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172 of 210 people found the following review helpful:
Informative and fun
These two ladies have really done a great job. Their assessment of the ways we treat our bodies with cigarettes, caffeine, sugars, meats, dairy etc. is just the most unconventional scrutiny we can ever undergo. Very sharp and funny at the same time. This is a book about healthy lifestyle not about any fad diet. It is written by sharp, intelligent women who are not afraid...
Published on September 19, 2007 by Jan's Info
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846 of 951 people found the following review helpful:
The title and the content don't agree
As a person who has a biology degree with a focus on nutrition, an advanced biology teacher, vegetarian, and a marathoner/triathlete, I was interested to read a book that may give me strategies to use myself and to interest my students in eating better. This book started well and then changed courses quickly. The scientific evidence in this book is just WRONG. It is...
Published on February 13, 2008 by Kelly A. Mchale
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846 of 951 people found the following review helpful:
The title and the content don't agree, February 13, 2008
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
As a person who has a biology degree with a focus on nutrition, an advanced biology teacher, vegetarian, and a marathoner/triathlete, I was interested to read a book that may give me strategies to use myself and to interest my students in eating better. This book started well and then changed courses quickly. The scientific evidence in this book is just WRONG. It is riddled with inconsistencies and hypocrisies including that you shouldn't eat meat because it is rotting flesh and vegetables are living when you eat them. Unless you are eating them off of the plant, vegetables are also dead and decaying (look what happens to fruits and vegetables when they are not eaten in a timely fashion). They also say that you shouldn't eat processed foods, which I totally agree with, but then go on to advocate for veggie/vegan products that taste like meat which are incredibly processed but according to them are still good because they are vegan. With a statement of " A no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous!" you would have thought it would be all about good things to eat and how to exercise to lose weight. Not so, this is just a manifesto on how bad the meat industry is and how bad the government is. This book actually made me angry because I didn't buy this book to be inundated with these two women's opinions about the government and their dislike of all meat products. This book is not worth the money or time unless you want to read two women's rants about how everyone should be vegan.
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473 of 546 people found the following review helpful:
It's not sad that the authors think this way..., May 24, 2008
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
It's sad that anyone would take their advice.
I have no issue with veganism. Veganism is fine. I was a vegetarian for several years and didn't eat red meat for several more after that. I couldn't do the vegan thing, but I appreciate that some people do want to eat that way, and I think there are some good reasons to limit or eliminate meat and dairy consumption. What I have a problem with is the language that the authors use in the book to try to convince people to eat vegan - and I'm not talking about the profanity. You see, in addition to being an ex-vegetarian, I am also in recovery from an eating disorder. And so much of the language in this book is exactly the kind of thing I would say to myself to convince myself not to eat, when I was at the worst point in my illness and trying to eat less than 600 calories a day, while at the same time exercising 3-4 hours a day.
It's a lot easier not to eat when you convince yourself that what's on your plate is disgusting - that it is rotting, filled with pus, decomposing, etc. Who would want to eat a horrible plate of rotting meat, right? If you can look at your plate and see filth rather than tasty food, it's easy not to eat it. It's easier to not eat when you constantly tell yourself that you're fat, lazy, worthless, stupid, etc. if you eat. Because if you can make the self-criticism stop by not eating - if you can feel virtuous and clean and okay by not eating, and have the relentlessly critical voices stop for a little while, and have some peace from your own anxiety and tension - then not eating becomes an easier and easier thing to do, over time. I didn't hear two angry vegans speaking in this book. I heard two women who have major food and body issues that they've never addressed. A lot of people have objections about the authors calling other people fat, stupid, etc. - you have to understand that is not the authors talking about other people. Those are the voices they hear inside their heads, every single day, telling them that THEY are stupid, THEY are worthless, THEY are bad if they stray from this very strict diet they have devised. That's exactly what happens when people have an eating disorder. Ultimately, it is NOT about food or losing weight, it is about control. By limiting what they eat to this very narrow selection of foods, they can maintain or take back control they don't feel they have normally. As an ex-anorexic friend of mine said, this book is awesome for people in the throes of the disease because it basically gives you permission to food-restrict and negatively self-talk all you want, two of the behaviors that therapists try to eliminate in eating-disorder patients.
I truly believe this book is not about veganism. This book is about how to practice a special brand of anorexia in which you view food as evil and avoid putting it into your body, but you still eat enough of certain things to avoid criticism from friends and family, under the guise of this pro-animal-rights philosophical viewpoint. The language they use is very similar to the language you see on pro-anorexia websites maintained by women whose goal is to trade tips for how not to eat and reinforce each other's philosophy and behavior. Those websites have the same "us against the world" and "other people think we're crazy but we're doing the right thing" tone. If you want to be vegan, that's great, but this is not the book to read. Because this is way more about the psychology of eating disorders than it is about good reasons to be vegan. This book is about how to be a vegan with a very twisted relationship with food. There are other books out there that can help you be a healthy vegan, who has a healthy relationship with food, and with your own body.
There's one other thing I want to say about the book. Vegan diets work great for some people in terms of weight loss. For other people, eating large quantities of fruit (high in sugar) and soy (high in phytoestrogens and endocrine disruptors) can cause big problems and would not result in weight loss. I have PCOS and the diet prescribed in this book is exactly what my nutritionist and physician have told me NOT to eat. If you have PCOS, or an existing thyroid condition, PLEASE talk to an endocrinologist before adopting the eating plan in this book. Did you know that soy ice cream has a higher glycemic index rating than pure glucose? If you have blood-sugar issues or hypothyroidism, soy products are very problematic. There's also evidence (that these authors don't discuss) linking soy to hormonal imbalances and cancer. Women with breast or thyroid cancer, or who are at high risk for those cancers, are usually counseled to avoid soy.
In any case - this is honestly not a diet book, or at least not one that people should be taking advice from. I have struggled with my weight my whole life (due in part to the fact that my PCOS went undiagnosed for years). I would love to lose weight but I also think part of the goal of living is to be a happy person. The kind of negative self-talk the authors encourage under the guise of "straight talk" does not lead to happiness, I can testify from experience. There is a huge problem with obesity in this country, but we aren't going to solve it by having people develop extremely negative relationships with food. This book gave me the chills because it reads so much like stories girls in my therapy group told about how they talked to themselves, to convince themselves to stop eating. It was disturbing to me, and it's even more disturbing to me that thousands of women out there are taking it as the gospel truth.
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220 of 261 people found the following review helpful:
You are what you eat, February 10, 2008
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
"Skinny Bitch" has been making the rounds in my book club, so I had to see for myself what all the fuss was about. I actually enjoyed the book and found it more valuable than I thought I would.
The first thing you need to know about this book is that it is laced with profanity. Personally, I find the language hilarious, but some people don't like that sort of thing and should be forewarned. (But seriously, what else do you expect from a book with the word "bitch" in the title?") The book gives readers a tough-love guide on how to become healthier and skinnier. Yes, a lot of the advice is very basic: stop shoving sweets into your mouth every 30 seconds, get up off your rump and exercise, etc. However, I did learn a lot about chemical additives from this book, and I'm being a lot more careful about the foods I choose to put into my mouth. I was also blown away by the graphic depictions of slaughterhouses in this country, and although I don't think I'll ever be able to give up meat completely, I haven't eaten any meat or animal products in almost a week, which is huge for me.
There are certain things about this book that I think the authors take a little too far. They're all about the vegan lifestyle and insist that it's the only way to be healthy and fit, which I don't think is true. In the slaughterhouse chapters, the authors make reference to all the anger and adrenaline that passes through animals before they are killed, and then they claim that meat-eaters digest all that rage and negative energy, which I think is B.S. Also, fasts are strongly advocated in this book, which I don't think are necessary or very healthy.
In spite of several flaws, "Skinny Bitch" is not without merit. Reading this book will force you to finally stop and think about what you are eating, which is a good thing.
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56 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
I like the idea behind it but....yikes...., August 31, 2007
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
Okay, I guess I should start off by saying that I am a proud vegan. I love my diet for its health and environmental benefits and would recommend it to anyone.
That said, I kind of shudder to think that someone with no prior exposure to a vegan lifestyle is getting their introduction through this book. Yeah, I can handle the bad language, but they are so abusive to the reader. A few reviewers talk about the "girlfriend" tone. If any of my girlfriends talked like that to me, I'd be really upset!!
Yes, veganism is a way of losing weight - but it is not the only way of losing weight. I was a healthy weight as a carnivore, as a lacto-ovo vegetarian, and as a vegan. Going vegan has not caused me to lose a single pound. Portion control is almost the most important factor, and the menus near the end of the book don't include portions at all. They do include lists of suggested natural food products, including many prepared foods, like TV dinners. While I love some of the products listed, is over-reliance on these kinds of foods something that the authors want to encourage? Not all of them are really all that healthy. Vegan junk food is still junk food.
There is other factual information that just seems...wrong. The authors suggest donating blood as a way of helping others and losing weight. Losing weight? Excuse me? I call bull, just for the simple reason if that were true, I would have heard about it already and the American Blood Association would be using it as a way to get people to donate.
Also, the authors seem to endorse the philosophy that everything that ails you can be traced to diet. You shouldn't take aspirin for menstrual cramps because your cramps are just the result of your crappy diet. And they are also Nature's way of preparing you for the pain of childbirth. First, which one is it? (Result of crappy diet or natural process?) Second, this sounds dubious at best - ask any woman who's given birth if they thought it was easy because they had good "practice" from having had menstrual cramps. Third, some people have jobs, unlike the authors of this book, and actually need to be functional during their periods, instead of being in so much pain they can't even work. Not everyone who takes pain relievers is a "pill popper". Not everything natural is good for you. Not all your health problems are because of diet. Sometimes you really do need to see a doctor and take medicine.
I feel bad for really not liking this book, because it is getting a lot of attention, including from non-vegans. I just wish the authors of this book did a little more research and were a little less confrontational.
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172 of 210 people found the following review helpful:
Informative and fun, September 19, 2007
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
These two ladies have really done a great job. Their assessment of the ways we treat our bodies with cigarettes, caffeine, sugars, meats, dairy etc. is just the most unconventional scrutiny we can ever undergo. Very sharp and funny at the same time. This is a book about healthy lifestyle not about any fad diet. It is written by sharp, intelligent women who are not afraid of challenging their readers. They demand respect for the nature and for our own bodies. It is an eye opening book making us realize what we really consume and why we became such an obese nation. I recommend this book for its funny and at the same time practical approach to healthy living. I took one star off for the language that some might find `inappropriate' to say the least. Another really great book about healthy lifestyle, longevity, and keeping your body in great shape is Can We Live 150. If you liked Skinny... you will love Can We Live... .
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36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
eye opener, March 20, 2006
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
A friend of mine recommended this book to me partly because it amused her but mostly because she believed in it's message-which by the way, does suggests organic foods and veganism as a way of life. The authors are straight forward and humorous (if you don't mind a bit of profanity). I felt like they were talking to me-not at me. It's a book that talks about what foods are harmful, why they're harmful and offers suggestions and substitutions to stop stuffing your face with the wrong foods. It's full of facts not fluff; some of which are detailed and gruesome accounts of animal cruelty, food processing and destruction of land.
Truthfully I didn't know that what I was about to read was going to change my life-but it did and all for the better. I didn't close the book with the idea that "I'll never touch meat/chicken/eggs/dairy again" but I haven't (I used to have 6 egg whites every morning and was a huge consumer of poultry). Until I read this book I never realized what happened in slaughter houses, poultry farms, and dairy farms and how eating these foods impacts my body. It's a great read and I highly recommend it for those who are interested in learning more about what's really on our plates.
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30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
Never knew I wanted to be a Skinny Bitch...'Till Now, January 5, 2006
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
Well let me first catch my breathe. I just finished this book a few hours ago, having started it last night. It was a riveting page turner and I will soon be rereading it, armed with a nice cup of decaf organic green tea and a highlighter. Sometimes the in-your-face approach can be really effective, and frankly what's necesary to get people to stop and think. I applaud Rory and Kim for writing a stellar book that sits you down and tells it like it is. It can be overwhelming, all the alarming information. But remember, Rome wasn't built in a day and I for one know I am going to continue taking baby steps on the road to a healthier, happier self. Is this book for everyone? Probably not, I know my sister and I have no intention of sharing it with our mother. But, if you have even a little thick skin and aren't afraid of a truth that isn't, if you'll pardon the pun, sugar-coated, then this is the book for you. The authors use facts and humor to make their point while also not preaching. I truly loved this book. It's high time something like this be written.
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53 of 63 people found the following review helpful:
I'm a vegan, June 11, 2009
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
And I have to say, this book is the biggest piece of hate-filled garbage ever to grace vegan and vegetarian literature. First of all, I work in the medical field, and most of their so-called health claims aren't even true. In fact, most of what they try to tell the young women they're targeting is incredibly dangerous -- the book basically encourages eating disorders and body hatred, and eventually gets around to, "Oh hey, by the way, animals get abused, too!" But by that time, you already hate your body and want to go to the back shed and shoot yourself in the head. I would not recommend this book to anyone; it's basically a do-it-yourself guide on how to hide an eating disorder and hate yourself, which is not, or should not be, what veganism is about.
(It's also worth mentioning that although the authors say "if you eat crap, you are crap," their cookbooks are filled with processed, disgusting food that can only be described as crap. But I guess in that way, Freedman and Barnouin are for once being honest with us about what they are.)
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88 of 107 people found the following review helpful:
No longer a junk food addict!!! LOST 85 LBS!!!, July 10, 2007
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
I can not emphasize how greatfull I am for having read this book. Before I read it I was trying every stupid diet in the world, diet pills, and even considered things that were probably illegal to lose weight. I was completely addicted to junk food and didn't even know it until I read this book!!! I was depressed most of the time, had no energy, felt hopeless that I'd ever be thin and feeling so completely despirate it was really sad.
I picked up the book because I liked the title. I was 100 lbs overweight and many times thought of skinny women as 'skinny bitches'...And I so wanted to be like them! So, I read the book and it totally changed my life. I saw the truth for the first time as to how the food industries will market complete garbage to humans for consumption because they can make a fast buck. I saw how cruel and deplorable the meat industry is in the name of greed. I realised that I was not helping myself by drinking diet soda (with all its poisonous artificial sweeteners) and eating milk and meat and eggs which all contain animal fat -which is not fit for human consumption... the book OPENED MY EYES - and I realised I had chosen to keep them shut and be ignorant for far too long...
I have struggled with food addiction and my weight since a child. I was anorexic and bulemic through all my teens and 20's. I have been morbidly obese for over 10 years (100 extra lbs) and I know that this book opened my eyes and THE TRUTH HAS SET ME FREEEEE!!!
SINCE I READ THE BOOK I HAVE LOST 85 LBS and I have no doubt I will lose all the rest. I gave up artificial sweeteners, sugar, meat, egg and dairy the day I read the book and will never return to these foods. The book convinced me 100% and there is no going back. I have read 100's of diet books - but this one really helped me make a life long change toward health and thinness.
I will say, that the chapter on You Are WHat You Eat was very hard to read - but it was the chapter that sealed the deal for me to make a change in my life. I would suggest if you read the book to read every page - even if it is hard. Because like the book says 'if an animal had to suffer it - the least you can do is read it. I was a tough nut - trust me - I was soooo addicted to junk food. THIS BOOK HELPED ME KICK ALL OF MY BAD DIETARY HABITS ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!
The swearing in the book is not every-other-word. I liked the no-nonsence approach because I get real tired of reading a bunch of fluff and want the facts given to me strait. So, that was not a problem for me.
I will add that they do mention doing excercise - But it is not an excercise book. They take the approach that you should live an active lifestyle - incorporating activity into each day and they recommend Yoga -which is impossible to do if you're 100 lbs overweight. So, walk or do what ever you can to get your body moving.
So, if you are depressed, despirate and feeling hopeless - read this book. THe first day I went cold turkey of all the junk foods and I had a headache. THe second day I had a headache. I did take some Ibuprophen and that helped. After 3 weeks of going without junk food I felt good, I had alot more energy and started going for walks and bike riding. I lost 10 lbs the first month and I was eating as much as I wanted and never felt deprived. I know I will never go back to the way I was eating. This book was a God-sent for me and I will be forever greatfull!!
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51 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
Hilarious and informative!, February 18, 2006
This review is from: Skinny Bitch (Paperback)
I bought this book because it is frank, honest, and outright funny! It's a rare thing for me to be laughing OUT LOUD as I peruse the bookstore, but this book is a great read. Yes it has some harsh facts about cutting through the crap that is considered a "normal" diet. But in this day and age, we all know that normal is overweight and/or unhealthy- so frankly I am glad to break from conformity! I have to say the biggest point this book can stress is the whole NO DAIRY attitude. What most people (myself included) don't know is that there are substitutes for milk, ice cream, etc that taste absolutely GREAT! (fake butter better than REAL butter!) And you will freak out at how much better you feel and look if you get that garbage out of your system- it is truly amazing! Your skinny jeans become your every day jeans, if that isn't reason enough to give it a go! Only thing I'd change is more recipes. Even if you just read this book for the comic relief, it is well worth your time and hopefully some of their ideas will "click" with you to make positive changes in your life and health. Happy reading!
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Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman (Paperback - December 27, 2005)
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