Say The Words.....

We all know that weight loss is one of the most importent subjects on a woman's mind. We all think about it, mostly during summer, when the bathing suits and shorts come out of the closets.

I have recently read a book called "Half-Assed: A Weight-Loss Memoir" and want to reccommend it to all of you who suffer from the same fat fear.

After undergoing gall bladder surgery at age twenty-three, Jennette Fulda decided it was time to lose some weight. Actually, more like half her weight. At the time, Jennette weighed 372 pounds.

Jennette was not born fat. But, by fifth grade, her response to a school questionnaire asking “what would you change about your appearance” was “I would be thinner.” Sound familiar?

Half-Assed is the captivating and incredibly honest story of Jennette’s journey to get in shape, lose weight, and change her life. From the beginning—dusting off her never-used treadmill and steering clear of the donut shop—to the end with her goal weight in sight, Jennette wows readers with her determined persistence to shed pounds and the ability to maintain her ever-present sense of self.

 

Review:

I'm a sucker for a good before and after tale. Lucky for me, this memoir is so much more. Fulda chronicles her amazing 186+ weight loss, more than half of her starting weight. But she does more than just show us her weight loss; she describes her relationship with her body and with her daily habits with such wit and humor that I laughed out loud dozens of times. The pace is quick, and the content is interesting (no daily diet plans or lists of gym workouts here).

I also like Fulda's attitude. She doesn't pretend to be a weight loss guru, and she never disrespects herself and her body. Everyone knows how to lose weight...it's her dedication that makes her tale amazing. Also, I enjoy her focus on becoming athletic rather than getting thin (especially refreshing in today's "Get Skinny!" social climate.) She is a very positive person, even when dealing with ugly plus-size clothes, negative blog comments, or the inevitable plateaus.

This is a great, inspirational read, and Fulda is a delightful writer. Reading it made my wait at the DMV actually enjoyable; I only wish the book could have lasted longer!

 

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The Fertile Female

Written by an author whose expertise grew from an extensive counseling practice as well as personal experience. The Fertile Female offers a hope-filled view of reproductive difficulties, with a deeper understanding of the often-confusing messages of mind-body and alternative medicine. With an engaging mix of passion and humor the book initiates a public debate on the politics of infertility and its effect on our health care system. Includes practice exercises and a section on dietary recommendations, complete with recipes.

Reiew:

"If I could only buy one book to help me through my struggles with infertility - it would be this book. Julia's focus is on the mental and spiritual aspects of conceiving. She offers wisdom that comes from her own experience. She is light years ahead of other fertility practioners. I used her book as a guide through my own journey with trying to conceive."

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Even More Monologues for Women by Women.....

Tori Haring-Smith has watched so many women audition using the words of men that she decided to do something about it: she collected the pieces that formed Monologues for Women by Women. The response was so overwhelming that Haring-Smith followed up this classic with More Monologues for Women by Women and now, four years later, with Even More Monologues for Women by Women.
 
Like the first two volumes in this series, Even More Monologues for Women by Women features a wide range of voices and characters, but this time with a more international focus. There are young women dealing with breast cancer, older women reflecting on lifelong marriages, lesbians, single mothers, students, a fishing guide, a commercial model, a political revolutionary, and a mathematician. These women are concerned about violence, religion, disintegrating families, the feminist movement, the pain of underwire bras, the emotional life of crabs, and their own inability to feel emotion - providing one-of-a-kind audition pieces to help you stand out from a crowd.

Review:
"I bought this, hoping for some good pieces to work with forensics students, since my class is all girls. There are a few good pieces, but I would warn any high school teahers purchasing this that there is a lot of profanity and obscenity. Depending on your community, the recurrent themes of lesbianism and feminism might be a bit more extreme than comfortable. However, I think it is a good choice for adults looking for those hard-to-find female monolgues. Selections are, on average, slightly longer than in the preceding Monologues for Women by Women."

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Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History.....

This book is funny, irreverent, well-researched, and thoroughly engaging. Florence Williams does her research. She takes us on a tour de boob from its evolutionary history to the EPA, from a plastic surgeon's office to breasts' susceptibility to environmental exposures, using her own body as guinea pig. She dives into 18th century anatomical texts, and follows the latest research on early puberty and its link to breast cancer. Williams' prose is clear and eloquent, and at times hilarious. She strikes the perfect balance between informing, educating and entertaining the reader. This book is a page-turner, and the information in it could not be more timely. Put this book on your Must Read list and share it with everyone you know.

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The Women's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts.....

This big book shows dozens of quick workouts. Many of the workouts are basically about 15 minutes of circuit training. These exercises are designed to get a lean, fit and toned body as pictured by the lady on the cover, as opposed to buiding up.
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Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World.....

Vicki's insights are based on her own real-world teenage experiences and her experiences as the mother of a teen. This book is the best parental resource on the subject - bar none. Chapters such as Sugar and Spice and Not so Nice are an example of her wit, but her words are full of practical, everyday wisdom based on the Bible.

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Chanel: A Woman of her Own

This biography is successful on a number of levels but primarily two: it recounts the fascinating life, in great detail, of the late Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel and it puts her professional contribution to the world in context. On a personal level, her life-story reads as a Dickens novel. Her's is a truly "rags-to-riches" story. Chanel was a woman who created a life and a legend against the odds.

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