For those on the constant quest for the best way to lose
weight, “The Skinny Bitch Diet”, written by former Ford model agent Rory
Freedman and former model Kim Barnouin, provides some excellent guidelines for
getting down to a healthy weight while feeling better by eating natural,
wholesome foods. Freedman and Barnes, who has a master’s degree in holistic
nutrition, live in Los Angeles and count models, actors and athletes among
their successfully skinny clients. The book’s sassy, sensible style dishes out
great advice on making intelligent and educated decisions on nutrition, as well
as dropping pounds. With sharp, chick-lit wit Skinny Bitch encourages dieters
to eat right and exercise to become happier, healthier and skinnier.
The Skinny Bitch Diet is a vegan program, a way of eating
eschewing all animal products including meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, milk
and all other dairy products. The book thoroughly describes the right and wrong
foods, as well as providing meal guidelines and sample meals. The authors
advise avoiding alcohol, caffeine, chemical sweeteners, soda, and refined
sugar; and label reading is strongly endorsed. Recommended sugar substitutes
include maple syrup, molasses, and brown rice syrup. Of course, such junk food
as potato chips, ice cream and candy are prohibited; but anything labeled
fat-free and low-fat should also be avoided, due to harmful chemical additives.
White foods are generally off-limits, including white flour, white pasta and
white rice.
One of the best diets that work for losing weight, Skinny
Bitch encourages dieters to eat three meals a day, with snacks added only if
necessary. Major recommended foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, soy
products, whole grain breads and cereals, tofu, olive and sesame oils, and
decaffeinated green tea. The diet is high in fiber, and the only carbs allowed
are grains, brown rice, fruits and vegetables. Acceptable snacks include
vegetable crackers, soy products and organic pretzels; and alcohol consumption
should be limited to moderate amounts of organic red wine.
Skinny Bitch is easy to follow, as it requires no stringent
measuring or calorie counting; although if followed correctly, it is basically
a low calorie diet. A full month of recommended meal plans is included, and it
is useful to closely follow these in order to lose weight. As the average American
eats about 2,500 calories a day, by reducing this consumption by approximately
1,000 daily calories it should be possible to lose about two pounds a week.
Several typical daily meal plans are laid out. An acceptable
breakfast would include some combination of fruit salad or freshly squeezed
juice, soy yogurt, oatmeal, or whole grain toast or bagel. Lunch could be
salad, a vegetable wrap or vegetable soup. Somewhere between lunch and dinner,
if necessary, a small snack of vegetable sticks with organic peanut butter or
guacamole with organic corn chips would be acceptable. For dinner,
possibilities include variations on baked tofu or vegetarian options for such
traditional meat dishes as lasagna, burritos, chili, hot dogs or burgers.
To help dieters better prepare and enjoy their newly healthy
meals, plentiful recipes are provided. For those looking for some great vegan
recipes beyond those in the original Skinny Bitch book, the authors have also
published a cookbook brimming with tasty vegetarian dishes from countries
including Greece, Japan, Thailand, Morocco, India and the Middle East.
Exercise is an important part of any weight loss routine,
and Skinny Bitch encourages dieters to work out regularly, strongly endorsing
Yoga. In keeping with its vegan theme, the book also has sections on animal
cruelty and factory farming; and details the side effects of chemicals we
routinely ingest.