Skinny Bitch
by Kim Barnouin, Rory Freedman
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Book Reviews of Skinny Bitch
Book Review: It's not sad that the authors think this way...
Summary: 1 Stars
It's sad that anyone would take their advice.
I have no issue with veganism. Veganism is fine. I was a vegetarian for several years and didn't eat red meat for several more after that. I couldn't do the vegan thing, but I appreciate that some people do want to eat that way, and I think there are some good reasons to limit or eliminate meat and dairy consumption. What I have a problem with is the language that the authors use in the book to try to convince people to eat vegan - and I'm not talking about the profanity. You see, in addition to being an ex-vegetarian, I am also in recovery from an eating disorder. And so much of the language in this book is exactly the kind of thing I would say to myself to convince myself not to eat, when I was at the worst point in my illness and trying to eat less than 600 calories a day, while at the same time exercising 3-4 hours a day.
It's a lot easier not to eat when you convince yourself that what's on your plate is disgusting - that it is rotting, filled with pus, decomposing, etc. Who would want to eat a horrible plate of rotting meat, right? If you can look at your plate and see filth rather than tasty food, it's easy not to eat it. It's easier to not eat when you constantly tell yourself that you're fat, lazy, worthless, stupid, etc. if you eat. Because if you can make the self-criticism stop by not eating - if you can feel virtuous and clean and okay by not eating, and have the relentlessly critical voices stop for a little while, and have some peace from your own anxiety and tension - then not eating becomes an easier and easier thing to do, over time. I didn't hear two angry vegans speaking in this book. I heard two women who have major food and body issues that they've never addressed. A lot of people have objections about the authors calling other people fat, stupid, etc. - you have to understand that is not the authors talking about other people. Those are the voices they hear inside their heads, every single day, telling them that THEY are stupid, THEY are worthless, THEY are bad if they stray from this very strict diet they have devised. That's exactly what happens when people have an eating disorder. Ultimately, it is NOT about food or losing weight, it is about control. By limiting what they eat to this very narrow selection of foods, they can maintain or take back control they don't feel they have normally. As an ex-anorexic friend of mine said, this book is awesome for people in the throes of the disease because it basically gives you permission to food-restrict and negatively self-talk all you want, two of the behaviors that therapists try to eliminate in eating-disorder patients.
I truly believe this book is not about veganism. This book is about how to practice a special brand of anorexia in which you view food as evil and avoid putting it into your body, but you still eat enough of certain things to avoid criticism from friends and family, under the guise of this pro-animal-rights philosophical viewpoint. The language they use is very similar to the language you see on pro-anorexia websites maintained by women whose goal is to trade tips for how not to eat and reinforce each other's philosophy and behavior. Those websites have the same "us against the world" and "other people think we're crazy but we're doing the right thing" tone. If you want to be vegan, that's great, but this is not the book to read. Because this is way more about the psychology of eating disorders than it is about good reasons to be vegan. This book is about how to be a vegan with a very twisted relationship with food. There are other books out there that can help you be a healthy vegan, who has a healthy relationship with food, and with your own body.
There's one other thing I want to say about the book. Vegan diets work great for some people in terms of weight loss. For other people, eating large quantities of fruit (high in sugar) and soy (high in phytoestrogens and endocrine disruptors) can cause big problems and would not result in weight loss. I have PCOS and the diet prescribed in this book is exactly what my nutritionist and physician have told me NOT to eat. If you have PCOS, or an existing thyroid condition, PLEASE talk to an endocrinologist before adopting the eating plan in this book. Did you know that soy ice cream has a higher glycemic index rating than pure glucose? If you have blood-sugar issues or hypothyroidism, soy products are very problematic. There's also evidence (that these authors don't discuss) linking soy to hormonal imbalances and cancer. Women with breast or thyroid cancer, or who are at high risk for those cancers, are usually counseled to avoid soy.
In any case - this is honestly not a diet book, or at least not one that people should be taking advice from. I have struggled with my weight my whole life (due in part to the fact that my PCOS went undiagnosed for years). I would love to lose weight but I also think part of the goal of living is to be a happy person. The kind of negative self-talk the authors encourage under the guise of "straight talk" does not lead to happiness, I can testify from experience. There is a huge problem with obesity in this country, but we aren't going to solve it by having people develop extremely negative relationships with food. This book gave me the chills because it reads so much like stories girls in my therapy group told about how they talked to themselves, to convince themselves to stop eating. It was disturbing to me, and it's even more disturbing to me that thousands of women out there are taking it as the gospel truth.
Book Review: Good intentions, but not a thorough analysis on nutrition
Summary: 3 Stars
Like many reviewers here, I am a proud vegan. I enjoyed much of what this book has to offer--mostly the info on artificial sweeteners, refined sugar, slaughterhouses, and the USDA. It's a super-fast read, and I found the authors likable for the most part. If you're interested in healthier eating or getting a to-the-point intro on some vegan thinking, this book will be of SOME use.
However, that being said... I sort of cringed while reading it thinking that this was going to be a lot of people's introduction to veganism & its philosophies. I understand "tough love" & even "shocking" the reader into GETTING IT, but I think that the authors were at times bordering on abusive toward the reader... Being vegan already, I could look past it to find the bits of wisdom scattered throughout--but I think if I had gone into this book with an "omni outlook" (for lack of a better term) and been unprepared for the authors' viewpoints, I would have been turned off by their attitudes throughout much of it.
A lot of people have a negative impression of veganism (it's too strict, it's too limiting, vegans are PETA freaks, etc.)--all of which is NOT true. So, I sort of get why the authors don't say right on the cover "A BOOK ON VEGAN NUTRITION" because, well... Then only vegans (or those already headed in that direction) would buy it. The authors were trying to reach out to ALL women to get them to think about the consequences of what we put in our mouths. I think the authors have good hearts, and that their intentions are very good... But I definitely understand why a lot of women would be turned off by them. (Personally, I had no issue with the foul language & didn't find it distracting, and at times they were very encouraging & inspiring. Saying things like, "You CAN have the body you want!" or "You ARE worth it!" But when terms like "lazy slob," etc. were directed AT their customer... That seemed a bit much, especially for those readers who were already being shocked by so much new--and sometimes upsetting--info.)
I also agree with those reviewers who say the authors didn't really offer a lot of helpful info in the way of specific things to eat. Incorporating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, leafy greens, soy milk, water, exercise, etc. is easy to understand... However, that ALONE will not make anyone lose weight. It's the PORTION CONTROL, and having the right balance of things. The authors don't go into that nearly enough. I can tell you that I've been vegan for almost one year now, and could not be happier! I absolutely love this lifestyle, and it has benefited me in more ways than I could ever list here. BUT, I have not lost one pound (nor am I trying to). I have maintained my weight--maybe even gained a pound or two from trying so much new, delicious food.
I know a couple of omni women who've read this book & loved it... It inspired them to head toward a healthier lifestyle, and eventually vegetarianism (first cutting back on--then eliminating--meat, exchanging refined sugar for healthier options, upping their veggie & fruit intake, etc.--eliminating cheese is still to come :). But based on these reviews, it seems that this book has alienated as many women as it's interested. I just hope those who felt any interest in veganism (or animal rights, healthier eating, etc.) will not be totally turned off by this book & will look to other sources to learn more. There is SO MUCH info out there on veganism, and most of it is written in a much gentler, though still honest, tone.
I highly recommend "The Vegan Sourcebook" for anyone interested in reading more (or instead of this book). "Becoming Vegan," "The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention," "The China Study," and "Eat to Live," (to name a few) are all fantastic, as well. One of the most amazing programs I've ever heard is the "Vegetarian Food for Thought" podcast. It's available for free on iTunes, for anyone who's interested. The host (Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, also the author of the terrific "The Joy of Vegan Baking") is so compassionate, interesting, insightful, and SMART!
One crucial principle to MY personal veganism (especially in the beginning), is this (and the authors of this book don't give this message): *Don't do nothing because you can't do everything. Do something--anything.* If you are someone who thinks, "I could live without beef, pork, and chicken. But I could never give up fish!"... Why not try cutting out everything but fish? Just because you can't cut out ALL animal products doesn't mean you can't cut out any. Think you can never give up cheese? Try eliminating everything but, and see where it takes you. I wish the "Skinny Bitch" authors would have given the impression that baby steps ARE acceptable. Some people can (and do) change overnight; most don't. Veganism doesn't HAVE to be "all or nothing." ANY step you can take toward this lifestyle is helpful. You will reap the benefits, as will the environment, and countless animals.
If you didn't like this book, but are still AT ALL interested in veganism, please consider reading something else. These authors don't speak for ALL vegans, just like one rude omnivore doesn't speak for ALL omnis. There is truth to what these authors are saying; they just don't say it in a style that is accessible to all.
Book Review: I Guess You Can Call Me A 'Total Moron' Then
Summary: 2 Stars
Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman really let their vegan anger out in this new book!
Okay, somebody tell me something. Why in the world would two very attractive women write a book about weight loss when neither one of them have spent a day in their life struggling with their weight? Hmmmmm? What a crock of you know what!
Well, that's exactly what Los Angeles, CA-natives Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman have done with their in-your-face attempt to explain to us why women who are overweight got that way called "Skinny Bitch". Well, at least they can describe themselves accurately!
If that extremely profane and totally unnecessary title doesn't grab your attention right away, then perhaps the world's longest subtitle might:
"A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous"
Okay, so this isn't gonna be the same old kind diet book we have all become accustomed to in the past. That in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing per se, but it does appear these two ladies have a rather large axe to grind and you quickly figure that out as soon as you start reading this book with all of its *&#@% *#$#* slamma-jamma graphic idiolect.
In an obscenity-laden wasteland of literary refuse, Barnouin and Freedman, one a former model who has studied nutrition and the other a former agent for Ford Model who had studied diet and nutrition for more than a decade, quickly let you know what they think about a wide variety of health-related topics.
Some are ones that I would agree strongly with them about ("Soda is liquid Satan") and others I obviously disagree strongly with them on ("You are a total moron if you think the Atkins Diet will make you thin").
Well, ladies, as much as I agree with you about sugary sodas, I guess you're gonna have to call me a "moron" because that's exactly what the Atkins diet did for me! I was transformed from a 410-pound ticking time bomb on the verge of a certain heart attack down to an athletic and healthy 225-pound man ready to live a long and healthy life in just ONE year. Now I'm "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" (my autobiographical book is available at Amazon.com) and I'll never be the same again!
But for Barnouin and Freedman, none of that matters to them because they are radical members of the minority in this country who chooses to eat a vegan-only diet. No meat, no eggs, no dairy, no coffee, not even diet soda because they oppose artificial sweeteners, too -- NOTHING that even touches or comes close to meat! They're even boycotting "beets" because they sound too much like meats! LOL!
Their recipe for healthy living includes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables (all of which are acceptable on the low-carb lifestyle by the way!) and now they're trying to convince women that they too should turn to the vegan lifestyle to become what they've always wanted to be -- skinny, happy, and ready to take on life.
Oh brother! If the language and attitude presented in this book are even just a smidgen of what Barnouin and Freedman are like in real life, then they can take their good looks and ram their pretty little heads down a hole in the ground because nobody's gonna want to be around them. Could it be that meatless diet of theirs is actually making them cranky and irritable because they're constantly hungry ALL THE TIME?! Hee hee!
Freedman admits that she started down the vegetarian road when she received some literature from the radical leftist anti-meat group PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals!). She was so moved by the "torture" of the animals and convinced herself that people were getting sick because of eating meat that she decided to write this book so she could help others ''make intelligent and educated decisions about food.''
Awww, ain't that just soooo sweet of her? She cares so much about the fat people getting sicky wicky that she wanted to help. Give me a BLANKITY-BLANK break (see, even THEY are rubbing off on me after reading their disgusting book!).
The "Skinny Bitch" approach can be narrowed down to one simple statement: Starve yourself until nobody can stand to be around you anymore and then write a book sharing every single little thought that you would like to tell someone if they were there to listen to you.
If the "Skinny Bitch" lifestyle is something you can live with and be happy with, then I say GO FOR IT! Do it for the rest of your irritable life and become that thin person you've always wanted to be. Nobody will want to be around you, but at least you'll be skinny!
According to the sample menu, you get to eat fresh apple juice with oatmeal, nuts, and fruit for breakfast, grilled soy cheese with a tomato slice and small salad for lunch, and fake ground beef, vegan mashed potatoes, with corn and spinach for supper.
Hey, where's the snacks? Where's the sweets? "Skinny Bitch", please tell me there's more! There's gotta be more to life than eating this way every single day, of every single week, of every single month, of every single year, for THE REST OF MY LIFE!
AAAAAAACK! Oh my goodness, I'm awake now. Gee, that was the WORST nightmare I've ever had!
Book Review: Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle, Anyone who says it doesn't is brainwashed!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had to get this book because I heard all this hullabaloo about Skinny Bitch and how it was "unhealthy" and promoting veganism in the "wrong" way and that "everything you learned growing up is wrong according to this book."
First off, I'm already a vegan and I have been before I bought this book. I am not a crazy PETA person, I'm actually doing it because a.) I don't like animal cruelty and b.) I have fibromyalgia, and veganism has been proven to help this painful, often debilitating condition (it has for me so far too!) I'm also a very health weight - I'm 5'2" and weigh 110 lbs, I have a small frame, and I've only been slightly overweight once in my life and never again.
I have been vegetarian for over five years, and vegan for a few months. I have had some sort of blood work done almost every year and I can tell you, I am not lacking in calcium, protein, or anything because I have already been following the advice in this book. I eat very well and I have not found a doctor who has said that veganism is bad because all they have to do is do a blood test and look at my health (And maybe if they are smart they already know meat is bad for you). Sure I have fibro and a heart condition but I had my heart condition way before I was vegetarian and all of my doctors have said my fibro was not caused by nutritional issues but from the extreme stress I dealt with in my personal life last year.
I see why people are mad at this book - they don't want to believe that their big hamburgers are bad for them. They don't want to believe that our government is not looking out for them when they approve poison like aspartame. People don't want to believe that meat causes cancer because meat apparently "tastes good." People don't want to believe that we have diseases like MRSA from all the antibiotics in the milk, cheese and meat. And people love their junk food - no matter how much growth hormone, antibiotics, pesticides, and refuse to believe that's probably why they're also fat.
I researched a lot of this book's sources and I've also done lots of research before I picked up this book. There is nothing false about anything in this book! Animal cruelty is VERY real. Aspartame IS a poison! And sorry but the meat industry has money and they pay off people in congress and the USDA, all those people that are supposed to keep us "safe" no no, it's all about what makes the big dollar in this country. Hate to break it to you all, and I know a lot of people have issues with that, but fine, you live in oblivion, that's your choice.
I didn't feel that this book was like "You're only attractive if you're a size 0!" other wise I'd be throwing that book out a window. But let's be real - it is healthier to be on the slim side than to be heavy. Your risk for heart problems and diabetes are much higher if your BMI is high. This is not about looks, this is about your health. And I am tired of everyone treating obesity like a disability. I have a disability and I didn't cause it to myself by eating junk and fast food and by living in oblivion. I understand that there are some medical conditions and medical conditions that cause people to gain weight. But it hurts me when I see extremely obese people using disability stickers for their giant SUVs and I see those same people buying cakes and chicken wings in the grocery store, when I have a condition that sometimes prevents me from walking long distances, causing me excruciating pain and I am doing what is best for me by eating veggies instead of cake, and you don't see me with a disability sticker! Maybe I'm being judgmental, but at the same time, I don't feel sorry for obese people who are eating crap. I don't. And this is why I think people don't like this book - it is honest, it tells people what they don't want to hear, instead of saying "its not your fault" like diet pill commercials and other books.
The bottom line is - yes, what you learned growing up about milk and meat is all wrong. Do you research. Read other books. Don't be a freakin' pansy and trust me, giving up meat and dairy is not so hard. Yes, the first month might be tough but in the end, you'll be really used to it, and even if you don't want to lose weight, you'll still be healthier. Since going vegan, my fibro has gotten better without having to take lots of medications. My skin looks amazing and my nails look great. I have more energy than I ever did, EVEN when my fibro flares up. I stopped drinking anything with aspartame or artificial sweetners in it a while ago and I stopped getting headaches. And veganism is not that expensive - if you stop buying junk and soda, you'll have money for fruits, veggies, and tofu (suck it up, you'll get used to eating it and after a while you won't even remember what meat tastes like.)
Book Review: Can I rate a negative number???
Summary: 1 Stars
There are so many things wrong with this book I barely know where to begin. I thought the review below mine covered much of what I wanted to say.
Let's begin with this: the authors rant quite a bit against modern medicine, specifically over-the-counter pain medicines like Tylenol and Advil. They say that "Cramps suck" and then tell us "cramps are supposed to suck" and that the purpose of cramps is to ready our bodies for the pain of NATURAL CHILDBIRTH, and therefore, when we take pain killers to mask the pain of cramps, we are screwing ourselves over (only they don't use the word "screwing").
Seriously. Do you need any further reason to NOT read this book? What's next -- NATURAL dentistry?
When I first picked it up, I confess, I was delighted and amused. The authors drop the f-bomb within the first few paragraphs. They call diet soda a "chemical spill sh-tstorm". The book jacket and attitude of the authors made it seem easy to lose weight, as if the so-called "difficulty" of being "skinny" is all in our minds. Be skinny? No problem!
Then I got to the part where they started on the REAL message of the book. It's not a diet book, folks. It's not about losing weight or even being healthy.
This book is a Vegan Manifesto.
The whole purpose and reason for this book is for the authors to spout their own political views about food and food production. When I got to the page where they say we as humans are biologically not supposed to eat meat simply because we do not have the claws or teeth to hunt and kill like carnivores, my jaw dropped open. Because we as humans have to use tools (weapons) to hunt, this "proves" we are intended by nature to be herbivores. In two paragraphs the authors dismissed 150 years of research in evolutionary biology. Obviously the authors are NOT physical anthropologists. You don't need a degree in that subject to see for yourself how wrong they are -- all you need to do is look at your own teeth. Humans, like many primates, are OMNIVORES, not vegetarians. We have molars for chewing vegetation, yes, but we also have incisors for ripping into food and WE HAVE CANINE TEETH, specifically designed for eating meat.
The authors also dismiss the biological component of Homo sapiens that our species has used for thousands of years to hunt successfully -- OUR BRAIN. Perhaps it's because they've never used theirs.
Despite this, I kept reading. As the book went on, I just could not believe what I was reading. If the book is intended to be about "diet" then why are there 3 chapters about food production and animal slaughter?
I cannot even recommend this book to anyone considering veganism. This book is not simply about choosing to be a vegan -- this book is about HOW TO HAVE AN EATING DISORDER.
The authors are not skinny because they are vegan. They are thin because they have a couple of full blown eating disorders, and if you want to look like them, you need one too. Like those suffering from ED, the authors demonize whole food groups as "bad". If you ingest any of these foods, you are "fat" and "disgusting". If you eat meat, then you are fat and disgusting, and you have "dead carcass rotting" away in your guts.
Despite study after study demonstrating that people who eat breakfast lose more weight and keep it off, and that food in the morning is needed to charge the body's metabolism, the authors tell the reader to put off eating breakfast -- to enjoy the "clean" and "light" feeling one gets from starving oneself. The longer you can put off eating, the better. Only when the hunger pangs are too hard to bear, are you, the reader, to eat ONE piece of organic fruit. If you cannot stand the hunger, you are allowed one more piece and then, if you must, a third, but the goal is to reduce your food intake to one piece of fruit for breakfast. To these authors, food is bad, and if you are weak enough to be hungry, then YOU are bad too.
This whole book is disgusting. How can I blame the authors -- the lack of food has affected their brains. But the publishers should be strung up for printing and distributing it. I have always been again censorship, but if ever there was a reason for a book burning, this book is it. Don't read it and DON'T let your daughter read it.
If you are interested in food production and where our food comes from, I recommend What To Eat, by Marion Nestle, who teaches nutrition at Columbia University in New York. That's a reputable book by a reputable author, with actual research behind it. If you are interested in veganism, there are many good books out there, and I recommend the blog Vegan Lunch Box (google it). If you are interested in losing weight, I recommend almost anything else.