Book: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid
Genre: memoir
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: 2009
Pages: 407

Source: Library

Summary: Shauna Reid started her weight loss journey at 351 pounds in Australia, followed it through two different diet programs (and some ups and downs). After losing over a hundred pounds, she moved to Scotland and continued to lose weight in a more non-dieting fashion. The book is in a diary format to match its original source, her blog: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl.

Thoughts: I loved reading this as an American — it just added to the sense of adventure of the whole thing that both Australia and Scotland are exotic places to me.

I read The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl during the first half of October when I was struggling with my eating. The book is plastered with post-it-notes of things that I knew would help if I were willing to let it be helpful. Here’s one encouraging passage:

Weight loss isn’t about willpower or motivation; it’s just the cumulative effect of tiny actions over time. Putting down the chocolate bars, putting on the running shoes. You just have to keep picking yourself up when you fall, over and over again, for however long it takes.  p. 339

I loved that Shauna Reid enjoyed trackers and charts and spreadsheets as much as I do. I swear that I can get myself to do almost anything if I figure out the right structure for it. I can write a 50,000 word novel in November, write a 1000 comments on other people’s blogs in a year, or work out with exercise DVDs fifteen times in a month. As long as I can put a check or a hash mark or a number in a form at the end of the day, I’m happy to do that thing, even if it’s something that I’ve been procrastinating for years.

Fortunately, the structure that I needed to get back on track turned out to be our vacation in Arkansas. I know that’s counter-intuitive — most people worry about eating too much on vacation. But ever since I’ve started my weight loss journey, I’ve lost weight while out of town about ninety percent of the time. I’m careful with my eating since I’m not in control of the ingredients and I walk a lot. Those small actions have a cumulative effect, as Shauna Reid says — I returned from vacation with reset eating habits and lower numbers on the scale.

Appeal: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl will appeal most to women who have or want to lose weight.

Other Reviews:Kim at Reading Matters also enjoyed this book, especially the author’s sense of humor: ‘The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl’ by Shauna Reid.

Becky of One Literature Nut appreciated that Shauna Reid did such a great job of presenting what it really takes to lose weight — years and years of effort in the midst of a rich and exciting life.  The impression you might get watching a season of The Biggest Loser is that you need to stop living your life to lose weight. Shauna Reid proves that’s not true. Here’s Becky’s post: Review: Dietgirl by Shauna Reid.

Challenges: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl is my 15 of the 19 food books that I intended to read in 2012. I might make it! Check out the amazing collection of books people have read this year at the challenge site: Foodies Read 2.

I’ll post this for Weekend Cooking tomorrow at Beth Fish Reads. We get a great collection of posts there every week!