This book was such a good book. I read it and enjoyed it very much. I highly recommend it to anyone.

As someone who has struggled with weight all my life, I absolutely agree with the mental aspect of this book. I am currently in the proper mindset and think this book will be great to help people realize how important that is.

I cannot recommend Think Yourself Thin by JJ Smith.

There are a lot of reasons; I wrote pages of notes before I gave up and wrote this review, anyway. This isn't the space for constructive feedback to help the author rewrite. It's the place for readers to determine if they want to read a book.

First off, I am the market for this book both personally and professionally. I have lost and gained weight multiple times in my life and have helped others with their weight loss goals. From those experiences, I am of the firm belief that our mindset has more to do with our weight than what we put into our mouths or how much (or little) we exercise.

Yet this book offers little actual advice, engagement or comfort. The chapter on spirituality - which I suspect was misnamed so as not to offend non-religious readers - spent the entire section explaining what spirituality is. Unfortunately, their definition of spirituality wasn't clear or accurate. At the end of the chapter, the suggestions to use spirituality to enhance our weight loss included - wait for it - "enlightenment".

I felt sorely disappointed with this chapter when it had a lot it could cover and accomplish. I said to myself after reading it, "Did I really just waste my time with that?"

For me, the author's tone felt mixed and jumbled. At times they speak from an authoritative viewpoint, quoting statistics, noting none of the statistics in a bibliography or footnote. In other places, sometimes in the same paragraph, they move to a more "let me tell you how it is" perspective. Which would be great if I believed for a second the author has ever struggled with their weight. Maybe they have? I saw no personal conversation about it.

Instead, what I read was a section on how society marginalizes how overweight people. I'm not sure why the author felt it necessary to tell overweight people this - when we obviously already know it intimately and live it every day. How about.... telling us what we can do about our weight problem, instead of telling us how horrible it is to be overweight?

I encountered no substance in this book, and a lot of junk science I couldn't find or back up on my own. Where I could find the resources, the author misquoted them or hadn't read the study to discern what was important. It was as if they'd taken a slew of poorly constructed blog posts of theirs and other people's and threw it into book format.

The premise of this book? Excellent. The performance? Abysmal. Which surprises and upsets me, considering the number of 5-star reviews I found on Amazon.

THINK YOURSELF THIN by JJ Smith is described as "A 30-Day Guide to Permanent Weight Loss," but the author really diminished motivation for me when she wrote that most weight loss returns after three to five years. Smith does a good job of outlining the five stages of weight loss that most people experience: Fed Up; Starting Strong; Plateauing; Reaching an Ideal Weight and Maintaining. Her text offers numerous suggestions, of course, and focuses on creating "a permanent shift in thoughts, feelings, habits and behaviors" which I agree is very important. I was a little confused, though, when she wrote about losing two pounds per week which seems excessive and potentially unhealthy. Other than the author's recognition as a "nutritionist and certified weight loss expert," there is little, if any, reference to scientific studies or data justifying claims like "drink half your body weight in ounces" or "buy organic as much as possible." Investigate other weight loss books and apps before investing in this one.

“The vast majority of dieters who lose weight will gain it all back within three to five years.” To permanently lose the weight, the author suggests that dieters must Think Yourself Thin.

Beginning with the five stages of weight loss: Fed Up, Honeymoon, Stall (weight-loss plateau), Ideal Weight and Maintaining, the author reviews what could go wrong. Her solution is:
Slay resistence
Use visualization
Commit
Control emotions
Establish habits
Support system
Spiritual life

Finally, the author includes a 30-day mental mastery plan and quite a few success stories. The plan includes journaling thoughts, meditating, mindfulness, prayer, and visualizing success.

I’m disappointed that there isn’t much new in Think Yourself Thin. For the author of the 10-day Green Smoothie Cleanse, I expected more originality. However, if you haven’t already read a diet book addressing the mental aspects of dieting, this would be a good choice. Think Yourself Thin motivates the reader with its Can Do attitude. The success stories at the end encourage by the variety of ways these people overcome various challenges and finally lost the weight. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I enjoyed reading JJ Smith's "Think Yourself Thin" because it's positive, inspiring, and is imbued with Smith's unique perspective. "Think Yourself Thin" is clearly written and well-organized. I like the author's emphasis on the psychological stages involved with long-term weight loss and I've only just begun to put the "mental mastery" principles into practice, but I'm definitely optimistic..