Confessions of a Reformed Dieter

By: A. J. Rochester

Narrated by: A. J. Rochester

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

For every woman who has ever tried to lose weight and failed, A.J. Rochester offers her own unique recipe for success, from someone who looked like the last of the lost causes.

When A.J. is singled out for a television show on obesity, she is at first appalled and then resolved. Enough is enough. She vows to change her ways and lose weight, not because she yearns to become a pretzel, but so she can keep up with her little boy and turn her life around at last. But after years of fighting a losing battle against her weight, A.J. knows she needs a miracle. So she volunteers to be a human guinea pig and record her weekly progress in front of a camera for a television program on body image.

Confessions of a Reformed Dieter charts the highs and lows of A.J.'s incredible journey, from her close encounters with a nutritionist, personal trainer, and psychiatrist to overcoming an early setback (waking up in a hospital with a broken leg after downing an illicit cocktail on an empty stomach), and the triumph of shedding the first, and last, kilo.

The result is a funny, insightful, and inspiring account of a woman who lost 40 kilos without losing her sense of humour, and discovered a whole new life.

©2003 A.J. Rochester (P)2003 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Her comedic timing is perfect....The reading is lively, passages are laugh-out-loud hilarious." (Kliatt)

TOO SELF ABSORBED

The first hour was good, then it was downhill. I mean there are recipes, lists of ingredients and how to cook it in the book. I fast forwarded that part, after all, I did not buy a cookbook. The story was well told for what it was, basically somebody's diary. You may think that Bridget Jones was a diary too.... it was but things happened in her life, this one is strictly a diet diary. I suppose it can give somebody inspiration, but be warned it is strictly AJ's story of how she got fat, and how she gets thinner. Not the worst I heard for diary stories.....

5 people found this helpful

Comic-Tragic Heartwarming Inspiring Story

I have just finished listening to this book; it chronicles her battle of the bulge/path to physical and mental health with the support of a personal trainer (Crusher), psychiatrist (Dr. Nutcase), nutritionist in the Alfafa Zone. Written with humor and pathos, I was pleasantly surprised that the story she conveyed was interesting and varied. Though she starts out focusing on her physical health, she ends up focusing on a personal transformation to self-acceptance and love. She touches on a broad range of life-experiences that shaped how she developed an unhealthy relationship with food: adopted into a family where she was a square peg in a round-hole, being sexually abused as a child, raped at the age of 18...that resulted in self-loathing expressed as bulimia, anorexia, obesity...Though these are tragedies, she somehow finds a way to express herself in a way that is laugh-out-loud funny. As I listened to this book, I laughed, I cried, I cheered her successes. She talks about how her efforts to improve her health and her life affected her relationships with family, friends, men, professional goals -- and details the specific challenges she faced with friends who tried to sabotage her diet, her own self-sabotage, Christmas holidays with her adoptive father and her birth father, people who were unkind, people who were kind. This is an engaging story and I heartily recommend it to all.

7 people found this helpful

What a Funny Lady

I absolutly loved listening to this one. I listened to it on my ipod at the gym and a couple of times had to laugh out loud. I was hooked and cheering her on her journey. I would recommend it to anyone women who has struggled with weight or image issues.

5 people found this helpful

Inspiring and Motivational

I agree with the previous reviewers that the fat jokes were lame, but the actual story that is told is motivational and is one that I listen to again and again on my own journey to a healthy weight. I find it amazing to witness the difference in the Author's perspective and attitude from the beginning to the end. It is the most realistic and honest book I've ever read (or listened to, I guess) about the pain of being heavier than you want to be and the struggles, set-backs and successes on the way to remolding your body, mind and life. Thank you A.J. for sharing your journey and WAY TO GO!!!! Each time I listen, I gain more perspective and motivation.

2 people found this helpful

Very lively and enjoyable!

This was a really lively and enjoyable book, well-written, funny, and very well narrated. I have actually gone back and listened to parts of the story again, and was inspired enough to get my own personal trainer and lose more than thirty pounds!

2 people found this helpful

Wow how did she get inside my head!?!?!?

This book is essentially a memoir written by AJ Rochester, now host of the Biggest Loser in Austrila. I can not rave enough about this book and the courage that it must have taken to write this honest account of her personal dieting journey. Yes she dose make self depricating remarks in the beginning but I really believe that if you have ever gotten to the point that she was with being unhappy the weight that you are then you will totally relate to her. I know I did, I am glad to see that someone elses brain works kind of like mine. She is such an inspriation. She is woman enough to aknowledge her short comings, laugh about them and share them with the world. By the end of the book you can't help but celebrate with her when she finally realizes that she has truly changed her life.

4 people found this helpful

Gut wrenchingly honest

The sample had me laughing out loud and this book became one of my favorites! I've listened to this six times and don't think I'll tire of it. A. J. Rochester has a unique ability to share her struggles in such an honest way, I found myself cheering her on. A must read that won't disappoint!

1 person found this helpful

Finally an inspiring Weight loss book

Excellent book. Very inspiring, very interesting and definitely provides the motivation for anyone trying to lose weight. It provides the reality behind sustainable weight loss: the emotional side, the diet and the workout. I highly recommend this book.

1 person found this helpful

Inspirational til I looked up where she is now!

The book was compelling enough to listen to. I'm glad I didn't have to actually sit and read it. But when I googled where she is now, I was really disappointed and disillusioned.

I love this book!

I have, admittedly, read this book several times. I find it both entertaining and inspirational in the sense that the author never wavers from being an "average" person battling an issue so many people have. Honesty, vulnerability and a bit of sarcasm make this book relatable.

Inspirational

Confessions describes the journey of the author A J Rochester from fat to thin. Along the way she deals with her abused childhood, anorexia, bulemia and laxative abuse along with constant feelings of not being good enough. With the aid of Crusher (personal trainer) and Nutcase (pyschiatrist) she transforms herself and faces her personal demons. You would think that this story would be depressing but even in her darkest moments AJ manages to find humour in her situation and by the end you will be willing her along to loose those last pounds.

An inspiration for those, like me, that have all but given up on losing weight. When you hear what AJ has to go through, your problems seem pale in comparison and I for one have decided to give weight loss another go.

11 people found this helpful

What a pleasure. Entertaining and informative.

I played this on my journey to and from work. I laughed so much, I arrived in a great mood.

Ajay writes and reads with such humour and honesty. This book is refreshing.

Even if you don't follow her methods the 'whole hog', there are many pointers to use in every day life which would aid leading a healthier lifestyle and weight loss.

I recommend this book very highly.

4 people found this helpful

Fabulously funny, real and inspirational

This book is so good to listen to. Ajay is funny and its like having a chat with a friend as she is so down to earth!

3 people found this helpful

Such a laugh

I so enjoyed this book.I listen to it on a long car journey with my daughter and at times we actually laughed out loud.Anyone who has ever dieted will identify with some of the stories she tells. I did not know A J Rochester from the biggest loser,it is a really good "true" storybut her voice did grate after a while.

1 person found this helpful

Annoying, patronising and not worth it

Would you try another book written by A. J. Rochester or narrated by A. J. Rochester?

I bought 2 of her books at the same time and really enjoyed the start of her book. SHe is very honest about her overeating and I was really inspried by her but her promises to herself and her readers all fell flat as she ahs put on most of her weight again. I don't judge her for this, having done it too, but it makes all her promises "I will NEVER", etc very flat. She also talks a LOT about losing 2kg a week (2.2lbs) which is a lot - doctors recomment 1-2lbs MAX per week. There were times she was losing more. I was just deflated (metaphorically sadly rather than literally) by it all.

What could A. J. Rochester have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Not made so many promises

What three words best describe A. J. Rochester’s performance?

good voice, lively

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

ANnoyed because it all felt forced - especially as she lost 40kgs so quickly which is not recommended medically

Any additional comments?

I wish her the best but the preachy tone of the book did annoy me, all how unhappy she was being so fat etc. Now she is happy, beautifful and a lot larger (look for her picture on google images. SHe admits ot being large and happy which makes much of this book a bit tongue in cheek or just false)

I enjoyed this

I liked this book, i found it inspiring and funny and i learnt a bit from it too.

Loved this book!

A must for anyone trying to lose weight. Funny, sad, honest and intelligent. I love the way she cuts through the crap. Very relatable.