In the 2023 book, You Can’t Screw This Up: Why Eating Takeout, Enjoying Dessert, and Taking the Stress Out of Your Diet Leads to Weight Loss That Lasts, Adam Bornstein, one of the best-known health consultants in the game, offers real-world advice.
As CEO and founder of Born Fitness, former editorial director of livestrong.com and fitness editor for Men’s Health Magazine, he has worked with celebrities such as LeBron James, Cindy Crawford and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“We categorize health as a choice, and while you have a say in what you eat and how you exercise, the environment you live in and the endless options you’re given make it difficult to see the real issues,” Bornstein writes. “There are dozens of diets out there, each offering different opinions, which means you’re never sure you’re doing the right thing for your body.”
Bornstein emphasizes how the wellness industry as it is now feeds people negativity and that a one-size-fits-all mentality won’t work. The book provides readers with the tools to empower them to chart their own path and personalize content to fit their lifestyle and goals.
He offers solutions such as a six-week plan that allows you to eat without counting calories and suggests takeout options from the 50 most frequented restaurants in the US to make it easier for readers to make careful choices. It also includes 30 delicious, nutritious recipes that can be prepared in under 15 minutes, including indulgent yet healthy versions of French toast, sweet potato mac and cheese, and nachos.
The foreword, written by bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-politician Schwarzenegger, who has known the author for a decade, is surprisingly thoughtful and self-aware while also being helpful.
“It’s frustrating to see so many plans built around fear and negative motivation,” Schwarzenegger writes. “When I look at the amount of shame and guilt, I’m not surprised that so many people struggle to eat better and exercise regularly. As I sit and watch so many people struggle to become healthier, I get frustrated with them because I see so many people who want to change and are motivated to do so. No one ever changed by being beaten. Change only comes from a positive vision.”