Over the weekend, I read Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin — twice.
Skinny Bitch has become a cultural phenomenon, landing itself on the US and UK Best Selling Lists. I put off reading it because of it’s "tough love" reputation and because I read that Freedman and Barnouin basically have no scientific credentials.
(Chick on the left is Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models and a "self-taught know-it-all" and the woman on the right is Barnouin, a "former model who holds a Masters of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition" from Clayton College — an online school). Just because someone is lacking a PhD doesn’t mean they are completely ignorant, but I would like to see better credentials on a diet book than that!
Warning: Skinny Bitch is NOT a diet book. Skinny Bitch is a vegan manifesto masquerading as a diet book! I knew this going in, but I think a lot of women would be very upset to realize the book sells a very strict and limited vegan approach to diet. The cover and back of the book do not even mention that vegetarianism or veganism is the primary thrust of the book.
Skinny Bitch opens with the following paragraph: "Okay. Use your head. You need to get healthy if you want to get skinny. Healthy = skinny. Unhealthy = fat. The first thing you need to do is give up your gross vices. Don’t act surprised! You cannot keep eating the same shit and expect to get skinny."
The biggest thing I liked about the book was the direct, no bullshit tone. The book is loaded with shit’s, fuck’s, and asshole’s. I have a terrible potty mouth in real life, so I didn’t find it offensive, but funny and real. And generally effective! The authors admit the title itself is just a marketing ploy, which I LOVE! 
The biggest thing I did NOT like about the book was the language literally shames you into thinking Skinny Bitch-style. They use several tactics to covert you to veganism, but one of these tactics is to make you feel totally terrible and lame if you do not eat a perfect and pure diet. They write, "If you eat shit, you are shit." This is NOT very balanced. No one can be perfect ALL the time. A healthy diet (especially a cruelty-free one!) should make you feel GOOD about your choices, not bad for a minor slip up. As this Salon.com review of the book states, "the only thing this weight-loss book will help you lose is self-esteem."
So, obviously I have a love-hate relationship with the book. Here are the other things I liked about Skinny Bitch:
- Although it presents a one-sided argument for veganism, it is extremely well-researched and cited. It presents a strong moral, political, health, environmental, and biological argument for veganism.
- The book totally debunks the high protein, low carb diet. I really do think the Atkins Diet is a load of crap, and it was nice to see research on why exactly this diet sucks.
- The book explores how our government has shaped our food choices to benefit the dairy and meat industries at the expense of our health and the humane treatment of animals. There is some insanely eye-opening information in Chapter 9 that EVERYONE should read. If you’ve read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, Skinny Bitch reiterates these concepts. Basically, do NOT trust the FDA or the USDA. Seriously.
- In parts, Skinny Bitch tries to empowers you to make better food choices and eat a cleaner and healthier diet. I found myself underlining the following passages: "Love yourself enough to do whatever it takes to be the best you can be…. Just take it one meal at a time… Acknowledge that no vice item will ever make you feel happy or whole or satisfied."
- The honest portrayal of the farm factories of cows, pigs, and chicken and their ridiculously inhumane slaughter really affected me. I couldn’t even read some of the descriptions. I was FLOORED to read that the United States doesn’t even have adequate laws to protect the animals. This really, really upset me. For some reason, I can watch the PETA videos on the farm houses and experience a sort of detachment, but I found it difficult to ignore it in written form.
- There’s a great list of recommended brands and products suitable for the Skinny Bitch lifestyle.
- I walked away feeling much more educated about why people choose to become vegetarian or vegan.
There were many aspects of Skinny Bitch that I did NOT like:
- As mentioned, the tough-love tone was overbearing at times. I think this book would be a very poor choice if you are recovering from an eating disorder.
- The book demands perfection, which is impossible to obtain.
- The suggested diet in the back of the book is RIDICULOUS! I would seriously chew off my arm if I ate the suggested diet. I would be a seriously skinny bitch (emphasis on the bitch) if I followed their regime for two days. I’m guessing each day contains about 1,200 calories. No one can live on that!
All in all, I’m very glad I read Skinny Bitch. Like all diet books, there are parts of the book that I really identified with and other parts I hated. Personally, I feel everyone should read Skinny Bitch just to become more educated about vegetarianism and veganism.
Regarding how Skinny Bitch will affect me, I’m trying to eat less meat. I’ve been trying to do this anyway, so it’s not a big change. I’m not going to declare myself a "vegetarian" because I think I need more time to process the book. This will be my third attempt to go veggie (I was a chicken-only veggie for 10 years and a pure veggie for about a month when I was 23).
Have you read Skinny Bitch? What did you think?
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I’ve never read it, and it’s strictly because of the title! I don’t find it offensive, I just think it sets the tone of the whole book and that’s not an approach I want to take when it comes to healthy eating. I really don’t want to be shamed into eating properly — I want my mind to be just as healthy as my body when I choose the right foods.
Thanks for reviewing, Caitlin!
I have read it and agree with everything you said. Any diet that promotes a “militant” eating style is not for me. As you said, you cannot be perfect all the time and we all have spent way too much energy on beating ourselves up about it. We sure as heck don’t need some “skinny bitches” adding to it! LOL! But, I always try to take something from what I read and I like that they promote a healthier lifestyle.
Good luck with vegetarianism! I have always gravitated to that way of eating and I tried it seriously for about 4 months. Unfortunately, I discovered that cheese and chocolate are “vegetarian” which was not conducive to my weight loss -LOL!
As usual, I LOVE getting your take on things! I appreciate your honesty and your critique of the book. As an ED recoveree, I’ve never felt that reading this book would be beneficial or healthy, so I’m not going to. But it’s good to see the valid points that it did make for you. Also, I don’t think I should go down the road of veganism or vegetarianism anytime soon, just because restricting my diet in that way is not smart for me.
But great review Caitlin, and it’s good to know a little more about this ‘Skinny Bitch’ phenomena!
Thank you for the review! I haven’t read the book yet, but I sort of want to check it out.
Solid review of the book. You basically confirmed what I thought from skimming the book at the bookstore. I don’t plan on reading “Skinny Bitch” because I think it would make me pretty angry.
Hey Caitlin,
I have read the book and have the same conclusion I do about a lot of animal-welfare-esque literature out there. People speak/wrte this way (think PETA) because people are so frustrated that some others cannot see how awful it is that we condone and patronize and industry that basically tortures, confines and ultimately, painfully slaughters animals. I was this way (and still am somewhat) whenever people doted on their little dogs but would eat a pork sandwich.
Why do we see such a difference in “worth” between our dog or cat and a pig (btw, smarter than dogs, and young children), cow or chicken? It is a concept that has so frustrated me in the past that I have been in very heated verbal confrontations several times.
However, over time I reasoned that it is better to just hope that people will do the best they can do with small changes and really educate themselves on what is exactly going on. I even allowed dairy and some shellfish back into my diet simply because I felt veganism was getting far too tough. I felt like a giant hypocrite at first, but then realized that what I do everyday (not eating meat) is helping tremendously, even though I am not perfect.
I just think the writers are very committed to this cause and I do admire that. They are just frustrated and probably think disguising the book as a diet book (because most women spend 1000X more time thinking about what their bodies look like than the welfare of factory farmed animals)would get their message out there.
I haven’t read the book so thanks for the review. From what I’ve gathered from your review and from other reviews I’ve read, it sounds like that there are a few valuable things to be taken away from the book, but there are other ideas that should be taken with a grain of salt. I think I may end up reading the book sometime, just because I want to see what it is all about. Thanks again for the review
I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve heard similar reviews to yours. I support the idea of being vegan (I’m vegetarian but learning towards eating vegan most of the time) but I hate when anyone tries to force others into their way of eating (meat eaters have done this to me many times, but I still don’t think vegans should do it to other people). I also don’t like the idea of stressing PERFECTION, hello ED! Thanks for the review!
Thanks for the review Caitlin! I haven’t read this book yet but I have skimmed through their “Skinny Bitch in the Kitch” book and tried a few of their recipes, making some modifications (I just can’t bring myself to use coconut oil). I do think their tone and style could overwhelm some people, especially someone with an ED. I like the idea of vegetarianism and veganism quite a bit, even though I’m not either myself. But yes, no one could or should live on just 1200 calories!
I have read the book and I took it as a really eye-opening gateway to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. The book got me to research more and more about eating vegan and over time I’ve formulated my own version of veganism and what I feel is appropriate for me at this time. Obviously the book had a large effect on getting me to this point, but I took a lot of it with a grain of salt too. Ultimately what works for them may not work for you, me or anyone else and I think that’s how I eventually approached the book. However, for basic informative purposes on these lifestyles, it was wonderful!
i totally love skinny bitch!! the way they talked about the slaughter houses and stuff was sooo graphic, I had to put the book down a few times.. can’t handle it. their ideas are sort of ridiculously strict, but overall, I like the book and its message!
I read it about half a year ago, and honestly…I cried. I sat on my couch and cried when I read about what REALLY happens to the animals. I wasnt eating meat a lot at the time, and contemplating going vegetarian, and this book did it for me. I have been happier with my diet ever since
But I dont like their tone, and the whole time I was reading it I felt like they were definitley just trying to make the whole world vegan!
I think that’s a really good analysis of the book Caitlin. While I’m not ready to be vegetarian or vega, what I took from the book is that I should merely being more cognizant of what I eat. And its also eye opening to learn more about the practices regarding animals. I guess it makes you think twice before eating meat, although if I’m craving protein, I have no problem baking up a chicken breast!
I’ve tried to read it but I wasn’t crazy about all the swearing so I ended up giving the book away. If you want to read another book about the way animals are treated, you should definitely check out “Animal Sanctuary.” It’s about this man who started two farms – one in California and one in upstate New York – where animals saved from slaughter are given a home. Everything on the farm is vegan out of respect for the animals. It opened my eyes and is what really made me go vegetarian. I can’t recommend it enough. It probably gives a lot of the same info but in a more caring manner.
I liked the book, but wasn’t impressed with the authors credentials so I sought out some of the books they cited. It was a really well researched book! Agreed about the suggested “diet” – I would be a raging BITCH if I followed that!
I’ve only read certain passages at the bookstore, never really able to justify the expense of actually BUYING it and bringing it home. In those short snippets, I came to the same conclusion as you did: NOT A GOOD CHOICE FOR THOSE PRONE TO EATING DISORDERS!!!
Besides, you can read a fully comprehensive book on healthy vegan living in “Becoming Vegan” by Davis and Melina. A bit dense in some of the charts, but as a reference book, it’s helped me a lot.
And you’re right: funny-sounding bytes and swear words are no substitute for the good work already done by dietitians and scientists in the field of nutrition!!
great review! I’ve heard a lot about the book, but haven’t read it yet.
I honestly don’t usually cause a big fuss over a lot of profanity, but it really bugs me when I get into a book/movie and that’s all it is. I probably won’t read the book just because of that fact.
I don’t need someone to cuss at me while trying to convince me to go vegan. I have seen some of their recipes, though, and they look pretty good!
Great review! Haven’t read it myself, but all the stuff you stated is the most common feedback I’ve heard.
(I’m also A HUGE potty mouth in real life!)
I agree that I would be a total bitch too if I was limiting myself so much. I mean really, have you ever met a happy person who was not allowing themselves to endulge? I think as long as your eatting a balanced diet and exercising, not need to go to the extreme…especially 1200 calories per day. That is just crazy!
Thank you for such a thorough review. I haven’t read the book myself because i thought it was a bit of a diet propaganda. I think this kind of tone would really annoy me, so now I know not to even think about reading it. I read in defense of food – I think that provided good info without ridiculing me. Glad you feel more educated after reading this, though. I’m glad they provided some real substance, not just string diet rules.
i did not enjoy it. the “bad words” were just too much for me, it was all just too much for me. i think they have some good ideas and i am sure it hit home for some people and that’s all that matters
I agree! I read it and when I was done, I felt I had a greater understanding of veganism, a desire to eat better but a dislike for the authors. It might all be a marketing ploy but I dont like how they think one person is better than another by there eating habits. It did get me to read The China Study- by Colin Campbell, which I am still in the process of reading but it is a lot more scientific research based. I am enjoying it a lot more!
I’ve read the book, and didn’t like it much. There are some good messages, but it contradicts itself several times, and to me it advocates a vegan “junk food” diet. I think no matter what diet a person chooses, the best thing is that it be full of natural, real food.
I just read “You Are What You Eat” and found it to be a much better approach to my way of thinking.
I haven’t read it, but I think you should check out a book called The Skinny. It gives practical tips — although they aren’t all great ones. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on it. I read it so long ago and I have to pick it up again, but I remember reading it all in one night and thinking it had some good points.
It is also written by two women, one who is a restaurant critic and ALWAYS eats out, so you get perspective from two different women with two different lifestyles.
I really did not like the book, mainly for all the negative reasons you outlined. I found the all or nothing attitude discouraging and the overall tone of the book distracted from any useful and relevant information.
Nice to hear more about the book. I love Pollan- it will be interesting to read a different angle. As someone who works in food safety I think these books are overly hard on USDA and FDA. These agencies really do have our best interests in mind, but are bound by a convoluted legal structure. This is why we all need to vote!
Great review. I loved this part, “I would seriously chew off my arm if I ate the suggested diet. I would be a seriously skinny bitch (emphasis on the bitch)”
I think the opening statment would have turned me off from the book. Skinny = healthy and fat = unhealthy? That’s not true. I’m overweight and have perfect cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.. And I know a lot of skinny people who have terrible health numbers. Your size is no indication of your overall health.
I completely agree – some points were eye opening, others were a bit far fetched and ludicrous for a normal diet. But, definitely a quick and interesting read!
Thanks for the review! I have of course seen it everywhere but haven’t read it. Good info to ponder.
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I haven’t read the book, but I can respect the vegan movement. I know I will never become vegan but I am choosing my meat choices wisely. I will spend more money to buy a whole chicken or ground turkey from the farmer’s market from the farmer who I know loves his animals, rather than the crap at the grocery store. It all about the choices you make.
I agree with Jen that the opening of the book turns me off. I do not believe that skinny equals healthy.
I also don’t need to read a book that proselytizes about being a vegan, especially one that uses shock tactics and what I think of as emotional abuse. You know, break you down to try and build you back up again. That’s how you brainwash people. I’m sure there are much better books out there if I wanted to read about veganism.
I read most of it and couldn’t finish. I didn’t realize I was buying a book to push the vegan lifestyle. And I didn’t appreciate them acting “holier than thou” with anyone of a different opinion. Some of the info was decent but mostly it was a book to make you eat vegan. I sold it at Half Price books. Couldn’t even finish it. I really don’t understand what all the hoopla is about it.
i didn’t like it. i felt the entire tone was pretentious and contemptuous. i think it’s important to know what happens in our food system but there are much better resources for any of that information–michael pollan, frances lappé. and if you want information on how to eat right, there are also other books–the whole gamut of mediteranean diet, south beach, raw, etc. the whole concept of shaming people into what to eat makes me nauseous.
Hated it!! Thanks for your review, I agree with all your negative points
I haven’t read the book but have heard reviews similiar to yours. I don’t know if I would like to read a book that will make you feel bad about yourself.
I thought the tone of the book was hilarious, but I guess that is just me. One thing I did not like about it, which you didn’t mention and I don’t think anyone in the comments mentioned(but I just skimmed through real quick)is that they say you should eat so clean an healthy with no processed foods, but in the back they list tons of meat alternatives which are highly processed and not that great for you. I also don’t agree with the fasts they talk about.
It is one of the main reasons I became a vegetarian, but I don’t openly admit it. People always give me crap about being a vegetarian and it drives me crazy. I don’t complain that they eat meat! I think if people just minimize their meat intake, if they don’t want to give it up forever, it would help. It has actually saved us a lot of money grocery shopping too.
Ok this sort of turned into a rant I am sorry, Oh no I am the bitch they talk about in the book. haha.
Thanks for the review! I’ve skipped reading this precisely because of the reasons you cite. Also, I was vegan throughout high school and actually did lots of vegan-related research into a healthy diet/ethics of it at the time, so I didn’t think those gals could tell me anything I didn’t already know. Anyway, I always preferred the well-fed vegan to the skinny bitch. Say, Isa Chandra Moskowitz.
I have been putting it off because I think it would make me feel guilty! But after reading your review, maybe I’ll check it out.
I read it and I pretty much agree with all of your points. The chapter on the treatment of animals made me sick and I skipped over much of it!
I now think twice about the meats that I do buy, and I try to limit those as much as possible.
Hey Caitlin!
As a vegan and a raw foodist, I can say that I’m not a big fan of the book. I like that it’s honest and that it debunks a lot of dietary myths, and of course I support the passion for veganism. But I agree that the nasty attitude won’t win anyone over. I happen to live by a totally atypical and “strict” diet (not strict for me, but most people would perceive it that way) and I NEVER force it upon others or preach in their faces. That isn’t the way to generate interest or enthusiasm.
My least favorite part of that book, though, is that it promotes a vegan junk food diet of soy substitutes and fake meat. Gross!
I feel very similarly to you with the love/hate relationship. I would say the thing I dislike most about it isn’t the tone or tough love, it’s that they leave no room for flexibility or adjustment. Overall I liked the book in that I found it interesting and sassy; I even bought the cookbook (Skinny Bitch in the Kitch), but I obviously haven’t gone vegan. I like many of their ideas, which I try to incorporate into my diet, but it didn’t drastically change the way I eat or live.
I enjoyed your review, I think it is spot on!
Great review!
I started to read Skinny Bitch awhile back and I have to say it was a little too extreme for my liking. It definitely took facts and information and skewed it to fit it best into their line of thinking. I would like a much more thorough resource check- annotated bibliography would be best. Not a fan of subjective material. I do however like to read any and all books on health related matters with an objective questioning eye.
In addition, a diet approach that limits you beyond belief is completely unrealistic and will ultimately lead to failure. I agree with trying to eat as naturally as possible but not to the extent that you completely remove all other foods and only eat very little per day! Silliness!
I definitely want to read: In Defense of Food.
I know the low-carb diet isn’t popular with food bloggers the way veganism is, but I really suggest you read the book “Good Calories, Bad Calories” for a solid scientific explanation of why excess carbohydrate intake leads to weight gain and health problems. The book is super dense (I think Heather started it and compared it to a 400+ page long research paper) so this article is a good introduction to some of the ideas and research put forward by the book: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html?sec=health
The thing that bugs me about preaching veggie/vegan lit/blogs whathaveyou is it ignores the fact that some people just aren’t going to be able to give up meat for whatever reasons. i TRIED to stop eating meat for nearly a year, then found that my already low iron was dangerously near hospitalization levels low…and this was with eating iron rich veggies and taking supplements. for whatever reason, probably due to being an endurance athlete, i have freakishly low absorption of iron (and vitamin c!) and the only way for me to actually deal with it is to eat red meat. not only does it help me maintain my iron levels, i haven’t had any running injuries since i started eating meat again. that’s just how my body works.
i’ve seen a couple of comments about being judged for being vegetarian…but among the self professed “healthy,” i guarantee you are judged MORE harshly for eating red meat. i’m not ignorant or unhealthy for getting iron and lean protein from red meat. and a book like skinny bitch which isn’t so much a manual on veganism as it is a FAQ on how to have an eating disorder (IMHO) is a particularly pretentious example of judgment.
-Maggie
thanks for the thorough review! i was thinking about reading it but have heard the same thing from other people, that its a vegan manifesto. umm, i think ill pass…
I have not read it, but I was planning on getting around to it. Have you read “Natural Cures they Don’t Want you to Know About?” I LOVED it!!!
Jolene
I enjoyed the book and felt it to be pretty honest, and it was well researched despite their lack of credentials. I definitely agree that it has a very militant tone and their diets are pretty crazy & overly restrictive, however.
Thanks for the review. Books like this drive me crazy because they are totally gimmicky and SO unrealistic for leading a happy, healthy life. Anyone who eats 1200 calories a day absolutely cannot excercise. So yeah, they’ll be skinny, but they’ll also have no muscle definition or cardiovascular strength and won’t have a healthy, well rounded life.
I read the book in the beginning of March (and haven’t eaten meat since). It was pretty funny up until chapter 9 (which made me cry), but I definitely don’t think it is for everyone. I agree with the meal plan thing- every single meal seemed to revolve around some sort of fake meat!
Hi Caitlin! I’m a new reader to your blog, I really enjoy it! I too have read skinny bitch after I went vegetarian. I like how honest they are about what really happens on factory farms, though for me seeing actual videos is what turned me off of chicken, pork and beef. The language and all didn’t offend me since I have a bit of a potty mouth myself but it got to be a little bit of an overkill.
I read it and I can’t eat meat now. Not that I was a big meat eater before but after reading what happens to animals, I just couldn’t in all consiousness continue to eat it.
i read the first chapter of this and was totally turned off, so i never finished it. if any one is interested more in the government/food industry, please read “fast food nation”! it’s hard to put down.
I’ve never read it, but a few of my girlfriends have. And I don’t buy it. For one, there are no indigenous vegan societies, even traditionally vegetarian societies (which do exist) prize the consumption of dairy. And two, from my own experience as a vegetarian.
I became a vegetarian in 2003 after researching factory farming. Everyone who writes consciously about food agrees this is a terrible practice, for the animals, for the environment and for consumers. However, good farms and good meat does exist. I started eating fish (with the aid of my Seafood Selector) in 2006 and just recently incorporated meat into my diet following the guidelines from Real Food by Nina Planck and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. And I am still able to lose weight, maintain weight, stay fit. I think what is most important is to have a good relationship with food, with the environment and with your body. Eat what your body needs and eat healthy.
i think thia is definitely a fair review of the book, i agree with everything. i am a “chicken and turkey only” person and i know i will probably never give that up but this book DID convince me to (almost) always buy cage free eggs and organic cruelty free chicken, etc.
and haha- i love that you admit you’re a potty mouth! i’m the same way sometimes
I read it. I liked just what you liked about it, and agree with your complaints. I do try to be more careful about WHAT meat I eat, but I still eat meat.
As a dietitian, I would also prefer if someone with credentials like I have had reviewed their diets. Maybe I should do that…. well, if they paid me.
But yeah, they definitely look WAY too low calorie. Plus eating ONLY fruit for breakfast is a sure way to spike your blood sugars – and no fat or protein to balance it out!
But the underlying meaning – the “you DO have to just suck it up and do it – *is* right. But I like your approach better. Cuz everyone needs an Apple Blossom weekend once in a while.
I haven’t read it and honestly don’t think I ever will read it.
My one point: what works for one person may not work for another. To each their own! Aim to be healthy, fit, eat right, and exercise!
I haven’t read it but have been curious about it. I have heard many of the same things you agreed with and those you did not. I also like to think the BALANCE that you strive for is way more attainable and admirable(for me at least) Take your recent trip with your friends – you were conscious the whole time of your choices but you let yourself enjoy the time and indulgences and now – your back to healthier more “thoughtful” decisions. I like a beer with my burgers now and again – take that skinny biches!
Thank you for the review! It definitely sounds like a provocative read.
i read it and i agree whole-heartedly with you – and even though the credentials arent the strongest, and the tone not the nicest, it certainly makes you think. for me, it caused me to get more books on the subject and do my own research and ultimately i ended up vegan, so its thought provoking if nothing else, right?
I totally feel the same way you do about the book, I read it and thought it brings up many good points, there are a lot of points where I thought, “How does ANYONE survive on this diet? Though good points a little extremist and there were also many points that I didn’t agree with. I also didn’t know that neither of them had credentials.. Interesting.
Good review though! 
I started reading the book, and I put it down after the first few chapters. I was a bit turned off by the tone of the book, and I’m not planning on going vegan anytime soon, so it wasn’t really appealing to me at all.
I agree with what Jen said.
I refuse to read the book because they tout the theory that “skinny = healthy” and “fat=unhealthy.”
That simply isn’t true.
Thanks for your review! I picked the book up once, but my usual test is to flick to the index page to see if they mention soy and if they recommend it. If they do, I put it back on the shelf. That’s as far as I therefore got with this one, so I hadn’t really given it much objective thought!
Have a great day,
Emily.
I bought the book months ago and have yet to finish it. I agree with everything you said about it. I like their straight forward approach, but I felt like they would turn their nose up at anyone not living a vegan lifestyle. It’s not for everyone.
The chapter about the slaughterhouses not only made me sick but I actually cried. That’s where I stopped reading.
I know they are honest about it to make you think twice about meat, but it just made me mad The real slaughterhouse workers accounts were awful.
Hopefully I’ll finish it one day cause I really want to. I just think it may have been a little too real for my taste.
just like you said, i had a “love-hate” relationship with the book. while the tone was funny, it was sometimes offensive. while i was glad that they put important issues out there, they also make you feel like a horrible person for not eating perfectly.
overall, i’m glad that it was so popular though cause the general public usually doesn’t know shit about the disgusting things going on in gov’t, the meat/dairy industry, etc. even if it could rub someone the wrong way, at least it is drawing attention to important issues and (hopefully) will make people think.
p.s. i’d totally give you an A+ on that book report. quotations and everything!
I think trying to cut down on the meat in your diet is a great idea – but more important, is paying attention to where your meat comes from and how it is raised. I’ve read “Skinny Bitch in the Kitch” and my biggest issue with it was the amount of processed vegan food in their recipes. A REAL healthy diet is made up of fresh, whole foods that are conscientiously grown and raised – whether they’re animal products or not!
I went Vegan after reading SB.
But, I had already been a vegetarian for 2 years at that point, and had been toying with the idea of veganism.
Yet, I understand that it is not for everyone. I think your review was pretty accurate.
I haven't read the book and have a very hard time believing that I'd ever pick up this piece of garbage.
I mean writing "Healthy = skinny. Unhealthy = fat" is just ridiculous. Who the eff are these two women, who like you said, have no credentials, to tell me what body type is healthy or not?
Just because they're in the modeling industry doesn't mean they know anything about healthy eating and lifestyle.
You've brought out some great points about why the book could be a good read, but I think there are far better and more substantial reading materials out there that won't demonize me for being a human being and actually enjoying food.
I don't want to be a skinny bitch. Who does?!
P.S. None of this is clearly directed at you, I just have serious problems with this book. I have this horrible image of teenage girls reading this in Barnes & Noble and feeling horrible about their food choices.
Thanks for the review and reaffirming my conviction that I'll never read it =)
yes! it is so bad for teenagers to see something like this!!
great review! this book really infuriates me though. i need to go back and look at it again, but i don’t remember them actually citing any credible sources (i.e. scientific journals). and it scares me how virtually everyone who reads it is influenced toward veganism in some way…i think veganism can be perfectly healthy, i just think they don’t have the most accurate facts in their argument. there are problems with the meat industry, but there are also increasing options for free range chicken, grass fed beef, etc…whether this can really fix the problem, i’m not sure, but i’m not planning on being a vegetarian anytime soon. this book makes me want to scream at them and show them that i can eat meat and be healthy and skinny!!!
I adored it.
I read this when I worked at Target and someone returned it around the holidays. I understood and agreed with most of the points in the book (as a health conscious vegan, I’m all for the basic principles) but I don’t think people need to be shamed into eating less meat or dairy. Present the facts as they are and if people care about the issues, then they will make the choice that they feel is right for them. What really got me was what you mentioned: the language. It was shaming and at times was very triggering. I could imagine this book doing serious damage to someone with a history of ED’s. A friend of mine is OBSESSED and has the cookbook(s) (I think there’s two?) and I think the recipes are the exact opposite of what’s in the book – the book itself says “Eat whole foods! No processed crap!” and then the cookbook is, “Boil some whole grain and add this faux-meat and processed vegan cheese” (don’t get me wrong, I like those things in moderation) so I don’t get it. I really think the overall attitude in the book that skinny ALWAYS equates to healthy was really unnerving. Thanks for sharing an honest objective review of it!
I'm curious as to what the meal plan was like, since you estimated the calories in it to be so low?
I haven't read it but like a lot of people here I find the 'don't eat shit!' attitude amusing-to a point of course. These girls should consider some balance!
Good review
I have to wonder – what do the skinny bitches recommend for folks who are allergic to soy, it seems to be their diet staple.
thanks for the review!
jenna
I read skinny bitch over the summer because my mom bought it and wanted to change the way she eats. I am SO glad I read it before she did so I could tell her that the book is manipulative and wrong about a few things. I believe a lot of what their saying and they have extremely valid points.
But their major fall back is how they are black and white. The book makes you feel horrible about yourself if you do not abide by THEIR rules.
I like their language because like Caitlin I have a huge potty mouth but I do not like their tactics when approaching innocent and vulnerable people that will mold to whatever they say.
This book is actually what pushed me to give up chicken/turkey (I had given up beef/pork already). Overall I definitely agree with your thoughts on the book. If I went completely on their advice I’d either be starving all the time or feeling really bad about myself.
never read it but it’s on my summer book list! Great review !
This review is fantastic: it’s SO well-balanced and well-written. I am impressed. Very informative!
Thanks for the review. I think I may skip this one since as you mentioned, it would be a bad choice for someone who has struggled with an eating disorder in the past. However, I am enjoying your blog very much as I have become very interested in eating healthy but enjoying what I eat.
While it is important that light be shed on the issues about our government’s support of the food and dairy industries – as well as the importance of eating whole foods – highlighted in this book and “In Defense Of Food”, I think that is detrimental to even support PARTS of this book. It basically teaches you how to have an eating disorder. As you’ve said, it’s a vegan manifesto masquerading as a diet book. And it ties shame to eating, which is NEVER healthy. While it is important to be aware of what we are eating, we should never feel guilty for indulging or for not being “skinny” enough. The language in this book (and I’m not talking about swear words) is enough to discourage any strong, confident and healthy woman from reading it.
i agree… i would never recommend anyone with an ED to read that book. it’s definitely something you have to only take away parts of. and leave the rest!
I enjoyed the book as well but it lost some credibility with me when it talked about waiting till you were at the starvation point to eat breakfast. Especially when they said, “you’ll learn to love that empty feeling in your stomach.” I can’t recall if that’s the exact phrasing but that was pretty much what they were saying. That shocked me!
I couldn’t read those accounts from the slaughter-houses either. It was absolutely disgusting. How can people treat another living thing that way? It just broke my heart.
I agree with you that education is not always correlated with knowledge, but…seriously? They open the book with the statement “heathy=skinny, unhealthy=fat?” COME ON, a little 101 wouldn’t have hurt…