A catchy title, a chance sighting in the waifish clutches of Victoria Beckham, and this "No nonsense tough love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous" became a must read for the skinny set. In 2005, several months after it's release, Skinny Bitch climbed to the top of the New York Times best seller list and a skinny revolution was born.
Authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin don't mince words, telling us to get our "cankles" into a health food store and stop shoving crap into our mouths. While the tone may be a bit hard to take (you'll either find this very funny or feel royally insulted), the message is a good one: Read the labels on EVERYTHING you put in your mouth. Trust no one. Do your research. They share a lot of compelling evidence about the dangerous chemicals and even poisons lurking in our food supply that are sure to make your skin crawl. Contrary to what the title suggests, the focus of these books is not starvation, it is about eating healthy and making better food choices.
Underneath the drill sergeant persona, these Chicks are actually really sweet. And smart. Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is a self-taught know-it-all. Kim Barnouin is a former model who holds a Masters of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition.
They took some time out of their busy schedules to answer a few of our burning questions!
ChickAdvisor:
You really nail a number of institutions (the USDA, FDA, Dairy Farmer's Association, etc). Have you experienced any backlash from that?
Skinny Bitches:
No, but we look over our shoulders whenever we’re in dark alleys. We cite from more than one hundred sources and have over two hundred endnotes in Skinny Bitch. So we made sure what we were saying is verifiable. At the same time, we know that when people are motivated by greed, it’s likely they don’t care about the truth.
ChickAdvisor:
You did a tonne of research. What was the most shocking thing you discovered?
Skinny Bitches:
There are so many horrifying things going on with our food, but one of the standouts is definitely dairy! We’re all told our whole lives we need cows’ milk for strong bones, but studies by Harvard, Yale, Penn State, and the National Institutes of Health all reveal that dairy does not have a positive impact on bones. And actually, after looking at thirty-four different studies from sixteen different countries, researchers at Yale found that the countries with the highest instances of osteoporosis also had the highest intakes of meat and dairy!
ChickAdvisor:
A common critique for eating organic/vegan is that it is expensive
and not everyone can afford it. How would you compare your grocery budget now to what it was before and what would you recommend for someone on a budget?
Skinny Bitches:
The mindset that a vegan diet is more expense than a standard diet is as common as the “vegetarians don’t get enough protein” myth. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are among the cheapest foods available. Yes, meat substitutes (like veggie burgers, etc.) are more expensive than regular hamburgers, but think about the choice: A burger made of vegetables and grains versus one made from the decaying, rotting, decomposing flesh of a tortured cow. How do you quantify that choice in dollars and cents?
Organic certainly is pricier than conventional, but it’s worth every penny. You can’t scrimp on food, the most important factor in deciding how healthy and well you’ll be, and then go blow money on makeup, jewelry, clothes, and other luxuries.
ChickAdvisor:
How has eating by these rules impacted your life?
Skinny Bitches:
Rules? That’s funny! We’re the last people on earth to final any rules! Little by little, we started changing our diets, and as a result, we started feeling healthier and happier than ever before. We both used to eat really poorly. But once we adopted the Skinny Bitch lifestyle, we actually became happier, kinder, more positive, compassionate people. Where before it was always, “me, me, me,” we now care about being of service.
ChickAdvisor:
What's next for the two of you?
Skinny Bitches:
Our third book, Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven, will hit the shelves December 2008. Book four, a journal, Skinny Bitchin’, will also be out this December. And Skinny Bastard, book five, will be out December 2009. We’re also working on a series of Skinny Bitch workout videos that should be out January 2009. Ahhhh! It’s all a little overwhelming, but we’re really happy to be making a difference.
Read our review of Skinny Bitch
Check out the Skinny Bitch website
** Skinny Bitch Giveaway! **
Rory and Kim have generously provided 4 books to give away to our fabulous members! 2 of you will receive a copy of Skinny Bitch and the equally popular follow up, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, which is packed with mouth watering recipes for your new healthy lifestyle.
Want it? Respond to this post in our forums telling us why you deserve these books. The two most compelling entries will win them. Good luck!
Authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin don't mince words, telling us to get our "cankles" into a health food store and stop shoving crap into our mouths. While the tone may be a bit hard to take (you'll either find this very funny or feel royally insulted), the message is a good one: Read the labels on EVERYTHING you put in your mouth. Trust no one. Do your research. They share a lot of compelling evidence about the dangerous chemicals and even poisons lurking in our food supply that are sure to make your skin crawl. Contrary to what the title suggests, the focus of these books is not starvation, it is about eating healthy and making better food choices.
Underneath the drill sergeant persona, these Chicks are actually really sweet. And smart. Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is a self-taught know-it-all. Kim Barnouin is a former model who holds a Masters of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition.
They took some time out of their busy schedules to answer a few of our burning questions!
ChickAdvisor:
You really nail a number of institutions (the USDA, FDA, Dairy Farmer's Association, etc). Have you experienced any backlash from that?
Skinny Bitches:
No, but we look over our shoulders whenever we’re in dark alleys. We cite from more than one hundred sources and have over two hundred endnotes in Skinny Bitch. So we made sure what we were saying is verifiable. At the same time, we know that when people are motivated by greed, it’s likely they don’t care about the truth.
ChickAdvisor:
You did a tonne of research. What was the most shocking thing you discovered?
Skinny Bitches:
There are so many horrifying things going on with our food, but one of the standouts is definitely dairy! We’re all told our whole lives we need cows’ milk for strong bones, but studies by Harvard, Yale, Penn State, and the National Institutes of Health all reveal that dairy does not have a positive impact on bones. And actually, after looking at thirty-four different studies from sixteen different countries, researchers at Yale found that the countries with the highest instances of osteoporosis also had the highest intakes of meat and dairy!
ChickAdvisor:
A common critique for eating organic/vegan is that it is expensive
and not everyone can afford it. How would you compare your grocery budget now to what it was before and what would you recommend for someone on a budget?
Skinny Bitches:
The mindset that a vegan diet is more expense than a standard diet is as common as the “vegetarians don’t get enough protein” myth. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are among the cheapest foods available. Yes, meat substitutes (like veggie burgers, etc.) are more expensive than regular hamburgers, but think about the choice: A burger made of vegetables and grains versus one made from the decaying, rotting, decomposing flesh of a tortured cow. How do you quantify that choice in dollars and cents?
Organic certainly is pricier than conventional, but it’s worth every penny. You can’t scrimp on food, the most important factor in deciding how healthy and well you’ll be, and then go blow money on makeup, jewelry, clothes, and other luxuries.
ChickAdvisor:
How has eating by these rules impacted your life?
Skinny Bitches:
Rules? That’s funny! We’re the last people on earth to final any rules! Little by little, we started changing our diets, and as a result, we started feeling healthier and happier than ever before. We both used to eat really poorly. But once we adopted the Skinny Bitch lifestyle, we actually became happier, kinder, more positive, compassionate people. Where before it was always, “me, me, me,” we now care about being of service.
ChickAdvisor:
What's next for the two of you?
Skinny Bitches:
Our third book, Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven, will hit the shelves December 2008. Book four, a journal, Skinny Bitchin’, will also be out this December. And Skinny Bastard, book five, will be out December 2009. We’re also working on a series of Skinny Bitch workout videos that should be out January 2009. Ahhhh! It’s all a little overwhelming, but we’re really happy to be making a difference.
Read our review of Skinny Bitch
Check out the Skinny Bitch website
** Skinny Bitch Giveaway! **
Rory and Kim have generously provided 4 books to give away to our fabulous members! 2 of you will receive a copy of Skinny Bitch and the equally popular follow up, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, which is packed with mouth watering recipes for your new healthy lifestyle.
Want it? Respond to this post in our forums telling us why you deserve these books. The two most compelling entries will win them. Good luck!
4 comments:
Very interesting read! Thanks for posting :)
I'd be interested in reading them. I'm already a skinny bitch though :)
Oooh! pick me!
If you're interested you have to respond to our forum post. Click on the link towards the end of the interview. Good luck!
Post a Comment