Not a whole heck of a lot, actually. I have been grossly neglectful of this poor blog, but only because I’ve been reading academic articles on ethical hacking, net neutrality, free speech and porn in libraries. Needless to say, the coursework this semester has kept me from reading for fun. But I have managed to fit in a quick book or two here and there, namely Skinny Bitch and The SkinnyGirl Dish.
I am so addicted to Slice TV. Sad but true. Several months ago I spent a quiet Saturday afternoon glued to a Real Housewives of New York marathon. Yes, it was misspent time, wherein I wasted several hours of my life which I will never get back, but it’s like watching a train wreck. I just couldn’t tear my eyes away. Then I saw the ads for Bethenny Getting Married?, a reality show focused on the more famous housewife of New York, Bethenny Frankel. I quickly became obsessed. I clearly have no life. It’s my dirty little secret laid bare, please be gentle with your criticism.
Bethenny (I have to use her first name, cause it’s like we’re best buds!) is a cook and founder of the SkinnyGirl Margarita, a line of 100 calorie cocktails that’s taken New York and now elsewhere in the States by storm. She advocates a healthful eating plan that helps you lower the fat, while not skimping on the taste. I’m not a complete convert, but her book The SkinnyGirl Dish, which is a cookbook companion to her Naturally Thin “diet” book, takes any recipe and shows you how to modify it using the ingredients you have on hand. Just what this new-to-the-whole-cooking-thing girl needs to gain confidence in the kitchen. This book is a great take on the traditional cookbook and I’m eager to try some of her offerings.
While checking out Bethenny’s other books on Amazon, I came across a mention for Skinny Bitch, which is a similar philosophy to The SkinnyGirl Dish. Essentially these books are not about dieting and setting up yet another diet meal plan for those who have some pounds to shed, but instead look at how you can make your favourites less fatty and caloric. Bethenny advocates the “taste everything, eat nothing” philosophy, in that you shouldn’t deny yourself any type of food, or make food your enemy, but that you should have some, in moderation, but fill up on good, healthy food like veggies.
In Skinny Bitch, former Ford models Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin also advocate not denying yourself previously labeled “bad” food, but to eat in moderation and consider healthier choices – namely vegan choices. Skinny Bitch is blatantly vegan and is not a read for the weak stomached as it graphically details the hell that is the killing room floor in most slaughterhouses, not to mention just what crap is put in our food chain (antibiotics, growth hormones, bacteria, etc). It’s enough to make this meat eater seriously consider going full vegan (in fact, while reading the book, I had to give my dog extra cuddles to ease my guilty conscience).
Both books are a refreshing take on “diet” books. Rather than giving you a list of don’ts and foods to avoid eating, or put you on ridiculously restricting diets (anti-carbs, super low cals, etc), they focus more on the psychology of eating – eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re stressed; think about what you are eating and why; think about your food choices – what’s healthy, what isn’t and how food makes you feel. When food stops becoming your enemy or your friend, but is just food, only then can you obtain the skinny girl, or skinny bitch you were naturally meant to be (oh and neither book expects you to weigh yourself obsessively, count calories, weigh food, or obtain a specific weight/size).
In April Bethenny Ever After starts up. I’ll be hooked again. Don’t laugh. And don’t call me on Saturdays either, cause I’ll be watching Slice.
Till next time, happy watching, er reading!
L J
| TBR = 4 | WPL = 11 |
