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See Also: "The Day They Burned the Books": Values, Identity, and Otherness – Owlcation
inside: did anyone ask for a healthy dose of motivation? Check out this great list of healthy living books and podcasts that are sure to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle. Affiliate links to products I believe in are used in this post.
You are reading: Best books to motivate healthy lifestyle
Every year we hear the same healthy lifestyle soundtrack in January: New Year’s resolutions. weightloss. Join now. shaken gyms. challenge groups.
everything has good intentions, and everything stems from a desire to help. I know this is true, but all the gyms and weight loss apps in the world are worthless without that one key ingredient: motivation!
Keeping your weight loss or healthy lifestyle goals front and center is hard work. it’s so easy to start hard and get burned out. and ignore the gym, smoothie, or challenge pool.
By reading motivational books and listening to health-related podcasts, you’ll have regular reminders that you’ve made a commitment to yourself and your own healthy lifestyle.
Keep filling your library and playlist with motivation, and it will add fuel to your motivational fire!
Below are some of my personal favorites, as well as the ones at the top of my wish list.
Related: Over 50 Totally Doable Ways To Break A Sedentary Lifestyle
healthy living books to inspire your healthy lifestyle
See Also: 7 Surprisingly Ghostwritten Books
click the colored links below for more details and reviews:
Big Fat Lies: Part weight loss memoir, part motivational kick in the pants, Big Fat Lies is written by kaelin tuell poulin, a self-proclaimed former fat woman who turned her life around Until now he went on to earn his professional bodybuilder card in record time. I listened to the audiobook version and there are a couple of chapters that I go back to whenever I need to increase my fitness motivation. she busts common weight loss myths, but also empowers you with knowledge and motivation. I also reviewed the ladyboss weight loss app by kaelin tuell.
If you want to try kaelin’s motivational style, she also offers freebies on her website:
- cover your cravings cheat sheet (who doesn’t have cravings from time to time?!)
- free getting started guide (perfect for anyone in the beginning stages of a new health and fitness routine)
- healthy swapping model (this gift helps you find delicious but tasty alternatives) healthy for your favorite foods).
Atomic Habits: This is a book packed with information on how to make small changes every day to create big changes in your life. I keep rereading it, and getting more and more out of it. I bought it to help me with my work life, but I found myself wanting to put each sentence on a t-shirt to motivate me in my healthy lifestyle. If you feel like you’ve “tried every diet out there” and are still gaining the weight back, it’s time to revisit your habits. This book goes hand-in-hand with my favorite weight loss app.
foodist: The goal of this book is to arm you to make decisions with a clear understanding of how to optimize health and happiness. is full of tips on grocery shopping, food preparation, cooking, and how to choose the right restaurants and make smart menu choices. Unlike many books on healthy eating, this one focuses on what you like to eat, rather than what you should or shouldn’t eat, while teaching you how to make good choices, backed by an understanding of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. Healthy life.
100 days of weight loss: the secret to success in any diet plan: this is a really great format for motivation. Think of it almost like a daily devotional for your weight loss journey. read short snippets each day, ending with a writing prompt to help you examine your thoughts, actions, and habits. It’s perfect for anyone who’s already journaling or using a planner that has room to reflect each day, but anyone can use it.
Anything and Everything by Michael Pollan – If you’re into the clean eating movement and haven’t exhausted the Michael Pollan library, I highly recommend reading as many of his books as possible. inspiring and fascinating, I found each one more interesting than the last.
Unlimited by Jillian Michaels: I have never seen an episode of Big Loser, nor do I religiously own or use all of their DVDs, so this is not a fan girl entry. this is a powerful type of book, look in the mirror, get out of your head. It’s not specifically about losing weight, but more about getting rid of unhealthy habits in any part of your life. get this only if you’re really ready to stand up to yourself for change.
Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Make Everything Better – This healthy living book is written by a neuroscientist who used her own research to improve her health and happiness. there’s a lot of scientific material included, but it really shows how every aspect of her findings translated into her own life and how you can use it in yours. again, not specifically about weight loss, but definitely talks about weight loss and motivates you with science-based facts.
It Was Me All Along: Memoir: The memoir of a woman who overcame a food addiction, this book is an emotional reminder of many familiar situations from the life of anyone who has struggled against the weight. win from a young age. you may find yourself crying, laughing, or just nodding.
the incredible adventures of dietgirl – another memory, this one is on my wish list, actually. is the uplifting true story of a young woman who defeated her demons and conquered her desire to become a real-life superhero to inspire us all. one reviewer says that she writes in a “self-deprecating” way about her “struggles with low self-esteem, depression and cravings”. She sounds like a personality I can relate to!
See Also: 16 Fairy Tale Retellings That Live Up to the Hype
This year I will…: How to finally change a habit, keep a resolution or make a dream come true: Recommended to me by a blogger friend, this is still on my wish list. “In easy-to-read, uplifting chapters, Ryan tackles the obstacles that keep readers from reaching their goals and provides helpful tools and language for quelling negative and self-defeating thoughts. In arguing for affirmation strategies and cognitive therapy, Ryan urges readers to shift from “why” thinking to “what might be possible” thinking, using “right brain” skills to achieve success: “The right brain is future-oriented.” It is where our aspirations, our dreams, our desires reside.” “
The Dealers Choice in these two similarly titled books: 365 Health & Happiness Boosters and Better Every Day: 365 Expert Tips for a Healthier, Happier Life both offer brief daily recommendations passages to help you start your day from a place of positivity. A perfect addition to a new morning routine, this daily ritual of happiness will become something you look forward to every day.
If you’re on a ketogenic or low carb diet, check out this list of low carb books to get away from carbs for more inspirational reading.
related: is noom the new weight watchers alternative?
healthy living podcasts to boost your healthy lifestyle
mid-sized podcast – recommended to me by a friend. is an interview-style podcast with over 300 inspirational episodes. the presenter interviews people who have lost weight, people who are still trying to lose weight, people who help other people lose weight, etc. keeping this on your playlist would be a great way to keep that healthy lifestyle front and center in your brain.
ben greenfield fitness podcast: This podcast for athletes, nutritionists and trainers is authentic. It was recommended to me by a remarkable friend, jason, who quit his day job on wall street to start his own charity to do drag racing and raise money for pediatric cancer research (in fact my friend is pure inspiration, i swear she could write her own book, but for now click here to read her amazing story). but man, I can see why he finds this podcast to be all he needs for health and fitness inspiration. ben greenfield puts the fit in shape. with a capital f and any other cliché you can think of.
nurture + flourish: The two hosts of this podcast have totally different points of view, but together they explore the idea of finding what nourishes you: mind, body, and soul — so you can flourish. it actually ended recently, with hosts following their hearts in a twist of life, but it’s worth going back to the beginning to feed your own mind, body and soul on this one.
Colorful Foods – This is a great inspirational podcast for anyone looking to get rid of toxic chemicals, as well as toxic behaviors, in their lives. These two dietitians talk weekly about healthy eating, exercise, detoxification, and emotional fulfillment.
Even though ted talks isn’t technically a podcast, I’m including it here because it’s a great source of motivation. Experts from around the world share inspiring talks on topics like health and happiness, my two favorite topics.
the one you feed: I found this motivational podcast randomly, while surfing the internet. It does not focus specifically on weight loss or healthy eating, but rather on improving oneself as a whole. the story behind the name really stuck with me. it refers to a parable about the two wolves that live inside each of us and personally I am a bit crazy about the idea of remembering the parable every time I listen to an episode. like… i don’t have tattoos but i want a “the one you feed” tattoo after i read the parable. the themes are deep and moving. anxiety, addiction, pursuit of happiness, mindfulness, habits, willpower, envy and much more. cool bonus: they write and perform all the music they use.
Okay, what motivational books and podcasts am I missing? Share your favorites that motivate your healthy lifestyle in the comments to help the next reader!
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See Also: "The Day They Burned the Books": Values, Identity, and Otherness – Owlcation