Because the World Has Enough Diet Books…(with Giveaways!)
Reading is such an integral part of my life. I love cracking open a new book and discovering a new tip, a different way at looking at something or a unique take on, well, life. Today’s three books do just that. Yes, they all have a slant on healthy living, but overall they’re more about life than fitness or weight-loss, which I love because gosh knows, the world has enough diet books. Read on for three recommendations that we think you should add it your Amazon cart or hit your library up for—stat!
Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving—and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity
The title pretty much says it all. When you’re a mother, a runner and working (or at home working as a full-time mom!), it can get a tad tricky to squeeze it all in. Okay, darn near impossible to squeeze it all in. (That’s why we’re creating a whole new website to tackle how to do so!) In Run Like a Mother, authors Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea give real (and sometimes hilarious) advice—from experience. These two gals are hard-core runners (I met Dimity at this event and was wowed by her quads), but don’t let that scare you non-marathoners off. The book gives both inspirational advice and practical strategies to help multitasking women make running part of their busy lives.
What I liked most about the book is that it wasn’t just about working out. The authors shared their struggles with post-pregnancy weight-loss, sleep deprivation and depression, while also celebrating family and running for all that it has to offer, including enriching your life and your relationships. Like I said, the book is definitely heavily centered on running though and not overall fitness. Whether you win your age division at races or just hope to finish (or, heck, run down the block), this book can get you there in a balanced way.
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life
A press release on this book sparked probably one of the best and most hilarious lines the FBGs have ever gotten in our inbox: “Unfortunately, Thich Nhat Hanh isn’t available to be interviewed (since he’s a monk).”
Commence unconstrained laughter. Okay, so maybe you had to be there, but it was funny. And true, as I’m sure monks don’t really care too much about press. Anyhow, in Savor, author/monk Thich Nhat Hanh and Harvard nutritionist Dr. Lilian Cheung come together for a unique book that combines Buddhist ideas and teachings with medical science. Yeah, it’s definitely a unique concept, and one that I dug, as I’m super into being present, more mindful and more intuitive with what I eat and how active I am each day.
The book offers practical tools, including personalized goal setting, a detailed nutrition guide and a mindful living plan. And what I like most about the book is that the “diet” is much, much more than that. The book teaches and reminds you to be truly mindful and taste your food, getting in better touch with why we do what we do (or eat more than we want to). There’s even an entire chapter and exercise dedicated to eating an apple and really appreciating it—its texture, taste and mouth feel. Yes, it’s hippity-dippity, but it’s also an important part of losing weight and staying healthy naturally and without so much darn effort and stress. After all, life is too short for that mess. Enjoy life and all it has to offer!
The Pocket Calorie Counter
Okay, so this book isn’t really literature and it’s not exactly earth-shattering in the traditional gotta-read-it-way, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t rock nonetheless. This little puppy may just turn your life upside down. Cause after you finish reading how to run like a mother and eat like a monk, you can throw this little guide in your purse and never make an “OMG, that sandwich sounded so much healthier on the menu than it now looks, sitting in front of me” mistake again.
And not only is the guide small enough to throw in your purse, it also looks more like a planner than a calorie counter, so you don’t have to scream “I’m watching what I eat!” to all in your party. Plus, it’s super organized and cutely designed, and as someone who’s a tad obsessed with organization, it made me smile, big time.
I heart books! What books have changed your mindset? Tell us in the comments below, and you’ll be eligible to win one of these great books. U.S. residents only, please, and winners will be contacted via email in a week. Happy reading—and commenting! —Jenn