We all have heard of those crazy diets, cleanses, and detoxes to make you lose weight. From the “Kate Middleton diet” to cayenne pepper mixed with lemon juice, we’ve seen it all. But what is the latest fad for weight loss in our generation? Skinny Bitch. I have AT LEAST 10 friends that have read it, two that are reading it now, and countless others that have it on their to do list. What makes it so intriguing? What about this book draws girls our age to it? I read it to see what the hype was all about, and I can see now why it is a growing cultural phenomenon.
The book starts out with an introduction that claims that Skinny Bitch is not a diet, fad, or advertisement. It states that what you are about to read is a reeducation, a way of life. Forget feeling bad about yourself and become reenergized with their new way of thinking. Time to “reclaim your mind and body.” Who in their right mind would put this book down now? The authors, Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, have a very direct, no BS approach to the reader. They know that most girls want to be “skinny” and strive to be their entire lives. It’s a desire, it’s a goal, it’s an accomplishment today.
Skinny Bitch continues to rant for pages upon pages about anything bad you could possibly consume and put into your body. Whether it’s simple a carbohydrates or diet soda, they list medical side effects and give you endless reasons to stop eating it. They are frank–which is what every unmotivated girl needs to hear, but do they go too far? Within the first 20 pages of the book, they use words such as “slob,” “pussy,” and “bloated fat-pig syndrome.” They even go as far as to say “you might be fat because you don’t poop enough.” I understand that everyone needs a push to get going, but I don’t need them to tear down and destroy my self-confidence!
While the authors may be giving the reader tough love, what they are feeding you does plant a seed in your mind that eventually starts to grow as you read on.
During the chapter focused on aspartame, an ingredient used in artificial sweeteners, the authors not only pointed out the 92 side effects that can occur after consuming it, but they also enlightened me on the process that made it legal for food manufacturers to add it to products. I’ll save you some time… it was made legal by overlooking its harm. The man that found aspartame declared it was harmful and dangerous–and he “knowingly misrepresented findings and concealed material facts and made false statements in aspartame safety tests.” After a long battle the FDA approved its use without restrictions in 1996. I don’t know about you, but that made me think twice about drinking diet soda… and I don’t even want to get started on the section where they talk about the meat industry. Let’s just say that when they mention where the animals that we get our meat from live, the words “feces,” and “festering wounds” are in the same sentence! No wonder vegans love this book!
However…disturbing these images may be, I understand now what message the authors tried to instill in me.
They want me to be healthy. They want me to fill my body with good, organic foods–not processed, chemically toxic products. They want me to think twice about what I put in my mouth, whether I learned it the hard way or not. My friend Mila, who convinced me to read Skinny Bitch says,
“It made me think about what I was consuming and how what I bought made me realize what type of consumer I was being. For example, buying eggs or anything with cheese in it supports an industry I’m really not OK with. Eating this way now makes me feel like a machine. I am more energized and feel positive about everything going on in my body.”
I couldn’t agree with her more. If you want tough love, entertainment, unsettling information about what you’re putting into your body, and a new perspective of becoming skinny, pick up a copy of Skinny Bitch (or Skinny Bitch in a Box) and see what the buzz is all about.
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About the Author
Madigan graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a major in English and minor in French. She enjoys baking, reading, swimming, traveling, and giving into her Pinterest addiction. She hopes to one day become an editor at a publishing house or magazine.