The One-Day Way by Chantel Hobbs

In one statement I can show you why your earlier attempts to lose weight and change your life failed. Something in your past convinced you that this time isn’t going to be any different from the rest. Deep inside, you didn’t believe you could change your thinking, your lifestyle, your habits, and your health.

You need to ditch that lie. You really can change, and in dramatic ways, if you will take one crucial step that will solve your lack of confidence. You can overcome old habits, old ways of thinking, and past failures by doing one essential thing: focus on today and today only!

The One-Day Way, p. 3

Chantel Hobbs is the perfect person to write this weight-loss book. She doesn’t write from an outsider’s point of view. Rather, she writes from the perspective of someone who lost 200 pounds. The title is a perfect summary of what this book is all about – instead of being overwhelmed by long range goals, take things one day and success at at time. If yesterday was a bad day, learn from it and let it go. You aren’t focused on yesterday. You are focused on today!

I found this to be a simple, yet powerful book and believe the advice she offers to be right on the money. It is so easy to get overwhelmed when needing to form new habits. This book is full of gentle encouragements to focus on the present and forget about the future or past. It is also about momentum. Small successes have a way of snowballing into larger ones. Just getting started is the most important thing!

As Zig Ziglar used to say:

• You can only eat an elephant one bite at a time.
• A thousand mile journey begins with a single step.
• If you don’t take step one, you’ll never take step two.
• It takes a little time, sometimes, to turn the Titanic back around (okay, that was Amy Grant).
• You don’t have to be great to start, but you have got to start in order to be great!

Part of what made me appreciate this book is that I felt a connection with the author. I found her to be likable, humble, grounded, sometimes funny and always sincere. I especially enjoyed the inspirational first half of this book.

The second half, with eating plans and 30 pages of simple exercises that can be done with a medicine ball and resistance band, is more educational. It is not the most scientific material (no studies are referenced) and the advice offered in this section seemed standard (e.g. eat a big breakfast, drink a lot of water, have smaller but more frequent meals).

The heavy focus on the mental aspect of weight-loss is a great approach. Most people know what to do and it is a question of actually doing it. A slight criticism is that the goal to lose weight could have been grounded more in the context of a larger life narrative. (See this excellent post on resolutions by Donald Miller to know what I mean.)

Overall, this is an excellent resource for those who are discouraged and overwhelmed. The book offers a chance to start over and its pages are rooted in realistic hope. It is also a great book to read over and over again in order to renew your mind and fuel that hope.

Rating: 4/5 ( First half was dynamite. Second half was similar to other weight-loss books.)

“Do not despise the day of small beginnings…” – Zechariah 4:10

Chantel Hobbs is a motivational speaker, life coach, personal trainer, marathon runner, wife, and mother of four. You can learn more about her and her other books at her website. This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. To learn more about or purchase this book at RandomHouse.com, click here.

I have a free copy of this book to give away. Leave a comment (can be anything) and I will randomly draw a winner on Tuesday at 9pm EST.

Category: Reviews