Lightness of Body and Mind

A Radical Approach to Weight and Wellness

De: Sarah Hays Coomer

Narrado por: Sarah Hays Coomer

Forget every tactic you've ever tried to lose weight and feel better. Put down your weapons once and for all, and step out of the field of battle. Despite how it may seem, your brain and body are not unsupportive beasts bent on undermining your fitness goals. They just want some chips and dip, that's all. They aren't the problem. The way you're trying to manipulate them is.

In Lightness of Body and Mind: A Radical Approach to Weight and Wellness, personal trainer Sarah Hays Coomer offers a different approach. She proposes that you will never be able to achieve a body you love by doing things that you hate, that deprivation and limitation will never set you free, and that punishing workouts and strict diets are dead-end roads. The way to a body that works is doing more of what you authentically love.

Through memoir and intimate client stories, this book encourages you to dance with your demons, to choose and cherish the ones you have no intention of giving up, and to build a solid infrastructure dedicated to good health, in which wellness and indulgence spring from the same source.

You don't need more control. You just need functional knowledge of how habits are formed; a reverent, dizzy appreciation for falling apart when necessary; and laser focus on what brings you to life.

©2016 Sarah Hays Coomer (P)2016 Sarah Hays Coomer

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Coomer, a personal trainer and health coach, takes a novel approach to weight loss that rejects calorie counting, dieting, and strenuous workouts. In this inspiring and compassionate book, she shares her own struggles with weight and body image, as well as her realization that deprivation and treating the body as the enemy rarely work…" ( Publishers Weekly)

"Reading Lightness of Body and Mind was revelatory for me. Sarah Hays Coomer will heal many broken spirits and burdened bodies with this book. The approach to healthy living and weight loss is practical, holistic, and accessible to anyone." (Emily Saliers, Indigo Girls)

"One of the most powerful, insightful, relatable, and inspiring books I've ever read. Lightness of Body and Mind is for anyone who has ever struggled with impulsivity - whether manifest as food addiction, workaholism, depression, perpetual bad relationships, or chronic pain." (Tracy Jackson, MD, Vanderbilt University, Director of Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship, Director of Resident Education in Chronic Pain)

Honoring Your Body Through Health

I've been exploring the concept of intuitive eating, and I feel like this book takes it to a whole new level. My big takeaway is: Your life is made of minutes, hours, and days. Be mindful of how you spend them! Sarah does an excellent job of exploring how to get there by honoring yourself and your body. So many industries are thriving by making us feel ugly, fat, and unaccomplished. Shift your focus to living the life you want, what you have (and still want to!) accomplish and build a life, body and mind to get you there. Sarah's literary, and actual voice in this instance, is like that of a comforting friend. The kind that will hold you accountable but is also there to support you when you just need encouragement.
I highly recommend this book to anyone needing perspective on not just physical health, but a whole life of balance.

Compelling Stories, Motivation, Science.

What made the experience of listening to Lightness of Body and Mind the most enjoyable?

The stories are captivating and help explain the concepts beautifully. Sarah shares her many experiences with her clients while also weaving in her own life story. This makes the book very easy to listen to and visualize while the lessons that are learned from the book are gently received but so easy to grasp and internalize. I loved every minute of this book!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lightness of Body and Mind?

I like the way Sarah makes the concept of "Mindfulness" easy to grasp. This is a common buzzword you see today, but Sarah quickly simplifies it and makes it an accessible tool for anyone.

Which scene was your favorite?

Sarah's writing style makes all the stories vivid and easy to visualize! I most enjoyed her use of the character "Lothario" as she personifies that internal voice or drive that leads us down the wrong path. Very creative writing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I listed to this book while going on a morning walk and actually started extending my walks to listen to longer segments of the book and because the book was enjoyable and so motivating to keep moving!

Any additional comments?

This book strikes a perfect tone in a world where gimmicks, fad diets, and constant availability of distractions and poor food choices surround us! It lays out a clear path to a better way of making choices and living your life. It is something anyone can do. But, the book also provides balance -- important lessons on self compassion are learned along with strong motivation to take the daily steps in a new direction. Thank you Sarah for showing us all the way toward Lightness of Body and Mind!

Health care providers and nutritionists

Would you listen to Lightness of Body and Mind again? Why?

Yes. Recommended read for nutritionists and weight loss seekers alike! I am a health care practitioner and nutritionist. THis book has given me some incredibly valuable tools for helping patients recover wellness to their bodies and minds.

What did you like best about this story?

For years I have watched as my patients struggle with wanting to lose weight. They put themselves through rigorous diet and exercise regimens that inevitably fail, or worse yet, cause injury. I feel I have done my best to guide them away from the concept of punishing diets and toward healthy lifestyle choices. This strategy works well for some people but really not for others. There was still a missing link, something I wasn't getting, and I didn't even know it. And it was something I wasn't "getting" in my own life. Since reading Lightness of Body and Mind I have completely transformed the conversations I have with myself about food and healthy choices. And this has altered, in dramatic ways, the way I speak with patients about their food and lifestyle choices. Though it has only been a short time since finishing the book, I am seeing my patients have better success moving toward health and a feeling of "lightness" in many senses of the word. This is also, awesomely, applying to me!

What about Sarah Hays Coomer’s performance did you like?

Sarah's performance is dynamic and she is obviously passionate about her work. She shares her story with a natural strength and vulnerability that brings the listener into her world.

Small changes to BiG empowerment!

I so loved this book and the philosophy of loving what makes our bodies strong and work for us rather than beating ourselves up for the imperfections we have always focused on! By finding out what our bodies can do for us and finding joy in the things that "light us up" we can make small good choices that can because wellness habits and by shifting the mindset to gratefulness for our bodies we can be empowered! I know this has caused me to want to do more things that make me feel good! Thank you Sarah Hays Coomer for the paradigm shift!