1 Year, 100 Pounds

January 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-One hundred pounds overweight at the age of 14, Holcombe made the life-altering decision to slim down. Over the course of a year, through exercise and healthy eating, she dropped 100 pounds and was able to change not only her body shape but also her self-image. Drawing on her own experience, she has crafted a self-help guide for teenage girls desiring to lose weight. Writing in a friendly, informal style, she takes a common-sense approach with a bit of tough love and encouragement thrown in. Exercise routines, nutrition advice, and meal planning are included. Additionally, Holcombe addresses potentially thorny topics such as how to deal with family members whose unhealthy eating habits pose a challenge to weight-loss success, how to work on issues of motivation and self-discipline, and strategies for dealing with challenging situations that might sabotage progress, like eating out and sleepovers with friends. Holcombe is a cheerleader for adopting a healthy lifestyle-there are no quick fixes here. In fact, she is critical of those who opt for bariatric surgery or follow any kind of fad diet. Recommended for teens looking for a get-your-life-in-gear pep talk followed by good solid advice.-Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Grades 8-12 This highly readable book is a combination of Holcombe's autobiographical journey to lose weight and a how-to of healthy living aimed at teens. Holcombe stresses that self-esteem and a sustainable healthy lifestyle should be the goals of readers, not simply weight loss. After losing 100 pounds in 1 year at 15, Holcombe became a successful blogger and a spokesperson for battling teenage obesity, and it's her inspiring personal narrative that distinguishes this from the usual dieting fare. Alongside her success story, Holcombe includes lists of healthy foods and exercises, and she educates teenagers about healthy living and encourages readers to set attainable goals to help build self-esteem. Written in a natural, friendly voice, the text clearly intends to counteract the harmful ideas about body image that often target teenagers and to offer a healthy lifestyle alternative to weight loss surgeries and medications. During a time when teenagers receive multiple messages from society, this is a good book to have on hand.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)