I adore Bethenny Frankel, and I’ve been a fan of hers for years, but I’m on the fence about her book: Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting.
Most of Bethenny’s advice is common sense and information that I’ve read in various health and fitness magazines over the years. In fact, I already use a lot of her tips to balance the way I eat in my everyday diet. While nothing from the book really surprised me, Bethenny’s approach was a good reminder to practice a little self-control every now and then. Much of Naturally Thin is about eating in moderation, not denying yourself, and satisfying cravings, but parts of it seem to highlight some disordered eating behaviors.
Naturally Thin is split into two sections: The Rules and The Naturally Thin Program. In the first section, Bethenny explain her 10 basic rules:
1. Your diet is your bank account
2. You can have it all, just not all at once
3. Taste everything, eat nothing
4. Pay attention
5. Downsize now
6. Cancel your membership to the clean plate club
7. Check yourself before you wreck yourself
8. Know thyself
9. Get real
10. Good for you
In theory, all of Bethenny’s rules are great advice for someone wishing to lose or maintain their weight. A number of the rules hit home for me and changed my thinking about how, when, and why I eat.
- Your diet is your bank account. This is basically the thinking behind Carrots ‘N’ Cake. You can have your cake as long as you eat your carrots!
Bethenny explains that you need to balance your food choices. She suggests balancing a carby meal (oatmeal) with a protein-packed meal (salad with chicken breast) and a final meal that combines both carbs and protein. This rule opened my eyes to the lack of protein in some of my own meals– no wonder I am a bottomless pit after eating 2 carb meals in a row! - You can have it all, just not all at once. I’ve actually repeated this rule in my head when dining out or attending special events with lots of yummy food. Obviously, I don’t deprive myself, but I don’t need to treat myself to every delicious treat that passes my plate. For instance, when eating out, I don’t need to have a piece of bread from the bread basket, a glass of wine, an entree, and dessert! Bethenny suggests picking what you most want most and enjoy it. You can always have dessert another time– it’s not going anywhere.
- Good for you. This was my favorite rule out of the bunch– mostly because I blog about what works for me everyday on CNC. For example, I eat oatmeal with nut butter almost every morning, but that doesn’t mean you should eat the exact same thing. Maybe you dislike mushy foods. Maybe the thought of breakfast makes you sick to your stomach and dinner is your favorite meal of the day. You need to find out what is good for you and do it. You are the only person who really knows what is good for you.
The second section of Naturally Thin goes through a week of Bethenny’s eating and shows you how to implement the rules in everyday life situations. In this context, a number of her rules made perfect sense to me. In other instances, however, it seemed like she wasn’t eating nearly enough calories. For example, here’s what Bethenny ate in one day:
- Breakfast: Hummus and roasted red peppers on one pita triangle. (One pita triangle is not a meal!)
- Lunch: 1 glass of Chardonnay, 1/2 spinach salad with crab meat and hearts of palm.
- Snack: 1/2 bag of popcorn with sea salt, one bite of a cookie.
- Dinner: 1 Skinny Girl Margarita; green salad drizzled with ginger dressing, 1 spicy scallop hand roll with mayo but no rice, 2 steamed vegetable dumplings, 1 steamed crab dumpling, 2 pieces of sushi. (Taste everything, eat nothing.)
- Snack: 2 bites of a friend’s Pinkberry frozen yogurt. (How is this a snack!?)
Bethenny may have been balancing her “bank account,” but skipping meals and counting 2 bites of food as a snack is not a nutritious diet to me. Of course, this was just one day of Bethenny’s life and she was doing what was good for her, but I find her calorie intake pretty low (even for someone living a relatively sedentary lifestyle). Bethenny admits that her eating habits are not perfect, but, personally, I would pass-out from eating so little! I think including this second part of the book sets a bad example for those striving to be “naturally thin.”
Even though a number of things bugged me about Naturally Thin, there is something to be gained by Bethenny’s approach to eating. It calls on you to be accountable and responsible for your own food choices, but encourages you to enjoy “what you really want” in moderation. However, it is important to remember that this book was not written by a doctor or Registered Dietitian, and what works for Bethenny may not work for you. Some women may thrive to be “Hollywood thin,” but, to me, the Naturally Thin Program is unrealistic and unhealthy, especially for someone trying to lose weight in a healthy way. While I like many aspects of Bethenny’s eating philosophy, I don’t see her diet as ideal for optimal health for most people.
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I definitely agree with you Tina. There are a couple of really great reminders she gives in the book but the “program” in the second half of the book is totally not realistic for me. Thanks for a great book review….I love finding out what others thought!
I’m glad to read your review! I’ve been meaning to pick up a copy of this book for awhile, and it sounds like as long as I read it with my best-for-me hat on, I’ll be able to discern the good parts. The example of the day’s eats does seem a bit extreme – for me, I know I would feel like crap if I ate that little.
Other reviews I’ve read from bloggers have also noticed that she seems to follow kind of disordered eating patterns. That’s pretty worrisome that she gives one of her pretty meager mealplans as an example, considering the popularity of the book.
Thanks for the great, comprehensive review though!
I just got the book and I flipped to the back. I agree that 2 bites is not a meal!
Thanks for posting your review! I’ve got this sitting on my bookshelf right now just waiting for me to pick it up. Your approach to Bethenny’s advice makes a lot of sense. Thanks for giving me an idea of what to expect!
I complete agree with your review! Her meal plan for that day is crazy! 2 bites of frozen yogurt?
Oh, I’ve been reading your blog for a while. I was just wondering where you went to college and what you majored in?
eghh, I have to start my applications for next yr. soon
@Sara: http://carrotsncake.com/about
I completely agree with you…responsibility and moderation is a great way to look at how you eat.
That being said, if I ate as little as Bethenny in a day, I would feel so weak and miserable, that I just don’t think the smaller clothes size would be worth it.
Thanks for the review – seems like she has some good philosohpies but her meals sound like they’re lacking in not only basic kcal but micronutrients as well!
Holy Crap, she got more calories from booze than from food! Yikes!
I find people ,like Betheny, worrisome in the way some people will not think objectively about what is written. I have not read the book, but from the reviews I have read, it seems like she is lacking some major nutrients in her diet. Her sample menu doesn’t seem like a realistic life pattern, in my opinion.
Nice and objective review, Tina – thank you for taking the time to share with your readers!!!
Wow…well no wonder she’s skinny…she’s taking in about 400 calories a day. I know that wouldn’t work for me, and I can’t imagine anyone could eat that little for a long period of time. That philosophy of eating leads to binging/eating disorders in my opinion. Thanks for posting and your objectivity!
I really enjoyed reading your review – it was super refreshing and I enjoyed your honesty. I feel like its really important to keep realistic goals in mind and it just seems like this advice could be dangerous for some readers who take it literally. Thanks!
I’m in the middle of this book – I agree that some of it is a bit extreme for me but I like some of her ideas!
Good review! I could never stop at 1 bite of a cookie. 2 bites of frozen yogurt? Yikes!
a BITE of a cookie?! and two bites of someone’s ice cream… that is ludacris!
that sample day meal plan is pathetic. not only is it too little calories, it is too little in nutrients. i would much rather stuff myself with a huge salad crammed with a plethora of different colored veggies than eat her “lunch” or “dinner”.. and i won’t even get me started on the breakfast.. which is def the most important meal of the day and should include protein/carbs/healthy fat and um more than 100 calories.. ok sorry to go off there. your review was REALLY good. i agree with you 100%. very refreshing to see your point of view, thank you.
Hmm, some of her suggestions make sense like never depriving yourself and trying everything but eating nothing. The book that changed my life was Eating Intuitively which suggests some of those same tips. But, it seems like Eating Intuitively is much more comprehensive and cohesive.
Thanks for the great insight. i totally agree with the last part although the first part was really enlightening too
This is a great review, Tina. I read it from start to finish (your writing is flawless!).
I know this is a random day for Bethanny – but this also seems like a lot of alcohol to me. I guess because I don’t randomly drink wine at lunch – but that seems like a lot of calories she could be eating that are going into the drinks.
I am reading it right now and I think your assessment is right on. I love Bethenny, but I can’t quite figure out why sometimes. haha.
I read the book too – and like you I agree with some of the underlying principles, but it’s the implementation that gets a bit fuzzy. It’s a good read though/
Thanks for the review…I’ve been interested in reading this book! I agree – I’d never survive the day on so few calories.
Thanks for the review. I saw this book at Target the other day and was wondering about it. Those principles sound good and I love the idea of thinking of it as an bank account. I do agree, that’s not much food for one day – but, honestly, I do that a little bit. Some days I’m not all that hungry, and if I don’t eat many calories, I don’t worry about it. But on other days I’m hungry and I eat quite a few calories.
hmmm…thats a pretty lame ass diet, especially considering shes a “natural foods chef” ….ummmm, does she ever cook herself anything? i love her on the real housewives of NYC, but thats about all. i dont think ill be taking any eating advice from her.
wow, how many calories can pinkberry be?! I like the ‘you can have it all, but not at once’ rule though. At parties and dinners I used to act like it was the last time in my life I was ever going to have cake. Now I always remind myself I can go get it myself anywhere at anytime if I really want to.
Seems to me like her alcohol intake is high and her calories are too low. Maybe that works for her but give me real food any day! I would rather eat my calories than drink them.
Thanks for the review, this is very similar to what I thought. (I have to say though, I didn’t buy the book, but instead hovered in Barnes and Nobel for 30minutes!)
thanks for the review tina! i was about to buy the book this week but after your review, given my history of an eating disoder, i think the book might be “triggering” and not good for me. i’ll just keep reading your blog!
I really like the bank account analogy with food. It sounds like she talks a good talk but doesn’t walk a good walk. I can’t imagine eating that little food, except for the years when I really calorie restricted myself. The chardonnay at lunch was surprising. It’s pretty unusual to see people drink alcohol at lunch – unless it’s a weekend.
I almost bought it the other day, but I skimmed through it, and it didn’t seem like there was anything in it I hadn’t already heard or read somewhere. Thanks for the review!
Wow I too am shocked at how little she eats. It really doesn’t show a good example at all. It seems so restrictive! Did she mention if she exercises? I can’t imagine sustaining myself on that little especially with exercise.
Good lord, I’d never get my bike down the stairs on that breakfast, let alone pedal all the way to work, and then make it until lunch! Sheesh.
I have to say, in defense of Bethenny, that she CLEARLY states this is not a diet plan to follow or emulate – in fact, she readily admits that there are days in these sample 3 weeks where her diet isn’t great. I also have to say so many people are jumping on the “taste everything, eat nothing” idea like it’s a bad thing, when she also states that that philosophy works better for special events and that she usually fills up on salad or other filling things first. Just my two cents….I hate for people to not read the book for other info that may be helpful.
thanksf ro the review!
excellent review and insight Tina. very well done!
I think I’ll check out this book; it sounds like it would be an interesting read, even if her personal approach to eating may be somewhat troublesome and unbalanced. (Of course, every single person has odd eating days). I generally really like Bethenny’s recipes, but I don’t know–this is a little mean and perhaps unwarranted, but I can’t get over the fact that she’s essentially a TV personality. Still, I’m interested in reading her book! I especially like the notion that your body is your back account–that makes a lot of sense to me.
I don’t really get the allure of Betheny, from “Real Housewives” to this book. I don’t like her message of being skinny vs. healthy. While there are valid points in the book, nothing that is new, I don’t feel like they outweigh the unhealthy aspects of her practices.
She eats very few calories, I wonder if that is why she is so often a cranky lady. Wish we could all go drink wine with lunch:)
i keep hearing about bethanny and her book. but i don’t watch her show or anything or really want to read her book. But your review makes sense to me because that’s exactly what I was saying to my co-worker.
She’s struggling with the fact she eats out all the time, she loves it. and i told her, you need to put things in perspective, you might love what you eat, but you always feel overly full every time you eat your entire lunch, that’s probably worth 2 meals. I told her, she needs to realize that it’s not the last time she’s ever going to eat again. You’ll be able to eat again.
As for myself, I definitely had to beak through that mentality that I have to eat like others do. but for me, eating 3 general meals a day works way better for me than eating 5 small meals a day. it just does. and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so oatmeal– sticks to my ribs. LOVE it!
I just did areview of this, too, and felt very similarly to you! I liked her concepts but they weren’t executed very well.
Excellent review Teen!
I have to agree – her daily intake is way too low, and it didn’t seem to include enough healthy food groups: no dairy, no fruit, and minimal whole grains! Crazy business, in my opinion!
Your review echoed a lot of the thoughts I had when looking at this book. I got the chance to review it for free through Amazon and agree with what you have to say. There were some interesting points to it but the ones I tended to agree with were those I had also read elsewhere. A lot of her stuff is borderline disordered and it’s hard for me to take the advice of anyone who mentions Paris Hilton as an example for what we should do. I think books like “Intuitive Eating” are a much better resource.
As a recovering disordered eater, after reading a couple reviews of this book, I have decided against reading it. Thanks for your honest review; her approach just seems unhealthy. It sounds utterly restrictive…and nothing really new.
I love your honesty, Tina! Great review of the book. I liked her Health article, but it does seem a little skimpy.
Ok, I love Bethenny, and I’ve been following a lot of her maxims without actually reading the book yet. But honestly, NATURALLY thin? That’s more like High Maintenance Dieting. Get your own Pinkberry!
Tina,
I agree completely…this is NOT a healthy diet nor is it enough calories to survive on in a day. Great post and I’m glad I am not the only one that thinks that a ‘Normal’ Woman needs much more fuel/calories/food than what she has discussed in her book.
Have a great day—hope the sunshine is out up there in Boston.
Best,
The Healthy Apple
I appreciate your honest review. Realistically for someone that’s a runner (or trying to become one) that diet would not be sufficient. I think everyone figures out what works for them, and I’m starting to discover that if I’m busy/distracted and bargain with myself I do ok! It’s only been two days but I’ve stopped myself at least twice from overeating using these techniques. I’m weakest when I’m at home doing nothing, so now that I’m aware that it’s a weak spot I’m tackling the issue head on.
What a relief that we all seem to think Bethanny’s diet could stand some up-sizing. Between the booze and the bites (as opposed to real meals), I’d walk around like a hypoglycemic drunk — if that’s possible — on her diet.
Two years ago my friends kidded me about my 3-bite diet. Very similar to the “Naturally Thin” diet — and it works. I lost 65 pounds, and have maintained the weight for more than a year.
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