The Weight-Loss Diaries

by Courtney Rubin

From Shape magazine's popular "Weight-Loss Diary" columnist comes a hilarious, sometimes heartwrenching look at the daily struggle of dieting In this frank and funny book, Courtney Rubin shares what she learned about dieting--and herself--in more than two years of chronicling her battle to keep food from consuming her life. As engaging as her famous column, The Weight-Loss Diaries is part memoir, part how-to, and always entertaining. An honest and brave account of what it feels like, day in and day out, often year in and year out, to try to lose a significant amount of weight, The Weight-Loss Diaries

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Health, Food, Diets, Self Help, Fitness

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2004

Reviews

[Lain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book this raw deserves five stars, just for plain guts. But when you add in Rubin's way with words, her self-deprecation, and her humor, it makes me wish I could give her a few more.

Anyone who's ever struggled with their weight, self-image, or food will relate to Rubin's tale of dieting, falling off the wagon, bingeing, and trying again. She speaks for everyone who's eaten too much and hated herself for not being able to zip up that "skinny" pair of jeans. Full of raw emotion, gut-wrenching honesty, and a good dose of humor, Rubin has written a story that the majority of women -- whether they have to lose 5 lbs. or 50 -- can relate to.

I remember Rubin's columns in SHAPE and am so glad that she shared the stories behind the stories with everyone. I do wish she was a little more descriptive in the epilogue, though -- has she made it to a "healthy" weight? Is she happy? Has her obsession with food and weight decreased? I can only hope she'll write a sequel.

[Mary Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure I saw the articles that this woman wrote for Shape magazine, so I thought reading her book would be interesting and motivating, as I am in the process of losing weight myself. Instead, this book spiraled into nothing but whining and making excuses and constantly acting like the world revolved around her. It was grating to read. I almost took it back to the library unfinished, but I hate not finishing a book, even if it's awful. From the sound of it, she never lost the weight anyway, so what was the point to this book?

[Lovely Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every book is not for everyone. This book was for me. I’ve said these things to myself so many times. The guilt, the binge, the anger. Outside of writing and article for the world to see I’ve been where this author is. One day I hope to also not constantly think about food.

[Sandra VonniessenApplebee · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting to hear this woman’s journey and to remember that weight loss isn’t linear but I was hoping for some strategies- how to maintain weight loss etc.

[De Klas van Juf Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love it<3

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the author’s tone and humor were very enjoyable, I thought that overall the book was not. It was not an inspiring or motivational weight-loss book. It started out with a bit of weight loss through healthy eating and exercise, but then the rest of the book (over half) was about weight gain or bare maintenance (failure of successful weight-loss, opposite of what the title would have you think you were buying into). She demonstrated signs of a binge eating disorder but only touched on talking to a professional about it in the last part of the book, which I found very disappointing (I kept hoping she would get the help she needed). She spent so much time limiting herself from doing things or worrying about parties/trips/dinners out because of her weight or fear of confrontation with food. As a reader, I felt like there was no payoff for the stressful journey I took with her. Just a few “positive” thoughts about what she felt she learned from the 2 years (over 24 chapters). Speaking of which, I couldn’t believe when she accepted a second year of the Shape project without any new plan of action to make sure it would be more successful.

I commend her for putting out such raw emotion and sharing the story. I’m sure there is a place for books that discuss a journey despite the lack of outcome, but it was not for me. If you are looking for a book to help you feel not so alone about attempted weight-loss, a dysfunctional family, friend issues, but a great career: this may be the book for you.

[Lize · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zo een goed boek! Geschreven uit eigen ervaring, uit wat Courtney allemaal heeft meegemaakt in haar leven. Voor mij zaten er heel veel stukken in die herkende en die zich even goed hadden kunnen afspelen in mijn eigen leven. Misschien dat ik het daarom zo een goed boek vond?! Wat ik nog leuk en goed vond is om te merken hoe Courtney groeide, op verschillende gebieden, doorheen het verhaal. Door kleine stapjes te zetten kom je ook vooruit en praten is sowieso belangrijk.
Ik herkende mij zowel in het deel over het eten, waar ik ook al lang mee sukkel/tegen vecht om het zo te zeggen, als ook het familiedeel.
Het enige nadeel was, vind ik, dat kilo en pond door elkaar word gehaald en de afstanden die in kilometers werden weergegeven kwamen soms ook raar over.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book in that it made me feel not-so-alone in my weight-loss/food obsession. It started out kind of monotonous as Courtney Rubin went through the first few months of her diet/binge/diet/binge routine over and over. But isn't that how most of us tend to do dieting? Toward the middle/end, there was more variety in what she was talking about and not the constant berating of herself for her binging and "failing" at her (unrealistic, IMO) diet plan. I still have a few pages left that I haven't had time to finish up, but I think they will be the best as far as motivating me to exercise more and become more athletic, even if I continue to "fail" at the diet part. ;)

[Sabrina Rutter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm just not into this. I love reading about women who loose a bunch of weight, but all the things Rubin says in what I have read so far do not apply to me in the least. She talks about starting diets and then going on big binges blaming everyone, but herself in my opinion. I have dieted successfully before, and then when my health went down hill I gained it all back. I'm looking to be inspired not come up with excuses.
Just so you know I didn't read very far into this one so if it seems like something you would like don't let my review stop you from trying it out. Some have liked this book very much, but it's just not for me.

[Britney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Courtney Rubin's two-year chronicle of trying to lose weight while writing a column about her struggle for a national magazine to be inspiring! Not in a "let's start dieting right now!" way, but in an athletic, personal fitness one - in the course of the book, Rubin ran two marathons, which is something I'd love to do, but - and this is a very big but - I don't run. At all. So I've decided to do a 5k next month, which I probably will not run in its entirety but for which I'm planning to work on building my stamina by starting to run and doing other active things.

[melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had followed madam Rubin's monthly column in Shape magazine the 18 months or so that it ran and found her to be very charming as well as it was very easy to identify with her. The book, though, was not like the Hey Go ME! columns. A lot of whiny why-she-didn't-succeed-while-writing-for-Shape. It was almost like the book was written as an excuse. I would like to note that this was the first thing I ever ordered from Amazon so it does have a little significance =)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read. The author seemed like she had a victim complex in the beginning, but throughout the book, it seems she grew out of it more and more. It was a little annoying having to read about how everything and everyone was wronging her, but near the end, it got a bit better! This is pretty motivational, mainly in the running scenes. For myself, at least. I love the way she writes; it’s so personal and down-to-earth. I’m a sucker for 2000’s blog-style books!

[Michele.medlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the most real book i've read on eating, dieting & living through both. the repeats in your mind about your self worth, the sabatoge, the eating to get through, the eating because you got through, the self loathing - all of it - courtney rubin's lived it and has vividly put it before you.

it's a wondeful memoir.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shows a lot of guts writing about her obsession with food, not to mention her binge eating. I just wish she had gotten help to solve WHY she ate. Instead, she gets a meal plan and a little moral support. Until she stops freaking out about how many calories a peach contains, or how she will be forever known as the fat twin, she's never going to be healthy. I wanted her to succeed!

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this very real struggle with weight loss amid the pressures of American thinness and especially the media. Felt Courtney was very real in addressing the other struggles in life and how they related to her desire to loss weight. Life doesn't have a happy ending all the time and women need to realise the role the other stuff plays

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most honest weight loss diaries I have ever read. It probably won't help you solve any issues but it will help you realize that you don't have to be perfect and the journey is worthwhile.

[Michelegg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one so much. Her bingeing, on the diet, off the diet, guilt and hatred for her "failure" really made me anxious. Quite sad! And no happy ending, get to goal, cause she never figured it out.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've liked Courtney Rubin since she was the original Weight Loss Diary in Shape magazine.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an ok book......like reading a journal.....definitely portrayed the struggles of weight loss.....

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not inspire me to attain a goal, but rather to choke the author for whining so much! It might be a good read if you enjoy pity parties.

[Jennifer Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty funny, but the ending was rushed.

[Janell P · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that you read and find a lot in common with your own food issues. Humorous book.