Rating: 
Summary: Lovely writing, lovely writer
Review: Although others have commented on how helpful and /or interesting they thought the authors struggles with food were, what I found best about this book, was the personality that came across. Courtney Rubin really seems like a tremendously likeable, classy, kind and intelligent woman. Wish there were more like here putting their stuff out there. Good Luck to you Courtney, hope the book has the success it deserves.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, an honest portrayal
Review: Courtney Rubin is probably the bravest woman alive. As I sat reading this book, I was stunned that she and I felt the same way about so many food and body image issues. The difference is, she isn't scared to talk about it. Ms. Rubin verbalized so much of what I feel every day. Her book is hysterically funny (really, for those of us who struggle with weight, who actually needs to cut whole milk???) and also really sad at times. She is as hard on herself as I am on myself, but I always thought I was somewhat alone in my feelings.I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is not a weight-loss how-to book, it is an honest portrayal of what it is like to struggle daily with weight problems.
Rating: 
Summary: Sorry, couldn't come up with a title for my review
Review: I bought this book because I was one of the people who followed Courtney Rubin's weight-loss diary in Shape magazine. On the one hand, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at her weight-loss diary years, but on the other hand, the book contained sections that were lifted almost verbatim from her Shape diary entries, which was somewhat disappointing. I've already read all those entries - I don't need them in book form. Also, since I imagine a lot of the people who buy this book will do so precisely because they have read the Shape weight-loss diary and are curious about what happened after the assignment was over, I think Rubin could have let the readers in on how she fared diet-and-exercise-wise once she was on her own. Did she continue to exercise regularly? Was she able to overcome her overeating? Has she maintained the weight she was at when she ended her Shape weight-loss diary, or has she regained some of the weight, or gone on to lose even more weight? She could have told us. (Not in minute detail - I respect her need for privacy, but if you're going to write a book called "The Weight-loss Diaries", it seems a bit odd not to let the readers in on whether or not sticking to a diet and exercise routine on your own (without the aid of a team of experts) was in fact doable. Rubin is a fine writer, and I think she deserved a better book deal than this one. I think a memoir would have been a much better way to showcase her talent, because to me, what really stood out about this book was not her attempts to eat right and exercise, but the description of her family, particularly her mother (who was "there, but not there"). Her account of her family's last Thanksgiving together was very poignant and moving and beautifully written. I hope we will get to see more of Rubin's writing in the future, either through a memoir or through a novel or collection of short stories.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Insight; Needs a Sequel
Review: I disagree with the review that this author is whining. I think she identifies the emotions that make one feel a lack of control and lead to overeating. I never got the impression she blamed anyone for this. She just seemed to identify certain emotional conversations as food triggers. I felt like she needed emotional support (perhaps in the form of counseling) to get more of a backbone and confidence in handling emotional issues, whether they're family, friend, work or general life-related, which then might alleviate some of the overeating. I thought this was clearly lacking in her "diet" regimen and could've probably made a huge difference in her success. She knew enough about calorie counts, exercise, etc. (the basics) and needed to take it to this next level, which perhaps we can read about in the future. I thought this was a very honest and real diary of the life of a compulsive overeater. No one wants to obsess about food, but many of us do. And I felt after reading this that I wasn't alone.
Rating: 
Summary: Stop Blaming Your Mother - Take Responsibility
Review: I gave it two stars rather than one because the book did hold my interest throughout the entire reading. It is amazing to me how many people blame their weight problems on "their mother". Please enough already - maybe if when you were very young your mother fed you tons of goodies I could understand but after you left home to keep blaming your mother for what YOU put in your mouth is ridiculous.
Rating:
Summary: thought provoking, entertaining and delightful
Review: I picked up this book due to the title. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I found it to be entertaining and thoughtful. I also found inspiration in this book as well. You don't need to have read the shape articles to enjoy this book. With honesty about her struggles along the way, anyone can identify with Courtney.
Rating:
Summary: Stop Blaming Your Mother - Take Responsibility
Review: I related so much to her and I live in VA right next to DC so it was nice to relate to someone who lived in the area. I felt a lot of the things she did and have been through and am still going through the yo you dieting. I don't agreee with another review that said all she did was complain through the book. I think she felt a lot of pressure and it is hard to lose weight when friends want to go out to eat all the time or have parties or when your own sister complains when you diet and try to lose weight because she doesn't want you to change and she likes you being the fat sister while she is the thin one. So it was nice to sneak a peak into her life because I followed her in the SHAPE magazine but didn't realize till after reading this book what an emotional eater she truly is and it was nice to relate to somone.
Rating:
Summary: First All-nighter in 15 years
Review: I suspect Courtney doesn't know how beautiful she - and this book - are. I stayed up all night for the first time in ages reading straight through her diaries, and they are a funny, horrifying, ain't-that-the-truth-sister collection of honest thoughts. It's almost exquisitely painful to read about Ms. Rubin's total absorption with food and weight. Her excellent passages about running and friends and family are a relief from the constant stream of her obsessive thoughts over food, except they all somehow go back to that theme. But Courtney has an exceptional gift for being human. Not everyone could take the mystery out of Boca burgers and personal development so lovingly and humorously. She is a brave bastion of honesty and realism to all women who struggle with the beast of weight. She is undoubtedly harder on herself than any review could be. She looked wonderful at the book signing I went to, and we just kept wanting to hear more of her stories. This book is about struggle and obsession and, I hope, about Courtney's slow realization that she is, indeed, a beautiful person and a beautiful writer. Lovely stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Great story, quick read
Review: I thought this book was really a great read. If you start reading the book looking for insight on how to "overcome eating issues" or looking for "how to lose weight" tips, then you'll probably put the book down quickly. This isn't a story you'll want to model your own Quest to Be Thin after. Nonetheless, if you're looking for pure entertainment about how someone else deals with eating, being overweight and social uncomfortableness, this book is fun and easy to read.
Rating:
Summary: Great and insightful book
Review: I would not want to be Courtney Rubin's friend, co-worker, personal trainer, coach, dietician, neighbor,boss or enthusiastic supporter. To do so would mean being pilloried in print as part of a huge conspiracy to Make Courtney Feel Bad. At first I felt for Courtney, dieting in front of millions of readers and being stressed about binging and weight gain. However, she pretty much complains about everyone in her book. Everyone makes her feel terrible. Courtney attends a writing group where someone says that they can hardly wait to read her work - her response? "Great. No pressure there." A reader comes up to her and tells her about how inspiring she is and how she loves reading her column- this is after Courtney regains fifteen pounds. Her response? She attacks the fan in her book as seeming insensitive and stupid because she has approached Courtney in a karoke bar on a Saturday night - apparently this silly fan did not know that There Are Rules To Be Followed when talking to Courtney. Imagine! Courtney receives much support from many people in her struggle to diet. However, Courtney mocks them in her book, writing about 'Peekespeak' - her dietician who tries to help her stop binging. She also mocks another supporter who encourages her to meditate. "What's next? Pounding drums and chanting "I am beautiful" "I am thin"? Well, excuse her for trying to help you. Courtney ends the book by discussing how she has learned that food is not always the problem when dieting. It is emotions, boundaries, acceptance, etc. She could have included that dieting also means growing up and being grateful for support instead of whining about how Everyone Is So Mean.
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