"FITlosophy 1" by SharnyandJulius

TITLE: "FITlosophy 1"

AUTHOR: SharnyandJulius™

DIETY?: no

IE?: somewhat

MY RATING: 4****

SharnyandJulius™ are an Australian husband and wife team who teach fitness & nutrition. They describe this book as a “collection of parables for athletes”. But really, they also say that an “athlete” is anyone “who is doing something physical with a goal in mind” (p.107).

This book talks about guilt, food addiction, intensity, play, mobility, excuses, failure, athleticism and laziness. The chapters are short — only a few pages each — but they pack a punch. I think my favorite chapter was “You, Athlete“. It talked about “default plays”, and about how you can change those.

The only thing I did not like about this book was the chapter where Julius wrote about his food addiction, as he started off with a story about a friend of Sharny’s that had come to visit, and he went into far too much detail about his bodily functions. He also swore a lot in that chapter, and I thought that was unnecessary. This is the only chapter in the whole book that was like that.

Overall, though, I really liked this book, as it takes aim at so many of our excuses. And, it’s readily readable. Recommended.

Intuitive Eating, 3rd Edition by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch

TITLE: "Intuitive Eating" (3rd Edition)
AUTHORS: Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
DIETY?: no
IE?: YES!
MY RATING: 5*****

Intuitive Eating encompasses ten principles, but the main three (3) keys are these:

• Unconditional permission to eat when hungry and what food is desired
• Eating for physical rather than emotional reasons
• Reliance on internal hunger and satiety cues to determine when and how much to eat

I have been a big fan & promoter of this method since I first heard about it in 2005. Using its principles, I lost twenty-five pounds in six months while eating my favorite things (chocolate, ice cream, cheeseburgers, pizza, etc).

In this latest edition of the book, the authors have removed many of the numbers that were in the previous edition (stats, weights, heights) because they believe that it leads to self-sabotage when these are the focus. They have also added two new chapters — one that gives scientific backing to prove that IE works, and the other that focuses on how to help children and teens become Intuitive Eaters.

The chapter on kids was actually very interesting to me, as I have two of my own (ages 11 & 14), one of which is very rebellious in regards to food — he loves chips & ice cream, and it worries me that he’s learning all of my own bad habits. The authors insist, though, that letting kids make their own decisions regarding food (how much, what kinds, etc) is the best method because they will intuitively get in the balanced nutrition they need, if they’re left alone. It’s when an issue is made of their eating habits or their weight that they start to rebel, and/or lose faith in their ability to trust their internal cues.

One thing that surprised me about this new edition was the constant reminder of how it’s important to put weight loss on the back burner in the beginning of this process. The reason for this is that, if you’re focused on losing weight — as opposed to just learning how to become an Intuitive Eater — you will sabotage yourself by either getting depressed over the slowness of your weight loss progress, or by seeking out other diets in hopes of quicker results.

Here are some quotes from the book that I found helpful (some of which I forgot to write the page number references for):

• bring peace to your eating life and body image (p.32)
• focus on weight loss MUST be put on the back burner while you learn to return to Intuitive Eating
• If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating (chp.1)
• undereating leads to overeating
• you can’t fail at IE — it’s a learning process at every point along the way (p.53)
• the more you practice, the more confidence you’ll have (p.86)
• focus on continual change and learning, and start thinking in terms of what you can learn along the way (p.119)
• pause in the middle of eating to gauge your hunger level, and to ask yourself how the food tastes
• give yourself permission to eat again when you get hungry
• if you start eating when you’re not hungry, it’s hard to know when to stop from satiety (p.128)
• slow down while eating
• It’s what you eat consistently, over time, that matters — progress, not perfection…
• Intuitive Eating means having no guilt in your eating (p.301)

Lastly, there is a chapter on eating disorders, too, and how those caught in the throes of one can seek help, and also learn to eat intuitively.

Overall, I most highly recommend this book, and this method. It is very much based on common sense, and we all know that dieting doesn’t work in the long run, anyway. This method is great because you can still eat what you love, you can eat out at restaurants without worrying about blowing your ‘diet’, and you can lose the craziness of obsessing over what food is “good/bad”.

The Eden Diet by Rita Hancock, M.D.

TITLE: "The Eden Diet"
AUTHOR: Rita Hancock, M.D.
DIETY?: no
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 5*****

“Listen for hunger pangs, and when you feel them,

eat small quantities of the foods you enjoy.”

(from page 182)

That, right there, basically sums up this book’s premise.

THE EDEN DIET is a good guide for learning how to eat according to your “internal weight control system”. Dr. Rita’s approach is very freedom-focused, and she gives people ‘permission’ to eat what they truly enjoy, no matter their starting weight. There’s no guilt or condemnation here! She, herself, knows what it’s like to struggle with being overweight, as she lost 75 lbs with this way of eating, and has kept it off (if imperfectly) for over 25 years.

Even though the program is a Christian one, and God is a primary focus, this book is not at all “preachy”. I think, even if you don’t have a Christian worldview, you could still read this book for its weight loss advice/plan without feeling like you’ve been beat over the head with the Christian message.

The challenges presented inside — from the 7-Day Challenge, to the 30-Day Blocks, to the Apple Test — are all very helpful, but they’re not so complicated or intimidating as to scare you off. They have just enough to them to motivate you.

Many topics are covered inside, including (but not limited to): whether or not to eat breakfast, how to handle buffet meals and other special occasions, food- and people-triggers, and how to still eat when your family does.

I really liked how, at the end of each chapter (and even at the end of some sub-sections), Dr. Rita would give you a summary of what you’ve just read in order to help cement the ideas presented.

Overall, this is a fantastic book, and a terribly sensible plan. I definitely give this book my highest recommendation (and will be back in a few months to let you know how it’s working for me!).

Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas

TITLE: "Every Body Matters"
AUTHOR: Gary Thomas
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 4****

Back in November, I was really excited to have found the book, “Lifestyle Choices…Up to You!” by Ginger Woods O’Shea, as I’d thought it was going to talk about the link between our spiritual lives and how we treat our physical bodies. And, while that book started off well, it ended up being a rant against the FDA and it was a huge disappointment to me.

This book, on the other hand, is exactly what I’d been looking for! Its byline reads, “Strengthening your body to strengthen your soul“. And inside, Gary talks about the need for discipline in our eating and exercise habits, and a focus on obedience to God instead of on our appearance.

I really liked that Gary kept mentioning the importance of waiting for true, physiological hunger before eating. I’m a big fan of that method myself! I also liked that he’s a runner, and so he talks about that a bit, too, and the endurance it takes.

Throughout the book, we’re reminded that, in order to be “holy, useful to [God], and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21), we need to be physically ready in addition to being spiritually ready. In other words, we can’t be lazy and indulgent. Instead, we are to be disciplined and strong. Gary uses the examples of the prophet Jeremiah, and of the apostle Paul, stating how these men must’ve been in great physical condition in order to have withstood the stuff that life threw at them!

The same goes for us. If we’re weak and lazy, we’ll be unprepared to meet the challenges of life, and we certainly won’t be able to fulfill our callings (not well, anyway). We won’t be living the abundant life that God has promised us.

Overall, this is a great book, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone seeking to have a greater purpose in their efforts to get healthier.

Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure

TITLE: "Reshaping It All"
AUTHOR: Candace Cameron Bure
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: somewhat
MY RATING: 4****

Candace Cameron Bure used to play “DJ Tanner” on the television show “Full House“. I watched her on that show for years, growing up, as part of TGIF Fridays. 

So, I was really excited to see that (1) she’d written a book, and (2) she’s a Christian! 

This book is part memoir, and part weight loss advice. Candace tells the story of how she went from suffering from bulimia, to finding freedom through the hunger/fullness method of eating less. She also incorporates exercise (she loves Pilates), and chooses healthier foods when she does eat.

I loved that, throughout the book, Candace has included some of her family’s favorite recipes. They all look like they’ll be really easy to throw together, AND they’ll taste good (turkey tacos, anyone?). She also includes fan mail, along with her answers at the end of each chapter. And, there’s a whole slew of photographs of Candace in the middle of the book. 

I definitely recommend this book! Candace’s words are really motivating and inspirational. And, I’m a huge fan of the hunger/fullness method — it’s what I use myself — so I can’t help but love that she uses it, too!

Savor by Thich Nhat Hahn

TITLE: "Savor"
AUTHOR: Thich Nhat Hahn
DIETY?: no
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 3***

I skimmed a lot of this book because the Buddhist teachings just didn’t interest me (other than mindfulness, which is why I picked the book up), and I was getting bored. But there was a lot of useful information inside, nevertheless ~ mostly reminders of things I already know (slow down, pay attention, eat less & move more, eat Meditteranean-style meals, etc).

Overall, it’s a good book, reminding us to be mindful in all areas of life, but especially in those that regard our health and well-being.

Rated: C

"The Carb Lovers Diet" by Frances Largeman-Roth

TITLE: "The Carb Lovers Diet"
AUTHOR: Frances Largeman-Roth & Ellen Kunes
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: somewhat
MY RATING: 4****

First of all, let me say that I didn't read this whole book from cover-to-cover. I mostly skimmed it, reading bits here and there until I got the general gist of things. Reason being, I'm not looking for another "diet", and don't want to fill my head with stuff that might sway me off of my intended path (I'm learning that I tend to chase after too many false leads if I'm not careful).

But, this book is really sound. Sure, you'll still find some diety things inside. But, overall, the authors encourage you to watch your portion sizes, stop eating when you've hit satisfied (not stuffed), and mix-and-match the recipes to suit your tastes and preferences. Not bad, at all.

I liked this one, especially, for two reasons: (1) The recipes that are included all look so very good! For me, I normally find maybe a handful of recipes in "diet" books that I think I might like to try. Everything else either requires me to go out of my way to find the ingredients, or it just seems too far off from what my family and I normally like to eat. This book was different... this one has about 75 recipes, and I think I copied about 30 of them to put in my binder and try at some later date (and, FYI, I've already tried 2 of the recipes since finishing the book yesterday, and they were both yummy!)... And (2) the "success stories" included in this book --complete with pictures-- show women who've lost weight at a realistic pace of only 5-10 pounds in 3 weeks. They aren't super-skinny, and they didn't have drastic results... They are normal women, and their weight loss was slow and steady. That's encouraging, and makes me think that following the advice in this book could truly be a benefit. When the weight comes off more slowly, it is more likely to stay off for good! ;)

The book's main focus is to include more Resistant Starches into your daily eating. There are eleven of them, some of which include: Potatoes (baked or sweet), Peas, Whole Wheat Pasta, Beans & Lentils, Baked Potato Chips!, etc. Yep... you even get to have chips, wine, and chocolate with this one! (I couldn't believe it when I was reading through the sample meal plans and found that one of the snacks was a Reese Peanut Butter Cup! YUM!!!)

The only thing I'm not big on with this book is the fact that you have "phases": Phase 1 is your Kickstart phase where you aim to eat only 1200 calories per day. You would probably have to follow their included 7-day meal plan to get the intended results. And, Phase 2 is your Immersion phase which lasts for 21 days and lets you up your daily calorie intake to 1600 calories. Again, there are 21-days' worth of meal plans included.

You aren't encouraged to give up anything, necessarily -- no food groups are said to be excluded. Mind you, you are technically avoiding "whites" (flour, bread, rice) by CHOOSING to have the whole-wheat versions instead. Very clever of the authors, if you ask me. Not to mention, focusing on the term "Resistant Starch" instead of saying the usual "complex carbs". Tricky-tricky... but effective!

So, yeah. Overall, this is not a bad choice for a plan. Especially if you're a carb-lover, like me! It can easily work with the intuitive-eating method (that I prefer), and just teaches you to make healthier choices, and to cook more of your meals for yourself (note: all of the meals included don't seem to take more than 30-40 minutes to prepare, so there's also the ease-of-use factor to this plan!)

REVIEW: "Dr. Colbert's 'I Can Do This!' Diet" by Dr. Don Colbert

TITLE: "Dr. Colbert's 'I Can Do This!' Diet"
AUTHOR: Dr. Don Colbert
DIETY?: yes
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 3***

While this book often encouraged “mindful eating” — of which I’m a huge fan! — it also highly promoted herbal weight-loss supplements, and recommended giving up all “whites” (flour, sugar, etc). I don’t agree with having to give up anything, unless you have an allergy/sensitivity, or were told by your own physician to do so.
I hated that the author kept promoting his own books and website over and over again. And, I really disliked the push for eating foods “in the right combinations”.

But, the parts about mindful eating — waiting for true, physiological hunger, and watching for your satiety signals, and that sort of thing — were great!

There is a little bit of everything in this book, so it’s not terrible, and I’m sure that it can be really useful to some! I know people who need to stay away from the “whites” as recommended by their doctor, so this might be a book that they can use!

In general, though, this book wasn’t for me.


Rated: C

REVIEW: "Mindful Eating" by Jan Chozen Bays

TITLE: "Mindful Eating"
AUTHOR: Jan Chozen Bays, M.D.
DIETY?: no
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 4****

Those who know me know that I love anything to do with the “intuitive eating” method. This book was all about that, even though it calls it by its other name, “mindful eating“.

This book is based on a lot of Buddhist principles and practices, as the author lives in a monastery and practices Buddhism. But, a lot of it is really just common sense based off of how our bodies were made to function. It talks about slowing down while eating, not eating amidst distractions, waiting until you’re hungry before eating, and stopping BEFORE you’re “full”. All good things!

Recommended.

Rated: B-

REVIEW: Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir by Jennette Fulda

TITLE: "Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir"
AUTHOR: Jennette Fulda
PAGES: 239
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: somewhat
MY RATING: 4****

This was a great memoir about a woman who originally weighed about 372 pounds, but then got off her tush and lost half of her body weight! She lost over 200 pounds the "old-fashioned" way (as opposed to surgery) by eating sensibly and exercising.

My favorite part of the book was where she refused to say what "diet plan" she used, as she believes that everyone is different, and therefore no ONE plan is going to work for everybody. She says you need to find your own balance, and what works for YOU, personally.

The details she gives about what it felt like to go from being grossly overweight and basically "invisible" to a more "normal" size and getting attention from others was really interesting. And, when she talked of actually learning to love eating healthier and moving her body, it was really inspiring! Her transformation is very motivating!

The author's blog, www.pastaqueen.com, has some great "interactive" before and after photos! Check 'em out!

Recommended.

Rated: A-

REVIEW: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid

Title: "The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl: The Hilarious and Heartwarming Tale of a Real-Life Superhero Who Battled the Bulge and Won!"
Author: Shauna Reid
Pages: 397
Diety?: somewhat
IE: somewhat
My Rating: 4****


I found out about this book a week or two ago, while surfing around online. Found the website, and found the book...then found that my library had a copy -- yay!

Shauna Reid started out at about 351 pounds... she went to a Weight Watchers weigh-in with her sister, and had a moment of decision: she couldn't live like she'd been doing any more. So, she made up her mind right then to change. She signed up for Weight Watchers, and she started her journey.

Shauna didn't stay with WW, though. Eventually she learned to make up her own plan, and she joined a gym. This is her story of how she lost half of her body weight, and learned to make peace with her body and her life. :)

Hilarious book, but full of inspiration. You can't help but be moved by Shauna's story (which was originally just her blog-posts on her website, and then got turned into a book -- there's more content in the book, though).

Recommended.

Rated: A+

REVIEW: Winning After Losing by Stacey Halprin

Title: "Winning After Losing: Keep Off the Weight You've Lost - Forever!"
Author: Stacey Halprin
Pages: 261
Diety?: somewhat
IE: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

Finally a book for those who've already lost the weight (or, most of it), and are looking for help with the 'maintenance' phase.

Stacey Halprin knows what it's like to have a weight problem. Before having gastric bypass surgery, she weighed over 500 pounds. She knows all about the 'invisibility' and other feelings that come with being majorly overweight.

After going through with GBS, she made the decision to do whatever necessary to keep the weight off, and continue to get healthy. She has now maintained her loss for 5 years.

While this book focuses on maintaining your weight loss, those who are still working on it can find a lot of inspirational tips and motivation here, too. I, myself, am still working on getting the weight off, and I found this book to be really inspiring and helpful.

Because it's more about maintenance, there are no menu plans, or "formulas" for getting thin. She does talk briefly, though, about nutrition and exercise.

Lots of good help here... I'd recommend this one!

REVIEW: "The Writing Diet" by Julia Cameron

Title: "The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size"
Author: Julia Cameron
Pages: 234
Diety?: yes
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

Throughout my life, I've always loved to write. My family complains about my obsession with buying notebooks (which, for the record, I feel I NEED!). In high-school, I loved it when the teacher would fill all three chalkboards with notes for us to copy, then erase them, and fill all three up again! And so, the premise of this book (that you can "write yourself right-size") had me intrigued.

Author Julia Cameron isn't a nutritionist or a health professional. She teaches Creativity classes in which she encourages her students to write daily "Morning Pages"... stream-of-consciousness journaling to unleash (or "unblock") your creative spirit.

In "The Writing Diet", readers are also encouraged to take up the habit of writing daily "Morning Pages". Add in Food Journaling, and weekly "Culinary Artist Dates", and the author claims you'll start losing weight, just like she saw her Creativity students do.

Cameron also gives some other "tools" which she says will be helpful in your weight-loss journey: Walking, HALT, finding a 'Body Buddy',and asking yourself "4 Questions".

Later in the book, topics such as the bathroom scale, clothing, mirrors, trauma, spirituality, eating-to-please, and exercise (as well as several others) are touched on ~ each gets its own short chapter and a journaling exercise to help you work through your 'issues' in these areas.

Reading this book, I did find myself inspired. I was giddy with the excuse to buy new notebooks ((grin)), and have started writing my daily Morning Pages, as well as keeping a detailed Food Journal.

The only thing I really disliked about this book was how Ms. Cameron was labelling foods as "legal" and "illegal", "good" and "bad". Her emphasis on "Clean Eating" (avoiding whites/refined carbs & sugars) was too "diety" for me, but I just substituted the word "Healthy" instead of "Clean", and decided to "take what I love and leave the rest".

Overall, this was a very interesting book with a very positive feel to it. It even leaned a little towards the principles of "Intuitive Eating" at times!

I'd recommend this one. ;o)

REVIEW: "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" by Peter Walsh

Title: "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?"
Author: Peter Walsh
Pages: n/a
Diety?: somewhat
Promotes IE?: yes
My Rating: 4****


The author of this book used to be the host of the TV show, "Clean Sweep". He believes that clutter in people's houses, and "clutter" (aka: "Fat") on people's bodies are related. He says that, in order to get the clutter off your body, you should start by getting the clutter out of your house.

His four main questions were:

* Are you happy?

* Is this the life you want?

* Is this the house you want?

* Is this the body you want?

He shows you, throughout the book, how to start with your house (he doesn't go into great deal here, though -- except for the kitchen --because he says he went into that detail in his other book, "It's All Too Much"), and then work your way to taking care of your body.

He doesn't give recipes or meal plans, or anything like that. He just says things like, "Be mindful when you're eating", "Eat stuff that supports your goals", "Get rid of the junk"(I didn't like this one!), and "Eat less than you used to". Basically, it's all common sense.

A good book. I would recommend it.

REVIEW: "Fat Girl: One Woman's Way Out" by Irene O'Garden

Title: "Fat Girl: One Woman's Way Out"
Author: Irene O'Garden
Pages: n/a
Diety?: not really
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 3***

A short, strange memoir about a girl/woman who is an overeater (binge-eater).

It starts with her sneaking food as a child, and ends with her finding out about a better way to eat as an adult woman. The middle dealt with her struggle to find her way out of the binge-eating cycle.

I didn't like the coarse-language throughout this book, or the messy grammar.

Either way, though, there was still a good "lesson" to be learned through the story.

REVIEW: "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl" by Lisa Delaney

Title: "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl: How to Drop 2, 4 (or more!) Dress Sizes -- and Find Yourself Along the Way"
Author: Lisa Delaney
Pages: 247
Diety?: a little
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4.5****

A fantastic book! The author basically details her journey from being a fat kid, to being a fat college-student, then finally to becoming a skinny (we're talking size 2!) wife and mother. Don't be scared off by her current waist-size, though! Ms. Delaney can relate to what you're going through, as is evident by her story. I found myself relating to so much of what she wrote, despite the fact that I've only had a "weight problem" for the past 9 years.

Lisa gives you tips for how you can not only change your dress-size, but also how to get a new outlook and mindset/attitude, too!

This book was just what I needed, and I loved the "memoir" style! Very good.

REVIEW: "Getting Thin and Loving Food!" by Kathleen Daelemans

Title: "Getting Thin and Loving Food"
Author: Kathleen Daelemans
Pages: 324
Diety?: somewhat
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

The author of this book is a chef with her own television show. She has had weight issues in the past, and it shows in her book.

All of the advice was very down-to-earth and geniune. Geared towards IE, too, so I really liked it!

The book includes 200 "healthy living" recipes, as well.

REVIEW: "Fit From Within" by Victoria Moran

Title: "Fit From Within: 101 Simple Secrets to Change Your Body and Your Life--Starting Today and Lasting Forever"
Author: Victoria Moran
Pages: 248
Diety?: very little
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

A book with 101 inspirational readings on different topics related to weight loss. For example:

- Be Careful with Caffeine
- Look at the Spiritual
- Don't Talk About Your Losses

The author focuses quite a bit on the principles of IE, so I liked this book! But, there were a lot of other very motivational aspects, so it's not just about IE.

The book is nicely laid out, too, as you can read just one "tip" at a time, and it will only take you a few minutes.

Recommended.

REVIEW: "Thin Again" by Arthur and Judy Halliday

Title: "Thin Again"
Author(s): Arthur and Judy Halliday
Pages: 208
Diety?: no
Promotes IE?: yes
My Rating: 3.5***

This installment is less 'preachy' than the "Thin Within" book, and focuses more on the emotional and spiritual components than on the physical.

I didn't like the focus on uncovering "things from the past", as I'm partially of the belief that you don't need to...the past is the past. Otherwise, though, this book was good.

REVIEW: "Look Great, Feel Great" by Joyce Meyer

Title: "Look Great, Feel Great: 12 Keys to Enjoying a Healthier Life Now"
Author: Joyce Meyer
Pages: 177
Diety?: somewhat
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

I saw this book in my church library and, since I'd wanted to read it for a while, I brought it home.

It's a good book that gives "12 Keys" to help you live a healthier life: drink water, exercise, let God lead, choose fruits and veggies and whole grains, etc.

The book was really just a lot of common sense tips, but it was also very inspirational! I liked how I could take it and make it work around the intuitive eating principles. :o)

Recommended!