I adored this book! I loved the first book this duo wrote together, The Knockoff, and I thought this was a great second venture! The writing was witty and outlandish with just the perfect amount of realism thrown in to how how absurd the fitness craze can be. As a New Yorker, I can vouch that most of the "trendy" workouts in the book are based on fact, and that in this case the truth might be even stranger than fiction!

I completely sympathized with the protagonist and I loved her journey! A wonderful summer read!

*fyi, I got this one from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review :)

A clever and funny read to add to your beach bag ASAP!

Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza is the story of Janey Sweet. As the CEO of a wedding dress company, Janey represents her company’s image. When disparaging comments are made about her weight, Janey begins a long, hilarious journey to lose weight and fix the lives of those around her. I thought this story was a predictably fun, easy read. The characters were not very developed and the situations they found themselves in were not very believable. I think this book would appeal more to people who live in a big city and people who have tried many weight loss programs as well. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the nearly unbelievable (except that most of it is true) options presented to enhance one's lifestyle, Sykes and Piazza, co-authors of The Knockoff (a favorite!), have produced another fabulous satirization of one of our obsessions - quick, often horrendously expensive, fixes for our body image insecurities, disguised as paths to "health and wellness." While the antics are hilarious, there is a deeper message on the pervasive concept that we (especially women) can never be happy with our current state of being. I did not want this one to end!

A fun journey through the newest of high-priced fitness programs and fads in New York City. As Janey experiences a whole new world of weight loss and diets, we see what some people are willing to go through to lost a few pounds. It seems so extreme that it can't possibly be real, so the surprise is that much of it is actually happening. While I'm not going to be heading to a Free the Nipple yoga class anytime soon, it was an entertaining read that kept surprising all the way to the end.

Fitness Junkie is a ridiculously funny satiric prose on the pressure women, and some men, are facing in order to conform to the idea of being perfect and fit that the society is trying to shove upon us. It is also like an inside look into the life of rich and famous people, how obsessed they are to follow the newest trend and the pressure they go through to fit right in their circle. Albeit ridiculously, they mirrored the perception of some women have these days on what is perceived to be the acceptable size by the society and the lengths those women go through to achieve that. I had such a laugh at crazy diets and exercise classes thinking it’s all fabricated only to find out that they really do exist. It may not be something you’ll call a deep book but it sure addresses a rather serious self-esteem issue that is so relevant today. A hilarious story that gives off a moral lesson of being happy with what you are and loving yourself for it. It is a hilarious quick-paced story and certainly an enjoyable read.

"But to be divorced, over forty, without kids - that made Janey something different altogether."

Any woman of a certain age that has been through something and then went on a journey to "find" herself will be able to relate to this book. There are parts that are lighthearted and completely over the top in a funny way and others that hit on the serious measures some women will go to for their happiness. All of those things make this an almost perfect chick lit book. My only issue is that the ending seemed rushed and I wanted more details about the progression of the characters. Overall, I predict this book will be a HUGE hit and a perfect companion for the beach this summer!!!

To be a fitness junkie I would have to be married to a billioniare. To enjoy this book, I only need to go to Amazon. I really enjoyed this book and the funny yet at times sad antics of women wanting to be thin.

As a fictional book, it spoke volumes about what women would do to get thin. Eating clay, and crying literally like a baby were some of the low points for our characters. Janey is a sweet woman who is in a toxic life realtionship with her BFF Beau. Beau is like a little dog. He nips and growls at Janey to make her feel like crap, but at the same point the reader feels a realization that they have or had a Beau in their lives. Beau is like a low point in our personal emotional health.

Janey feeling like she has been beat down from Beau begins all these intense workouts, some I was wishing were offered in Wyoming ( a real cycle class or studio) others made you wonder. That the fit world in the city though, many are willing to try a workout once, and if they like it they stay. Janey had to to learn through some of her worst workouts that she was okay, but it wasn't till a suspense filled moment did she turn herself into the strong woman you saw beneath.

Overall, this book was funny. I was cracking up in moments, and at diets. This book holds such realism that a reader might start googling things.And in the end the reader may feel as though they are lucky to not be such a fitness junkie.

Amusing and light. Satirical look at modern fitness obsessions with relatable characters.

Fitness Junkie brought me through a full spectrum of emotions and I found it to be entertaining, serious and lighthearted all at the same time. It’s absolutely crazy to think that some people will push themselves to ridiculous limits in order to lose weight, and on the same token it’s scary what some will do for money. It’s an interesting world we live in and it’s frightening yet hilarious that most of the diets discussed in the book are or were actually real diet fads.

The overall theme of the book is that although it’s important to be mindful of your health and take care of yourself, it’s not okay to starve yourself or go to dangerous extremes in an effort to lose a few pounds. Healthy living and eating should be done in a safe and healthy way, not strictly to lose weight. And at the end of the day, what makes you happier, looking in the mirror and thinking that you’re skinny, or sitting with some you care about while enjoying a glass of wine and maybe a dessert too?

Happiness should come from within and we shouldn’t put pressure on others to fit into a warped version of what perfection looks like. Reading this book gave me equal parts fitness motivation and a who cares attitude all at the same time. I enjoyed reading this book and it had me laughing almost the whole way through. It was witty, humorous, serious, and downright funny. I look forward to seeing what these authors present next. I think my takeaway is a motivation to be mindful of my mental and physical health while still allowing myself to enjoy life, even if that means having an extra glass of wine when the mood strikes. Cheers!

Fitness Junkie is a great summer reading book- a quick read, not too deep and pretty funny. Although I would not read in a swimsuit if you are not already a size 2.

Janey Sweet is the CEO of a high end wedding dress company when her BFF decides she is so fat that she is an embarrassment to the company and herself. But before you feel too sorry for her, she is insanely beautiful and rich. She embarks on a journey through the crazy world of juicing and fitness and shamans to lose the thirty pounds she is convinced she needs to.

It was an enjoyable book, the descriptions of the workouts and the crazy lengths people go seem so far fetched and yet real at the same time (probably because they are based on real things). And there is a satisfying conclusion.

I was sorry there was not more Ivy because she was my fave side character; and I wish there was more healing by the end also.

The view from the life of the 1% has been America’s strange obsession for a long time, but never has that obsession seemed more ridiculous than in Lucy Sykes & Jo Piazza’s new novel, Fitness Junkie. While the book’s PR claims it is “a hilarious send-up of the health and wellness industry,” you won’t find anyone who hasn’t drank the Kool-Aid in this book, including, it feels, its authors. To echo the words of the immortal Titus Andromedon (and if you don’t know who that is, get thee to Netflix post haste): “What white nonsense is this?”

With most books set in the lives of the rich and famous, there is usually at least one character that feels grounded in reality, giving us an “Everyman” view (think Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, or more recently, Rachel Chu of the Crazy Rich Asians series). The main character in Fitness Junkie, Janey Sweet, starts off seemingly sane, even saddled with the job of CEO of a famous couture wedding dress company, and as she dips her finger into the syrup of her French toast, you’re already rooting for her. However, after an insulting ultimatum from her BFF/business partner, Beau – basically “Don’t come back to work until you lose 30 pounds” - Janey is right on the crazy train, trying every diet fad and workout craze, falling from relatable to incomprehensible in a matter of pages. Most of this has to do with how the authors choose to write not only Janey, but her world as well. Janey, of course, is rich; her only concern on being outed of her job for three months is being “bored out of her mind” and only wanting to vacation in places that would be counterproductive to her losing weight. Her friends are also rich: a stay-at-home mom married to a lawyer, a famous fitness instructor, a shaman (no, really) – you want to laugh, but the way the characters are written don’t feel like a parody. You start to suspect, after a while, that these are thinly-veiled fictionalizations of actual people, people that the authors might actually respect, which makes the story less ludicrous and more sad and slightly pathetic.

To be frank, there are a lot of people in the world that deserve empathy and understanding. I certainly don’t want to feel it for the ultra-wealthy about the consequences of their over-the-top habits; I even less want to pay for a book that might make me feel sorry for them. I’m sure they have enough money to pay people to do that.

The "junkie" part of the title makes so much sense now!

Janey and Beau have been best friends since third grade. Now they're business partners, running the successful wedding dress company, B. But, suddenly, Beau has a problem with Janey's weight, telling her it hampers the exclusive reputation of their company--making wedding dresses that only go up to size four.

After this betrayal, Janey embarks on different ways to lose the weight--everything from the more well-known green juice to the less well-known Free the Nipple yoga. Soon, Janey is wrapped up in the world of the super-exclusive The Workout, sweating alongside skinny, rich, high society women in New York City. She even joins them for a relaxing weight-loss retreat in the Caribbean--a retreat that turns into anything but relaxing.

Together, the authors give us a glimpse into the world of underground--yet well-known--fitness. It's a crazy world, so prepare yourself, readers. But you'll have so much fun.

What a great story about losing weight and dieting. Then, the final straw, did Janey really and truly "need" to lose weight?

This was a very fun, entertaining and often times hilarious read that I found enjoyable. I could not believe all the different workout routines that are being offered these days. Some of them I just had to laugh at, the routine and the people doing them. Ha. Her friend from college, Beau, needs to be taken to the woodshed.

The funniest part was her fitness bracelet, a character all in itself, showing up and speaking up at the oddest and most humiliating times.

I definitely had fun and was entertained reading this book.

Thanks to Doubleday Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

I just loved this book. It was funny and engaging, Janey was nice enough to be likeable and naive enough to be frustrating. I personally have also struggled with weight loss and this book hit the nail on the head, the perception of women these days and the lengths that some women will go through to stay fit is insane. I loved that this book was basically a satirical comedy about fitness but it also touched on some important issues like self love and being kind to one another.  I also loved that (as far as I can remember) we never learn Janey's beginning or ending weight, or her actual clothing size. I hope that the authors did this on purpose because I think this is really important, it doesn't matter what her actual weight or size is. What matters is how society made her feel, how her friends made her feel, and how she felt about herself. The only thing that I couldn't really connect to Janey on was how rich she was and the fact that she barely questioned spending $15,000 on an 8 day trip. Be forewarned that may annoy you / drive you mad with jealousy if you are living in the middle or lower class. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized it was really necessary for Janey's character, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to afford to do pretty much anything she did in the book and then there would be no story. Anyways, this was an awesome, funny book about one woman's self-discovery through fitness, it is worth the read and I would definitely recommend everyone try this one!!

One of the things I really hate is men telling women to lose weight to meet society's standards.

It's one thing to be discussing weight loss for health.

But weight loss for vanity's sake truly pisses me off. As a result, I picked up this book with a serious side-eye.  

The heroine, Janey Sweet, is forced into a weight-loss work hiatus by her best friend Beau, the co-owner of the bridal fashion line they started together. After Janey is photographed eating a fashion show, Beau very unhelpfully points out she's aging and gaining weight, and he believes she needs to take several months off of work to get her weight back on track. The novel uses Janey's hurt feelings regarding Beau's fat-shaming to push Janey to get "healthy" and take back her company.  This is a very tricky topic for any novel, because how we view ourselves and the impact of the healthy living craze are constantly evolving. Still, in my mind, this book could have been written yesterday.  Every woman I know, or maybe just the very honest, has admitted to some pursuit of healthy living, be it a diet or crazy workout phase.  The diets and workouts in Fitness Junkie were just on the right side of realistic/ridiculous.  The book flies through Janey's evolution, which I won't spoil here, but I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would.  The authors were able to take on a tricky subject with enough humor and lightness, but not ignore the awful ways we all seek  to love ourselves.

A fun romp. I really enjoyed this book. I liked rptge authors' last book and this one did not disappoint.

I was a fan of <i>The Knockoff</i> by Lucy Sykes, Jo Piazza and <i>Fitness Junkie</i> fit right in to their formula of satire of our modern world.

<i>Fitness Junkie</i> is a scary look at how we all see the health and fitness industry. What it means to be healthy... I found myself laughing and agreeing with some of the crazy ways that people try to lose weight. Or the craze of the new 'it' superfood or workout. But is it really all necessary?

Although it's funny to read, it's so sad that the norm now is to hit bottom before realizing what it takes to be happy. Happiness doesn't have to be fitting into a size 2 dress, especially if your body is not made to be size 2 no matter how much you starve or workout. This is a satire on the fitness industry, but it reveals honest truths about the real lengths people take to be thin.

Read it for a laugh. You'll appreciate it. Especially if you have gym membership or a friend who needs to be one of the first to try the latest and greatest weight loss food or most expensive spandex.

This book made me want to laugh and cry at the same time! Janey Sweet is put on sabbatical by her business partner, and forced to lose thirty pounds if she wants to keep her job. What follows is a satirical look at the ridiculous trendy fads that our beauty and fitness industry seem to be so obsessed with over the past couple of years. Janey tries them all, and in the end, she realizes that she never really was fat - she just had a jerk for a friend and business partner.

I'm not immune to the seemingly endless reminders that, as a woman, I should look a certain way. And as I've gotten older, I've noticed it gets harder and harder to keep up that image. It frustrates me (and my friends) that we have a double standard in our society; there is definitely more pressure on women to look like they did "on their wedding day" than there is on men. It pains me to hear some of my friends' husbands ridicule their wives with passive aggressive remarks like, "Do you really need another one?" Or, "No wonder your workouts aren't giving you the results you want."

I am thankful that my husband doesn't speak to me this way - my pressure is self-inflicted. I feel the heat from my Instagram feed, the beauty magazines in the checkout line at the grocery story, and whenever I put on my swimsuit. As my daughter gets older, I notice these pressures even more and my heart breaks for her. We are creating an unrealistic standard, yet the industry doesn't seem to care. I applaud models and actors that have spoken out against photoshopping and retouching pictures but still, the industry doesn't listen. I consciously watch the way I talk about my body and the reasons I chose to workout when I am in the presence of my children, and I hope I'm instilling healthy body images in both of their minds.

Overall, the book was ok. I liked that the authors, Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, emphasized how unrealistic and stupid most of these fad diets and workouts are, but after awhile, the story just started to fall flat and became quite boring. The ending wrapped up a little too nice and quick - almost like the goal was solely to write about as many of these fads as they could and when the time ran out, the book abruptly ended as well. If you’re just looking for something quick and entertaining to read that doesn’t require a lot of thought, this one will work!

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the digital review copy – all opinions are my own.

There are many things that make being a booklover wonderful, but one that makes me positively giddy is when a book finds me when I need it most. That feeling of a book that knows what you need and provides it. No point in prolonging the suspense, I’m talking about Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza’s new novel, Fitness Junkie. DON’T. RUN. AWAY! It’s not a non-fiction workout book. It is a hilarious, intelligent, impactful novel about the crazy things women do for their appearance. And why it’s messed up. Which is kind of all you need to know, so if you want to leave right now and go buy the book you have my permission.

You’re still here? Awesome! Fitness Junkie is about Janey, a healthy, attractive, forty-year-old woman with an MBA who is the co-founder of the chicest bridal dress company in the U.S. The designer, Beau, has been her best friend since childhood. At least he was, right up until he told her at brunch in Manhattan (because, of course, most of my favorite books take place in NYC) that until she lost 30 pounds she needed to take a sabbatical. Her weight was not befitting the image of their sylphlike gowns. Janey is hurt, but willing to acknowledge that she’s put on a bit of weight due to an acrimonious divorce and maybe getting in shape and losing some weight would be healthy. So begins the journey into lunacy with Janey as the only sane person on board.

Janey soon learns about diets of nothing but clay (oh, the minerals!), “kelp is the new kale”, and a gym membership that if you miss class they charge you anyway and donate the money to a cause you hate—as in the Trump 2020 campaign. (Actually, that sounds like a great idea because it would motivate the hell out of me.) Then she meets a female shaman—a beautiful, breezy, calm woman who introduces her to all kinds of way to achieve transcendence (and get skinny). All of this culminates in being inducted into an invitation-only fitness class with more rules and regulations than most country clubs. Run by a sprite who only wears grey and spouts affirmations like “Hold your own hand”.

At this point, my head explodes. Or more accurately, I explode with laughter (in public) that just keeps coming because so do these insane takes on the health and wellness industry. Page after page of witty, snarky spot-on satire about the modern day obsession with the superficial aspects of a healthy lifestyle that only the wealthy can afford. Fitness Junkie works so well because Piazza and Sykes use multi-faceted characters to drive home their point. The novel is filled with highly intelligent, successful women who still feel compelled to try wild fads in order to maintain an unrealistic appearance. Throughout the novel they work with this theme, exposing it for what it is. While women being unhappy with their appearance is not a positive I do appreciate that Fitness Junkie does not play to the old stereotype about chick-lit—it’s not about getting or keeping a man. In fact, men and relationships are not even a factor in the plot. Yay!

Sykes and Piazza are so in-the-know that they impart the feeling of fact to the fiction in Fitness Junkie. They also have no qualms about skewering some of the new new-age fitness lifestyle gurus out there, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracy Anderson. You know, the kind of women who make me want to wear a polyester muumuu while eating lard on bacon because their aspirational ‘perfection’ is nauseating. The only ones for whom the whole wellness craze is working because they are making money hand over fist selling unattainable goals. Whether you are all-in on the latest diet or fitness craze (daily IV treatments, anyone?), this novel is perfect in its execution of how even things that start out as healthy can go very wrong when they’re co-opted by people just looking to make a buck. Grab a bowl of ice cream or your carb of choice, throw on comfy clothes and just ENJOY this fabulously witty, fun novel. All calories consumed will be burned off by laughing. You're welcome.