The Body Book: Feed, Move, Understand and Love Your Amazing Body is a 2013 health book co-written by Sandra Bark and actress Cameron Diaz. It was a New York Times Bestseller.
Content The book takes a scientific approach. It cites articles from the following peer-reviewed academic journals: the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, Archives of Internal Medicine, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, The Lancet, Sleep, Diabetes Care, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, and the Journal of Applied Physiology.Sandra Bark, Cameron Diaz, The Body Book: Feed, Move, Understand and Love Your Amazing Body, London, HarperCollins, 2014, Notes, pp. 264-268
It is divided into three sections: nutrition, fitness, and mind/body awareness.Abby Haglage, How to Be Cameron Diaz, The Daily Beast, June 1, 2014 It looks at vitamins and minerals, muscle mass and bone strength. It suggests eating unprocessed, whole foods making gradual changes, and working out to sweat every day.Cameron Diaz offers advice on getting your best body, USA Today, January 6, 2014Nanci Hellmich, Cameron Diaz shares physical transformation with The Body Book, Sydney Morning Herald, January 8, 2014
The book does not offer a diet or workout plan, but gives the basic information about having a healthy body.James S. Fell, Cameron Diaz gets back to basics in 'The Body Book', The Los Angeles Times, January 24, 2014 However, it suggests preparing the week's meals in advance every Sunday.Suzannah Ramsdale, So This Is What We've Learnt About Cameron Diaz After Reading Her Health And Fitness Book..., Marie Claire, January 14, 2014
Critical reception The book was Number 2 on The New York Times Bestseller List in March 2014.'Body book' author and actor Cameron Diaz's healthy tips, News.com.au, April 14, 2014
Writing for The Daily Beast, Abby Haglage said, "the book read[s] like a 400-page endorphin-induced love letter." She added it was "a positive message worth exploring." However, she suggested the book was written in "a slightly moronic" style and that it came "with a cringe—or two".
To the contrary, Poorna Bell of The Huffington Post praised her "genuinely likeable style," adding "you don't get the feeling you're being preached at."Poorna Bell, Cameron Diaz's The Body Book Reviewed - Is It Any Good?, The Huffington Post, March 28, 2014 She argued that Cameron's use of anecdotes to introduce her pearls of wisdom was a good stylistic device. At the same time, she wondered "if this was edited properly," adding, "At certain points the book reads like it is an excerpt from Diaz's own diary (there are caps, exclamation points and italics galore) and this can get a bit wearing." She also questioned the usefulness of long scientific explanations.
In The Christian Science Monitor, Lisa Suhay praised the book for its acceptance of women's imperfect bodies.Lisa Suhay, Cameron Diaz's 'The Body Book' is not what you think, The Christian Science Monitor, December 24, 2013
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