FOR APRIL 24 AT U OF A

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A new health book entitled The Cake & Ice Cream Diet, co-written by a UA doctorate student and local author, will be presented from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 24, at the University of Arkansas bookstore.

The Cake & Ice Cream Diet is an easy-to-follow, 232-page guide that introduces a unique and fun approach to losing weight and maintaining weight, with an emphasis on eating right, living well and loving yourself.

Authors Melissa Johnson, a current UA doctorate student, MS, CHES and Susan Ang, BSN, RN have been working together for more than two years, and they bring a combined 27 years experience in healthcare. The Cake & Ice Cream Diet presents a fresh approach to the age-old battle of the bulge.

"Forget about the days of starving yourself by skipping meals and drinking worse-than-bland health shakes," Johnson said. "This diet will help readers achieve success in weight loss and maintenance by simply creating a daily balance in your life by using the three secrets to better health and happiness."

According to Ang and Johnson, The Cake & Ice Cream Diet stresses three simple steps -- the ability to determine the ideal body weight, daily caloric need and in what health zone category the person falls.

"With this information in hand, you can select the "cake" that works for you, add a scoop of "ice cream" and watch the pounds melt away, safely and effectively," Ang said. "For those who regularly watch what you eat, this book teaches you to use your brain instead of your eyes! It stresses the importance of using common sense in breaking bad eating habits and actually thinking first, before you put your hand in that cookie jar."

Johnson, who manages the Center for Health Education for Washington Regional Medical Center, is currently working on her doctorate in health science with an emphasis in public health and health promotion. She has a master's in health science with an emphasis on corporate health promotion from the U of A and a bachelors in corporate and community wellness management from John Brown University. She has received the national certification of Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

She is the co-chair of the Northwest Arkansas Hometown Health Improvement Project, and she is involved in many community coalitions.

Ang is a registered nurse and a mother of three children. The Cake & Ice Cream Diet is Ang’s fifth book. Her previous publications include: Secret Vegetarian Recipes from the Orient; A New Adventure to Healthy Eating: Tofu; East Meets West with Donita Clark, University of Arkansas graduate; and A Simple Approach to Health and Fitness with Dr. Ro DiBrezzo, professor and director of the University of Arkansas Human Performance Lab.

Ang has a bachelor's in nursing from Dallas Baptist University. She currently works as Resident Care coordinator at Butterfield Trail Village in Fayetteville and has taken advanced classes in clinical nutrition at the U of A, has a catering company and does cooking seminars throughout the community.