The Secrets of Skinny Chicks: How to Feel Great In Your Favorite Jeans -- When It Doesn't Come Naturally

by Karen Bridson

Now you can find your inner thinner chick with the exercise, diet, and image secrets of the most enviable bodies In The Secrets of Skinny Chicks , award-winning women's health journalist Karen Bridson profiles 25 svelte women--including models, actors, athletes and regular folks--to reveal exactly what it is each one does to look so great. These women share with you their tips for planning menus, exercising, and staying motivated as well as advice on boosting metabolism. You will learn how to adapt these secrets into your own life safely and realistically.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2006

About the author

Karen is an award-winning journalist specializing in women's issues and is the author of three women's health books. A former crime reporter who has been specializing in women's issues, health, pregnancy and parenting for the past eight years, Karen has a particular talent for personal essay-style columns. Over her 17-year career as a newswoman, Karen has published in many national newspapers and magazines including Shape Magazine, Runner's World Magazine, Maclean's Magazine, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The National Post and The Montreal Gazette, among others.

As a "born-again feminist," she is the co-founder of Third Wave Feminists Toronto, a consciousness raising mothers' group and the creator of Pregnancy Fitness Awareness Day. Since the birth of her son Adlai almost five years ago, she has been a student of feminist theory, reading every title she can get her hands on. She is the author of surprisingly feminist The Secrets of Skinny Chicks: How to Feel Great in your Favorite Jeans when it Doesn't Come Naturally (McGraw-Hill, 2006), Nine Months Strong: Shaping Up for Labor and Delivery and the Toughest Physical Day of Your Life (Lifeline Press, 2004) and Run for It: A Woman's Guide to Running for Emotional and Physical Health (Burford Books, 2002).

Karen has won a number of journalism awards, including back-to-back Toronto Police Media Awards for Best Editorial (writing in a personal, engaging tone is what she does best) while covering the police beat, and was honored as the best in her class in newspaper journalism when awarded a scholarship from Canada's largest daily newspaper, The Toronto Star.

Reviews

[Jennifer Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I thought the title was so cheesy, but the premise was interesting. It basically documents 25 or so "skinny chicks" who are not naturally (i.e. crazy metabolism bitches) skinny, but actually have to work at it and have maintained it. It goes through their typical weekly menu and workout schedule.

The author also has lost a lot of weight and kept it off and really tells you the reality of what it takes to stay thin without a gimmicky diet plan.

I was very inspired by this book, especially by how much these women workout and I no longer think three times a week of thirty minutes of cardio is enough and I have seen results from changing my workout habits and learning to enjoy the whole process more.

I have gotten good meal ideas from these women as well and learned to work in my favorite foods without gaining weight. There is one woman in the book who has Oreos every day, but eats "clean" the rest of the day and is still thin. That was the best part about the book, you can eat what you want as long as you are sensible about it. And you can have a whole "cheat" day here and there.

This same author also has a book about staying in shape before, during, and after pregnancy which I think may be helpful in a couple of years.

[Ashleigh Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like with any diet book, some advice I take and some I leave, thus the 4 stars. I was interested when I read this book and have gone back to reference it years after I've read it. I read it for inspiration when I am not in the mood to eat right or exercise, etc. I usually go back and read through the examples of the actual skinny chicks. I have Googled images of them so that I know what this book's definitely of "skinny" is and to find out which diet I am most interested in following. Women who are incredibly active get to eat more (yum!), but women who aren't just don't...that is if they want to be a skinny chick. This book speaks the truth, and I like the way it lays it out. If you want to look like this girl, here's her age and here are her stats, then good news: I stalked her for you and found out how she does it. Now go do it and quit whining like no effort goes into it. Believe me...she watches her lifestyle. Also, I like the way the author has a nutritionalist comment on the health factor of the diet. Too many substitutes (protein shakes or bars) just don't take the place of actual healthy food. This book inspired me a lot with figuring out my own diet over the years.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think what sets this book apart from the rest is that the author tells about real women with their struggles and how they work through it. The women in the book each tell how they came up with ways on how to overcome their cravings with tips and tricks they learned along the way. Then after each women there is a doctor review about why they like/dislike each diet and exercise routine. They also list their typical meal plan in a day, along with their height, weight, and measurements. It gives you each calorie intake of each person telling their story. This gives you a guideline to follow if you want to. There are portion guidelines in the book, and a explaination of why exercise is important and why you will need to do it other than just for weight issues.

There are chapters on your mindset, why you need to exercise, changing your diet, how many calories you need for your height, etc. Also, there's a chapter on what to do with different emotional situations they trigger your eating. Mostly have a plan before you go on that binge.

A great book. I think you can get some great ideas and plans from this one.

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts of this book were fascinating, especially the beginning part that told about what professionally skinny women actually do to maintain that artificially adolescent look long past their actual teens.
Parts of it were simply common sense (don't eat anything bigger than your head kinds of common sense). But a lot of it was foolish (eat margarine on your popcorn) and the working out with weights section of it was, to this weightlifter, enraging. It reinforces that old canard about women getting all "bulky" from lifting, and to add insult to injury, says such damnfool things as "If, for instance, you do mini bicep curls but don't bring your fist all the way up to your shoulder level, then you will be defeating your purpose and building short bulky muscles", the which is just multi-layered bullshit. The mere phrase "long lean muscles" causes steam to come out of my ears. It also suggests using 2 pound dumbbells. Presumably pink, with glittery 2s on the ends.

So. Interesting, commonsensical in parts, and ridiculous in others. I wish I'd stopped reading after the first part.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twenty-five women, who reportedly don't have high metabolisms, were interviewed. I found it amazing how poor some of their diets were. It's no wonder they have to work out two hours a day. You can eat junk but you have to work out extra hard to get rid of it. They were making room in their diets for cookies, donuts, etc. For me, it's all or nothing. I can't stop at one cookie so I avoid them altogether.

The fifty tips were good ... common sense stuff that was a good reminder.

Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2007/01...

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I thought it would be cheesy when I first picked it up and skimmed through it....but i loved it. It gives realistic healthy advice about those skinny chicks that have to work at the figure and not just the ones that can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound. It was a fun read!!!!

[Adrienna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was tired of reading books to tell me how to eat or what to eat with their diets; their exercises; and or small people in their workouts.

Now, I discover how women remain skinny, not all have a great metabolism or born skinny, it is maintained and want to learn what it takes to stay healthy and get the weight off for good.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll give you a summary to save you the time of reading this book: eat 1500 calories and work out for 3 hours a day.

[Tracy]

skimmed this one

[Yamimana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The useful "secrets" I'm already doing, the rest is plain unrealstic...

[Varnika Agarwal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book very helpful to plan my exercise routine.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

fun, interesting and somewhat motivating.

[Magen Giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the book was very motivating.