Book Review and Giveaway of 52 Small Changes by Brett Blumenthal

Who is ready for healthy, happy changes in 2012?

52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You
by Brett Blumenthal 

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: AmazonEncore; 1 edition (January 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1612181392
• ISBN-13: 978-1612181394

     Genre:  Health, Fitness

     My Rating:  4.5 of 5.0

 

Product Description

Whether as New Year’s resolutions, birthday wishes, or daily promises, most everyone vows at some point to make a major life change. But change is easier said than done, especially when it comes to better managing our wellness amidst the chaos of everyday living. Fortunately, wellness coach and award-winning writer Brett Blumenthal has devised a way to inspire and motivate her readers to live healthier and make positive changes in their lives. Although Blumenthal’s method is not a quick fix, it is a surprisingly simple one: make one small change per week, for fifty-two weeks, and at the end of a year, you’ll be happier and healthier. After all, it is the small changes that are the most realistic, instead of trying to overhaul your lifestyle all at once. 52 Small Changes addresses all areas of wellbeing, including nutrition, exercise, stress management, mental wellness, and even the health of one’s home environment. By guiding readers through these changes at an easy, manageable pace, Blumenthal provides an engaging roadmap to lasting results and “a happier, healthier you.”

Review:
Who doesn’t like to try to make their life healthier both physically and mentally?  This is not a diet book or a “fix” everything book.  It is a book to help you focus on easy steps to healthy and happy changes in your life.  It is set up to motivate the reader to make one step at a time. Not all of the suggestions in this book are new to me and I don't agree with all of them. However, I love the way this is laid out.  The author covers one topic of change for each week of the year. The changes fit into four categories (followed by the image used to identify the area):   Diet and Nutrition (apple), Fitness and Prevention (walking figure), Mental Well-being (half sunny leaf) and Green Living (leaf).

Many of the changes are basics that we have heard before, like the first two weeks which cover drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.   I have gone through times when I do good on these and then forget or let them slide. But at the end of each week this book concludes with a reminder to follow-up on the previous changes as well as learning the new one.  By the end of the book you have a full checklist that fills a page and can be easily referred to.

As noted I don’t agree with all of the proposals. The author encourages using whole grains, which is debatable, and eating lots of fruit, which I believe needs to be more selective. It would be easy to substitute your own details for any suggestions that you don’t agree with. I really like that it includes more than just diet and fitness as mental health is important too.

The author provides specific suggestions: basic exercises for fitness, lists of foods and recipes.  The reader can add to these, or substitute with their own favorites.  There are also additional resources in the back and on the author’s website. The idea to me is that I, for one, may be more likely to incorporate the new change each week while keeping up with the previous ones on the checklist.  I’m not going to outline all the topics as they are available through the “look inside” feature and I am going to direct you there as part of the giveaway.

I recommend this book if you want to make even a portion of the changes covered. I have already gotten my daughter started to do the program with me.

MBS Where Are You Reading? Map link.

This will also go towards my ARC, New Author and Eclectic Challenges.

I received the book for review from Amazon Encore.

HERE IS MY GIVEAWAY - FOUR WINNERS total.
To encourage others who are interested, I am doing this giveaway: I will give a print book to TWO US or Canadian followers and I will give a Kindle or Nook version to TWO International followers who will commit to try the program with us. I will either set up a post or a google group so we can share our progress and encourage each other. Please only enter this giveaway if you are willing to Try the program and participate in the group for eight weeks...hopefully longer.  Others who get the book will be welcome to join in the encouragement!

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:
1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there OR check the Look Inside feature and tell me a chapter that interests you. This is required for entry.

Please note the special commitment requirement above and WITH YOUR COMMENT YOU MUST TELL ME IF YOU ARE US/CANADA OR INTERNATIONAL SO I CAN PUT YOU IN THE RIGHT LIST FOR CHOOSING THE WINNER.
2.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3.  For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Four total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 13, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 14. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Here are other Giveaways if you want to try elsewhere to win this book:

• http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/2012/01/book-review-52-small-changes-by-brett-blumenthal.html

• http://mylittlereviewcorner.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/52-small-changes/