For this month's Book Club Read, I decided to go with a fun, lighthearted book--dare I call it "chick-lit"-- that would be perfect at the beach or the pool. I was fortunate that Fitness Junkie was released in July, just in time for a lazy summer read! Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, who took the fashion industry to task with their satirical novel, The Knockoff: A Novel, give the fitness industry the same treatment. Spoiler alert: If you aren't a fan of snarky humor, then you just might not like this one.
Fortunately for me, sarcasm is my second language and this book had me laughing out loud. Janey, the overweight, stressed-out main character, is instructed by her business partner to take three months off to drop thirty pounds and get her life back together. After all, as CEO of a couture wedding dress company, she needs to portray a positive image, right? Oh, and by the way, it was written into Janey's contract that she has to stay the size of a fit model. Ridiculous? That's life in the big city, my friends. With no choice but to comply, Janey begins her journey into the crazy New York City fitness world.
The reader is taken along Janey's hilarious journey through expensive workouts at places like "SoarBarre", where the mantras "pain is gain", "hurts so good", "reduce, revive, revitalize", and my personal favorite "it's your body, bitch" are painted on the wall and the instructor shouts out insults at the class. Janey attends topless yoga at the "Free the Nipple" yoga studio and takes a boot camp class taught by "terrorists". Eventually, Janey ends up at "The Workout", a super-exclusive studio where she is told "it's everything and it's nothing. It's the best workout you'll ever have and it's not a workout at all." Whatever that is supposed to mean. No matter, she is in the hottest studio in town.
Janey also tries various nutritional fads and other treatments purported to help with weight loss, all with entertaining stories. If this journey wasn't so humorous, it would be sad, because, like the authors' previous novel, this book examines the pressure on women to be perfect and the lengths they go to to get there. Gurus? Fitspo? "Wellth"?
What the hellth?
Fitness Junkie was really funny, but for me, it was like one of those jokes that just goes on and on. The book kind of jumped the shark for me at the fitness retreat, which was just completely over the top. But I guess that's how it is with fitness trends--women (and men) will stop at nothing to become fit and fabulous. In a way, it's kind of frightening to think about what extremes women will go to to look good. The book does make for an entertaining read, though, and if you want a lighthearted, fun read about the fitness and diet industry that might make you pause and think about your fitness goals, this one will fit the bill.
Me, I'll just stick with running.
Have you ever taken a class that over the top weird? Ever studied under a fitness guru? Did you read this? What's your take on it?
While I'm no longer hosting a link up for the book club, please send me the links to I'm book reviews and I'll include them in my blog post! Be sure to link back to this post--sharing is caring! If you haven't read the book but plan on it, it's never too late to join in!
Next month's selection, Every.Single.Day: Unstoppable Wisdom from a Year of Running by Julie Van Amerongen is her story of running daily to get in shape but gaining so much more. I think I can safely say that running gives us so much more than fitness. I'm looking forward to reading her story.
I'm linking up with Fairytales and Fitness and Running on Happy for the Friday 5!
This sounds like a fun read, but (like yo), I'd proabably bebraising my brows and shakingbmy head at some of the extremes LOL
ReplyDeleteI feel like we live in a bubble!
DeleteSounds like a fun read! The hardest class I've done is Solidcore, which is a good workout if you can take it!
ReplyDeleteI feel like CrossFit is the hardest thing I've done!
DeleteI do love snarky humor but, as a member of the fitness industry I'd probably be rolling my eyes through the whole thing. Though I'm sure NYC or any big city fitness puts a lot more pressure on women than my little old country club fitness center. I may check to see if it's available as an audiobook though!
ReplyDeleteIdk--it was pretty humorous!
DeleteMy sister is currently reading this book! She's pretty into it!
ReplyDeleteVery entertaining!
DeleteSounds like an easy beach read - which may be what I need.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you just need a book like this!
DeleteThat does look like a fun beach read. It is fun to laugh at all of the crazy things we do to keep in shape. Next month's book looks good I've got to jump back into the book club
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun read!! It's not too late.
DeleteThis sounds like a really fun book to read!
ReplyDeleteIt was really funny!
DeleteHaha you know i love a good snark! Sounds right uip my alley
ReplyDeleteWell, what's stopping you?
DeleteWe almost read this in my bookclub this month, but another book beat it out in the vote. I'll have to read this one anyway!
ReplyDeleteI think you should!
DeleteWow.... this book sounds a bit crazy! you made me laugh with the "life in the big city"!! its like this books want us to believe that everybody in the big cities is tall, fit and looks like a super model!
ReplyDeleteThis book reminds me a little about a book I read about this author who was trying out all the celebrity diet books, and whether or not they helped her lose weight. It was funny and sad at the same time...
Kind of like this book...
DeleteHuh. I'm gonna pick this up. I need a good book. I'm bookless. Actually, I'm reading a book now. It's not that good. But it's good for putting me to sleep. Hahahaha
ReplyDeleteI think you'd get a kick out of it.
DeleteThis books sounds great! I am going to check it out, great review!!
ReplyDeleteYay! It was a fun read.
DeleteSounds like a fun read!
ReplyDeleteI found it to be pretty amusing. I live in the Bay Area and it is much the same, for people with a certain amount of income.
ReplyDelete