Book review: Skinny Bitch

It's been almost two months since I stopped drinking caffeine.  Thanks to reading Skinny Bitch by R. Freedman & K. Barnouin while on vacation I cut caffeine out of my diet.  It was a health decision, not one to actually turn into a skinny bitch.  While it actually has not been too difficult, I will admit I miss diet coke or liquid satin the most.  I substituted coffee for herbal decaffeinated tea which I feel so content with because it's great for you.  I will say that I mostly drink water, sometimes orange juice.  Fortunately, my body requires a lot of water so I can drink a lot of it with out a problem.  There have been a couple of days where it was necessary to turn to coffee but instead I just dragged or should have a hot chocolate instead.

The author's of Skinny Bitch say to cut out caffeine for a many reasons:

• Diet soda has aspartame, BAD!  When paired with carbs it slows down the production of serotohin, need to be happy
• Caffeine raises stress hormone levels
• Better to drink water because it keeps your body clean and detoxified
• Drink caffeine-free herbal tea - organic decaf green tea!

Additional key Skinny Bitch guidelines 

• It's a good idea to trade beer (bloat) for organic red wine produced without sulfates
• 20 minutes of cardio a day, 5 days a week then gradually add more time and strength training (work out in the mornings)
• Stay clear of shitty carbs: white flour, white pasta, white rice, and white sugar, all BAD!
• Choose fabulous complex carbs: potatoes, beans, yams, hummus, lentiles
• Eat fruit on an empty stomach, 1st meal of the day and wait 30 minutes before eating
• Sugar substitute: Use Stevia!  All natural, derived form a plant in Paraguay
• Eat organic fruits and vegetables because they carry more enzymes than those treated with pesticides and grown in chemically treated soil
• Enzymes packed: pineapples, papayas, bananas & mango
• Remember: Packed juices has been pasteurized & heat destroys enzymes so juice yourself!

Vegetarian substitutes:

• Eat soy products that imitate meat products at www.vegieworld.com 
• Get calcium from: fortified grains, kale, collard greens, cabbage, kelp, seaweed, chickpeas, broccoli, red beans, soybeans, tofu, and raw nuts
• Milk substitute: Rice Dream, avoid substitutes that contain sugar
• Butter substitute: Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread or Soy Garden Natural Buttery Spread
• Ice cream: Soy Delicious
• Protein: Lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, fruit/veggies, whole grains, and soy products
• Omega-3 & Omega-6: olive oil, sesame oil raw nuts & seeds, and avocados
• Cheese: Find casein free cheese because it's an addictive and is loaded in cheese. Heart's Vegan Gourmet cheese
• Fish like nutrients can be found: flax seeds, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds.  Also, nuts, soy beans, fruit, veggies, greens, soy products & whole grains