100 Pound Loser by Jessica Heights (ebook review)
If you've never heard of Jessica Heights, please check out her blog! She is very encouraging and so is her new ebook: 100 Pound Loser (How I Ate What I Wanted, Had Four Babies, and Finally Took Control of My Weight - And You Can Too!). What a mouthful that title is BUT there are a lot of helpful encouragement in this book for anyone who wants to take control of their weight.
Tis the season to begin your weight loss goals, right? I know I did in January 2010, but please don't let this season discourage you as we all hold on to those extra pounds from the holidays. It's hard to pass up on the pumpkin pie or pecan pie or cheesecake or sugar cookies or any of the other endless goodies shoved in your face by well-meaning neighbors and family. One of my favorite parts of 100 Pound Loser is where Jessica tells a secret: she eats what she wants! If she has a craving, she eats that thing! She has found that if she doesn't, she'll skim on other food items looking for something to conquer that craving and when nothing works eats more than what she would have had she just eaten it. I'm so thankful she put this in her book because I feel the same way! It's not about eating half the cake, but a small slice (predetermined in your mind to be your serving!) is ok to eat. It's healthy to have moderation in "dieting" or eating healthy (which is what most diets don't provide).
It took Jessica about two years (from what I picked up from the writing although I don't think it flat out says so) to lose her 100 pounds. It took me 10 months to lose 50. It may take you 2 years to lose 50 or 6 months to lose 10. It's not about how fast you lose it (this is not Hollywood and you are not auditioning to be in the next hit movie!) but that you're trying to get healthy. It's not a competition (although I like that one on tv too), it's about life.
Although Jessica doesn't delve too deeply into HOW she lost her weight, she does say that counting calories is the best way to get started. She had to use a food scale because her thoughts of proportions were so out of whack. You may need to do that, too; I have never been able to buy a food scale nor do I count calories (I try but end up quitting). Counting calories is NOT about being OCD about what you put in your body but making a conscience decision of what to fuel your body. And it's fairly simple math - calories in vs. calories out. And not letting food control you! That's hard, I know. I struggle with it every day. I will struggle with it today as I gather with friends for a football game, but I need to make good choices to fuel my body, not stuff my face.
Jessica does a wonderful job of being real in her book, something you don't often get from weight loss books. This isn't a super fancy ebook and it's a really quick read - I love that! And she keeps it real - she talks about her wiggly stomach (I hear ya, sister!) vs. the 6-pack she'll never have (sad, but true here too). She talks about body images she wants to pass on to her daughters and son. My favorite line from the book is this: "I'm pretty sure no child has ever said, 'Gosh, I wish my mom had lost that last ten pounds when I was five years old.'" This tells me to keep it in balance. I can be very focused on my weight - to an unhealthy point, but my real goal of this life is not being a size 6 (or 8 even) but to raise my children in a godly fashion. And body images for myself and them is part of that job.
Check out Jessica's book and her blog. It's really something I enjoyed reading and will be thankful to have to look back to for encouragement. You can purchase your own copy of Jessica's book for $4.99 (yes, that's the right price) here or through Amazon. Have a Happy New Year, friends, and I can't wait to hear how you rock your resolutions (weight related or not!).
Disclaimer: I received this ebook in order to write an honest review. All opinions are my own and others' opinions may not line up with them.
Tis the season to begin your weight loss goals, right? I know I did in January 2010, but please don't let this season discourage you as we all hold on to those extra pounds from the holidays. It's hard to pass up on the pumpkin pie or pecan pie or cheesecake or sugar cookies or any of the other endless goodies shoved in your face by well-meaning neighbors and family. One of my favorite parts of 100 Pound Loser is where Jessica tells a secret: she eats what she wants! If she has a craving, she eats that thing! She has found that if she doesn't, she'll skim on other food items looking for something to conquer that craving and when nothing works eats more than what she would have had she just eaten it. I'm so thankful she put this in her book because I feel the same way! It's not about eating half the cake, but a small slice (predetermined in your mind to be your serving!) is ok to eat. It's healthy to have moderation in "dieting" or eating healthy (which is what most diets don't provide).
It took Jessica about two years (from what I picked up from the writing although I don't think it flat out says so) to lose her 100 pounds. It took me 10 months to lose 50. It may take you 2 years to lose 50 or 6 months to lose 10. It's not about how fast you lose it (this is not Hollywood and you are not auditioning to be in the next hit movie!) but that you're trying to get healthy. It's not a competition (although I like that one on tv too), it's about life.
Although Jessica doesn't delve too deeply into HOW she lost her weight, she does say that counting calories is the best way to get started. She had to use a food scale because her thoughts of proportions were so out of whack. You may need to do that, too; I have never been able to buy a food scale nor do I count calories (I try but end up quitting). Counting calories is NOT about being OCD about what you put in your body but making a conscience decision of what to fuel your body. And it's fairly simple math - calories in vs. calories out. And not letting food control you! That's hard, I know. I struggle with it every day. I will struggle with it today as I gather with friends for a football game, but I need to make good choices to fuel my body, not stuff my face.
Jessica does a wonderful job of being real in her book, something you don't often get from weight loss books. This isn't a super fancy ebook and it's a really quick read - I love that! And she keeps it real - she talks about her wiggly stomach (I hear ya, sister!) vs. the 6-pack she'll never have (sad, but true here too). She talks about body images she wants to pass on to her daughters and son. My favorite line from the book is this: "I'm pretty sure no child has ever said, 'Gosh, I wish my mom had lost that last ten pounds when I was five years old.'" This tells me to keep it in balance. I can be very focused on my weight - to an unhealthy point, but my real goal of this life is not being a size 6 (or 8 even) but to raise my children in a godly fashion. And body images for myself and them is part of that job.
Check out Jessica's book and her blog. It's really something I enjoyed reading and will be thankful to have to look back to for encouragement. You can purchase your own copy of Jessica's book for $4.99 (yes, that's the right price) here or through Amazon. Have a Happy New Year, friends, and I can't wait to hear how you rock your resolutions (weight related or not!).
Disclaimer: I received this ebook in order to write an honest review. All opinions are my own and others' opinions may not line up with them.
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