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.

"I'm So Effing Tired" by Amy Shah is one of the first self help books I've read. I really liked the format and how in depth Shah gets into the science behind why we need to make certain changes. It did get slightly repetitive and I did find myself saying "Ok, I want to actually see the plan now!" Though intermittent fasting is not new, I appreciate Shah's approach of doing what's best for you. There are levels of the plan from beginner to advanced and two weeks worth of recipes are included. It is described as a reset, but one that Shah suggests you continue for several years to see optimal results. I am excited to try some of the recipes even though I am not at a point in my life where fasting is ideal (Shah mentions several reasons why you might not be a good candidate for fasting). I also appreciated that Shah mentioned several non-food related ways to destress and focus on a whole life change, not just a quick fix diet. In fact, she explicitly says this is not a program designed for losing weight. As I was reading I was concerned about how those with disordered eating could be affected by this plan, but Shah also addresses that saying not to do IF if you struggle with an eating disorder. Overall, I appreciated the book and will take parts of it to implement into my own life.

I'm So Effing Tired by Dr. Amy Shah is a book sharing the author's experience with burnout as a working mom and uses her shares her medical knowledge on how to combat burnout and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This book focuses on using the energy trifecta of diet/circadian fasting, stress reduction, and sleep to restore your health and prevent burnout.

The writing in this book is easy to read and very conversational like you are talking with a friend, rather than a medical expert. It also is an interactive book that includes quizzes to reflect on what you have learned in the chapter which is helpful for reflecting and summarizing the information. The book also uses simple acronyms like the WTF plan that focuses on 1) what you eat 2) when you eat and 3) ease your stress. The author explains relevant body processes and helps inform readers that may be struggling with health issues by sharing signs of these. However I didn't necessarily agree with the advocacy for supplements unless you had a medical reason for using them. I found it interesting that author mentioned fasting as many health books don't mention this, which is something I have benefitted from as someone who deals with stomach issues. Overall I appreciated the focus on stress management as that is one of the main factors driving burnout but also considered other topics like nutrition and sleep.

Many thanks to the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Are you f*cking tired even after getting 8 hours of sleep?
SAME
Are you drinking cup after cup of coffee trying to get your energy up?
SAME

In I’m So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy and Reclaim Your Life, Amy Shah, MD discusses how to fix energy issues through lifestyle and diet changes that she has found and proven to work for her patients.

Amy is a “double-board-certified Doctor of Medicine who studied at Cornell, Albert Einstein, Harvard, and Columbia.” She is also a Mother of two and knows how much high energy is crucial in parenting.

Dr. Shah has discovered a connection between hormones, the immune system, and gut health. She discusses how to balance the three together along with a food plan that lowers inflammation in the body. The entire description sounds brilliant and the info is presented in an enjoyably readable way.

My science minded brain is whirling with information and I am very excited to put her plan into effect and turn into the Energy Bunny. 🥁 🐰

I really related to this book! I thought it was great to learn more about hormones from a doctors perspective.

I found her very funny, and I liked her personal stories that she added in. She also went into detail on intermittent fasting.

I am hoping I can use some of the info I learned and apply it to my everyday life.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Dr. Amy Shah outlines a program to improve one's overall health using the basics, food, sleep, self-care and a schedule. Her plan is manageable and flexible which makes it suitable for many. I like her open-minded and common sense approach so that nobody feels that lifestyle changes can't be made. Although I've been practicing intermittent fasting for over a year, I still found helpful tips and advice. I also like the many recipes (of which I've only tried two, so far) which I would like to incorporate. I recommend this book to any woman who wants to live her best life!

Thank you Amy Shah, MD and NetGalley for this eARC. This book is a tool for anyone with hormone issues, autoimmune diseases and leaky gut. As someone who battles Hashimotos, adrenal fatigue, insulin resistance and some other fun autoimmune stuff she is 100% starting with diet. A lot of these practices I have tried and honestly find the most success when I just eat clean. I can’t wait to try several recipes for this book. Thanks again!

A smart guide on how you being exhausted doesn't have to be your new normal. Full of practical advice and tips on beating burnout.

There's some solid information here, but some parts lacked depth. There's a large focus on stress management, which will likely be relatable to many readers. Some of the details in the book aren't new concepts, but it was a good reminder (ex: self-care tips).

Lots of good information, but some repetition and a lot of the beginning chapters I felt were unnecessary.

This book has some good advice but it is also advice you'll find in most of the self-help health books out right now. Basically, your lack of energy comes down to: eating too much sugar, not getting enough sleep, exercising too much (that's a relatively rare one and one that's kind of nice to hear), having too much stress, not eating enough fiber, eating too much junk, having a toxic environment, not taking care of your gut health, etc. The answer is in getting enough sleep, eating TONS of fiber and vegetables, cutting out sugar, etc. She provides a WTF plan (I forget what this stands for? something with whole foods?) that is plant-based for the most part.

I appreciate that Shah is a medical doctor, a mother, and someone who's worked with thousands of patients doing exactly this. I liked all the case histories of tired women who couldn't lose weight or feel better and how they turned things around. I also really appreciated the fact that she stressed again and again that overdoing "good" things was just as bad for you -- running marathons and exercising nonstop without rest days, sacrificing sleep, etc. There is a big focus on stress management and self care. I got very sick with covid last spring/summer and learned the hard way that my lifestyle was far more deadly than I thought, even though I ate all natural and organic, cooked from scratch, avoided chemicals, was a relatively healthy weight, etc. I was chronically sleep deprived, stressed, fueled by coffee and "healthy" carbs, and my immune system absolutely failed me. I used serious changes like prioritizing healthy sleep, meditation, sunlight, tons of water, breathing exercises, gentle exercise, laughter and self care to help heal my blood pressure, heart, lungs, kidneys, muscles, joints, nerves and mental health (going keto also helped me personally), so I know firsthand that this stuff matters. I've read it lots of other places in the past few years, but that's not to say it's not well said here.

One note-- modern health books either promote plant-based (vegan or vegan-like) or very-low-carb (keto or keto-like) diets as a modern lifesaver. I've used both plans in my life to regain my health and both were very helpful for me. This one is the plant-based route, but it has lots of good information no matter how you eat. There's also quite a lot of very specific information about tests to run, supplements that can help, little things that make a difference, the truth about "adrenal fatigue" and more.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

This book really hit home. I am looking forward to adding all the tips and suggestions the author suggested. I really enjoyed this book. The author made it easy to read and understand. And I appreciate that in a non-fiction book. With so many of us trying to slow down and enjoy the ride while turning ourselves around in the food department this book gave many easy to follow instructions. I am so excited to get more energy and accomplish more tasks with confidence.

As a writer, I spend my days spinning tales of fantasy, horror, and all things supernatural. However, as a reader, I have to admit, my guilty pleasure is self help books.

I love reading books that offer insight on self improvement. Books that encourage the reader to overcome adversity, break out of molds, and strike out for unusual dreams may all seem cliche. However, I am always looking for ways to better myself as a person.

This is why I was eager to get a sneak peek at <i> I’m So effing Tired </i> by Amy Shah, MD.


The start of this book was completely relatable. Women who feel run down, stressed and feel a physical manifestation of their anxiety and stress? It was like looking into a mirror as I checked each and everyone of those boxes.

Yet, this book turned out to be more science and medicine than I expected. There were several concepts that were described in great details such as the master glands, cortisol imbalance, and synthetic estrogen. I have no doubt of Dr. Shah’s intelligence, but there were many times when I felt as if she was talking so far above me, the text only increased my stress levels.

Filled with anecdotal evidence of the benefits of high fiber, fresh vegetable diet, coupled with intermittent fasting and regular exercise, this book read as a reminder that health can be traced to eating, habits, and workouts. These are all tools in my wellness arsenal but I still find myself so elfin tired and this book did not help.

T

It's so frustrating. Adobe Digital Editions just shows me an error message and I can't read the book

Interesting idea and some useful information and research but gathered in such a way to promote various ideas on fasting and healthy dietary swaps.

Although this one doesn't come out until March next year, you can pre-order it now and I would HIGHLY recommend it! It's the wellness book I've been waiting for... The one that finally gets that Hormones, Gut Health and Inflammation make up the energy WTF (what the eff) trifecta. Amy talks about how they all effect each other and by balancing them you can find your way back to more energy.

After this year we could all use some body balancing!!

Exhaustion doesn't have to be your new normal! If you picked up this book odds are you have been asking yourself the same question... Why am I so effing tired??? Dr. Shaw has created this program so you can regain your energy and your life!

With chapters called "How did our Hormones Get So Effed Up?" And "Inflammation is an Energy Leech" Shaw's humorous and informative approach brings new ways to increase your energy!

I have been dealing with some health issues that I thought were seemingly unrelated, but this book has given me a lot to think about. It is extremely informative, scientific (but still easy to understand for the average person), and it lays out a plan for you to make small changes to improve your energy, feel stronger and more focused, and heal your body. I am so excited to try some of the elements of the WTF plan and see if I feel better. Dr. Shah mixes traditional ayurvedic medicine with Western medicine, and I love that this plan incorporates recent medical advances and age old methods for treatment. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is experiencing stress, fatigue, or other unexplainable symptoms! Dr. Shah touches on hormones and how they function, hormonal imbalance and causes, intermittent fasting, circadian rhythms, and more. The program can change to fit your lifestyle, and it isn't a diet fad.

My only issue (which isn't really an issue) is that there are parts of the book that repeat multiple times. I know that repetition is useful to really hammer home a concept, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I also found that the recommendations for intermittent fasting seemed to contradict each other at times, but she does mention that you should find the option that's right for you.

Overall, I highly recommend!

For everyone who is constantly tired, this is the book for you. It goes into detail about why it could be more than just sleep such as a hormone imbalance. Highly recommend.

The holistic ideas and food plans make this book interesting at this time. Many people , especially women often find themselves tired and overwhelmed with all that they are dealing with. This was an interesting read.

This was an interesting book, it’s funny because I’ve only recently found out about gut health having an effect on your overall health, so this book came at the right time.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.