Book Review: It Starts With Food

As some of ya'll know, CrossFit Katy is a Whole 9 Nutrition Partner and, much to my excitement, a few weeks ago we received an advanced copy of Melissa and Dallas' new book, It Starts With Food, to review! So this past weekend I finally got down to digging into this gem and WOW! It is probably the most well-written and relevant book on Paleo Nutrition and Health since Robb Wolf's The Paleo Solution. I hate to actually use the term Paleo when reviewing this book because one of the big messages that Dallas and Melissa try to make is that it's not about "Paleo". It's about food choices and lifestyle choices, period. It's about what makes you a healthier, more vibrant human being and what doesn't. Like the title says, it all starts with the food you put on your plates and in your body.

So I'm kind of a closet nerd...ok maybe I'm just a nerd. Who am I kidding? People know me. :) Anyway, I was really psyched and impressed with how much science Dallas and Melissa were able to cram into this book without making me feel like I'd just sat though a mind-numbing freshman biology class. The science was easy to understand and made so much sense. Now I know that having a background in Nursing and working as a Paleo Nutritionist gives me a little leg up with regards to the "science-y" stuff but I promise, anyone can understand and apply the principals put forth in It Starts With Food. And there are definitely some analogies that I will be applying in my own practice. I absolutely love the break down of the four Good Food Standards and the explanation as why certain food groups do or don't fit into the Good Food Standards.

As far as real-life food management, It Starts With Food scored a home run. Their Mealsimple Template and comprehensive chapters on proteins, veggies, and carbs make it easy to create healthy, well-rounded meals. No weighing or measuring necessary because, let's be honest, we're not going to carry around food scales everywhere we go AND we don't have to! And of course this book wouldn't be complete without an extensive introduction to the Whole 30. I have completed 3 Whole 30's myself and I think the first one would have been a lot easier had I had It Starts With Food at my disposal.

Overall, It Starts With Food is a must to add to your ever-growing nutrition/health/paleo library. So get your copy here and enjoy!