Always Hungry: How I Lost the Weight and Found Myself

by Jane McGuinness

Raw and wickedly funny, this debut memoir details one woman’s recovery from her emotional eating disorder, while navigating divorce, discrimination, motherhood, and the madness that is Tinder dating.

A riot of dark humor beginning with her dysfunctional childhood in outback Australia, Jane McGuinness details her recovery from an emotional eating disorder with dry wit, discovering that hers is something of a curious social experiment. 

Exploring themes of patriarchy and discrimination against the overweight, Jane walks away from her long-term marriage, returns to grad school while raising her three children in a foreign country, and transforms her health. Hiking the Camino de Santiago through Spain and adventures in Greece are regaled with self-deprecating fervor, while horrifying post-divorce Tinder dating will leave the reader amused and aghast in equal measure.

This debut memoir is truly a transformative journey in every sense, as Jane discovered that it was never food that she hungered for after all. 

280 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Jane is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and mother of three fearless young Australians. North Vancouver has been home for thirteen years now as this Aussie expat traded the heat for the rain. Her own therapy consists of escaping to the mountains whenever possible to hike or bike with her trademark enthusiasm for life. This recovering emotional eater advocates acceptance, gratitude, and kindness above all else, and maintains that a day without laughter is a day wasted. Always Hungry: How I Lost the Weight and Found Myself is Jane’s first book.

Reviews

[Brontie Hendry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jane has the best sense of humour, and I found myself cackling in some parts but also sobbing in other parts. I loved the message of kindness and acceptance throughout the book and enjoyed the story of Jane's road to self acceptance and happiness!!

[Jill Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Jane McGuinness’ story is uncomfortably close to the reality staring many of us straight in the face. Escape, boredom, relief, stress, and a myriad of things happening in our lives driving us to eat in disordered ways. Immediately relatable, her opening story allows readers to see a bit of themselves in Jane, at least that was the case for this reader.

You won’t find recipes and fitness tips amongst these pages, but you will find humor, humility, honesty, and a hunger to live a better life, as a healthier version of yourself. Whether a story about her trial of Botox, something that really does work, leaving her children worried she was having a ministroke, to her childhood in Broken Hill, Australia, Jane shares her story with a grace and acceptance that took more than a decade to embrace. Finally discovering it was time to be proud of the work she’s put in to losing weight, sharing the secrets she’s kept buried, and making peace with her past self. “Always Hungry” is at times a memoir and an exploration of weight loss.

Breathtakingly honest, “Always Hungry” features bold admissions and a revealing look at the hunger author Jane McGuinness found herself under, through the layers of weight. From a marriage she walked away from, to the mountains she now feels drawn to, Jane’s decade-long maintenance of weight loss defies the odds as she sheds the emotional layers she’s dug through to get here. Humor, raw emotion, and traumatic revelations make way for this beautiful memoir. Relatable and down to earth, Jane walks readers through her life, taking us on the jagged trails through the depths of her valleys and peaks as she pulls back the curtain and bares all in this exquisite look at her journey to health.

[Athena Song · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane McGuinness takes her readers on a wild ride: if you’re thinking of reading another feel good, I-did-it-you-can-too diet book, you might get more than you asked for. McGuinness’s story of her disordered eating is ever present, but there is so much more to her writing. She gives a firm sense of what it was like growing up in Australia, dealing with a complicated family, marrying young, raising three children, and finding another aspect of herself after divorce. McGuinness is an excellent storyteller. Her descriptions of the houses and the cities she has lived in are full of details that bring these places to life, and her descriptions of the people in her life are vivid enough to create a sense of empathy or, in a few cases, distaste. Her grandmother, who never has a kind word for her, becomes perceived as an enemy. Her children, on the other hand, are curious and lively in ways that create empathy.

McGuinness’s writing spans a variety of emotions, all of which are conveyed with honesty. At times, she expresses anger at circumstances or people who are insensitive to her or her children. She is also frequently blunt, which is appreciated, especially in the diet memoir category. Sometimes that bluntness blends with humor. McGuinness writes about going for marriage counseling with Brian and how it was difficult to find a therapist they both felt comfortable with. “Despite not saving our marriage, I did come to the realization that I wanted to pursue a career in counseling.” The juxtaposition of these two enormous parts of her life is odd enough for a giggle.

Always Hungry has a different tone from other memoirs about women overcoming their trauma, and that fresh perspective really worked for me as a reader.

[Caroline Musyoka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Hungry: How I Lost the Weight and Found Myself by Jane McGuiness is a book that delves into the author’s personal struggle with emotional eating: a cycle that was not driven by hunger, but by shame, feelings of inadequacy and a deep sense of low self-worth. Faced with enormous pressures of caring for three small children, shouldering majority of the household and childcare burdens, and feeling isolated as her husband worked long hours, she turned to the kitchen as her form of escape. This “escape” came with guilt, a fraught relationship with food as well as weight gain. This sets the stage for the central conflict of the book.

What makes this read compelling is Jane’s decision to pursue a different path: one rooted not in drastic measures, but in acceptance, gratitude and compassion. Rather than turning to quick fix “internal and external procedures”, diet pills or extreme surgeries, she embraces a kinder response to her hurt. This psychological and emotional perception builds resiliency that she needs to lose weight.

The author’s writing is grounded and accessible. The chapters are written in straightforward, easy-to-follow style avoiding dense and overly long chapters. At the beginning of every chapter, Jane includes wise sayings, brief reflections that resonate meaningfully with the themes that she explores.

This read is more than just a weight-loss memoir. It is a silent manifesto for sustainable change, self-acceptance and emotional healing. For readers struggling with emotional eating, pressure to succumb to quick-fix diets or self-worth, this story may serve as both a guide and a mirror, deeply hopeful, gentle and honest.

[Yvonne Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone struggling with their weight, whether it's been a lifelong battle or something new, Jane McGuinness's memoir will bring you laughs, tears, and, most of all, insight. Jane fought her weight most of her life, and she shares the tales that stood out, from suffering from nearly debilitating anxiety (if you threw up every time you had a panic attack, you'd definitely feel debilitated).

You meet Jane's family along the way -- some members who harmed her psyche as she grew into an adult, and others who perhaps meant to help, but mostly said things the wrong way. Some of you may relate to Jane's story -- even if you weren't "pudgy" in high school, perhaps you gain a little "too" much weight during pregnancy." Jane spares no expense in sharing with her readers how she felt every moment, deep down, even making fun of herself at times (because sometimes it's easier to deal with your pain by making fun of it).

It's the dark humor in this book that will keep you reading. It's the title—motivational and inspirational—that might draw you in to read it. No spoilers here, but the title tells you Jane lost weight -- and even after the weight was gone, she found herself facing life's struggles (like keeping the weight off). Let this be a reminder that success comes with tears, laughter, time, struggle -- and a little help from ourselves!

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALWAYS HUNGRY is a memoir highlighting not only Jane McGuinnes’ weight loss but her embracing the life that she wants. This is presented in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are chatting with Jane over coffee or wine and listening to her life story. You can sympathize with Jane’s initial food struggles and her acceptance of why she had them and her search for what she was truly hungry for. Her love of life and self growth and pursuit of true joy is palpable through each page. The chapters are well thought out, though at times the novel tends to drag a little and overall it could have been concluded a little sooner than it was. While not a lengthy memoir, it could have been trimmed down a few chapters and still remained a full and enriching piece. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were a great added touch to the point of each chapter. This is a great memoir to read for anyone interested in not just a weight loss journey but also as a guidance that life really is too short to not be living it to the fullest you can. Jane leaves you with a feeling that you not only can do more with your life and days, but that you should try everything, pursue what brings you joy and hold no regrets.

[John Kamande · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALWAYS HUNGRY is a memoir that feels very personal, honest, and easy to connect with. Jane McGuinness writes with humor, openness, and clarity as she shares her experiences with emotional eating, motherhood, divorce, and self-acceptance. The book reads more like a friendly conversation than a strict lesson. It is not a typical weight-loss guide filled with rules or tips. Instead, it looks at the emotional reasons behind hunger and the quiet process of healing from within.

Her writing style is sharp, kind, and often funny. She balances serious moments with warmth and insight. By reflecting on childhood, relationships, and society’s views on weight and body image, she encourages readers to think about their own habits without guilt. The language is simple and thoughtful, offering comfort rather than criticism.

What makes this book unique is that it does not promise quick solutions. Instead, it promotes patience, self-love, and understanding as the true path to lasting change. ALWAYS HUNGRY is an inspiring and eye-opening read for anyone who has struggled with food, identity, or simply the challenges of being human. It offers a story that feels real, hopeful, and encouraging.

[Melodie Coulter-Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't eat hummus on a first date!

This may come across as a book to tell you how to lose weight. It's not. The reality is, as Jane puts it, that weight loss is a goal achieved by calorie intake/burning, movement that brings you joy, finding craveable foods that fuel you properly, making peace mentally with things and and and and.

What this book won't do is slap a fad diet or exercise craze on your desk. It will serve as a quick yap session with a fun if slightly scattered conversational partner. I found myself going a couple of times a day back to the book for a couple chapters, as if checking social media or having a conversation over email with a long-distance friend.

Jane is unapologetically herself, with some pretty firm takes that made me go "oh!", but the writing bares the soul of a kind and hardworking person who loves her children and the life she found for herself. Again, this is not a book about losing weight. It's a book about becoming the person you want to be.

[Stacy Croushorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me. I didn’t think I’d like it, it looked like a typical self-help book, and the Lord knows, there’s enough of those on the market. But, I actually found myself enjoying reading this memoir. The author, Jane McGuiness, is a Registered Clinical Counselor. Immediately I thought “Same old crap” and “It’s going to be boring.” But I was completely wrong. McGuiness comes from Australia and talks about her family and her upbringing in the Outback. She describes having a lifetime of disordered eating, the discrimination that overweight people encounter, the thinly veiled comments people drop that explode what’s left of an already fragile ego, and the emotional pain that is the basis for disordered eating in the first place. There were some laugh out loud moments and some truly heart-breaking ones too. You don’t have to have an issue with food to enjoy this book, but if you do you’ll love it even more.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved listening to Jane's story. She is the narrator and the author, which was an added bonus. Jane is hilarious, very real, and genuine. I appreciate that she was open enough to share her struggle with food earlier in her life. I developed an eating disorder when my parents divorced at age 15. My perfectly controlled life spun completely out of control, and literally the only thing I could control was my calories. I’m deeply grateful for an intuitive therapist who helped me develop a healthy relationship with food after a scary year of starving myself and thankful for a dad who cared enough to get help for me. That was a LONG time ago, but the life lessons and guidance that Jane shares about gratitude and moderation were perfect reminders for me. Although I have practiced both for years, this beautiful memoir was a fantastic reinforcement. Jane covers some heavy topics, but her incredible sense of humor made this memoir an absolute delight.

[Misty Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Hungry is the heartbreaking and successful story about Jane’s life of being overweight and her weight loss. Jane writes with a raw honesty, taking a look at what it was like as an overweight child and an adult. She delves into what really causes people to become overweight (medical reasons notwithstanding): boredom, chaotic childhoods, abusive childhoods, anxiety, social pressure from peers and others, etc.
Jane takes us on her personal journal as she delves into weight loss and what works for her: taking a look inside to figure out what caused her problems and how to heal inside first, and then, how the outside just melts away. It does take work and love. She teaches how you MUST LOVE YOURSELF first. I really connected with Jane’s story and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to get healthy.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Always Hungry: How I Lost the Weight and Found Myself, Jane McGuinness delivers a memoir that is as brutally honest as it is unexpectedly uplifting. Told with sharp wit and fearless self-awareness, the book balances dark humor and emotional depth in a way that makes it both hilarious and quietly devastating.

McGuinness’s voice is one of the memoir’s greatest strengths. Her willingness to confront emotional eating, divorce, discrimination, and dating with unflinching candor gives the narrative an immediacy that feels deeply personal yet widely relatable. The humor never feels forced; instead, it acts as a survival mechanism, allowing moments of heartbreak to land without becoming overwhelming. This balance makes the reading experience feel authentic rather than performative.

What makes Always Hungry particularly compelling is its relatability. McGuinness captures the internal negotiations, setbacks, and small victories that accompany personal change, offering readers a sense of recognition even when their circumstances differ from her own. Her reflections often arrive with surprising warmth, turning moments of struggle into instances of clarity and, at times, genuine encouragement.

The memoir’s bold honesty gives it emotional weight, but it also offers something more subtle: perspective. By examining her life with both humor and humility, McGuinness invites readers to reconsider their own struggles with compassion rather than judgment. Always Hungry is not just a story of transformation, but a reminder that growth often comes from the places we least expect.

[Ann Campanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane McGuinness explores the pain of her disordered eating past and how it led to her being terribly uncomfortable in her body. She shares how she gradually made changes in her life to support her slow, but steady weight loss. But this book goes way beyond her dedicated lifestyle changes. She shares the story of moving from Australia to Vancouver, her divorce from her “nice guy,” husband, her turbulent life as a single mom of three, the perils of meeting men online, her dating life, much more. I enjoyed the expansiveness of this memoir and how Jane seemed to break out of old paradigms with joy and vigor. I couldn’t help but see that her title Always Hungry refers to the human condition, and how she funneled that yearning into a search for a life of meaning.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Hungry is a brutally honest, sharply funny, and deeply moving memoir that grabs you from page one. Jane McGuinness turns her journey through emotional eating, divorce, motherhood, and cultural displacement into a masterclass in resilience and self-discovery. Her dark humor, especially when recounting outback childhood memories or navigating the chaos of post-divorce Tinder keeps the story both heartbreaking and hilarious. From hiking the Camino to rebuilding her health and identity, Jane’s courage shines on every page. This debut is raw, relatable, and unexpectedly uplifting, reminding us that the hunger we feel often has nothing to do with food at all.

[Sarah May · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest and powerful memoir about weight loss, healing, and becoming! Jane’s writing blends sarcasm, critique, memoir, and reflection. Offering a critical perspective about the bias and shame of being overweight in society contrasted with being thin - Jane offers us an important voice from her own experience. I was touched by her honesty and the cruelty she experienced when overweight, and resonated with important questions she posed throughout about patriarchy, social norms, and food. She finds healing on her journey home into self acceptance, discipline, and compassion and teaches us all something along the way.

[John Obi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane McGuiness is not afraid to show the worst of herself in this novel. She explores her weight loss journey, but more importantly, she explores the mental issues behind the weight loss in the first place, discussing how an overburdened mind and unfullfilled life caused her to find solace in eating her problems away. Always Hungry is a well-told novel that feels almost conversational. It depicts one woman's journey, but mirrors a pain that so many people share- a lack of fulfillment.

[Alana Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! Hit hard at the root of my own experience in our culture around weight, body image, and women’s roles - and kept me laughing out loud. Love a book that can speak truth, not talk itself too seriously, and make me laugh.