Today I’m taking some time to share with you the first publication from one of my favorite bloggers, Tina Haupert. Tina writes for the well known CarrotsnCake.com. I discovered her blog while doing some research for a Diet.com video the summer of 2009. I loved her site right from the get-go and knew she had to be in one of our videos. Since then, I’ve had the privilege to take part in fun blogger events with Tina and watched her site rise to success.
Tina will be signing copies THIS Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 PM at theBrookline Booksmith in Coolidge Corner if you live locally!
Here is my review of her editorial debut…
Carrots ‘n’ Cake (CNC) is fun adaptation of a healthy living blog into a book. It details the backstory of the blog’s creation. As a CNC reader, I was not aware of many stories Haupert mentions.
From how she came up with the blog name to landing a reoccurring freelance gig with Health Magazine, the book is a helpful resource for aspiring bloggers. Each chapter blends together with a mix of healthy living advice, personal short stories, recipes and workouts.
I found the anecdotes within each chapter to be incredibly honest. Tina admits that she too still struggles with the same issues her readers face, like overdoing it on a fresh batch of baked goods and consequently canceling dinner plans. While Haupert shares her tips for how she attempts to limit “bingeing”, like baking small batches and keeping certain foods out of the house, the book provide comfort to readers. If you can relate to this situation, you will find solace in most of this book. This type of vulnerability has earned CNC the extensive readership it now has. Online users relate and so will readers.
Unlike a typical book of personal stories and self help, this book has some delicious recipes making it a mainstay on my bookshelf. They are simple and inexpensive to make. I personally hate recipes with a long list of rarely used ingredients. With baked goods from the microwave and a packet of oatmeal made into a cookie, there is a recipe for everyone.
I enjoyed CNC, the book, because it reveals a lifestyle that is entertaining and fun yet healthy. Many young women these days have unattainable goals. Embracing your “feel great weight” or as I call it your “happy weight” is the key to living a happy and healthy life. Through beer, cookies and running Tina has created a healthy living blog that is read by thousands on a daily basis. If you know someone who needs a push in a healthy direction, rather than buying a diet book that will go unread, grab a copy of “Carrots ‘N’ Cake.”
Would you buy a book from one of your favorite online blogger?
My final comment would be that if readers find themselves struggling like Tina with emotional overeating, that they check out Jean Fain’s “Self Compassion Diet” or simply read up on the self compassion ideology of eating behaviors. Haupert is not a therapist and people buying/reading CNC know this but I feel obligated to point out a resource that may be invaluable and I found to be helpful with my own struggles. This is not a criticism of the book, but an additional tip.
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