Book Review: When You Eat At the Refrigerator, Pull Up A Chair

 Book Review: When You Eat At the Refrigerator, Pull Up A Chair

Though this book be small, it is packed with 50 short chapters of healing wisdom. Roth does a wonderful job of reshaping the reader's view of food and dieting. Her approach is both blunt and caring, it is obvious she is aware of the pain and hurt that comes with eating/dieting. Roth writes to inspire and help make the reader aware of their harmful or misleading ways of approaching food. Some of the titles you will find in this book give a great look as to what wisdom you will find:

Whatever You Do Don't Diet

Learn To Recognize a Fat-and-Ugly Attack

Learn the Difference Between Self-Indulgence and Self-Kindness

Carry a Chunk of Chocolate Everywhere

When You Are Not Hungry, Beauty is Better Than Bonbons

Roth would rather have the reader consume an entire box of chocolates than abstain from it because the effects of consuming that much will likely cause us to abstain from it longer, than just our sheer will power or guilt.

 A few lasting quotes to encourage you even more to pick of this gem and read:

 "The basic message for a diet is that if you let yourself go, you will devour the universe."

"The 4th law of the universe is that for every diet, there is an equal and opposite binge."

"Deprivation, fear, shame, and guilt do not have and never will lead to long-lasting change."

"Long lasting change can only come through kindness to yourself, curiosity about what you do, and a willingness to act on your own behalf."

"Keep an ongoing list of the instructions you obey or feel guilty about not obeying."

"Since fat is responsible for satiety, when you don't eat enough fat, you never feel full."

Book Review: Food Rules

Book Review: Food Rules

Pollan writes a short, concise book filled with tips and wisdom for anyone looking to improve their health. Though this book is little, it is filled with large wisdom, 68 rules that will transform your eating habits. Food Rules teaches yo to look at food through a 'whole' approach avoiding processed foods. One of my favorite rules is "only eat products that a th

Whether you are following a diet or just looking to clean up your eating, Pollan structures great rules that all can agree with. This book isn't a diet book and these rules aren't meant to be har

Book Review: The Skinny Rules

Book Review: The Skinny Rules

This is a very easy and quick read. I picked up this book because of the celebrity appeal. I've watched The Biggest Loser on and off for years and wanted to read an inside view of one of the trainers. Being both a teacher and a first born girl in my family, rules are easy for me to understand and follow; however, not everyone likes rules. Although this book is an easy ans quick read following these rules may take along time. Harper is convinced that these rules are 'nonnegotiable'. 

The rules are practical and make sense. This is a book based on diet not exercise, so where you will be skinny, this isn't the book that discusses overall fitness. These 'rules' are a great place to start to begin becoming aware of what a healthy diet consists of. 

My favorite rule is #1 Drink a Large Glass of Water Before Every Meal-No Excuses!!

Book Review: FIT2FAT2FIT

Book Review: FIT2FAT2FIT

This book title alone holds the reader captivated. The icon of a muscular build increasing in size and then toning out again, is a snapshot of what this book is a bout. Drew Manning, a personal trainer describes his frustrations with clients of his that would sign up to 'make a change,' in their life and after a few short sessions never return and give up. Manning describes a personal experience when he was training a family member of his. This client was doing well and at a family gathering Manning witnesses his client indulging a bit too much in the food, beginning a downward spiral of unhealthy eating soon leading to unhealthy living. One may read this book and see Manning as too hardcore, a tyrant against the food industry. But as the book continues and Manning decides for himself to gain weight and see IS it really THAT hard to start a workout program when you have distanced yourself from training and the gym. Mannine stops exercising and eating healthy and over the course of 6 months gains 75 lbs. He describes himself as tired, apathetic, and depressed. With gaining so much weight, Manning finds himself sabotages his healthy attempts throughout the day:

"I can't do it, it hurts."

"Food will make me feel better."

"I'm too tired to workout."

"I can't do it, it hurts."

My favorite part in the book is a chapter that is written by his wife. She not only sees how it affects Manning, her husband, but herself and their family.

"Don't judge me until you've walked  a mile in my shoes."

Book Review: SPARTAN UP!

Book Review: Spartan Up!

Spartan races were introduced to me while watching Extreme Weight Loss with Chris Powell. That show is so inspiring, especially an episode when a contestant went through a Spartan race. I felt a sense of pride and immediately wanted to know more about this Spartan lifestyle. Once Spartan UP! came out, I was expecting it to filled with intense dieting and exercise routine. but that is not what this book is about. Spartan UP! describes the unfolding of what is now known as the Spartan nation. De Sena talks about his desire for adventure and how we all have a sense of wanting to explore and challenge ourselves. The book is full of participant's inspiring stories and quotes, while also empowering the reader to challenge their current state of life.

(Borrowed from Spartan.com)

I highly recommend this book, it really has a great message of striving for and achieving greatness.

All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Book Review: Crazy, Sexy Diet

Book Review: Crazy, Sexy Diet

A wealth of information, this book is filled with great recipes, encouraging words, and amazing facts. I was shocked at all that I learned. It also contains Kris Carr's purpose for writing this book. In short, Carr found out she had cancer and decided to do something about it, using food as her medicine. Carr explains in great detail and clarity how food can be both destructive and healing. There are some intriguing topics that are contained in this book that are pretty convincing.

Crazy, Sexy Diet is for a vegan/vegetarian diet. She discusses issues with meat, both it's treatment and the processing it goes through as well as how we digest and how our body processes it. Karr is encouraging in her approach and realizes that a 60/40 goal, 60 for the diet, 40 percent not. 

Karr creates a wonderful book that will have both your soul and body satisfied.

Her cookbook is a wonderful addition to Crazy, Sexy Diet.

Book Review: Run Like A Mother

Book Review: Run Like A Mother 

by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

This was a wonderful read, I found this book during my marathon training and it couldn't have been a better motivator. McDowell and Bowen Shea met and became running buddies. Running was only known to me as a solo sport, but having a running pal makes its so much better.  more enjoyable. Running is crazy sport, filled with broken toenails and sore knees. Run Like a Mother embraces this bizarre activity and shares personal stories from mother runners. I really enjoyed reading the personal pieces because it gave me, the reader and sense of belonging. It has 26 chapters, each having a .2 little quip. It discusses topics from diet, pregnancy, trail running, running with an injury, and the essentials to wear on race day.

I didn't realize that I could love running more, until I read this book. Both Shea and McDowell have different views of running (Shea like me is competitive, where as McDowell focuses more on the journey and process.) I enjoyed both of their perspectives and how to be both a mother and a marathoner was truly inspiring. 

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys running and participates in races. Its an easy and very enjoyable read. 

They also have Train Like a Mother, which is high on my to-read list

Also visit Another Mother Runner, Shea and McDowell's fun website.

Book Review: Hell Bent

Book Review: Hell-Bent

The title alone is intriguing enough to make you want to know more. Reading the cover further you will see: Obsession, pain, and the search for something like transcendence in competitive yoga. Competitive Yoga sounds like an oxymoron; yoga is synonymous with peace and zen. So to find transcendence in a world of competition seemed interesting, like a secret cult known to only a few...that is exactly what this book is about.






















The author Benjamin Lorr writes this memoir of both his journey to fitness and the underworld of yoga.  He shares his story of being overweight and one day being convinced by a friend to try Bikram Yoga. One day, turns into thirty, and then 365 days. Lorr was able to make his way into the secret society of competitive yoga one pose at a time. Lorr opens the closed door of the secret society of Backbenders, known by few. The Backbenders is composed of devoted yogis that manipulate their body in intense poses.

Loor  recounts his experience at a Bikram teacher training that will have you sweating along with him. You'll meet the unforgettable character of Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga.