The Body Book: Review “Why Cameron Diaz Thinks Your Body is Amazing”
Image courtesy of Nora Meszaros
By Nora Meszaros
Cameron Diaz thinks your body is amazing. So amazing, in fact, that she released a nearly 300-page compendium of nutrition and fitness entitled, The Body Book, and she dedicated it to your body. Along with her co-writer, Sandra Bark, Diaz raises your awareness about the human body while educating you about the importance of eating well, exercising, and staying positive on a daily basis.
But hang on. Are you not convinced? Sitting there asking yourself, “Who is Cameron Diaz to tell me anything about nutrition and fitness when she’s an entertainment celebrity?” Time to clarify: The Body Book comes with a list of cited material found in its back index, as well as personal testimony from Diaz that the knowledge comes from “experts in medicine, nutrition, fitness, science, health, and psychology,” and its main purpose is to educate you about your amazing body.
To tell you the truth, one of the reasons The Body Book is so great, is because it’s not a diet book — it’s a tool that will give you facts and help you understand your body. Diaz writes about why it’s important to get exercise. Her aim is to allow you to be able to know how to have a healthy lifestyle and start thinking about developing better nutritional habits. But she is never discouraging. Diaz simply wants you to think about how your current habits might be affecting you.
For instance, did you know that whole foods are better than processed foods because they provide your body with whole nutrients and longer periods of increased energy? It’s important to know the role that whole foods can play in your life, since they can actually affect your mood- for the better throughout the day. Processed foods, on the other hand, likely don’t aid your body in getting a sufficient amount of nutrients. As Diaz writes, “Just because you can put something in your mouth, chew it, swallow it, and then poop it out doesn’t mean it’s food. It just means you can chew it, swallow it, and poop it out.”
Another reason why The Body Book is a great read results in the infusion of two separate writing styles: personal and educational. Diaz has an uncanny ability to talk shop when it comes down to the science of it all, but somehow manages to keep her tone light and conversational. Sometimes, The Body Book really reads like a textbook, with illustrations, diagrams, charts, and lengthy explanations which pull in historical and biological information and connections. Other times, her personal confessions pull you in and make you feel as if she were a mere 3 feet in front of you, having a one-on-one conversation.
It’s a talent to be admired, because you’ll find yourself enjoying learning about, “The Unfortunate American Love Affair With Sugar,” and what protein does for you, and your bone structure, and the way your muscles all work together to keep you fit and moving. Diaz and Bark have a witty way of keeping things light and interesting throughout the pages of The Body Book, whether it’s about fitness, nutrition, or your mind. Even if it’s not really your thing to pay too much attention to what you eat, you may be surprised to learn how your mind benefits from proper exercise, healthy eating, and a balanced sleep schedule. You can help your own positive mentality simply by taking a few steps to eating better.
Ultimately, the root of The Body Book comes down to Diaz’s personal journey with her body; it’s one thing to get the facts and hear the science behind nutrition, and another to be able to relate it to your lifestyle. This is where Diaz succeeds the most, drawing on her experiences throughout her life, whether it’s about her general lack of nutrition during the early years of her modelling career, her acne problems, or her addiction to fast food during her early 20s. The Body Book will reach out to you because Cameron Diaz is surprisingly honest. Her energy jumps off the pages of the book and allows you to relate to her experiences, to learn from what she has learned. You shouldn’t take her attempts to educate you with The Body Book as anything short of, well, one friend sharing something inspiring with another friend.
I mean, really. Cameron Diaz thinks your body is amazing. Don’t hesitate to go and pick up your own copy of The Body Book to find out why you should think it’s amazing, too.
