To say Skinny Bitch is straight talking might be a bit of an understatement. If you’re offended by bluntness and swearing then this isn’t the book for you. However, it’s all written in a tongue-in-cheek style, so even though it’s very, um, straightforward, there’s a fair dollop of humour in there too.

This book is obviously focused on losing weight and behind all the cursing, there’s some pretty solid science to it. One of the first things they tell you is that to ‘get skinny’ you must first get healthy. This of course makes lots of sense, but it’s certainly not what most ‘diet’ books recommend. There’s always some fad aspect to them I find and ‘Skinny Bitch’ says right from the start that it’s a way of life, not a quick fix or temporary change.

The chapters cover various aspects of diet and lifestyle and reveal some very stark truths about the food industry. These authors do not hold back when it comes to exposing not only the abhorrent cruelty of the meat and dairy industries but also the hidden interests of government agencies, agribusiness and big pharma. In a nutshell, there’s no way you can trust the food industry or the FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the US) as they all have their own agendas and none of them have our best interests at heart.

I really enjoyed this book and took copious notes. There’s lots of sensible advice, and although I’m not skinny (too much of a cupcake fan for that) it all makes total sense and if you followed their advice to the letter the pounds would drop off. I must admit to skipping a few of the slaughterhouse tales included in the chapter entitled ‘You are what you eat’ as I’ve seen and read enough of these things to be convinced a million times over and don’t need to get even more depressed about the horrors animals go through on a daily basis. Also almost all of the food recommendations in the ‘Let’s Eat’ chapter are American brands, most of which are not available here in the UK. However, the meal plans are full of good ideas and you can make almost everything with UK ingredients and a bit of imagination.

This is not a cookbook though and once you’ve been inspired by the ideas in this book you can go and get one of the growing number of titles out there to help you become a whizz in the kitchen. This book is about the why.

This title is targeted specifically at women, as you might guess from the title, but don’t worry fellas, there’s a sister book entitled (you guessed it) ‘Skinny Bastard’. Other spin off books exist too, from a guide to pregnancy to tips on cooking and even an exercise DVD, but this is the original and many say the best. If you want solid facts delivered in an entertaining style; a guide to losing weight without losing your mind and an ethical approach to getting healthy, it’s all in here.

Recommended.