“So coffee equals fat cells. P.S. It also makes your breath smell like ass.” – Skinny Bitch
Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin is the spawn of Satan.
Just kidding.
Actually, it’s an incredibly excellent or full-of-crap book (depends on who you ask) about my ever-present nemesis: FAT.
What do you call a book that touts an (approximately) 800-ish calorie a day diet? If you’re skinny and healthy… you might call it… perfect. If you’re a little overweight… you might call it… a bit over-zealous. If you’re fatter-than-holy-hell… you might call it… and take this from me… genius. See? Depends.
The cover says it’s tough-love and good-God, it *is* that. If you’re a baby-snowflake, you’ll want to steer clear! And sorry about the “baby-snowflake” comment. That was uncalled for. It’s just that… I’m in a bad mood now. Why? *sigh* I got on the scale today. I was 100% naked and feelin’ strong and sassy. Until I saw the number, that is… and oh boy, lookie that?! I have gained 4 pounds over the holiday season. Never mind it’s nearly the end of January already. Ugh and double ugh. From strong and sassy to weak and ashamed. The trials and tribs of a lifelong dieter. Where goes the scale, so goes the confidence. You may quote me.
I looked at myself in the mirror and deemed the reflection fit to go to work without washing my hair, which I almost always still do daily. Thank goodness for greasy skin, younger folks. You may have to wash your hair daily until you’re over 60 but it also keeps wrinkles at bay. But I digress. Bottom line: I felt ugly so I made sure I looked uglier, or something like that.
As I was driving home from work, I decided that I’m going to stop eating. My reasoning? If I got that surgery my doctor has been bugging me about, I wouldn’t be able to eat anyway and would have the added (not actual) benefit of sutures, scaring and manipulation of a major organ or two in my body. If I do it my non-surgical way… no pain, no attendant surgery-issues. It would be just liquid and me, with the result being a new, svelte body. Win/win! It all sounded so good in my head.
I got home and ate two sugar cookies. (My plan was to start my liquid diet on Monday, people!)… and then I pulled out this book. You know, with a lifetime of dieting under my belt and quite a few blog posts about weight (or tiptoeing around it, anyway)… well, I’m a freakin’ expert on what I need to do to lose it. Aren’t we all? I have almost an entire shelf of weight-related books. Well, I’ve talked about this before, haven’t I? Onward!
Skinny Bitch will actually tell you nothing new. Sugar is evil. Check. Carbs are bad. Check. Dairy (milk) sucks (pun intended). Check. Meat? Well… no, no and no! You’ll find protein elsewhere in your diet. And you’ll save animals. They like that, these skinny bitches. Pssst: Me, too! I’ve been trying to quit the meat habit for years. Whole story that I won’t get into here. You’re welcome.
Anyway. About the diet… get it, got it, good. Understood.
Be prepared. There is an overriding message that “Healthy =skinny. Unhealthy = fat.” We all know this isn’t always truth. Also, the whole… body confidence movement… yeah… no place for that here, either!
And, yes, if you haven’t already caught my drift… there’s cursing (lot of it)… if that kind of thing bothers you.
Is the book good? Yep, in many ways. If you’re thinking of going vegan, it’s right up your alley. It’s also funny as hell. Mostly.
Also, there’s a chapter on pooping. I mean, c’mon, could you ask for anything more?
Actually, yes. You could ask for something that treats you with compassion instead of disgust.
I can’t decide if I like it or hate it, folks. If you read it… or end up reading it… tell us what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
The Self-Help Whisperer® 
Reblogged this on The Self-Help Whisperer® and commented:
Last day of June 2021… I can’t believe it!
What an interesting (!?!) reblog today! January 2019 was just another day where I rued the fact that I’m fat and felt helpless to do anything about it. Kinda. Probably a little bit the time of year and a little bit depression (also partly due to the time of year) and maybe a bit of extra weight after Christmas, which yeah, time of year. So, there ya go.
The book is… good… and bad… depending on who you are and where you are on the weight-loss path.
Let me know your thoughts!
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Huh. Funny — I feel that same way about you!
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I love having you here! ♥️ Best reason for this blog ever!
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It’s manipulation, honey. I’ve known lots of guys who truly love sinking into a pillowy woman.
But for the record, my own anorexia comes from motivations probably as different from most others as for a whole shortlist of other life activities (try me on the subject of smoking sometime) — I feel no guilt when I eat, don’t obsess at all. I simply bypass all thought of eating both by habit and in favor of more rarefied vibrational trajectories.
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Ana, it sucks a million sucks, ya know? For as long as I can remember, my weight has been an issue. Everyone’s has, truly… so few people are at that “good” place, where they’re healthy, strong and self-confident. Is this us being dumb or manipulated? And if manipulated, by whom? Society? Why do they have that power? You know, at 20 pounds underweight, you would be approved of where I, at way more than 20 pounds overweight would be seen as lazy and piggish. Both of us are – perhaps – unhealthy. I have long said that under and overweight people share many of the same characteristics: constantly thinking about food, feeling bad (guilty) when eating, struggling with body dysmorphia… it’s just so… sad. 😦 ❤
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We’re stoopit.
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I know. 😞
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Back before the clothing industry figured out it could save 2 inches a dress by shaming us into bulimia, size twelve was considered ideal. On our side of the world. Anywhere in Africa or the Middle East, for a woman over thirty, it was considered rachitic. I speak as a woman chronically twenty pounds under optimum weight, and with all the authority such lightweight can put over (not much): it’s not good for you, don’t try it.
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