Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting (Paperback)

~ (Author), Eve Adamson (Contributor)
Key Phrases: food voice, heavy habit, food noise, Recipes These, New York

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

REVIEW:Best known from reality TV (The Real Housewives of New York City), "natural foods chef" and entrepreneur Frankel wants unhappy dieters to know that everyone is "naturally thin," they've simply got to change some habits and learn "to think like a naturally thin person." The bulk of this self-help is devoted to ten rules, each outlined in a friendly but no-nonsense chapter. Rooted in Frankel's own struggles ("twenty years suffering through diet hell"), her rules include some familiar ideas smartly recast ("Your diet is a bank account" is a personal-finance gloss on "you are what you eat") and each has a couple recipes attached (Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms). Much of her advice, however, boils down to eating less: other chapters look at moderation, mindful eating and portion size, with some helpful guides to measuring and eyeballing (though it's hard to see why "Downsize Now!" and "Cancel Your Membership in the Clean Plate Club" require separate chapters). A detailed 7-day starter plan fills out the volume. Fans of Frankel's televised adventures will likely be charmed by her strong, direct voice, and her brassy self-regard is nicely tempered by a we're-in-this-together camaraderie.
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Review

"Bethenny Frankel's new book promises -- and delivers -- the ultimate dream of every overweight American: that you can be 'naturally thin' without starvation dieting, exercising like a maniac, taking drugs, or feeling hungry all the time."-- Ellen Kunes, Editor-in-Chief, Health magazine --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Fireside (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416597980
• ISBN-13: 978-1416597988
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (234 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,032 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

602 of 690 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very surprised by all the good reviews, April 4, 2009

By	Laura I (Fairchild AFB, WA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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I felt very conflicted by this book. A lot of the advice was the sound advice that you've already read in all those women's magazine and seen on TV. You know, things like "calories in need to equal calories out", and try to eat a balanced diet, etc. Then the rest of the book teaches you neurotic, eating disordered behaviors.

Bethenny talks about how you shouldn't have to settle for a filling, healthy meal, when what you really want is a steak. Go ahead and order the steak, BUT you can only have 3 bites. Yep, 3 bites, she repeats that over and over again through the book. I don't know how you're supposed to live off of 3 bites. I can just imagine how concerned my friends and family would be if they saw me ordering food and then only have 3 bites. So what do you do with the rest of your food? You either A) throw it away B) pawn it off on your dinner companions or C) take it home and make your kids eat it. Frankly, I know a woman like this and I dread being around her whenever food is involved. She's constantly trying to pass off her food on everyone, including drinks (which Bethenny recommends). It's one thing if I'm like, "wow, that looks good", but I've never shown any interest in her meal. If I wanted to eat it, I would have ordered it! Then, if she does try to get some bland healthy meal, she stares at what I ordered, and begs for some. It's rude, annoying, and I hate going out to eat with her.

Next, Bethenny talks alot how when you're on a "diet" you act neurotic about food and obsess. Then she gives tips like, never eat a whole bagel, take half a bagel and then pull the bread out of it and eat only the crust. Same goes for english muffins. It also annoys me that she says repeatedly that she learned these eating habits from living in Italy. I'm a thin Italian woman and I EAT food.

Well, I guess if you ever wondered how these celebrities stay so thin, this book is the harsh reality. She gives a list of what she ate for 3 weeks as an example of how she lives. Here's one of the days: breakfast was 1/2 cup of coffee (couldn't possibly drink a whole cup!) and half of a egg white veggie omelet. Lunch was miso soup, glass of chardonnay, 2 prawns, and arugula salad with mushrooms. Dinner was a medium greek salad, a "skinnygirl" margarita, a couple chips with a small scoop of guacamole and roasted vegetables. Snack was a small handful of blueberry granola and almonds. I added that up to about 778 calories, and it's probably less than that since she never actually finishes food. Keep in mind she also exercises quite a bit.

While some of the advice in this book is solid, like "sit down to eat, eat slowly", the rest is actually quite unhealthy and eating disordered. Maybe Bethenny is confusing "naturally thin girls" with anorexics.

61 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of good tips., May 30, 2009

By	B. Webb - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a big Real Housewives fan and I bought this book because of that. I'm glad I did. A lot of it really makes sense too. I know that many people don't agree with a lot of the advice that Bethenny Frankel has to offer, but if it works for her then it'll work for others too. The recipes are also really good. Another great book that I read that has some really good weight loss and maintenance tips in it is Goodbye, Fatty! Hello, Skinny! How I Lost Weight And Still Ate The Foods I Loved-Without Dieting. Like this book, it not only has some really good information, but it's also an entertaining read.

52 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What I needed to hear, how I needed to hear it., March 13, 2009

By	Baker Girl (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

I have read every weight loss book on earth. I myself could write volumes on how to lose weight...what I could not do is follow someone else's rules on what, where, when, and how much I should eat and exercise to drop my extra pounds.
This book combines all things rational and real regarding "normal" eating. It calls on you to be an adult, make your own choices, be accountable and responsible, and enjoy your meals without obsessing or over restricting.
Betheny has most likely never been overweight, but she clearly understands the daily battle with her food choices. Will I be virtuous today, or sneaky and hide my consumption?
I have been applying her 10 rules for the last week or so and have already dropped 5 pounds EFFORTLESSLY. I am just checking in, balancing my choices, and including more fruits and veggies. I haven't been able to give up eating in fromt of the T.V. yet, but this gentle approach to eating has taken the charge out of certain food. It is true that when everything is allowed, it evens the playing field.
So far so good.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who struggles with their food choices and wants to end the constant battle with food.