FitLit: Doing Away with Diet Drama (and a Giveaway!)

The teenage years are full of the drama, are they not? Boys, boobs, braces…You couldn’t pay me to repeat those years of adolescent awkwardness! There is enough to worry about during those angsty years without having to deal with negative body image or low self-esteem or figuring out the complexities of living a healthy lifestyle. But unfortunately, many girls do start dieting and disliking their bodies in their teen years. Diet Drama to the rescue!

Diet Drama is a straight-talking, feel-good guide to healthy living, specifically written for the teenage girl. While it speaks in a lighthearted tone for teens, any woman looking to live a healthier lifestyle would benefit from this read. Nancy Redd, who also authored Body Drama (a frank guide to how real women’s bodies look and behave), is a former Miss Virginia who has dealt with her own body-image struggles. She’s super-relatable and proves that even someone who won the swimsuit competition at a Miss America pageant isn’t perfect, as she details her struggles with body image and finding a sustainable healthy way of living in many personal anecdotes throughout the book.

The book starts with a discussion of body image and body acceptance. With a discussion of why BMI may not be the be-all, end-all number to live by to a recommendation to accept your shape and work with what you have, this section is a refreshing reminder that nobody—and no body—is perfect.

Eating well and exercising are also big components of the book. The exercise info in the book—from how to find the right sports bra to common dramas and how to combat them, like not having time to work out—actually solves the problems that may present barriers to living a healthier lifestyle. The eating section of the book focuses on how to properly feed your body (instead of going on a diet) and even discusses how to deal with those who aren’t supportive.

While the book is packed full of anecdotes, useful tidbits and facts, the pictures speak volumes. Girls of all shapes and sizes are featured throughout, and illustrated portion guides can help the health newbie to find what a proper portion really looks like. The pictures of stretching and exercises are also great for beginners.

Diet Drama is a no-drama diet book we can live with! —Erin

Interested in getting rid of the drama in your life? Comment to win a copy of Diet Drama! Winners will be randomly chosen and emailed in about a week. U.S. residents only, please!