Customer Reviews

The Me I Knew I Could Be: One Woman's Journey from 292 Pounds to Peace, Happiness, and Healthy Living

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ms. Crystal Phillips, the author of, "The Me I Knew I Could Be" has definitely written the most personable, and inspiring weight loss book I have ever read.

Because Crystal takes us back to her childhood to her first memories of binge eating and everything that happened after the incident with her grandfather in California, we got an honest, inside view of how someone can reach 292 lbs. It is amazing what one can accomplish if they look inside of themselves to heal their spirit to get rid of what is ailing them.

Not only was the book touching, it was also humourous and just overall a very personable book. I feel like I know her.

Thank you Ms. Phillips for sharing your experiences with us to help others get out of the rut they may have gotten themselves into because they didn't have the courage to look inside and get to the heart of their problems!! What an inspiration!!

Thank you Crystal for getting to the root of the problem: the feelings that lead us to overeat in the first place. So many books about weight loss only attack the outer problem. But Crystal shows us how, by documenting her own process, to get to the root cause and deal with that. There's no quick fix here, and Crystal states that up front in the introduction. If you're not ready to get down and dirty and do the real work of facing compulsive overeating and its causes, this is not the book for you.

Crystal shares her story and reactions to situations and events in life that many, many women share, regardless of race. She reminds me of things I had long forgotten. Books that bring up the pain have the power to change us. Crystal encourages us to take a look at that stuff, even when we're thinking "that was 30 years ago. How can that have anything to do with today?" It can and it does. By sharing her journaling techniques and encouraging us to embrace age-old pain, Crystal leads us to see the root cause of our dependence on food and how to get free forever.

Thanks, Crystal, for having the courage to share and help women who are struggling with this problem everywhere. And thanks for doing it for YOU, not for a man or anyone else.

I bought myself a copy of "The Me I Knew I Could Be"
a few days before Christmas and enjoyed it so much I
bought another copy to give my sister for Christmas. What
I liked best about this book is that Crystal Phillips has
really been there--she knows what it's like to be unable to
stop binge-eating even though your weight is very high.
Binge-eating is a serious problem, and as yet medical
science doesn't really have the answer to why people do
it, nor do they have the cure. Those of us so afflicted are
left to struggle with lifestyle management changes as
best we can. In some ways it's like a diabetic struggling
along without insulin--there are some things you can do
to help yourself, but without the real answer, it's tough.
Nonetheless, that's the current state of the art. We do the
best we can. The best way of living with this situation is
to take a positive, pro-active, joyful and life-affirming
position, and that's what Crystal Phillips does in this in-
spiring book.
Crystal offers some helpful tips (like eating whole
food meals made in a Crock pot to promote satiety), and
also offers advice about journaling and facing your
emotional demons. What I liked best was that she had
been there, truly been there, and was offering a sisterhood and a sense of camaraderie to the rest of us.
As a nurse practitioner student and eating disorders counselor, as well as an overweight person, I was delighted with this book and have already reread certain sections several times. I'll recommend it to clients and friends. I
hope to use it this year to meet my New Years Resolutions. Thank you, Crystal.

I too had been on the diet roller coaster most of my life. But not only did this book give me great insights as to how to change my ways of thinking and eating, it taught me how to love the process of self-improvement.

So many people want to lose weight, but they think it has to be painful. Crystal not only has shown me that weight loss can be permanent and painless, but I can also learn to love myself during the process. So far I've lost 20 lbs (on my way to permanently losing 50), I work out 3 times a week in something that I love, and I feel and look so much better.

Loving yourself and believing in the life change you are making are the keys. And her journals reveal a human side of the process too, showing that this change is really possible. Totally inspirational.

Thank you Crystal!

My Dear Crystal!! She has touched on an area that has proven to very sensitive for a lot of women, especially black women. I think that because so many of us can identify with a piece of this book, it's all the more real, true, and attainable!! Crystal has shown us through her example that we can all achieve our weight loss goals and that's wonderful! A blessing, in fact and I applaud her for her success!! Bravo!!! and ENCORE!!!

Dhiadra R. Fullman

As I turned each page in this book, I was seeing a part of me in the stories that Crystal told regarding her experience. I recommend this book to anyone not just those trying to lose weight but to anyone searching for peace. I have begun my journey in finding the me that is inside.

I bought this book because I was just browsing in the Diet section of the Bookstore and was COMPELLED to finish. It spoke to me so deeply I was shocked. And if you think its just for a middle-aged Black woman- you are wrong! I am a mid-20's Asian woman and I loved all Crystal had to say. Read it for you life.

This book is awesome! I purchased and read it all in the same day! Crystal, I felt your pain as it brought some issues very close to home for me. You Go Girl!

Read ths if you are a woman trying to make a permanent lifestyle change. Crystal does a fantastic job of connecting the emotional aspects of weight management to long-term success. She shares her story of pain, struggle, and triumph to inspire and motivate women to break the cycle of self-loathing and misery. Although her book is primarily anecdotal, her advice is sound to anyone tryng to make a life change. She bares her life open to examination, and freely shares her positive and negative characteristics. She doesn't present herself as perfect, and stresses that there is no magic bullet to permanent weight loss. She advocates a sound nutritional program, exercise, balance, and mental renewal. I think her book is particularly helpful for women who have had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-image. Her writing style is personable, and her zeal for sharing health information literally leaps from the pages. I highly recommend this book. One tip:please be prepared to use the book, not just read it.Much success!!

This book was a true page turner! Not only did it speak to my soul, it also offered practical advice. The two most helpful things included journaling and a "warbag". (you will have to read the book to find out how helpful that item is!) I use mine daily! This book also helps you to explore some of the reasons behind your weight gain and realistic, practical advice to begin the battle of weight loss. We all carry around extra weight for reasons that seem to be just out of our reach, maybe that is why so many of us gain back what we lose and then some. So far I have lost 17 pounds in a couple of months and I plan to keep losing. If you have been struggling with your weight for a lifetime this is a must read!