Models Do Eat: More Than 100 Recipes for Eating Your Way to a Beautiful, Healthy You by Jill de Jong

Models Do Eat: More Than 100 Recipes for Eating Your Way to a Beautiful, Healthy You Reviews

• 
  Kendall Morgan Hall

  Models Do Eat by Jill de Jong
  Publication Date: February 1st, 2019. Publisher: Benbella Books.
  
  “It’s not okay to starve your body - in fact, it’s harmful and miserable! Your body needs the best possible nutrition to function properly. Strong nails, shiny hair, and glowing skin are evidence of a good diet.”
  
  With endorsements from models such as Gabby Reece and Robyn Lawley (the Sports Illustrated cover model), I went into this book excited, and it did not disappoint.
  
  “And on top of eating well, we also exercise consistently to stay in shape while striving to take great care of ourselves mentally and spiritually.”
  
  The forward is written by Sarah DeAnna, a model and the author of Supermodel You. She begins the book by telling a story. When she was a young model, she overheard an agent telling another young model, who was crying about her weight, that models don’t eat chocolate. In other words, if you are a model, you have to constantly be depriving yourself. DeAnna did not buy this. Instead, she continues to believe that you should eat whatever is healthiest for you and allow your body occasional treats. She says, “the truth is that models eat whatever they want. Models do eat chocolate. Models do eat pizza,” they just do so in moderation and balance it with an otherwise healthy lifestyle and diet. She plugs her book’s message about “mindful eating,” which is “about getting in tune with your body, eating what you want and when you want, based on what your body is asking for and what it truly needs.” DeAnna says we were all born with the innate ability to know what foods our body needed, but that we were so influenced by society, dieting trends, well-meaning friends, etc that we have forgotten.
  
  “As you will see in this book, models today are far more likely to be health addicts - addicted to yoga, juicing, and kale chips, rather than drugs or some other unhealthy habit.”
  
  Jill de Jong starts the book by addressing the preconception of models: that they smoke to stay thin, swallow cotton balls to suppress their appetites, and just eat minimal amounts of salad. She says that sadly, some models still do, but the majority of models actually eat and eat well. She also admits that after years of international travel, and being constantly sleep-deprived, she had health issues related to a weak immune system. When she went to the nutritionist, he analyzed her blood, and told her to cut out sugar, eat more veggies, and eat less bread and dairy. This was a turning point for her. She had to find new recipes that fit this new diet and learn how to cook.
  
  “I wanted to feel better, have my energy back, and heal my body.”
  
  Jill de Jong ended up studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and getting certified as a health coach and personal trainer. In this book, she teaches that it is more important to focus on your feelings, and how your body reacts to food, than it is to focus on the numbers on the scale.
  
  “If you have ever been on a diet, you know how restrictive it feels. It sets you up for failure. When you can’t have something, you want it even more.”
  
  Jill de Jong discusses the concept of what it means to be “fat,” saying that many people who are considered overweight are actually at a healthy weight for their bodies and very fit. She references the fact that the modelling industry helps create this dissatisfaction in women about their bodies, which often leads to disordered eating.
  
  “Even though most models naturally have long and lean bodies, they often struggle to maintain it and to meet industry demands.”
  
  She says that people need not “diet” if they make eating great, nutritious food a priority. Once you start making better food choices, not only will your body respond by losing weight, but you will also feel great too.
  
  “When I was seventeen, I was introduced to calorie counting.”
  
  Jill de Jong lays out her ten essentials: calories (even though weight loss is caused by a calorie deficit, you do not need to overly restrict or count calories, she says. Worry about nutrition density not calorie density), gluten (take breaks from it and listen to how your body reacts to gluten when you reintroduce it), carbs (minimize simple carbs but don’t skimp on complex carbs), protein (vary your protein and make sure you only take in quality protein sources), fat (avoid trans fats, limit saturated fats, go to town on unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids), sugar (just don’t), pH (*this science is not agreed upon by nutrition experts, so read carefully*), organic foods (eat them), exercise (do it), and chemicals (don’t eat food with toxic chemicals in them. Simple enough, right?).
  
  “Going to the gym became part of my job: it was even written into my modeling contract that it was my responsibility to maintain the shape I was in when I signed.”
  
  This book is filled with important facts that everyone should know. For example, “diet foods” are filled with artificial sweeteners, flavour enhancers, and preservatives that will make you gain weight and might even make you sick. There are some cool illustrated charts in the book, which show you what foods you should be eating (for example, the plant- and animal-based protein charts on page 26).
  
  “Other people’s opinions can really impact how you feel about your body. You start labeling your body as good or bad, or beautiful or ugly, instead of healthy or unhealthy.”
  
  The author talks about how standards of beauty in the modelling industry impacted the way she looked. She loved working out, but was constantly being told that her arms were too toned, so she stopped doing any arm exercises in order to conform to what the industry wanted: a skinny model with no muscle definition. Luckily, things have changed significantly in the modeling industry and bodies of many shapes and sizes are being represented. Now you will often see models who are toned and healthy (as opposed to the 90s, when all models were encouraged to be waifs).
  
  “Every minute you exercise contributes to a healthy, strong, toned, and beautiful body. On top of that, exercising makes you feel fantastic!”
  
  The author explains that getting back into exercise after a break or starting for the first time can be difficult, but it is worth it once the endorphins start kicking in. She goes through the excuses people use not to exercise and explains one by one why these excuses are false.
  
  “When I started modeling at age seventeen, I was introduced to calorie counting. I thought that it was part of my job to keep track on them and I made a game of it; I tried to eat as much as I could with the least amount of calories.”
  
  Jill de Jong explains that focusing too much on calories takes up needless headspace. As long as you are eating healthy things, and eating in moderation, you do not need to count calories.
  
  “These days, cooking is my ‘yoga,’ so to speak. There is no greater joy than cooking for people I love.” - Taylor Walker Sinning
  
  There are healthy recipes throughout the book with amazing, mouth-watering pictures. Don’t read this while you are hungry unless you have time to cook. Some of my favourites include the chocolaty protein shake (page 45), the vegan morning scramble (page 49), easy pea-sy soup (page 52), flourless flax waffles (page 62), sweet potato cakes (page 67), crunchy superfood paleo granola (page 82), paleo chocolate chip banana cake (page 96), cilantro breakfast egg muffins (page 103), cherryberry smoothie (page 105), wholesome mushroom tacos (page 109), runner’s quinoa lunch (page 145), very green juice (page 151), gluten-free lasagna (page 163), and avocado hummus (page 177).
  
  “I started looking a food as fuel and treating my body like an athlete, not a model.” - Adela Capova
  
  Several different models who have embraced healthy lifestyles have their own sections including Taylor Walker Sinning, Courtney James, Lauren Williams, Coleen Baxter, Adela Capova, Liana Werner-Gray, Summer Rayne Oakes, and Nikki Sharp. Each model includes her favourite healthy meals.
  
  “A healthy body is crucial to also having a healthy mind, and I truly believe in balance and feeding ourselves in a way where we do not feel deprived.” - Courtney James
  
  There was one thing in this book that really irked me. On page 28, the talks about having a client with fibromyalgia whose pain went away when she cleaned up her diet. Diet is -very- important when you have fibromyalgia, but having your pain disappear by eating a clean diet is rare, almost unheard of. I’ll admit that this is probably me being too sensitive. Fibromyalgia was dismissed by doctors for the first half of my life. I was constantly being told that if I exercised more and ate healthy my pain would go away. The only problem with that was that I was a clean-eating vegetarian who exercised regularly. In this case, i’ll give Jill de Jong the benefit of the doubt. If changing her diet helped this client be pain-free, then I’m happy for her. I just ask that when you read this book that you keep in mind that being pain-free with fibromyalgia is not always just a matter of the lifestyle and diet choices you make. If it was, millions of sufferers world-wide would not let it affect (or sometimes even destroy) their lives.
  
  Layout is something I rarely discuss in a book review, but the two column layout of this book made it so easy to read, and it was filled with pictures of happy, smiling models and, of course, delicious food. I hope you go out and pick up of copy of this book if you are looking for something to inspire you to eat healthier and take care of your body.
  
  Thank you to Net Galley and BenBella Books for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
  
  Grade: A
• 
  Amber

  Models do eat is not a diet book , but more of a learn to eat what makes your body feel good book. I Like that Jill not only adds her personal experiences and what works for her but also add the ideas and recipies of her friends.
  This book is very well written and easy to understand. Not only do they provide you with pictures of the recipies and shopping list, but also pictured lists of whats good and bad for you. One of the things I do like that is repeated over and over by all the models is do not deprive your cravings, don't over indulge either. If you want a doughnut , eat a doughnut. Just don't eat twelve or one every day and make sure to move around. To look good and feel good you truly need to eat good and what is good for you may not be what is good for everyone else. This book helps clarify alot about myths , models, and food. I really enjoyed it.
  
  I received this copy for free from a goodreads giveaway. The opinions on this book are my own.
• 
  Gladimore

  Eh
• 
  Jennifer

  First, I would like to thank Netgalley and BenBella Publishing for providing me with a free PDF copy of this cookbook in exchange for an honest review.
  
  This is the first cookbook in which I have found the opening chapters to be more valuable than the recipes. In most cookbooks, I admittedly flip through the pictures until I find something appetizing. This book is incredibly relevant to any woman on diet because it reinforces the fact that 1) carbs are not the enemy and 2) being healthy means a lot more than cutting carbs and counting calories; it means feeling good in YOUR body. Hey, if models can eat carbs, then so can I!
  
  As for the recipes, they are very easy to follow. However, they are divided up by model. Each model has a general theme, but overall, there is a lack of continuity or flow. I believe this cookbook would have benefited its readers more by separating the recipes into categories rather than grouping each model's recipes together. Unless I were planning on following a particular model's recipes, as a reader, I really don't care who wrote the recipe. Recipe author highlights could still be incorporated throughout the book but would not necessarily need to precede the recipes. The final thing I would add is the nutrition facts for each recipe, either on the recipe page or in an appendix.
  
  Overall, I was very impressed with this cookbook. I just wish I had it in hardcopy :)\
  
  #netgalley #modelsdoeat
• 
  Jen

  Thank you to NetGalley and Benbella Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
  
  Parts of this book were weirdly amateurish, while other parts were serviceable and attractive.
  
  Basically a long ramble of food restriction intercut with "we do eat! I swear!". this book is a mishmash of recipes from various models who have eliminated one thing or another from their diets. Whether it's dairy or gluten or they've gone Paleo or they don't eat sugar, their diets seem mainly focused on removal, rather than addition.
  
  I'm sure that's to be expected. These are models, after all. They eat, but they don't eat a whole lot.
  
  Many of the recipes do look appealing, while others I'd probably make on any Tuesday, if you see what I mean. They're not exactly 'cookbook' worthy, so you wonder if they were only included because the whole point is that we just want to look like models, and we'll choke down lentils and salmon if that's what it takes.
  
  While I can see the point of this book (we all look at models and figure they live on champagne and cigarettes), the execution of it is lacking. If these women were offering innovative recipes, I might be more interested, but this is no
  Cravings: Hungry for More. Then again, what is?
• 
  Elizabeth

  With so many different diets circulating the mainstream right now, it’s hard to know which one is right for you. Personally, I’ve never been one to follow a strict diet plan, they just weren’t for me. However, there have been times I need to shape up, eat better, and lose weight, I just had to find the right solution for me.
  
  I’m naturally slim and petite, but I deal with a couple of different health issues that help me to stay on track. If I don’t eat clean and health most of the time, I’m going to be suffering the consequences afterwards, sometimes for days and up to a week!
  
  Before my health went downhill and before kids, I modeled for almost 10 years, but I ate everything. I never had to worry about gaining weight or even skin problems. Sounds great right, well now I realize I should have been watching what I ate back then and maybe my health would be a little different now. It was another time, over twenty years ago, the world was not the same and I certainly didn’t have all the information I needed at my fingertips like I do now.
  
  Now that know better, I definitely feel better! My background and experiences were what drew me to the book but I really believe it’s a great for anyone looking for new recipes and some healthy inspiration from some ladies who know what they’re talking about!
• 
  Gladimore

  Eh
• 
  RedRobinXXX

  I am reviewing this book for Jill de Jong, BenBella Books, and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review.
  As well as providing us with healthy recipes, there are a list of foods which you can eat from and another list to avoid as these affect your gut. It encourages people to exercise but everyday exercise – go for a walk, or a cycle ride. Can’t wait to try some of these recipes.
• 
  Mary Dickerson

  I simply loved reading about the author's story, and how she couldn't belive that eating bread wasn't an option for models. I too grew up with bread as a side for each meal, and although I am no model, I also love to keep bread in my day to day eating. I could cut it, but never completely avoid it.
  
  The recipes are great, and I really liked that they are recipes from different models. I think it was a nice touch, so we can see how each one has what works for them.
  
  My only kinda dislike is that since the sections are divided for each model providing the recipes, is harder to find all breakfast in one place for example. But the index helps with that, so is not a major problem.