Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

If you're a lot on health and wellness sites like MindBodyGreen, then much, if not most, of what's in this book won't be anything new to you.
But if you're new to the whole 'eating better' and 'eating for energy & health' angle, then this book is a very good condensed version of all that lovely information and the guidelines for how to implement it all in your life

I didn't think this provided much new information but it's a useful resource bringing it all together.
There are quite a lot of rules to follow so not for me.

I was quite excited to start reading this, as energy and time are two things I never seem to have enough of. Though I already know quite a bit about nutrition and productivity, I did find that this book taught me some new things.

The tone of the book is written in a friendly style. So I found it accessible as even the scientific bits were explained in a way I understood. I don’t have any science education, just what I’ve picked up myself.

Though both Colette Heneghan and Graham Allcott’s names are on the cover, I think Collette wrote most of the book. 70% of the text is taken up with nutrition, which does make sense. Without the correct nutrition we won’t have the energy or focus to become more productive. It’s the foundation for everything, really.

The one criticism I would make of this book is that at times, I felt it bordered on orthorexia. The authors do point out that you don’t have to be perfect in your diet. However, I did find their messaging around eating outside of the home to be problematic. It felt rule-oriented and unhelpful, especially for those with a history of disordered eating. They advise doing things such as carrying around a tin of tuna for a healthy snack for instance. For me, that’s going too far.

I understand the principle behind what they’re suggesting. But I don’t think going out for dinner with your friends and eating that lasagne is going to cause any major disasters. Get up the next morning and eat your healthy breakfast.

I also didn’t like the language around ‘dumb’ and ‘smart’ carbs. A little too close to ‘bad’ and ‘good’ food for me.

However, ignoring those things, I think the book does have a lot of useful information for those looking to eat healthier. Its central advice is whole foods, and avoid processed foods where you can. Which I do agree with.

Allcott’s contribution towards the end of the book is about building habits, and he offers some suggestions on how to help yourself create new eating habits. While I did think this was helpful, it wasn’t as in-depth as the nutrition information.

Overall, if you ignore the advice about eating out, and the smart/dumb carbs language, I actually think this is a really good book. There are some delicious-looking recipes at the back, which I am planning to try, and the overall message about eating healthier for more energy (not weight loss) is one that is often lacking in nutrition books.

I enjoyed it and I will buy a physical, finished copy in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, packed full of information. Probably a book that I would read again, so it’s information overload (in a good way!).

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I requested this as I am, as I'm sure many people, tired all the time. I was hoping for some new insights, and practical tips to get more energy. However, this book was not it for me. It's a mix of tired old tips (eat vegetables, eat good fats, eat eggs and avocados) and unscientific advice like "don't eat anything with more than five ingredients" and "don't eat things that you can't pronounce". If you can't pronounce something: learn how to pronounce it! Then look it up to see what it is and decide if it's good for you!

I mean, there are some good recipes in there, which I might try, such as breakfast beans, and savoury porridge. But then there is also a whole section on how to get by with conference lunches (cut up avocado with your business card apparently *eye roll*). Not for me!