Jak jsem zhubla 45 kilo za 1 rok

by Whitney Holcombe

Snažíte se zhubnout? Tak zhubněte!
Zapomeňte na pilulky, koktejly a jiné "zaručené" metody!

Autorka knihy trpěla silnou obezitou, rozhodla se ale změnit svůj život a za rok se jí podařilo shodit neuvěřitelných 45 kilogramů. Návod? Jednoduché cvičení a zdravé jídlo.

Začtěte se do tohoto výjimečného vyprávění a především vyzkoušejte rady a tipy, které vám pomohou nejen ke štíhlé linii, ale i ke spokojenějšímu a šťastnějšímu životu.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health, Teen

208 pages, Unknown Binding

First published December 24, 2013

About the author

At age fourteen, Whitney Holcombe weighed 230 pounds. In one year, Whitney lost 100 pounds and found her healthy balance without the use of surgery, trainers, pills, or commercial weight-loss programs. Whitney now uses her success story to encourage teens to become healthy, beautiful confident young women with the world at their feet. She lives in New York.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not in Whitney's target audience so maybe I should not have picked this book up to read but I did because I wanted to hear her weight loss journey. She had some great tips for young adults who are overweight but at times I thought she over did her criticism of those that are overweight and not leading a healthy lifestyle. Who says an overweight person is lonely, has low confidence and has no friends and can't get boys? It would have been also nice if Whitney wrote this book when she was in the process/the end of her weight-loss journey. That was a little confusing to me for the fact that she is now in her 20s and she is trying to connect with a younger age group.
I am in between if I would recommend this to a teen. In some aspects I feel she was educational and then in other aspects her tone was discouraging rather than motivating.

I did enjoy her fitness section and plan to do the circuit she suggested for 15 minutes.

[Cicely Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s face it. With the New Year comes the promise to promise to do the expected: eat right, exercise, take better care of yourself, etc. Books on the topic are hot items in December and January, until the proposed diet plan proves to be ineffective, or worse, unhealthy. This book is nothing like those books. In short, it felt more like a biography of one girls weight loss and shared lessons that she learned.
As you can guess, this young girl grew up being the “fat chick.” She was constantly made fun of by her peers and felt terrible about herself. Her dramatic change began with just one small gesture, and that small gesture grew to become an incredible loss of 100 pounds in one year. No tricks, no games, just effort and better choices are all that is touted.

This book was written for teens, but I recommend it to anyone interested in weight loss stories. A few enjoyable gems in this book include her simplest observations. At one point Whitney asks us to imagine what we will look like one year from now after deciding to make a small change like go for a 20 minute walk every day and eating better foods. Now imagine yourself one year from now after deciding to not change and doing the exact opposite - like eating a bag of chips while watching television. The difference between the two is either a 30 pounds increase or a 30-pound decrease in weight one year from now.

Another priceless suggestion is the "No" Game. It’s a game you play with yourself when you see whatever delicious treats will derail your work. For example, let's say your treat of choice are cookies. Now, whenever you see or are offered a cookie, count how many times I say “no” to those snacks. The no game can also encourage you to bring a small zip lock back of nuts and dried fruit to snack on to avoid those expected hunger pangs.

Whitney also gives workout tips and recipes. Small changes can garner big results. Whitney remains positive, but is realistic too, and understands that we all are capable of weakness and slip ups but one small mistake will not undo everything you work for as long as you keep at it and have more good days than bad. Remain positive, and you can do anything you set your mind to.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like the tone of this. She is so condescending in her words that I think there are some girls who would not benefit from this tactic and in fact could be even more demoralized. There are some people who will do great with the slap in the face method, but not all. I will not be recommending this to anyone. I read this hoping for a more supportive voice full of encouragement. I did not find that.

[Elgyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pobavil mě už úvod, kdy doktor docent praví, že kniha je určena mladým dorostenkám, protože ty mají ještě naději. Ty staré jsou tak zdevastované, že se jim nevyplatí rozjíždět nějaké větší akce.
Děkuju. ;-)


Na jedné straně se autorka tváří jako kamarádka, která ti pošpitá, jak to udělat. Na druhé straně s lehkým opovržením nechápe, proč někdo prostě nezhubne. Přece když zhubla ona...
A ano, neobešli jsme se bez toho, že za všechno můžou její rodiče, protože kdyby vařili lépe a zdravěji, kdyby jí nedovolili se tolik cpát, tak nikdy nemusela být tlustá. Bla bla bla.
Ke konci přišla kapitola "Jak se vypořádat s lidmi, kteří nechápou váš nový životní styl".
Autorka měla neustále problémy. Posmívali se jí, že je tlustá. Šikanovali ji, když zhubla.
Ale má řešeni (samozřejmě).
Pokud vás rodina a přátelé nechápou (a dokonce vás týrají tím, že chtějí, abyste si třeba dala sušenku), tak si najděte někoho lepšího.
Nebo si je svolejte a sdělte jim, že vás odrazují od vašeho cíle a proč jste se rozhodli žít zdravě. A že byste ocenili jejich podporu.
Pochybuju, že by někdo nevěděl, že autorka hubne, protože jedno z prvních pravidel je říct to všem, od maminky až po pošťáka.
Jediný, kdo jí rozuměl, byla její starší štíhlá sestra, která jí půjčovala štíhlé oblečení.
Ona má štíhlou sestru? Po tom, co celou knížku fňuká, jak za její nadváhu může maminka a tatínek?


Aplikována sama na sebe...

s. 120 Mít jasný termín někdy pomáhá v tom, že pak máš větší motivaci. Jindy to ale má opačný účinek (…) Moje rada je tahle: zapomeň na shození určitého počtu kil za určitou dobu. Vykašli se na to, jak dlouhou dobu ti to zabere...
s. 57 Jeden rok: (…) Dávám vám na to jeden rok, abyste dosáhly své vysněné hmotnosti. Ať chcete shodit deset, nebo čtyřicet kilo, vaše nové poslání je udělat cokoli, co bude třeba, abyste to dokázaly během jednoho roku.

Přišlo i velké odhalení, že v polotovarech jsou chemikálie. (s. 132). Panečku.
s. 161 Nejezte maso, zachráníte zvířátko. Super.
Kupte si vegetariánské burgery, které najdete v chladicích nebo mrazicích boxech supermarketů...
To není polotovar?
Po dvou stranách vyjevení pravdy o polotovarech přijde na řadu „průvodce supermarketem.“ (s. 163).
Autorce je jasné, že se „nemůžete vystříhat všech průmyslově zpracovávaných jídel, i když to stále doporučuje“. Ale některé jsou lepší než jiné a ty vám doporučí.


Není mi jasné, proč bych „připravila zeleninový burger podle instrukcí na obalu“ a pak k němu dělala zeleninu na páře nebo pečené fazole.
Udělat „domácí“ zeleninový burger není práce na dva dny.

s. 159 Můžete doplnit i dalšími bílkovinami v podobě několika plátků grilovaného kuřete nebo krůty.
Plátek je široký pojem. U receptu na hubnutí čekám aspoň přibližnou velikost.


Některé rady jsou určené pro méně bystré čtenářky. Např. informace, že ve velkých obchodech jsou bloky levnější. Nebo si blok můžete vyrobit – stačí sešívačkou secvaknout několik obyčejných papírů. (s. 44)
Aby vzápětí přišly pasáže, které vypadají, že je opsala z nějaké moudré knihy.

Obrazová (černobílá) příloha nestojí za nic. V podstatě je tam pár grafů, opsaných štítků s výživovou hodnotou a obrázky u cvičení. S namalovanou cvičenkou, která má neustále stejný výraz (široký přihlouplý úsměv).
Vzadu na obálce jsou čtyři černobílé fotky autorky.
Byl by takový problém vyfotit aspoň jídla u receptů?

Na konci jsou zdroje, včetně autorčiny webové stránky a blogu.
Nefungují.

s. 96 mrná
s. 133 vyrobeno s biosurovin

špatné dělení slov – s. 91
závorky – s. 184

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program. Many thanks to the publisher/author for giving me the chance to read and review this book from the Goodreads First Reads program.

While I am not the target audience for this book exactly--I am NOT a teenager--I have been working on my own weight loss/healthy journey since last year. And I do know what it is like to be an overweight teenager because I was one.

This book looked really promising, but it didn't take long for the author to annoy me. I really tried to like it, but after the first few chapters, it was obvious that it wasn't going to happen. Still, I tried to be optimistic as I continued on, but mostly I just wanted to hurl this book against the wall. Maybe it's me. Maybe it's her. All I know is that for the entire book, she grated on my nerves.

While what Whitney did was amazing, I found myself becoming annoyed with her attitude toward her audience. Which is basically ALL overweight people just sit around eating all day. Nothing could be further from the truth for me (and I'm not just saying this--even when I was an overweight teenager, I did not sit around all day stuffing myself and didn't go back for seconds and thirds like she suggests I might). I'm willing to bet is the same for others. Just because you have personally done this does not mean every overweight person has/does. I would have been willing to overlook this assumption if it had only been mentioned once or twice, but it was mentioned so many times that it wore on my nerves.

Examples of the above straight from the book: Soon you were back to staring like a zombie at the TV. Back to devouring bags of Fritos and containers of fried rice.

Yeah, so maybe it wasn't your fault that your mom made cheesy lasagna and apple cobbler way too often for dinner. But was anyone forcing you to down two or three helpings?


While I did think the resources and tips were helpful, the book did not inspire me at all. I get that sometimes you have to make a point (such as pointing out that the reader of the book is more than likely overweight) but it just felt like there was more negativity toward the reader's failings rather than anything inspirational. Tough love is one thing but the constant griping about the reader being fat because they eat like a pig doesn't seem to accomplish anything. Especially when assumptions are made--like having two to three helpings of dinner and dessert?

Maybe this book will help some teenagers. But for those with really low self-esteem and confidence, I worry that this book may be too much for them. This book wouldn't have encouraged me as a teenager. I would recommend approaching this one with extreme caution. If you can't take criticism, especially when it's given over and over again, this book is probably not going to be helpful to you. If you do find that helpful, this book probably is right for you.

Was planning on giving this at least 2 stars since it did contain helpful information, but by the end I just couldn't bring myself to do it.


Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review

[Stephanie Hartford · Rating 1 out of 5]

I figured this would be a nice motivational read, however it was completely the opposite. The author recounts in not a lot of detail the way she lost 100 pounds over the course of the year and the struggle she had with her weight growing up. At the same time however she puts down those who had to have surgery to have the same results and pretty much sums it up if you are overweight it is your own fault. The word fat is thrown around a lot and there are letters from girls who weight only 140 pounds but are desperate to lose 20 more. To me that is not healthy. It was an easy read, but was VERY disappointing and I almost feel like borderline teaching eating disorders.

[Amy :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC won through Goodreads giveaway.

I hope that this would be an inspirational book for teens and young adults struggling with weight loss. The author continually encourages the reader to put down the book and exercise and to stop making excuses. This approach may be effective with those age groups, but as an older reader, I felt it berating and insulting.

I would recommend this book to any middle school or high school student looking to loss weight or get in shape who may be looking for additional motivation, but not to any readers older than that.

[Shanelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I purchased "1 Year, 100 Pounds," I was expecting the book to be about Whitney Holcombe's inspiring weight loss and the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. All of these were true, and I even felt inspired and motivated to live a healthier life than the one I'm currently living. However one of the major put-offs of this book was how Whitney Holcombe wrote in a manner which said, "...and that's why you're fat." I feel that this is quite negative, especially considering the book is targeted towards teenage girls.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty straight forward. Some good info, but her tone wasn't ever encouraging. She sounds more like a mom telling off her kid for overeating. I'm not a teenager nor am I over weight, other than needing to lose that fun extra 20 pounds. But I like reading people's perspectives on their weight lost, however if I were a teenager reading this, I wouldn't feel very encouraged.

[Ivanna St, James · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really interesting and I actually really liked It. I love Whitney and I really see her as a great motivation, so as I may not love the book I am really biased because of the author so I can't rate It lower.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Téhle knižní novince nakladatelství Fragment, která má prostě neuvěřitelný název, jsem dlouho nevěnovala pozornost. Nemám ráda knížky, videa nebo články o hubnutí. Z vícero důvodů. Jenže nakonec mi to nedalo, zrcadlo zanaříkalo při pohledu na mé tělo v plavkách a já si řekla, proč to nezkusit a nepřečíst si něco trochu tematického situaci.

Whitney byla vždycky jiná než ostatní. Odmalička ráda jedla a nikdo z její rodiny jí v tom nebránil, však ona to všechno vytáhne, říkali si. Se svou váhou a tělesnými proporci měla Whitney na základní škole především psychické problémy - často byla terčem posměchu či nadávek a samozřejmě trpělo i její sebevědomí. Přesto se velmi dlouho nedokázala odhodlat ke změně. Bylo jí čtrnáct, když o letních prázdninách uprostřed odpoledne s brambůrky a televizí vstala a oznámila rodičům, že se půjde projít. A ta procházka jí změnila život!

Takové myšlenky mi toho odpoledne vířily hlavou. Vteřinu za vteřinou, minutu za minutou se moje mysl soustředila na jednu jedinou pravdu, kterou jsem věděla už dávno: takhle já žít nechci. Od útlého věku jsem snila o jiném životě, o jiném já. Tak zoufale moc jsem chtěla ten se prožít... a proč bych tedy neměla? Proč dovoluji svým nejistotám, aby mě brzdily? Proč?
V tu chvíli jsem okamžitě věděla, co se musí změnit. Vstala jsem z pohovky a v každé buňce mého těla pulzovalo odhodlání. "Mami," zavolala jsem, "jdu se projít!"
(Jak jsem zhubla 45 kg za 1 rok, str.13)

Když nic nezměníte, nic se nezmění
Tři týdny před tím, než Whitney nastoupila na střední školu, vážila tato čtrnáctiletá dívka při výšce sto sedmdesáti centimetrů 105 kilogramů. Ano, trpěla silnou obezitou, ale hlavně postrádala sebevědomí. Číslo, které váha ukazovala, ovládalo její život. Bylo hlavním zdrojem jejího neštěstí a důvodem, proč nenáviděla sama sebe. Okamžik zlomu nastal jednoho horkého dusného srpnového odpoledne v severní Virginii.

Whitney vždycky snila o tom, že se z ní stane modelka. Odjakživa prý pro módu měla cit, jenže vlivem rozměrů svého těla mohla navštěvovat pouze obchody s nadměrnými velikostmi, kde se to módou zrovna nehemžilo. Toho osudného léta měla v plánu den za dnem cvičit, aby, až přijde do školy, zazářila. Aby měla šanci najít si přítele, aby ji někdo pozval na večírek, aby si konečně připadala pěkná a aby zapadla mezi ostatní. Jenže namísto běhání maratónů Whitney polehávala a cpala se nezdravými věcmi. Jenže když po promrhaných měsících přemýšlela o své velké chybě, uvědomila si, že hlavní příčinnou jejího nesnažení se je strach, že to nedokáže. Vždycky byla pro okolí jen plachá tlustá holka a všichni očekávali, že taková zůstane. A ona to chtěla změnit. Chtěla si splnit své sny, ve kterých jí bránila její váha. A jednoho dne s tím prostě začala.

Obyčejně se mi úvodníky píšou docela těžko, neboť vybrat správná slova může chvíli trvat a celkově vystihnout jiskru a zachovat tajemství je docela umění. Jenže dnes, když píšu o Whitneyně knížce, je tomu naopak. Víte, čím to je? Ve Whitney jsem našla spřízněnou duši, člověka, kterému bych mohla důvěřovat. Jako bychom byly z jednoho vejce svými pocity, názory a myšlenkami. Stalo se mi nesmírným potěšením ji skrz řádky poznat, a to hned z několika důvodů.

Tajemstvím úspěchu je začít
Víte, proč nemám ráda cvičební videa Jillian Michaels? Proč nerada čtu články o hubnutí a s ještě menší oblibou poslouchám rady ostatních? Protože oni, nikdo z těch slavných či uznávaných odborníků na fitness a zdravou výživu, nikdy nebyl tlustý. Nikdy netrpěl nadváhou a nikdy nemusel hubnout o několik velikostí, aby se dostal na optimální míry. Mohli byste si myslet, že mě právě ti odjakživa hubení lidé budou motivovat k touze dosáhnout podoby s jejich vypracovanými těly, ale opak je pravdou - mám spíš sklony k naštvanosti a otrávenosti, když se přede mnou slavná cvičitelka rychle prohýbá, shýbá a zase zvedá. Ona si neumí ani představit, jaké to je, nemít takovou výdrž, jako ona. A rozhodně mi na odhodlání nepřidá, když ve svém videu ani na chvíli nepoleví a myslí si, že budu v pohodě. A to ještě nejsem tak tlustá. Jo, to pak máte pocit, že jsou všechna tahle cvičení pro hubené holky s fyzičkou. (edit. Omlouvám se za svůj omyl, pro ty, kteří by tento odstavec chtěli popřít, prosím, věnujte pozornost komentářům!)

S Whitney to však bylo jiné pořízení. Knihu psala s citem těžkou obezitou postižené slečny, která se s tím dokázala vypořádat. To vás motivuje nejvíc - když to dokázala ona, dokážu to taky! A samozřejmě si holky trpící nadváhou až obezitou nepřečtou žádný smrtící redukční plán, jak se zbavit pětačtyřiceti kil. Kdepak, Whitney na to jde jinak. Lépe. A vy jí věříte, neboť vás pořád ujišťuje, že chápe, že to není lehké, ale že vám věří. A dodává vám odvahu dělat to, co se kvůli studu bojíte dělat, jako třeba jít do posilovny nebo odmítnout návštěvu McDonald´s.

Je velmi těžké tuto knihu zařadit do specifické kategorie. Whitney smíchává své vlastní osobní zkušenosti, rady a tipy s odbornými znalostmi, vypráví čtenářkám svůj příběh a zároveň jim dává prostor pro uskutečnění vlastní proměny, vlastního vykročení za lepším životem. (Protože jak známo, obezita přináší nejen psychické problémy a nehezký vzhled, ale trpí jí i naše zdraví - kosti, klouby, špatnou stravou i zuby, útroby, srdce, krev, vlasy a pleť.)

Whitney nás seznámí se svým vlastním příběhem - jak a proč se rozhodla pro změnu a jaké byly její začátky, doporučí nám, jak začít a jaké kroky při tom podniknout, ukáže nám, jak si nastavovat cíle, plánovat pohybové aktivity a jíst podle sepsaného jídelníčku. Celou kapitolu věnuje motivaci sebe samého, zbavování se zlozvyků spojených s jídlem či pohybem a navykání si nových vlastností prospívajících našim zájmům. Povypráví nám něco o kalorických hodnotách, doporučí nám různé druhy cvičení a stravování. Zaměří se i na sebeovládání a často se vyskytující problémy při hubnutí a poradí nám, jak se jich zbavit nebo je minimalizovat.

U toho cvičení se mi například líbí to, že po vás nechce, abyste uběhli maraton. Jistě, motivuje čtenářky tím, že píše o svých postupných zlepšeních (z funící půlhodinové procházky na pohodových dvaačtyřicet kilometrů běhu během dne), ale netlačí na vás a naopak dbá na to, aby pomohla především dívkám trápícím se svým vzhledem. Ono to totiž není legrace, začít cvičit, když už si nevidíte ani na nohy. (To teda není můj případ, ale na rozdíl od těch nanynek, co šílí kvůli centimetrové povolené kůži na stehnech, se dokážu do silnějších lidí vcítit...) U cvičení píše vždy tři možnosti provedení podle kondice cvičícího a vy se tak můžete posouvat dál.

Když už mluvíme o kardiu, proč nevstat a nezačít při čtení chodit? Myslím to vážně! Není tak těžké číst, zatímco chodíte sem a tam - pokud nejste neuvěřitelně nekoordinované. V takovém případě při čtení prostě stůjte! Spálíte tak víc kalorií, než když budete sedět a číst, jasné?
(Tipy od Whitney, str.90)

Zaručená motivace!
Toť se ví, že jsem se hned chytla a ještě během čtení se pustila do hubnutí. Právě jsme byli s taťkou na výletě a já měla z každého najetého kilometru radost. V aquaparku jsem uplavala deset bazénů, každé ráno se šla projít po vesnici. A po návratu domů pokračovala ve snažení se. Jillian jsem odmítla, protože tu ženskou prostě nedokážu vystát, ale zato jsem začala cvičit podle portálu Fithall a to mě baví. Dělala jsem to i minulé léto. A také jsem s mamkou šla běhat - vlastně to byla spíš rychlá chůze prokládaná pětiminutovým během. Běžely jsme tři a půl kilometru. Jenže zkuste si někdy běžet v lese - no, co vám budu povídat. Stalo se, co se mělo stát a já si krásně rozbila holeň. (A nejlepší na tom bylo, že jsme doma neměli ani desinfekci, ani náplast. :D) Na přespolní běh tedy asi stavěná nejsem, ale pořád jezdím na kole, chodím pěšky s Bětuškou nebo Bertíkem, kroužím obručí hula-hop, občas cvičím podle Fithall videí a šetřím na běžecký pás/eliptický trenažer. Co myslíte, co je lepší? Mamka mi navíc slíbila, že pokud do konce prázdnin zhubnu čtyři kila, přidá mi jednu třetinu. (Mimochodem, to je také částečně důvod, proč jsem se odhodlala prodávat knížky i tady na blogu. Mrkněte do BAZARU KNIH!)

Ale zpět ke knize. Osobně ji všem vřele doporučuji. Ne, nenajdete uvnitř žádný zázračný recept, jak shodit čtyřicet pět kilo během roku (to ani nelze v některých případech, já chci být po nějaké době lehčí zhruba o patnáct kilo a bude to ideální). Spíš se jedná o opravdu motivující knížku dívky, která to dokázala. Která přemohla sama sebe a chce s tím pomoci všem, které jejich váha trápí. A co víc - to čtení bude zábavné! Běžte do toho! ;)

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plus stars for the great chapters on intro to healthy diet and exercise.

Minus stars for all the references to looking good and attracting boys as a motivation for healthy living.

[Orsayor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Library Read... 2.5 stars

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 1 out of 5]

eesh

[Jessica Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, this just isn't it. I feel like from what I remember which isn't a lot because this book wasn't good but I felt like she kept saying the same things over and over and over again

[S. Bacchante]

Found Whitney on YouTube, thought she was interesting, checked out her book... Ended up just listing through it, it's nothing new under the sun.
But her story is admirable

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like reading books about getting healthy and how others have succeeded.

Ten years ago, Whitney was fourteen and a hundred pounds overweight. Other kids made fun of her and picked on her. One day she decided to do something about it and started with going for a walk. A year later, after incorporating healthy foods and exercise, she'd lost 100 pounds!

The book begins with Whitney's story. Each chapter covers a different topic including having goals, motivation, changing habits, foods to eat and avoid (with sample food plans and recipes), exercising (with cardio and strength training examples) and having/maintaining discipline. There is even a chapter on how to deal with things like when your friends and family try to sabotage your effects, and how to handle being thinner and healthier (you'll need to buy new clothes, people who were mean to you in the past might suddenly want to be your friend, etc.). Scattered throughout the book are "Whit's Tips". There is a resource section at the end with "cool" websites to check out, fitness magazines for inspiration, workout videos and exercise equipment recommendations.

This YA book is for girls age 12+ who want to lose weight sensibly and without pills, fad diets or surgery. Yay! It's written in a style and tone they will relate to. There is a lot of detail and complex concepts but it's explained in a way that it would be understandable for a YA. The author acknowledges that losing weight isn't easy and is hard work and, if I was a YA, I'd find this book motivational and encouraging.

According to the book, the reasons why people are overweight is simply because they aren't eating healthy enough, are addicted to junk food and aren't physically active enough. Yes, that's true to some extent. Just because you lose weight doesn't guarantee you are going to be happier and more popular, as was apparently the author's experience. There are also emotional reasons why people turn to food for comfort (abuse, family issues, etc.). It would have been nice if she'd touched more on what makes YA gain weight in the first place besides bad eating habits and laziness and give some resources for those areas too.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/01...

[Tweller83 · Rating 3 out of 5]

** I received this book free from First Reads in exchange for my honest review. **

I entered the contest for this book because I see many of my students walking around looking like I did in high school (and still do) and I thought a book like this could be helpful to them if they wanted to make a change. Am I the target audience, No - not a teenager.

6-1-14: Alright, huge confession here (maybe not to those who know me). This sat on my shelf forever. I think I got it in March 2014. Then I started "reading" it on May 9th--allegedly. It sat beside my bed for almost a month after I read the introduction. All because I knew, once again, that if I read something about a "diet" or getting thin, that I would have no excuse other than to at least give it a try. I'm still only a few chapters in and while I do want to try to lose weight again, I can't seem to finish this book. Will try again later.

6-27-14: This Whitney seems really judgmental and comes off as just another "mean" girl who is bullying the person into feeling bad about themselves if they aren't losing weight, because all you have to do is make the choice to eat less and exercise more. If it was that easy to keep up with those things; many, many people would already be healthy and wouldn't need this book. Has it inspired me to loose weight? NO. Will it inspire any of my students? Maybe. I'll add it to the library.

UPDATE 6-30-14: Feeling a little snarky - this isn't a bad book and I'm sure others may find it helpful, but I didn't.

Challenge 2014 - July selection - Read a book you found from social media (library blog, goodreads, etc.)

[Karen Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

Losing weight is a new year's resolution for many, and it doesn't hurt to have extra motivation to get one started. As a psychologist, I meet a good variety of people whose weight or self-image greatly impact on their mental health.
Compared to novels, real life biographies of weight loss success somehow are motivating to read. 100 pounds, or 45kg is an overwelming number. That's the weight of most of my fully grown adult Asian girlfriends.
She claims eating healthy and exercising to be the answer. And I almost screamed, "I don't believe you!" and my inner voice was saying "what worked for you isn't going to work for me because I already eat right and exercise regularly, what can I do about a 9-5 desk job which is my primary problem...?" Despite these defeating thoughts, I did get some great ideas from the author: a vision board, set "missions", keep it interesting. In fact, these aren't only useful for weight loss, but as motivating tips for any goal.
I applaude the author on her amazing efforts to lose so much weight over one year and to get into the healthy weight range. The switch from food being a coping mechnism to fitness being a coping mechnism is definitely more functional. However, discussions are already alive in "fitness addiction", so caution must be needed when taking things to the extreme.
NB: Please consult a doctor before beginning any exercise program or diet.

[amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was alright. At times it felt a little like you can't have nice things if you're a fat person but this book was written a while ago. Since this book we've had a lot of steps forward towards body acceptance. There is no wrong way to have a body. I also think there's something to be said for the fact that the person writing this book had personal success from the plan that she decided on and is not a medical doctor or personal trainer. If she is now she wasn't at the time she wrote this book. The "tough approach" motivation she uses is making jokes about eating junk food in a "hey reader don't think I didn't see you sneak that candy bar lol" kind of way. It's dated. There is so much more to being an overweight person than lack of exercise and poor eating habits. I think it's fine to read as a personal success story from a person with the idea that thinks because it worked for her it will work for everyone. I shudder to think that this book is in the teen section of my library. I'm glad I'm reading this as an adult with access to the body positive community. I am interested in weight loss but from a place of having a healthy mindset and choosing a healthy attitude. This book teaches you how to count calories, shame people who get weight loss surgery because it's the easy way out, and gives the author fodder for that voice inside of you who feels self conscious for eating a piece of pizza.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it... I just didn't love it.

I did enjoy how she kept mentioning her journey and how she talked to the age group reading her book. I know some people didn't enjoy how she talked to the girl reading the book because it was too harsh or something. In all fairness, it does say on the front of the book that she's a mix of cheerleader and drill sergeant. From my experience, both cheerleaders and drill sergeants are harsh. But she did it with class and used the "being real" tactic which, I feel, would motivate young girls to lose the weight.
She also incorporated ways to lose weight without going to the gym and she added journal entries that young girls could start doing. She mentioned cheetos and cookies both of which girls actually eat. She mentioned bullying and feeling low about weight. I still feel that way and I'm not even a young girl!

Overall, it was a good book for young adults to grab if they want to make the change to lose weight and feel better about themselves.

Good job, Whitney!

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a ARC- Advanced Reading Copy
Some parts of book in review
My Thanks: Thank you Whitney for letting me win this book by First Reads & listing it on there!

My Review: This book is a little bit geared to a specific age group - Teens . But, it still can be used for anyone. This book is designed to help teenagers & adults to lose weight and become more self confident about heir appearance/weight. My favorite parts in the books were Whit's tips were Whitney (the author) gives the reader (you) tips to keep moving and going, and some of them is exercising while you are in the middle of reading! Another good thing about this book is it helps/gives you foods & recipes that you can eat & make! Really A GoodRead

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very relatable...to a point. The author was a bit condescending - she assumes that all people who are overweight "sit in front of the tv eating Fritos". I rarely eat junk food. In fact, I rarely eat, and yet I am over 60 pounds overweight. Also, her technique of getting mad may work for some, but getting angry and infusing your life with negativity doesn't seem like the best strategy. I gave it 3 stars because it does contain useful information and was relatable, but her approach was somewhat uninspiring and pessimistic. Personally, I didn't relate to her journey of becoming overweight, but if you do, then this book could be good.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

trigger warning for talk of bulimia

I am mostly in her target demographic (I am 22). the book was very motivational and practical for those of us who have trouble motivating ourselves. I am about thirty pounds overweight and I needed something like this.

the only gripe I have is with her calling bulimia "disgusting!" (with an exclamation mark!) and not "sanitary!" (with another exclamation mark!) and also assuming the only way to purge is by vomiting (I was bulimic and I'm emetophobic so I certainly never purged that way) besides telling me I'm disgusting for purging doesn't exactly make me feel better since I already know I'm disgusting

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book received from Goodreads Giveaways.

I read this book awhile ago and wasn't a huge fan of it. It was interesting but even though I'm one of the people she was trying to reach with the book it just didn't inspire me. I do need to lose quite a bit of weight but her tone in the book just annoyed me, and I can't really pinpoint why. I haven't been sure about reviewing it since it wouldn't be the best review for the book. I happened to be in my local Dollar Store earlier and saw it in the bargain books and felt bad about not reviewing it. I hope it did some good before it was remaindered.

[Katarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whitney is an admirable young woman, with a strong will, who achieved a great accomplishment.

What I liked about the book was lots of great info about food, food labels, working out and staying motivated

What I was hoping more for was more biographical info from Whitney. I would have liked to hear more about how she did it. She mentions several times that her life changed with that one walk she decided to take that one summer. But it's not that easy. How do you keep going every day, day after day, and NOT give up after a few weeks, as she also points out happens too often.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not realize this book was targeted towards teenagers when I got it. Despite that the book still has some good information and advice. I had only one problem with the book and that was with the illustration on how to do squats. Your knees are not suppose to go over your feet. It's one of the things I remember from my physical conditioning class. Otherwise it's a good starter book for inspiration for people looking to lose weight but feel like they can't.
*I received this book through Goodreads first reads giveaway*

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally, I don't tend to read self-help/health books, but this was a free read on Pulseit. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. Whitney Holcombe has written a very inspirational book for those struggling with weight issues as a teen or an adult. And even if you just need to lose a few pounds, Whitney's story and encouraging words are great motivation for living a healthy lifestyle. Overall, this is an inspiring story to motivate weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Whitney approaches this subject with a blunt voice and some encouraging words, too.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. It is geared toward a teenage audience, but I read it before passing it on to my teenage daughter. Whitney followed a very sensible plan to lose her weight and shares the process with her readers. She did it with determination, positive attitude, hard work, and a healthy eating plan. I think this is an excellent book for teens struggling with their weight or just trying to live a healthier lifestyle.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand the complaints other reviewers had about tone, but I appreciated the tone as I need that kind of motivation and inspiration. While the book is aimed at teens with references to school and the like, the nutrition and workout info is applicable to anyone just starting out on the "get healthy" path. I appreciated that there was no medicines/supplements/fad dieting, just good nutrition and smart exercise. A good intro to a healthy lifestyle.