Alicia Witt has written a guide to living a healthier happier life by making small changes.She shares her own life story opening up her choices..Found many valuable tips.#netgalley #smallchanges.

I had high hopes for this book. As someone who actually eats a vegan diet already, I was saddened to see the author calling herself vegan and telling other to as well when they still consume animal products. I believe we all make our own choices, but claiming to be vegan while still eating eggs, salmon and honey just confuses everyone. She even says at one point that if someone can't give up bacon, be a vegan who eats bacon. Um, no. Just don't call yourself vegan, please. You're making it harder for those of us who are.

Aside from my issues with her false claims, the author is also anti-carb, very into supplements and does things like massaging her stomach before eating to "prep" it for digestion. I love the encouragement to make changes at your own pace as this is usually more sustainable, but I just can't get on board with most of her ideas here... not to mention the name dropping. Yes, we know you're an actress. Got it.

Thanks to Harper Horizon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Small changes, I absolutely believe in this. While I don’t subscribe to *most* of her practices (i.e. vegan, crystals, meditation). I do subscribe heartily to the idea of listening to your body. That is a huge part. I’ve done a lot of discovery about health recently, but I’ve known (since having my babies) how to listen to my body.
She tells a lot of personal stories to address her reasons for most of her health choices. So you’re sort of getting her Hollywood/Nashville, actress/singer/songwriter autobiography with her health beliefs.
Was excited to see her recipes but I don’t do veganism so I can’t really say they were helpful either.
The part that made me laugh was the discussion o musing Scotch tape on the face as a secret to no wrinkles. Does she not know there are actual facial wrinkle patches that won’t pull like scotch tape?! Look up Frownies,, Alicia, they are fabulous, they work and even Raquel Welch had used them for decades. Reader, don’t use scotch tape!!

No change is too small is something that was said that stuck with me. A lovely book with many great tidbits on implementing small changes that will give you big results.

I just didn't click with this book. There are other books featuring simple changes that I've enjoyed better. Just my taste.

I enjoyed the book very much. I liked the fact that she talked about her life/career and how we can feel better leaning towards a simpler life and eating a more plant based diet. Thank you NetGalley for recommending this book.

Being able to incorporate more plate based foods in my diet is wonderful and this book helps to be able to do it. I love that she also incorporates yoga and which ones to do. The pictures of the positions help immensely. I devoured this book in one day. Highly recommend it.

I appreciate the concepts in this book. Alicia seems like a likable person and I do think there are some words of wisdom here. However, I also had a hard time really digging in because I didn’t feel the ideas were new. She titled the book “Small Changes” but then suggests veganism, which I can tell you is a huge thing to try and implement. She does say something to the effect of “even if you don’t want to be vegan, there are many delicious ways of adding more vegetables” but it still was a bit diet-cultureish. Her chapters about spirituality and tips and tricks for being happier and more productive were good. I wish she hadn’t started with food.

Also in the beginning she tells a story about a cat scratching her face and that being a pivotal change in her life, and I understand as an actress looks are important but it sounded trivial to me. I am a cancer survivor and my life is defined by a very different line in the sand,, which made that a hard lens to look through. My story doesn’t negate hers, but I think people with serious trauma may have a hard time looking to her for advice.

I found the name dropping and all the talk of being on sets and lots of descriptions of every movie or show she has been in a little cringy. I know that’s her life perspective so I tried to honor that point of view while reading; but it missed the mark for me. It felt like she was shouting “Even though you’ve never heard of me, I promise I’m a real actor who knows real famous people and has been on real shows!”

In the end I found some of her advice practical for everyday people and I wanted to like the book. It was just not revolutionary for me. Like many wellness books, I took a couple nuggets that suit my life and let the rest fall away. I appreciate the publisher giving me an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

To me this book seemed more of an autobiography, it had a lot of the author talking about her tv/ film career.
I wasn't expecting that, but saying that, I did pick up some interesting facts, and I will be dipping into this book again.
Thank you netgalley

This wasn't what I thought it was going to be. And I ended up DNFing halfway through. Just putting it out there.

Found this book very helpful and insightful.. I have learned allot just has I had hoped I would. Will be looking for more from this author.

Alicia Witt breaks down how transitioning to a healthier and happier life can be so much easier then we make it. We overcomplicate things when its just taking small steps one step at a time. Through health, wellness, eating habits and spirituality Witt has covered it all!

As a vegetarian, I was keen to read this book. It would definitely help people looking to incorporate more vegetarian/ vegan meals into their diets, and develop strategies for changing their diet. It's a great book, and one that I would recommend as a helpful tool!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are only a handful of chapters here, but they are each pretty substantial. In the first one, she recounts her history and career. That part was fun, honestly, even though I knew parts of it already. She also gets into her philosophy of making small changes over time.

As the full title implies, Witt is vegan – or, as she admits, mostly vegan. But she comes back often to the idea that if you do have a thing that you love, or can’t give up – don’t live in constant guilt over it. It’s not worth beating yourself up over. I like this part of her philosophy.

This book has a lot about food in it, but it also touches on other subjects including exercise, beauty products, having pets, journaling, and just going with the flow in general.

While I do like her approach from a mental standpoint, there are some things that didn’t sit right with me. For example, she repeatedly recommends gluten-free alternatives – but really, no one needs to be gluten-free unless they have an allergy. (I get the feeling that, for Witt, it’s more about cutting the carbs in general than the actual gluten in them.) She also advocates giving your pets “human grade” pet food. If you are into getting high-end pet food because your dog or cat likes it, go for it. But human-grade has always felt like one of those marketing/labeling ploys to me.

There are a bevy of recipes in the back, and gorgeous pictures of the finished products. (I feel like there is a zero percent chance my attempts would come out looking like these – but if you love ogling food pictures, these are worthy!)

First off I must admit I’m a fan of Alicia Witt, both her acting and music. And despite her numerous roles over the years, on both the small and the big screen, I always thought she deserved a larger following, that should have had more starring roles, that she’d be perfect for the kind of lead roles in romantic comedies, the kind that often went to Sandra Bullock in her early years. This is all to say I came into this book predisposed to liking this book. And you know what, I did. Quite a bit actually.
Being fan, I have to say I enjoyed that much of the early part of the book is more autobiography than anything else. No, strike that, it’s not just the early part of the book. The truth is the style Alicia uses throughout the book is autobiographical. For a self help book it’s very laidback. There is no preaching, no absolutes. Alicia merely tells you how she went about doing things, how and why she altered her eating habits over the years, how she prepares her food (even when it comes to her pets), dealing with eating out, how she goes about exercising, finding inner peace, etc. The truth is it almost feels like you’re having a conversation with an old friend. She doesn’t claim she has all the answers or even that she believes ‘her way’ is the right way. But she quite honestly sounds like one of the happiest most well adjusted people out there, which makes me believe she must be doing something right.
I can’t believe how quickly I read Small Changes, and while I am unlikely to adopt many of her eating habits, I enjoyed her outlook and suggestions on various aspects of life in general. Reading this book has only made me a bigger fan of Alicia Witt. 4.5 stars
I'd like to thank Harper Horizon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Small Changes.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RZ0X4820L2J48/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/small-changes-alicia-witt/1139864676?ean=9780785240310&bvnotificationId=8686637c-260c-11ec-9888-0eb349a73b5d&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/188312181

i like this actress, did not know she was so big on instagram and the like. i quite liked this book, love how small changes to your daily life can make big impacts. i do think some of them were more realistic than others for some people, but i'm guessing those people resistant to making these changes wouldn't be reading this book.
do think that the product suggestions were a bit out of my price range - and likely most people, but what do i know. i eat a lot of plant based foods and the recipes didn't appeal to me, but i didn't really expect to get recipes out of this book. but others new to plant based eating might. anywho. it was good, i'd recommend if it sounds like your cup of tea

Actress and musician Alicia Witt shares how little swaps or changes can make big impacts in one's daily routines. Part memoir, part how-to, and part lifestyle guide, Witt's experiences are sure to inspire her fans and new-to-her readers. She covers topics ranging from life on set to making decisions in areas such as plant-based eating to adopting mindful practices. Unlike many celebrity books in its category, Witt's approach is refreshing and realistic in goal setting and goal getting. This is also a solid choice for those searching for post-COVID-19/lockdown designs for clean living

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I recognized the author from a few movies and the premise really appealed to me. Thanks to Harper Horizon and @netgalley for letting me read this ahead of publication.

💜 What I liked:
This book is truly accessible, breaking down the small ways you can make positive changes for yourself. It is supportive and insightful about how to improve your lifestyle without being overwhelming. I was especially appreciative about how the author “forgives” you by not condemning the instances where you might cheat on the plan. To be honest, this is not a diet, but a way to make a difference in yourself just one step at a time.

😱 What I didn’t like:
The recipes in the back of the book, while truly helpful, did not totally appeal to me. But I am a picky eater, so they will definitely work for others. Some of the product suggestions were a little out of my price range also. That being said, you can certainly find alternatives based on her suggestions.

🚦 My face at the end: 😊

💭 5 Reasons to Read:
1. Mindful thoughts
2. A new way of thinking about food
3. Clear guidelines
4. Advice on eating out
5. Body wholeness



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Actress and musician Alicia Witt shares her view on how to make small, but significant changes to your way of living.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

I was drawn to this book by the title, and after reading the blurb, I knew this was something I really wanted to read. After plowing through a lot of health information recommending a whole foods diet, I thought reading Alicia Witt's personal experiences might be helpful. And I wasn't wrong there.

I loved reading about Alicia's own journey to becoming a vegan--most of the time. One of the best pieces of advice she offers is to allow yourself to enjoy those things you absolutely love now and then. For her, it's salmon and eggs; I've been enough diets to see this as a very valuable piece of advice.

Throughout the book, she recommends substitutions for meat that she has found to be good, and even shares recipes. I consider this book to be a good resource for people like me.

Small Changes by Alicia Witt read very much like a mash-up of a healthy lifestyle magazine, celebrity memoir, and plant-based recipe book.
I think any reader could take away at least a few nuggets of worthwhile information or ideas from this book, but I’d recommend it more to anyone who is already a fan of Witt’s film/tv roles or music, as it mostly contains tidbits about her life and philosophy.
Those looking specifically for a book focused on wellness and/or plant-based diets may be disappointed.