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I love that they shed light on the dairy and meat industries.
I love that they didn’t discuss calories or no carbs or any other lame diet fab stuff. They discussed actual ingredients of foods and vitamins and minerals.
I hate that they fat shamed many times and that the suggest menu in the back of the book implies they want you to eat like 1,000 calories a day! Also, they’re obsessed with soy and I’m not sure we need to eat as much as they suggested
also, this book was written 15 years ago...
I love that they didn’t discuss calories or no carbs or any other lame diet fab stuff. They discussed actual ingredients of foods and vitamins and minerals.
I hate that they fat shamed many times and that the suggest menu in the back of the book implies they want you to eat like 1,000 calories a day! Also, they’re obsessed with soy and I’m not sure we need to eat as much as they suggested
also, this book was written 15 years ago...
Already a vegetarian by the time I read this book, I was expecting some compelling evidence for taking the next step and becoming vegan. I applaud these girls for their evident passion in their beliefs, but their preachy boot-camp style 'shouting' I heard from the pages did nothing to sway my attitude. I don't see the point in taking so many food groups from your diet (meat, dairy, sugar) and replacing them with 'fake steak' and other highly processed meat alternatives.
I also question what readers outside of the States get from this book. Aside from the fact the US has completely different food industry regulations, the food lists in the back are completely useless to me here in Australia, as none of the brands are available here.
I also question what readers outside of the States get from this book. Aside from the fact the US has completely different food industry regulations, the food lists in the back are completely useless to me here in Australia, as none of the brands are available here.
My fellow vegans will love this book. Meat-eaters will, I hope, be convinced to switch to a vegan diet, but they are probably more likely to hate this book or to stop reading it because it makes them uncomfortable.
Initially, the book seems like just another diet/health/fitness book with the the authors pontificating on why sugar and food additives are bad and organic food is good. However, Skinny Bitch is atypical in that the authors write in a very, very conversational tone, and this is definitely not G-rated material. I laughed out loud when, on the very first page, they tell us, "You cannot keep eating the same shit and expect to get skinny." There is also a liberal scattering of "fucks" and "fucking" and other variations of "fuck." But, other than the language, the book does, at first, seem to be a very traditional health and nutrition book.
Then we come to the chapters on meat and dairy and the diatribes against factory farming and modern industrialized agriculture. For those of us in the vegan and animal rights community, there is nothing really new here, but it is ever and always depressing to read again about the vile, despicable manner in which animals are treated. If you've ever read Peter Singer's classic Animal Liberation, you will find that the Skinny Bitch authors give what can be described as a very condensed but highly informative summary of Singer's book, detailing many of the same cruel and abusive practices to which animals are subjected.
The book also provides many resources for vegans: websites, books, lists of non-vegan ingredients that are hiding in various foods.
This is a highly informative book written in a somewhat unusual style, and it is a quick and easy read. (I easily finished it in a day.) If you take the ideas of these authors seriously (and you should), you will not only find yourself living a much healthier lifestyle, but you will also be a better person because you will, hopefully, adopt a vegan diet and thus stop contributing to the vile, horrific treatment of animals.
Initially, the book seems like just another diet/health/fitness book with the the authors pontificating on why sugar and food additives are bad and organic food is good. However, Skinny Bitch is atypical in that the authors write in a very, very conversational tone, and this is definitely not G-rated material. I laughed out loud when, on the very first page, they tell us, "You cannot keep eating the same shit and expect to get skinny." There is also a liberal scattering of "fucks" and "fucking" and other variations of "fuck." But, other than the language, the book does, at first, seem to be a very traditional health and nutrition book.
Then we come to the chapters on meat and dairy and the diatribes against factory farming and modern industrialized agriculture. For those of us in the vegan and animal rights community, there is nothing really new here, but it is ever and always depressing to read again about the vile, despicable manner in which animals are treated. If you've ever read Peter Singer's classic Animal Liberation, you will find that the Skinny Bitch authors give what can be described as a very condensed but highly informative summary of Singer's book, detailing many of the same cruel and abusive practices to which animals are subjected.
The book also provides many resources for vegans: websites, books, lists of non-vegan ingredients that are hiding in various foods.
This is a highly informative book written in a somewhat unusual style, and it is a quick and easy read. (I easily finished it in a day.) If you take the ideas of these authors seriously (and you should), you will not only find yourself living a much healthier lifestyle, but you will also be a better person because you will, hopefully, adopt a vegan diet and thus stop contributing to the vile, horrific treatment of animals.
funny
fast-paced
It's down-right dumb to expect a serious writing style from a book titled "Skinny Bitch", so that's not why I gave it the rating I did. I do think the "no bullshit" approach is a bit toxic, but I found it really funny. I was expecting a much less "scientific" approach to diet tips but was suprised at seeing the studies backing up the vegan diet the author tried to push. I really liked the insight into the meat and dairy industry, it serves as a disgusting wake-up call. Additionally, the conversation about the different interests behind the government's health guidelines was really interesting and something I'll take away from this book (although it reads really hypocritical considering the amount of vegan/organic product placement in it).
All of that being said, the book is clearly biased towards pushing veganism as the ultimate diet and fails to offer an all-encompasing view of health. Also, the studies are most definitely outdated and some are straight up nonsense. This book is not as bad as I expected, but take it with a grain of salt and just see an actual professional.
All of that being said, the book is clearly biased towards pushing veganism as the ultimate diet and fails to offer an all-encompasing view of health. Also, the studies are most definitely outdated and some are straight up nonsense. This book is not as bad as I expected, but take it with a grain of salt and just see an actual professional.
This is one of the very few books that I have ever read that I am going to give 0 stars. It is laughably bad. There is a ton of pseudoscience nonsense in this book, and the authors cherry pick “research.” Some of the points they make are obviously correct (fruit is good), while others are blatantly false. No, the food you eat does not change the pH of your body. Human beings can only survive with an extremely narrow pH range, and this is not dependent on food. This incorrect information was repeated over and over. At the end, the authors implied that a woman cured her breast cancer because she left a bad partner??? Extremely bizarre claims with no scientific basis fill this book. Even ignoring all the false information, the writing style is also poor. I seriously hope no one in 2024 is taking this book at face value.
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Two big issues with this book:
- The writing style was terrible. I like the f-word as much as the next person but I don't think that it's appropriate in professional writing, even if it's "tough love." It really distracted from the message of the book.
- The promotion of processed foods. Getting past the writing, I appreciated most of what the recommended but was sad to see the promotion of so many frozen, processed foods in the 30 Day Menu chapter.
I did not learn much from this book, but that was because I've read a lot of the same information through other sources. Aside from fasting, which is debated in the medical community, I found most of their advice in line with other books I've read. If you want some shocking imagery of slaughterhouses, they have a great/horrifying chapter on that. They also had a list of food additives: what they do and where they come from.
- The writing style was terrible. I like the f-word as much as the next person but I don't think that it's appropriate in professional writing, even if it's "tough love." It really distracted from the message of the book.
- The promotion of processed foods. Getting past the writing, I appreciated most of what the recommended but was sad to see the promotion of so many frozen, processed foods in the 30 Day Menu chapter.
I did not learn much from this book, but that was because I've read a lot of the same information through other sources. Aside from fasting, which is debated in the medical community, I found most of their advice in line with other books I've read. If you want some shocking imagery of slaughterhouses, they have a great/horrifying chapter on that. They also had a list of food additives: what they do and where they come from.
I never actually finished this book. I started reading it after I'd already switched to a vegan diet and had read other books such as The Kind Diet, Eating Animals, The China Study, Veganist and watched the move Forks Over Knives. Since none of the information was new to me, their in-your-face approach about the benefits of this way of eating just didn't appeal to me. I have lots of friends who have read this book and abslutely loved it. In fact, I'm the only person I know who didn't love it. I think it's because I already knew everything they were telling me and I enjoyed hearing the information more from a science angle more than from an I'm-skinny-so-I'm-right angle.
For those who are considering making the switch to a plant based diet, I think that The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone, 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Dr. Neal D. Barnard and Veganist by Kathy Freston are GREAT books to read. Very informative, very well researched (especially the one by Dr. Barnard) but still easy and enjoyable reads. I loved all three of them. And the 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart book isn't just for people who want to loose weight. That is who it's geared twards, but I found the book to be very interesting and informative and I am already at the ideal weight for my height.
For those who are considering making the switch to a plant based diet, I think that The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone, 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Dr. Neal D. Barnard and Veganist by Kathy Freston are GREAT books to read. Very informative, very well researched (especially the one by Dr. Barnard) but still easy and enjoyable reads. I loved all three of them. And the 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart book isn't just for people who want to loose weight. That is who it's geared twards, but I found the book to be very interesting and informative and I am already at the ideal weight for my height.
You definitely need to take this book with a grain of salt. It's vulgar and offensive, but there are some very good points made. I would never do everything the book suggests, and neither should you, so just be sure you are reading it with an open mind.