"Big fit girl" by Louise Green

Synopsis:

In this kick-ass call to arms, Louise Green describes how the fitness industry fails to meet the needs of plus-size women and thus prevents them from improving their health. By sharing her own story of how she stopped dieting, got off the couch, and got fit, Green inspires other plus-size women to do the same. She provides concrete advice about how to get started, how to establish a support team, how to choose an activity, how to set goals, what kind of clothing and gear work best for the plus-size athlete, and how to improve one’s relationship with food.

She also showcases similar stories from other women.

Review:

...health and fitness do not always include weight loss; you can kick ass in the body you have today.

I'll be blunt: I loved this book!  As a plus-size woman, I've been struggling with finding my place when it comes to exercise and physical activity.  I was reading this book when I discovered the beautiful invention that MEC calls a combo scarf.  This has revolutionized my ability to be outside in the winter.  As a result of this combination of events, I got so much out of this book.  It inspired me to rethink the boring, mundane physical activity I've been forcing myself to do in an unwelcoming environment.

[Dr. Brenda Major] confirms what I've noted from teaching fitness to plus-size women: the fear of judgment is real and often warranted. [...] Major's findings explain a lot about why many people find fitness unapproachable.  When we feel judged by others, our fear and anxiety grows. For this reason, many of us find fitness endeavors intimidating and out of reach.

There is so much awesome information in this book!  I did a lot of highlighting of powerful and impactful parts.  I'm taking her advice about recording my fitness progress, creating a personal workout playlist, and finding fitness friends.  One of the best parts is the stretching routine (Appendix B) because I often suffer from Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) from not stretching properly after a workout.  Green's comprehensive routine includes photographs, instructions, and tips on stretches that target various muscles.

To weather the peaks, valleys, and plateaus of your athletic journey, you must base your success on more than just the numbers on the scale.  You are in this for the long-term, and exercise has many benefits that have nothing to do with what you weigh.

This is totally an empowering book that I would highly recommend!  Even though I'm already on my "athletic journey", this book helped me change my physical fitness viewpoint from in-the-now to thinking about what I want to be capable of as I age.

Exercise allows you to say yes; you will have the confidence and strength to show up and live your athletic dreams in the body you have now.  It really can be a limitless life. 

I look forward to delving into more of Louise Green's work.  Her TEDx talk is so powerful and so very much worth watching.  I believe in her any-body activism and unleashing your inner athlete!  And she's a fellow Canadian and redhead!

I recommend "Big fit girl" and Hanne Blank's "The unapologetic fat girl's guide to exercise and other incendiary acts" as a one-two punch for plus-size fitness.

I am so very grateful that I got to read this book!

Read on,

Paula

P.S. I received this book for free from the publisher for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

"Primal fat burner" by Nora Gedgaudas

Synopsis:

Popular nutritionist Nora Gedguadas returns with advice that may sound counterintuitive: Eat fat to burn fat. In her new book, Primal Fat Burner, she explains the benefits and science behind a ketogenic (or fat-burning) diet, which switches your metabolism from a dependence on sugar to running on healthy fats. As Gedgaudas reveals, numerous studies in recent years refute the long-promoted anti-saturated fat and anti-cholesterol agenda. Now, Gedgaudas explains the science that fat isn't a “no-no” but rather a “yes-yes”—if you know the right kinds of fats to eat. In her accessible, enjoyable style, she also lays out a practical meal plan with recipes. When you follow a ketogenic diet, you consume fewer calories overall!

Review:

I was captivated by the history of the human species as told through the evolution of food!  That was a particularly unique lesson that I very much loved.

Similar to "The grain brain whole life plan" by David Perlmutter (who wrote the foreword for this book), I learned more about the science behind how the current human body works in regards to food and its environment, and how best to maximize your own potential.  I will have been paleo for 2 years this coming March and I've witnessed my own benefits, many of them described in this book.  Therefore, I'm already biased toward this book.  I did a lot of highlighting and bookmarking in my eARC.

For many it is a complete paradigm shift, opening the door onto a totally new way of prioritizing themselves and a healthy lifestyle.

 One of the topics discussed in this book is various methods for beating sugar or starch cravings, perhaps one of the most uncomfortable aspects to deal with when switching to a paleo lifestyle.  I'd never heard of Gymnema sylvestre before reading this book but I'm intrigued by it.

I look forward to trying out the recipes for Chicken Thigh Skillet Supper, Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew, Lithuanian Red Cabbage, Cumin Pork Stir-Fry, Liver and Bacon, and Primal Greek Spinach.  But the recipe for Coconut-Lemon Yogurt Soup is at the top of my list and I will be making it this weekend!

My only complaint about this and other paleo books is that there is a certain level of elitism involved in the paleo lifestyle.  Nora Gedgaudas, David Perlmutter, and most of the paleo authors I've read are American.  A lot of the brands and products mentioned in the books are not available outside of the U.S.  If they are, they quite often require online shopping with high shipping costs.  Perhaps I overestimate the current appeal of this lifestyle since I don't know the actual statistics of how many people follow it.  But living in rural Ontario, Canada frustrates me when I can't find products that should be more widely available.  I think items like coconut cream, coconut butter, cacao butter, and other unique food items should be available in all major grocery stores.

Which could be why this book ends with a rallying cry for a quiet revolution.  Asking for animal products that are more environmentally-friendly, sustainable, humane, and considerate of the animals' health.  

The health of the meat on our plates directly correlates to the health of the animal that meat came from.

Read on,

Paula

P.S. I received this book for free from the publisher for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

"A robot in the garden" by Deborah Install

Synopsis:
Funny, touching, charming, wise and a bit magical, this is a novel that explores what it is to be a man, a sentient being and even a parent. A Robot in the Garden is a gem of a first novel, perfect for anyone who has ever found it difficult to connect with the world. 

     What would you do if you found a robot in your back garden? For 34-year-old Ben Chambers the answer is obvious: find out where it came from and return it home, even if it means losing his wife in the process. Determined to achieve something for once in his life, Ben embarks on a journey that takes him and the endearing robot, Tang, to the far side of the globe...and back again. Along the way Ben begins to change, subtly at first, and then in ways that only become clear on his return to the house he's always lived in.

Review:
Right up front, I will admit that it is a bit twee on the surface.  The want-for-nothing, rich main character with emotional baggage, Ben, goes on a journey around the world to save his new robot friend.  Nothing too dramatic or negative happens.  Although set in a world where robots and androids are a common thing, it's still a very unrealistic plot.  But the writing and characters are so fun that, if you're in the right mood, you won't care about the lack of realism.

I didn't like the character of Ben's wife, Amy.  She's an overly-ambitious, manipulative complainer who doesn't have the guts to clearly tell Ben she's changed her mind about having kids.  But getting pregnant and being away from Ben for two months is enough to "soften" her?  As if!  Although it doesn't say so in the book, I believe she married him for his money, because they don't seem to have much in common at all.  Granted, all we know is how they met and how their marriage ends.

Tang is a child-substitute robot.  Petulant, prone to tantrums when he doesn't get his own way, but also curious, sweet, and caring.

There is, however, an underlying theme of prejudice.  The robot could stand in for other minorities; there are examples of segregation and discrimination.  Separate lines at the airport for humans, androids, and robots.  Not being served because you have a robot with you.  And those are just two representations.

Although none of the characters are fully developed, there is some depth to this novel.  Aside from having a moral about bias, my dislike for some of the characters, and a predictable happy ending, I really liked this lighthearted and fun book.

I also appreciate the coincidence that a book about AI and robots is written by an author with the last name of 'install'.

Read on,
Paula

"Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman

Synopsis:

A stunning debut about a girl who has learned how to survive – but not how to live.

Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is fine. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except sometimes, everything.

No one’s ever told Eleanor life should be better than fine. But with a simple act of kindness she’s about to realize exactly how much better than fine life can be.

Review:

I was really excited to read this book when I heard about it on BookTube.  It's very different from anything I've read.  I found the first-person narrative startling because of the jarring, blunt way Eleanor revealed shocking tidbits as part of a general statement.  You never knew when she would surprise you with some piece of her dark past.  You never knew what she would say next and it takes the course of the novel for her to slowly reveal who she is.  And despite thinking you know what's coming at the end, there is a final twist I didn't see coming at all.

I enjoyed the cast of characters, with the exception of her mother.  I very much dislike reading books with horribly vile characters because I find it uncomfortable and upsetting.  However, this one was worth it.  It made me more grateful for the people I have in my own life.

It's a somewhat-slow paced novel that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen.  Some of the situations Eleanor recounts struck a little too close to home for me but it made me feel like I wasn't the only person to experience them.  

In the beginning, Eleanor speaks very much like an outsider, almost like an alien, but she does grow in her language while growing as a person.  I loved her personality and her turns of phrase.

Here are some of my favourite quotes:

Regarding "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte:

Pilot is there too, the handsome, soulful-eyed hound.  If the book has one failing, it's that there is insufficient mention of Pilot.  You can't have too much dog in a book.

Regarding the horrible use of improper grammar in texting:

I steeled myself as best I could, and, with teeth gritted, using only one finger I typed: C U there E.

 Regarding Spongebob Squarepants:

A semi-human bath sponge with protruding front teeth!  On sale as if it were something completely unremarkable!  For my entire life, people have said that I'm strange, but really, when I see things like this, I realize that I'm actually relatively normal.

Regarding having pets:

But love is love; animals, people.  It's unconditional, and it's both the easiest and the hardest thing in the world.

I am glad I read this book and will most likely reread it in the future just so I can absorb more of it.

Read on,
Paula

P.S. I received this book for free from the publisher for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.