I have a question. Really looking for new ideas. Last August I started a book on physical health. I was doing a nutrition program at my gym and wanted to write about it hoping it would be successful. Kinda like a transformation. The nutritionist was the past nutritionist for the NY Jets. I thought I would get somewhere with my weight loss in this 10 week program but only lost 6lbs. Talk about frustrating. It was based on the Mediterranean diet which is all good healthy food but it didnt help me to lose weight. Well, I'm still writing and am determined to have a successful weight loss journey and book! Now am I supposed to write about IP? So frustrating. Any ideas with where to go now writing-wise?

Well you certainly can't endorse a program that didn't work for you. However, I'm a bit confused about why you're asking. If it's a "desire" to write, then I'm totally thinking that's great. But you're just starting your IP journey so I would just be making a really detailed journal about how you're feeling, the progress you have etc. so if you choose to do a book after, you have all your info. If you don't choose to write a book later, you'll at least be really conscious about how this diet works etc. as you'll be doing lots of great research I'm sure. You may want to be researching your "maintenance plan" too, so when you get there, you know what path you're going to take. That could be your "book" idea. The "I lost the weight, now how do I keep it off?" plan. Wherever your "writing path" goes, best of luck to you.

Thanks! That's great feedback. It's not going to be a vanity book like this is me and what I do but more so a self-help book for people who have bipolar disorder. Trying to tie the mental and physical health together. But your ideas make a lot of sense and that sounds like what I have been doing lately. Just don't know if it's getting me anywhere! Maybe I'll find out after my weigh-in tmrw! ha

Is it okay to write about IP? Like "legal"? Does that make sense? First I have to see if I can do it...

I think for any writer, you need a clear focus on why you want to write the book and what the message is.

Take Geneen Roth's "Women Food and God." She's not a doctor or psychiatrist... just a woman who has gained and lost over 1,000 in her lifetime and now teaches women how to mentally overcome their addiction to food by the process of inquiry. It's direct, blunt, honest with the underlying purpose of telling her experience and why she believe it would help others to share it.

It also promotes her weight loss camp here in San Francisco that has a 2 year waiting list due to its popularity.

Anyway, I think you need to look for more inspiration and continue on your journey before putting the pen to paper. There's more room for growth, experience and celebration so allow that process to happen before you share it with the rest of the world.

Fun thought: perhaps keeping a journal throughout your IP experience online or in a diary and publish it later on. You can reflect back on each day as you move closer to writing the book and guide you through the stages of your journey.

Great feedback! I like that. Yes, just beginning.....I already wrote 2 and really want to get another going but it will take time...

I do not think this is the way to go about it. I am a writer, so I understand needing a muse... Writing about everything you try, even when it doesn't work, isn't going to make an effective book.

Seriously, SFNiner has the exact thought I did when I read your post.

Journal your journey, and then see if you have something to write about when you're done. You cannot write an effective book about weight loss (in any context) if you haven't completed the journey. And, she's right about maintenance. You must be able to show that it's possible to not only lose weight - just about everyone can do that - but to show that it's possible to change the way you think about food, weight loss, health, before you can write a book anyone will want to read.