#Book #Review Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Hello to a Better Body!

I was given the great opportunity to become a part of the Chicken Soup for the Soul network. Whenever there is a new Chicken Soup book published I will have the chance to review it. I am sure that almost everyone has heard of Chicken Soup for the Soul books. But if it is new to you, Chicken Soup books are collections of short stories written by real people about their own lives or sometimes about the lives of close friends or relatives. Chicken Soup for the Soul books are National Bestsellers.

The tenth Chicken Soup book review is for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Hello to a Better Body! Weight Loss and Fitness for Woman Over 50

This book is part of the new Chicken Soup collection known as Chicken Soup for the Soul HEALTH. The Health books are about one third of the size/length of the tradition Chicken Soup books and are filled with medical advice from doctors from the Harvard Medical School as well as inspirational stories from ordinary citizens.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Hello to a Better Body! is divided into 5 chapters under the following headings:

• A Turning Point
• Taking Stock
• Moving Forward
• Food for Thought
• The Long Run

{My Review}

Honestly, I was not really looking forward to reading Say Hello to a Better Body at first since it was for "Weight Loss and Fitness for Woman Over 50." I am 27 years old with two young children so I did not think stories of menopause and dealing with an "empty nest" would interest me.

I was wrong. I really enjoyed this book and it has greatly motivated me to get active and get fit. I am currently trying to lose the 50 lbs I gained while pregnant with my newest baby boy. I have lost almost 40 lbs in the 3 months since his birth but still have 13 lbs to go to get to my pre pregnancy weight and another 10 to get to my goal weight.

Even though this book is geared towards women over 50 years old it has something for everyone. The chapters are prefaced by medical advice by Dr. Koven of the Harvard Medical School which explains why diets do NOT work, how exercise and healthy eating can extend and enhance your life. There are great diagrams and charts about Body Mass Index (BMI) and a visual of what your food plate should look like.

The medical advice given is relevant to everyone. The only real difference I see is that when you are over 50, it is harder to lose weight since your metabolism has slowed down and you are dealing with menopausal issues.

I see that as an even bigger motivator to lose weight and get in better shape NOW while it is still relatively "easy". Don't wait until your body is working against you to get started. Get started NOW! If you are over 50 than this book is perfect for you because it explains how you can get around the struggles and get inspiration from woman your own age and much older such as the story, 92 Years Fit.

The personal stories are very inspirational and connect with a variety of people. Woman of different ages, weights and fitness levels share what got them moving and how it has helped their bodies and lives.

One very enlightening story in the A Turning Point section describes a woman who was very unhappy about how her body was aging and the weight she was gaining. She felt jealous of her sister who was losing weight quickly until she discovered that her sister had kidney disease and needed a transplant. The woman in the story lost weight and got fit and gave her sister one of her kidneys. She realized to be grateful for a healthy body and not take it for-granted.

I liked how the book explains that you should try to shape your exercise regime to your interests and not the other way around, such as a story in the Moving Forward section where the woman disliked most types of exercise but signed up for indoor rowing and fell in love with it.

I really enjoyed this book, it would be great book for yourself to help get you motivated to eat right and exercise more or as a gift for the older women in your life. I plan on sharing this book with my mother who is very active but does not eat properly. It is important to take care of ourselves at every age and I think this book would help others realize how small changes can really make a difference!

{Buy It}

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Say Hello to a Better Body!

eBook --- $9.95

Paperback --- $10.44

{Disclosure}

I received this paperback book free of charge to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own and 100% truthful. I will NOT be compensated for any sales of this or any other Chicken Soup book.