Elizabeth Taylor, an actress and sex symbol who is one of the most
sought-after celebrities by the media, has published
several books
during her lifetime. Elizabeth Takes Off: On
Weight Gain, Weight Loss,
Self-image & Self-
esteem is one of them. I first picked up this
book because of the words "self-image & self-esteem" in the title,
rather than the "weight gain, weight loss" portion. Well, it turns out
the book would be an excellent source for those who want to lose
weight, but that was not what I was interested in.
Nevertheless, the book itself is highly commendable. Even if you''re
not planning to go on a diet - like me - the first half of the book is
still worth a read. Miss Taylor writes briefly and frankly about events
that occurred in her life which affected her self image and
consequently, self esteem. She writes how being a senator''s wife caused
her to divulge into a period of extreme inactivity and boredom which
unconsciously turned her to overeating. She also mentions the dire
effects of binging, nibbling, or grapple-snapping. Unlike those
strictly diet-focused books, Elizabeth Takes Off offers insightful
explanations and reasons for weight gain while also presenting a
dietary method which to me looks superb.
If the first half analyzes the impact of events in Miss Taylor''s
life, the latter half offers diet menus, recipes and exercises that
could help keep your body in shape. The Taylor-made recipes mainly
consist of nutritious food, notably fruits and vegetables that have low
calories. Her daily menus seem reasonable, diverse and easily
followable because it is not a starving course, but a replacement for
your typical diet. The exercise portion contains several beneficial
stretches which, again, are also simple and effective.
Overall, I found this book to be a smooth, easy read. I also found
myself nodding to many of the things that Miss Taylor says in this
excellent book - which needs to be more in circulation today.