Love Your Body by Brooke Parker

Today, I'm privileged to be reviewing Love Your Body: A Diet-Free Approach to Balanced Eating by Brooke Parker. Take this book for just what the title implies. This is not a diet or nutrition book, it doesn't give you lists of good and bad foods, or suggest 20 quick and easy ways to lose 20 pounds. The topic is much more timely and crucial than any of these. It's about loving your body. Plain and simple. That's something I think every woman needs to understand and contemplate.

To present this material, Brooke Parker draws on her experience as a nutritional counselor for women with eating disorders. Don't discount the advice because you feel you don't have problem in this area. I don't know a single woman who couldn't benefit from the types of advice Ms. Parker gives. It's wholesome, sound and meant for every woman and girl who has ever looked in a mirror and felt uncomfortable with what they've seen.

Topics include:
· Finding a New Relationship with Food
· Honoring Your Hunger and Fullness
· Finding Your Own Healthy Balance
· Creating Healthy Expectations
· The Inner Dialogue
· Put an End to Worry
· Your Body Is a Gift
· Eliminating the Physical Triggers
· Destructive Thinking Styles
· Pampering Activities

Our bodies, our mortal experiences (including food) are supposed to be about bringing us joy and Brooke tries hard to remind us of that. We may not all experience the same intensity or the same thoughts, but as women we do tend to put a lot of undue pressure on how we look and how we think others see us. Nine times out of ten these fears are unfounded. If you've ever spent an evening berating yourself for that second piece of pie, reaching for the Ben and Jerry's on a bad day, or months depriving yourself of a certain type of food, this book is for you. Just as I mentioned, Love You Body is a message every women should come to understand. Even if you think you have no body image issues, I can almost guarantee that at least one woman you love does.

Ms. Parker does not expect you to take her word for everything. She has a few resources that she favors quoting, even drawing some of her specific messages from those texts. She gives them full credit, there in the text and does not try to hide the fact that she is introducing material that is not uniquely hers. To me, that was reassuring. I may not know Brooke Parker from Adam, oops, make that Eve, but I can acknowledge the usefulness of thoughts and ideas that have been studied and well documented then come to understand them through her use of them. Others may not see it that way. I can see some saying "Well, if I wanted to read so-and-so's book, I would have gotten that one not Love Your Body". I personally didn't think there was an issue, but I do read books for different reasons than some do. You'll have to judge that for yourself. I would suggest, however, that if the material in Love Your Body is ringing especially true look up those other resources and read them too.

Again, Love Your Body is not the source you want to turn to for diet and nutrition advice. That's not its purpose, and there are a million books out there that can promise you if you only eat this, or avoid that, or calculate and keep your numbers straight that you'll be healthy and happy. Good for them. But for me, I was thrilled to see someone actually address the thoughts and feelings we have behind reading such books. Love Your Body is the source to turn to for learning how to appreciate who you are, right here and now, and how to find joy in the blessings God has given us, namely a variety of good food and a body that is meant to bring us joy.

Pick up Love Your Body. It belongs on your shelf. It's a sweet, easy read that acts like a talk between good friends and leaves you with ideas, thoughts, and tools to tackle even the worst "why do I even keep that pair of skinny jeans" days.

Here’s a note from the publisher regarding a great give-away they’re hosting on Brooke’s blog tour. Make sure to get your entry into the pot!


We will be giving away 5 copies of Love Your Body: A Diet-Free Approach to Balanced Eating as part of the online book blog tour.

The contest starts February 17th and will close on March 5th atmidnight, MST.Entering the contest is easy--all you have to do is blog, tweet, follow, or comment and then fill out this little form here.

So exactly how do you blog, tweet, follow, etc. Here's how.

1. Become a follower of our reviewers blogs. You can follow one of our reviewers or you can follow all of them. Remember that each blog you follow gives you another chance to win, so why wouldn't you choose to follow them all? But what if we are already following them you ask? Well lucky you, because you get an entry for that too.

Walnut Springs Press

Brooke Parker RD

Of Writerly Things

Random-ish by Nichole

Queen of the Clan

Rachelle Writes

The Write Blocks

Tangled Words and Dreams

*Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author

Why Not? Because I Said So!

LDS Women's Book Review

Cami's Book

2. Post a comment on the reviews.

3. Blog about the contest or one of the reviews. Spread the word. Just remember that the blog post either needs to link to the contest or to one of the reviews.

4. Follow us on twitter. Maybe you use twitter, maybe you don't. But if you do, you should follow us.

http://twitter.com/walnutspringspr

http://twitter.com/brookeparkerrd

http://twitter.com/camichecketts

http://twitter.com/Rachellewrites

http://twitter.com/LDSWBR

http://twitter.com/nicholegiles

http://twitter.com/RondaHinrichsen

5. Tweet about the contest or one (or all) of the reviews. Yep, 144 characters or less is all it takesto enter.

6. Become a fan of Love Your Body on facebook. Brooke is constantly updating her fanpage with articles, recipes, and helpful hints.

7. Post about the contest on Facebook.

8. Anything else you can think of that will spread the word. If you mention it on goodreads, shelfari, google buzz, or any other social media site, or make it your status on gmail chat, MSN or yahoo messenger let us know. We want to reward your creativity with an entry.

Remember that you MUST fill out the nifty little form Here to be entered.

2010 ANWA Writers Conference & Book Signing

2010 ANWA Writers Conference
"Start Write Now!"
with Keynote Speaker
J. Scott Savage
Author of the "Farworld" Series

Saturday, February 27, 2010
Best Western Dobson Ranch Inn
1666 South Dobson Road
Mesa AZ 85202-5699

Presenters include Helen Bair, Sara Francis Fujimura, Dr. Pamela Goodfellow, Doug Johnston, Aprilynne Pike, Nancy E. Turner, and Marsha Ward

Open to the Public

Registration in now open at
http://anwa-lds.com/conference.html

Confessions of Super Mom by Melanie Hauser

I have to tell you if I have a choice, I'm one of those people who would much rather skip Mother's day than acknowledge it. Now, I know that seems a little weird to some of you. I mean, it's the one day a year that many of us will actually hear a thank you and all that. But here's the thing, as far as I'm concerned Mother's day is another tool of Satan to make women feel bad.

If you are one of millions of women who are not mothers you feel bad, especially if you are one who desperately does want to be a mother but can be. If you are a mother you feel bad because no matter how it's played out Mother’s day can be just as bad for your self esteem as any fashion magazine or prime-time television show. It isn't about what is said or not said. It's about a woman's weird ability to take whatever is said and turn it into a negative. "See. I'm not like that so I'm obviously lacking as a mother."

Okay, maybe I'm just weird but that's what happens for me. I'm okay with sitting through the Primary kids singing while picking their noses, that's normal motherhood. But then somebody (ies) inevitably starts extolling all the virtues of their particular mother or mothers in general and I start a mental check list. "Nope I don't do that, nope I don't do that, nope I don't do that either."

I have yet to hear anyone celebrate the kind of mother I am. No, I don't think anyone would say I don't love my children or call protective services but I definitely do not reek of motherly virtues either. I don't cook. I don't clean. I don't run my kids to endless activities or cheer at all their games. I'm not totally supportive of everything they do. The list could go on and on. In fact I've decided my one motherhood claim-to-fame is the fact that my children can read me to sleep. No, not the other way around. My children take great pride in the fact that they can read me a bedtime story and I'll snuggle right down and go to sleep. I’m such a good mommy. :)

Why am I telling you all of this? So you'll understand where I'm coming from with my book pick for Mother's day. Of all the wonderful books put out by LDS and national publishers each year extolling the virtues of motherhood I wouldn't recommend a one to you. (Well, okay, maybe Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother.) Why? Because if you're anything like me you don't need something else to feel bad about on the one day that is supposed to make you feel good.

So, here's my recommendation. This Mother's day, skip church and curl up in bed with a large bowl of chocolate and Confessions of Super Mom by Melanie Lynne Hauser.

Super Mom is just about the most fun a person can have pointing out all the stereotypical characteristics of a mother. After a freak accident involving her Swiffer, Birdie Lee becomes a superhero to rival those in her son’s comic books. A typical single mother is suddenly transformed into a super cleaning, organizing, cooking, budgeting, and lecture-delivering super hero with an über mother's instinct not to be messed with.

There are a few pages that you'll have to cover your eyes for-- when Super Mom discovers that even moms are entitled to a love life. She's actually a little aghast at the fact that she could possibly even think about sex when she's supposed to be saving the world's children . . . Those few pages are very tame by a national standard, but they are still there.

So, go ahead grab a copy and snuggle down. I for one will spend the day with the sequel: Super Mom Saves the World. When your visiting teachers show up to hand you your already wilting Mother's day plant, and ask why you weren't at church Sunday, smile and hand them a copy of Confessions of Super Mom in return. With any luck it will get you released from some ward calling that requires you to be an upstanding example of motherhood.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

My Dear Sisters: Inspiration for Women from Gordon B. Hinckley

I have recently decided that I need a whole lot of clear wall space to hang pictures on. No, I haven’t suddenly gotten motivated to go through my boxes of family photos. I’ve simply gotten out one of my favorite books again. My Dear Sisters by Gordon B. Hinckley is a little different from most of the books I talk about here. It’s what I would refer to as a coffee table book, and a book of inspirational thoughts. It’s simple, straight forward and very short. Perfect for those of us who are easily distracted or interrupted.

You can read the entire book straight through in the amount of time it would take to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; but, it will take you months, even years to fully absorb its messages. Working to absorb the messages has been my quest of late. My Dear Sisters is a beautiful book, both in message and appearance. I like to pull it out when my spirit needs a simple lift. You can open to just about any page and find something your heart needs to hear coupled with an elegant illustration that speaks volumes of its own. I love these few quiet moments when I leaf through its pages, but I’ve decided I need something more.

Here’s my plan. I’d like to have multiple copies of My Dear Sisters that I can cut apart. Don’t panic, I know that sounds like sacrilege to some of you, but hear me out. I’d like to take all of those pages and couple them in matted frames for two pictures. I’d like to take those beautiful illustrations and their accompanying devotionals and hang them on my wall. I’d like to walk down a hall or around a room and find myself surrounded by President Hinckley, and my Father in Heaven’s love for me. I can think of no better way to create a sacred space for myself. I want a place that speaks to my heart and the nature of who I am and want to be. This book does that for me, but it’s a little hard to keep it propped open somewhere to just the right page for the day or week.

There are some messages that repeat themselves, with a slightly different angle, and I sometimes think they might have put the book together in an order where the “themes” all appear in the same place. Then again, there are just as many times when I’m glad they don’t appear quite so sequentially. I like the randomness of just wandering through its pages “talking” with the prophet and his dear wife about whatever strikes our fancy and interest. My Dear Sisters is that kind of experience. I think the cover depicts its quality and potential perfectly. It reminds me of quiet moments when I’ve been able to wander in a favorite garden. It carries a peace and aroma of love that permeate your every cell and fiber. Then sometimes, every once in a while, you stop to take a closer look at a particular blossom, petal or pattern. You feel the textures under your fingers and pick out that one particular scent from all the rest, then straighten back up filled with joy for just being alive and realizing how many beautiful gifts Heavenly Father has given each us. Reading My Dear Sisters is walking through a garden of blessing that Heavenly Father reserves just for His daughters. Each time you walk through its pages, you’ll likely stop to appreciate a different blossom of inspiration, but it will always be the message Heavenly Father most needs you to hear at that time.

So, I’ve decided I want to literally walk through the pages. I want them to catch my eye as I move about my home. I want them to become so second nature that they become part of my thoughts as I wake and part of my dreams as I sleep. Do you think there is a wall big enough in my home to hang all these pictures on? Would it work if I just kept one frame by my desk and changed out the picture and message as I needed? Well, maybe not, but my walls might thank me for it.

Does My Dear Sisters come in screen saver form?

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