Rebecca Scritchfield

I chose this book because I strongly believe in the "never say diet again" mantra. It delivered that plus so much more.

We throw around terms like "nurturing" and "self-love" often, but do we really know what these mean in a practical sense of day-to-day steps? Rebecca Scritchfield, a registered dietician, breaks down her approach into manageable steps. She says to start with the question, "What is the least I can do?"

One of her precepts that I like the most is that food is nourishment, not a moral choice of good or bad. She talks about the downside of the "clean eating" movement - that anything not "clean" must be dirty or shameful. I appreciated this insight.

However, I'm uncomfortable with a dietician giving such detailed psychological advice. Many of her suggestions are based on positive psychology, which I struggle with and question especially since reading [b: Bright Sided: How The Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America|6452749|Bright-Sided How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America|Barbara Ehrenreich|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437252706s/6452749.jpg|6642954] by Barbara Ehrenreich. But perhaps that's just me.

Scritchfield talks about resilience as if it were just as simple as "just bounce back, already?" It's not that simple, and I found that approach bordering on insensitive and hurtful.

At the point she says, "your mindset determines your authentic life" I wondered if I'd actually finish the book. It's a cliche that's been said by so many authors and speakers over the last decade.

And then things started to turn around. She moves back into eating, caring for yourself, and connecting with others in a way I could relate to.

I did enjoy Rebecca's friendly tone and funny insights like, "You can't hate yourself healthy." In discussing family dinners together - and studies about their benefits - she asks if it was the "magical roasted vegetables" that created those benefits. Of course not!

On the other hand, the continued references to Frozen got old. As my formerly Elsa obsessed granddaughter recently said, "That movie's over now!"

I would have preferred more stories of Rebecca's personal journey, in addition to the client vignettes. When she starts to tell some of her story, I found myself wishing for more detail and emotion. But alas, this is an instructional book not a memoir.

If you're looking for healthy living inspiration that's body positive, this is a great resource. It's full of actionable steps you can put in place for little to no financial investment. Instead, you're investing in yourself and that's the best return of all.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Workman Publishing Company for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)

Best for: People looking for a personal growth book that wraps all of the big ideas into one fancy-feeling book.

In a nutshell: Different ways of looking at how to treat yourself well - body, mind and spirit.

Line that sticks with me: “Think about whether the choice will matter to you in a year.”

Why I chose it: I was in one of those stores that sells a lot of cool-looking things for the home (pillows, candles, clever cards), and this book looked and felt like a fun read.

Review: There is nothing wrong with this book. In fact, I think that 22-year-old me might have gained a lot from reading it. I like the author’s focus on being kind to yourself and not focusing on a lot of things we cannot do (there’s no “don’t eat after 10 PM”-style rules). I like that she doesn’t just look at food and movement, but at feelings and even our values.

I just didn’t feel like there was anything new in here save for the fact that it’s all together in one book. If you’re relatively young, or have never read any sort of personal growth book but are having some struggles with your life, you could certainly do worse than this book.… (meer)