Hey, everyone – welcome once again to my Friday Five!

This week, I thought I’d do something a little different, and share with you five of my all-time favorite diet/weight-loss books.

These are books I’ve really, truly enjoyed reading, more than once – not just for “nuts and bolts” diet info, but for inspiration, laughs, and – well, fun! Because you need some fun, when you’re dieting. You also need to know you’re not in this alone.

So, without further ado, here’s my Friday Five Book Review:

1. The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid
   First published in 2008, this is a collection of Shauna’s posts from her original blog, in which she chronicled, in a charming Aussie accent, her attempts to lose weight (notated in stones rather than pounds), but oh, my friends, it’s so much more than that! It’s about family, friends, and finding true love when you least expect it. (AND weight loss – it’s in there too, trust me!)

   (Try to get a copy of the original edition, if you can (love those stones!), but even in its Americanized version, it retains its charms.)

   Shauna said goodbye to “Dietgirl” in 2014, and started a new blog, ShaunaReid.com. In a recent post there, Shauna says she no longer thinks of herself as “Dietgirl.” Hey, I get it! I called myself “Chrissy the Stooges Woman” for WAYYYY longer than I should have. At some point we all outgrow our Internet personas. But that’s cool. “Dietgirl” was there when I needed her – and her wonderful book is waiting for you, too!

2. The No-S Diet by Reinhard Engels
   
   This is a really short, really simple concept developed by an engineer named Reinhard Engels. Here’s all it is:No Snacks
   No Sweets
   No Seconds
   Except (sometimes) on days that start with “S” (Saturdays, Sundays, and “special” days)

   Now, even though it’s such an easy concept you could recite it in your sleep (almost), the book is well worth reading, too. Although the weight loss is really, really slow, it’s a fantastic behavior modification tool, perfect for anyone who’s a nonstop snacker. Stick with it, and you’ll learn to love it.

   And I did love it – for about six months. However, as I’ve mentioned earlier, during this past summer, it got really, really hot, and I really, really wanted some “S’s” in the form of ice cream. Fortunately, one day, I stumbled across my next choice in my Kindle Unlimited recommendations:

3. Then Just Stay Fat by Shannon Sorrels
   Shannon Sorrels is a mysterious soul, cloaked in secrecy, seemingly without any sort of Internet presence at all. I’ve looked high and low, and she doesn’t seem to have a blog or a website*. So there’s no way to let her know how much her championing of basic, no-nonsense calorie counting has impressed me. I started tracking my calories, and it’s made a huge difference – as you can tell by my weight loss stats over there on the right.

   Shannon states the case for calorie counting very simply and forcefully. If you need a good kick in the pants, this is the one you want!

   (*I did find a Facebook page for the book. It hasn’t been updated since December 2016, but hey, it’s better than nothing!)

4. Calorie Accounting by Mandy Levy
   This is the EXACT same concept as “Then Just Stay Fat” – basic, no-nonsense calorie counting. The difference is Mandy Levy herself! She describes herself as “an Emmy-winning writer, comedian, and karaoke enthusiast,” and that’s quite a winning combination of talents.

   I recommend you get the oversized paperback, rather than the Kindle version, because Mandy’s book is just so bright and cheerful and colorful that it makes you smile just looking at it! She’s like the bouncy cheerleader big sister you never knew you needed. I love her attitude, her cheerfully nutty photos, and her love for totally fake foods.

   I don’t agree with all of them (the Zero Calorie Noodles are definitely an acquired taste!), but it’s nice to find someone else who shares my illicit love for I Can’t Believe it’s not Butter Spray!

5.  A Walk In the Woods, by Bill Bryson
   Okay, you got me – this is definitely NOT a diet or weight-loss book! However, it’s a wonderful, often funny, sometimes terrifying (bears, eek!) book about a couple of guys who decide to walk the Appalachian Trail, and have all sorts of wonderful, often funny, sometimes terrifying adventures before they pretty much give up. The movie version starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte is pretty awesome, too – plus it features the great Kristen Schaal in the small but hilarious role of Mary Ellen, who was apparently the most annoying woman on the planet.
   
   Anyway, the main reason I mention it here is that reading this and other books about ordinary schlubs heading out to the wilderness to walk for miles and miles and miles every day is, it motivates ME to get up out of my comfy recliner and go for a walk. Maybe just around the block, or down the street to the library. But hey – walking is good, so whatever it takes, right?
   

Let me know in the comments what some of YOUR favorite weight-loss books are. I’ve got a library card, so I’ll definitely (dare I say it??) check them out (yes, I dared!!)!