The title grabbed me IMMEDIATELY bc same. Mom burnout is a huge thing so I was all about this book. I’m so glad I did. This will definitely be a book I revisit often.

I'm So Effing Tired focuses on the different imbalances that women can have in their body that causes symptoms that can remain vague and not treated properly due to that. As humans, we are so used to assuming we are tired because of work, school or life in general that we overlook the possible deeper issues that hold us back. The book looks at the energy trifecta: the relationship between your gut, immune system and hormones.

The author discusses a range of symptoms and issues that can be related to hormonal imbalances, but also talks about how our body actually works. This was incredibly useful to me, as it clears up a lot in the way you feel and what effect certain life choices have on your body. Explained clearly and on an amateur level I understood what I was reading.

Throughout the book the author explains how we can reset our hormones by making changes in different aspects of life. She talks about our eating habits, physical excercise and stress control. Things people often overlook, but have a massive impact on the body because for example not everybody benefits from cardio or high intensity training. It taught me a lot and gave me some points to look into for myself. Especially as these hormonal imbalances aren't simply solved by a pill, but require a change of lifestyle.

Sometimes the book can be little repetitive. A lot of the same explanations come back and that wasn't necessary in my opinion. From the beginning we're told about intermittent fasting, and that keeps coming back even though we go deeper into it towards the end of the book. It would've been better to briefly mention it when it applied and discuss solely per subject. Also because this is a kinda book you want to mark information in and go back to from time to time.

Overall I thought this was a helpful book. Everything is in one place, which is nice to go back to. I also found some recipes at the end of the book that sounded quite good and I'd like to try. Though some of the information we get is basically marketed everywhere. Mostly about intermittent fasting and stress control. Would recommend this book if you're struggling with vague symptons and would like an informative guide on how certain foods/vitamins affect your body and mind.

This book left a lot to be desired; it felt very preachy and while Dr. Amy Shah might have professional experience and be an expert, I felt like she was very shameful in a lot of her advice.

Having personally experienced many hormonal shifts and lack of energy the last couple of years, I was so excited to check out this book by Amy Shah.

While there was some valuable information, I did find that there wasn’t too much that set it apart from so many other books dealing with women’s health and hormone issues. I think you could easily do some internet digging and find some of the same information.

I also don’t necessarily agree with the Intermittent fasting being the fix for a lot of these issues. IF is certainly not a “one size fits all” for all hormonal issues, especially for women! Some hormonal issues can actually be made worse by IF - I know from experience.

That being said, this approach may work for some women and some may enjoy this book. Coming from a health background and having my past experiences, this sadly just wasn’t for me.

A fabulous gathering of information told in a phenomenal way, more specifically for women.
Glad I was approved for this book and I know that I will suggest this to others - especially women!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the author Amy Shah and her publisher Mariner Books for providing me with an eARC of this publication which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

A lot of great information broken down in easy to understand protocols.

I took away some tactics, like adjusting my intermittent fasting around my period cycle. I also am implementing some more fermented foods in my diet.

Overall some new information that I am hoping to be helpful in the long run.

I very much think this is the issue of "it's not the book, it's me." I feel like there's plenty of people who can get useful information from Shah's book, but it just didn't seem like a good fit for me.

3.5 stars
This was an okay book - and the title would've been 'Intermittent Fasting for Women' if I were marketing this. As such, it has very good tips and techniques pertinent to IF and how to best apply that protocol to your life as a woman and make it work (yes, there are pitfalls of doing it the regular way, which is geared towards men).
However, where this book 'failed' me is, again, the hormones part (this was my rant on Women, Food, and Hormones by Sarah Gottfried in 2021) Anywho, long story short: women, you have hormones, especially oestrogen; there's something called Oestrogen Dominance (which I 'suffer' from); and eat fibre since fibre binds with oestrogen that needs to be removed and you can deal with the issue this way (good advice, btw - all the better if you do this with cruciferous veggies like broccoli & cauliflower), but also...ditch dairy, and drink nut milks, especially almond milk (Dr. Shah swears by a splash of almond milk in anything requiring milk).
Well, guess what? Almond milk is one of the most chock-full of oestrogen foodstuffs out there! It's almost like mainlining oestrogen into your blood!
So ditch all dairy to help with your hormones which are most probably in disarray and need some coddling to help with your burnout...but switch to/drink almond milk instead? Oh my goodness! No! I'd be setting myself for another oestrogen-receptor positive breast cancer if I were to do this and listen to this advice (and many women - and men! - could also be opening the door wide open for this to happen unknowingly too!)
So take this book's advice with some scepticism. Read it, get the information, then use that as the springboard to find out what could or would work/not work for you. Don't take it all as gospel!

This book is really well written and also laid out well. I'm happy to see that the meal plan is 90% plant based. Since I'm currently breastfeeding, I'm not a candidate to follow the plan and fast but I do plan to try some of the recipes that are fully plant based since I am vegan.

Finally a book that says that you don't have to be exhausted all the time. It's not just "aging" and it can be fixed. The fact that your gut is connected to everything is nothing new if you've been reading any of the more recent health books, but the focus on women's health and the hormone connection is what sets this title apart. It focuses on circadian fasting. What to eat, when to eat, and managing stress. This book is a lifestyle that seems very doable. A combination of traditional Western medicine and functional medicine. This book is science based, as the author is an MD, and combines the author's own experience with that of her patients'. I liked the fact that Dr. Shah has personal experience and that her research was driven by her personal search for answers. It was that personal connection that made this book stand out for me. An enlightening read.

Overall, I did enjoy I'm So Effing Tired, even if a lot of the advice was not new to me: better sleep, self care, and diet.

I did like how the author, while a medical doctor, spoke in a way that made the information relatable and not over my head.

I will be trying out some new tricks on intermittent fasting, which was the information I was most looking forward to when starting this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Ehhh.

Undoubtedly, I had some high hopes going into this. I'm So Effing Tired pretty much 24/7 and would love any advice on how to combat that. However, this book is mostly full of the same advice you hear from the magazines and every other magazine out there--eat better, sleep more, blah blah blah.

It was moderately accessible in reading, which was nice. And it did have a few suggestions on actual medical solutions, but it was mostly the same old story.

Dr. Shah had some interesting things to say about the supplements (etc) often recommended for Adrenal Fatigue. Her approach was more of a lifestyle one dealing with the circadian rhythm and diet and exercise. The fact she has personal experience dealing with this was helpful and I made quite a few notes while reading this. Definitely some new info on Adrenal Fatigue here. Definitely worth reading if chronic fatigue and adrenal issues are a problem for you.

Whew, I agree that we should not be normalizing the exhaustion and fatigue that we all experience! Dr. Shah clarifies some very confusing or contentious points, but a lot of her advice is common/basic knowledge that she gives more practical application tips for. Like a lot of health strategies, there is quite a bit of restriction involved, but I liked how she tied everything to sleep and timing through the day. I'm looking forward to applying that in my life.

“Bottom line: Our chemistry and biology impact our moods, thoughts, and emotions, which in turn all play a major role in influencing our stress, energy levels, and overall physical health.”

While I found the overall premise of the book interesting, I caution the reader to do your own research. Several of the topics discussed in the book remain unfounded by rigorous scientific research. The author mentions several times, “the research remains up in the air.” So please, do your research, consult your own medical professional. That being said, the topics of gut health and hormones interconnectedness with mood and affect are fascinating and this book has sparked an interest in a topic that I will continue to research.

A substantial portion of the book discusses intermittent fasting, power foods, and various recipes to reduce sugar and increase consumption of foods that aid in anti-inflammation.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin for access to an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This easy-to-understand and well-written book is highly recommended if you would like a better understanding of your hormones, gut health, and inflammation. Amy explains how they all affect each other and by finding the right balance you can find your way back to more energy.

Loaded with lots of scientific and medical evidence, there were several useful concepts that were well described in detail, such as cortisol imbalance and its effects, a synthetic estrogen, and master glands.

Amy also talks about intermittent fasting and her approach of doing what's best for you is really helpful. She also talks about the benefits of high fiber, fresh vegetables coupled with regular exercise. There are levels of the plan from beginner to advanced and two weeks' worth of easy-to-follow recipes included. It is described as a reset, but it has to be followed over a reasonable length of time in order to to see optimal results.

Overall, I appreciated the book and will take parts of it to implement into my own life

I would like to thank Amy Shah and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Summary:
Recommended for anyone tired of being exhausted and wish to kick start a healthy lifestyle. Well written, with lots of useful information, laid out in an easy-reference format.

An empowering guide to address exhaustion with science-based actionable steps that create immediate change.

There was a lot of info in this book that I found applicable, and it made sense. I really appreciated that Dr. Shah first of all is a doctor but more that she had the same issues herself and noticed them in her patients, and then she took the time to figure out what to do for improvement. It is not a diet book, but rather a lifestyle change of what, when, and how you eat in order so that the systems in your body can work together in the optimal way they were intended to. The book got fairly detailed in information on how the body functions and works together, but Dr. Shah's writing style made the information approachable.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever seen a title and felt personally attacked? This constant dragging feels like the struggle most women I know have, so reading this book seemed necessary. I’m So Effing Tired covers several different subjects but I’m most excited about a new approach to intermittent fasting.

This is a book I will definitely refer to in the future. I’d recommend it to those who are basically trapped in a state of walking deadishness.

Actually, I’m not an avid fan of ‘self-help’ books since I often think that it tastes like some form of manipulation to my mind. And I’m not akin to the fact that my mind is being manipulated by some books to serve the need for modern industrial society to keep itself going. But let’s face it, many of us feel tired somehow of this endless pursuit of a modern way of life and cannot see what it means to us. Some of us find solace in spiritual pursuits, through work, or even a social institution like family to keep our mind sane amidst all adversities. And I won’t object that ‘self-help’ books might be needed to keep our minds in check, to stay balanced without neglecting the essential parts of what constitutes our daily motion.

“I’m so effing tired,” the title of this book is self-evident in itself, and I’m sure many of us feel the same way about our daily lives. And through this highly personal book, Amy Shah describes that she and many of her patients felt this inexplicable tiredness, despite the fact that conventional medical tests count their states of the body as in a perfectly healthy condition. As a practising doctor, the author seeks to answer through the latest findings that perfectly match some neglected habits that our ancestors used to do, but we no longer practice now due to the fast-paced modern lifestyle. The author describes some common symptoms that occur frequently:
* Fatigue (checked)
* Sleep disruption (checked)
* Cravings for both sweet and salty foods (checked)
* Excessive need for stimulants such as caffeine (checked)
* Vague but persistent digestive problems (checked)
And that was how I finally decide to give some benefits of the doubt to this book.

There is this concept called the energy trifecta, that keeps our energy balance in check. A good starting point, don’t you think? The energy trifecta includes our hormones, immune system, and gut health. The three of them are interrelated, as they influence each other as the key to boost our energy. Based on these three factors, the author develops a plan that she calls WTF plan that she describes as to why the eff was I so tired? — a very catchy name in itself. The explanations aren’t boring, as Amy Shah is keen to use very informal phrases to keep us relaxed throughout this book without compromising important medical terms.

The WTF plan follows through these three questions to change our habits and in turn transform our lives:
* What you eat
* When you eat
* How you manage stress
I got sceptical at first, especially with regards to the author’s claim that the plan is proven effective and will show recognisable effects within 2 weeks of practice. And it’s been barely a week since I began to digest (no puns intended) the contents of this book and incorporate WTF plan into my daily life. But it goes without saying that a simple tweak of the three questions in the WTF plan indeed has changed my life for the better for all it’s worth! I totally recommend it for anyone who seeks ways to keep their well-being checked through simple and scalable changes.

And basically after the halfway part of this book, the author’s tone changes from being authoritative about the energy trifecta into guiding us through various cooking recipes related to the WTF plan. Honestly, I did not see that much point in incorporating various recipes as the main contents in this book, as it is less relevant to the topic itself since people could tweak their habits and diets according to their personal schedules, geographical regions where they live, and preferences. However, I see it as part of good faith in providing some good examples for the readers to kickstart their own WTF plan.

Many of the information provided in this book is more intended towards women audiences as the author disclaimed in the introduction since most of her patients are women. Therefore, we will see contextual analysis such as the effects of some modern products to mimic estrogen that causes hormonal imbalance in women, to note some part of it. Compared to it, there’s not much comparable information on men’s counterpart, although I understand that this book is more intended towards providing general remarks rather than giving extensive knowledge on the issue.