Eat the Cookie: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Food, Faith, and Fitness

by Taylor Kiser

Finally-- a real-life plan for eating and thinking healthy. Nutrition and fitness coach Taylor Kiser's Eat the Cookie is your invitation to give yourself the grace to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress. From diets to detoxes to fitness plans, there's no shortage when it comes to plans for perfection. But what happens when our quest for health and perfection leads to fear, insecurity, and over-control? Written with her characteristic straight talk and humor, Taylor Kiser draws insights from her own journey to help you find freedom from the impossible quest of perfection. Whether you struggle with body image, eating disorders, unhealthy habits, or the never-ending comparison game, Eat the Cookie provides an easy-to-follow roadmap to spiritual and physical health. Each chapter delivers God's truth to help you redefine your identity in healthy ways, embrace progress over perfection, and use practical tools--such as never-before-published recipes and fitness plans--to love and care for the body God gave you. Taylor understands the pendulum swings we experience with our weight and self-perception. She knows what it's like to let fear of falling short turn into a belief that you're not worthy, and this belief turned into destructive habits that controlled her life for far too long. Now a certified nutrition and fitness coach, Taylor enjoys eating a cookie now and then, even as she enjoys discovering recipes and habits that give her renewed physical energy and health. In Eat the Cookie, you'll learn the secrets of balance that can help us all live health-conscious without being calorie-obsessed.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published June 9, 2020

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kiser shares her insights about food in this book, combining memoir with teaching. She chased bodily perfection, even as a young teen. She so misused her body she ended up in the hospital. She encourages readers to pursue a healthy view of food and worth. Our worth is found in God, not in what the world says.

I like that Kiser encourages us to embrace imperfection while at the same time pursuing the kind of excellence God desires. She wants us to find our self worth in how God made us. She includes periodic questions for deep thinking and suggests frequent life checks, including soul sleuthing.

Each chapter end includes Bible verses to help renew our minds, a recipe, and a detailed workout. I found it a bit odd that, at the writing of the book, Kiser was not going to the gym but was rather enjoying walks and yoga. It made me wonder why such detailed workouts were included in the book. But then, she is a trainer.

Kiser has given a good account of her struggle with the desire for control and her untimely surrendering to God. This is a good book for people who think they will be happy when they control every calorie they consume, every pound that shows up on the scale, and every curve found on the body. It would be especially encouraging for people battling bulimia and similar eating disorders. She admits hers is an ongoing journey. While she is not in the place of total victory, she does provide many practical ideas for winning each battle.

Food for thought: “To know who we are, we must first know who God is.” (Loc 1088/2245)

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Sofie Kero · Rating 4 out of 5]

En god bok! Det är viktigt med god kristen litteratur på tuffa ämnen som ätstörningar, som talar ärligt om hur lätt det är att falla i den fällan, samt vilken kamp det kan vara att bli frisk från dem, även som kristen. Den tar upp många viktiga poänger, bland annat hur komplext begreppet ätstörning är. En ätstörning börjar inte när du blir diagnostiserad med anorexia, utan den börjar i dina tankar. Den kan se ut på så många olika sätt! Den kan maskera sig i en hälsosam livsstil, vilket ger dina tankar ett alibi till varför du ska träna lite mer eller äta lite mindre. Den kan innebära hetsätande följt av ångest, eller tvångstankar som gör att du inte äter sött på flera månader. Den innebär alltid en skev självbild, och en självbild som inte stämmer in med Guds tankar om oss. När du väl tror att du är frisk från den så kommer den och knackar på när du minst anar det, för att se om den får komma tillbaka in i ditt liv.

Som sagt, god läsning! Lite väl amerikansk till stunder , men det går att tåla med tanke på de viktiga aspekterna boken tar upp!

[Steph Carr (LiteraryHypeWoman) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is.... I don't even know....
Parts were good, but also there were parts that made me want to give up. (Ex. Hough levels of Christianeese and stories like eating "purse chicken" or crying over eating one single blueberry). I'm sure this would be helpful for someone with an eating disorder, but for me, it just wasn't working.
There were some good parts and I might try a few of her recipes/ workouts, but overall, the book is meh.
Side note: someone give her saint of a husband a trophy.

[Kelly Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by someone who struggles with an eating disorder this book contains guiding information for those struggling with similar disorders. Personal stories and anecdotes are in every chapter along with plenty of spiritual bible verses for support. The guide has a style that is very casual and informal and is specifically targeted to women. While I found the content slightly repetitive I enjoyed the recipes and workouts included with each chapter.

[Jessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every part of this book! Incredible tips with practical application! A great reminder that life is not about food. I went into this book looking to find food freedom and came out with so much more. My relationship with God has grown so much because of this book. I also feel like Taylor might be my new best friend and I haven’t even met her. Highly recommend for any perfectionist!

[Jensen McEntire · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content was good. The writing style was too friendly. For a nonfiction book, the author chose to be my friend from the beginning which I didn’t necessarily enjoy. But overall, if you struggle with perfectionism or recovering from an eating disorder this book is for you.

[Faith]

I did not finished this book. There scriptural inaccuracies.