Paleo Girl: Take a Leap. Empower Yourself. Be Awesome! I was going to take a pass on this one. In fact, sometimes Mark’s office emails and asks if I’d like a copy to review and in this case, I declined. Later that day, it showed up in the mail anyway.

I just set it aside, intending a browse through…eventually. After all—can I say something?—teenage girls are simply not my audience, duh. Like, totally. Not.

Then I saw Mark’s announcement about the book and had to laf a bit. Then I thought well, I may not have any measurable teenage girl audience, but I’ll bet I have a goodly number of parents of same, or those out Googling around about teenage eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia), being overly influenced by impossible female standards of appearance, buying into dietary and exercise hype that changes as quickly and frequently as models change fashions during a runway show, and I realized: they kinda have quite a bit going against them, and at a time when so many are ill-equiped to handle it.

And face it. There are a lot of crappy parents out there; ones who manage their difficulties worse than their teenage daughters with zero experience. So, perhaps one way or another…via parents, grandparents, siblings, or friends…this review might serve to get a worthwhile, deeply caring and passionate work into the hands of a few grrrils that need it the most. My hope.

Here’s the book description.

Let’s drop the diet gossip and go back to the beginning…

Has a friend ever told you that you’re only supposed to eat 1,200 calories per day? Did you once read that your favorite celeb got killer abs from doing hours of cardio? Have you heard that eating fat will make you fat? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: those ideas are complete nonsense!

If you want to get in great shape, have flawless skin, and radiate genuine happiness, you need to go beyond outrageous magazine headlines and truly understand the correct approach to eating, exercising, sleeping, and managing the hectic pace of modern life. paleo Girl will help you transform your health—the right way—by adapting the lifestyle behaviors of our strong, smart, and healthy hunter-gatherer ancestors.

paleo Girl also features an easy to follow Primal fitness guide; advice on getting ample sun, sleep, and play; tips for navigating physical maturation; pointers to amp up your motivation; and teen-friendly DIY recipes and beauty products!

“”paleo Girl will arm you with the knowledge, strength, and passion to be the best you that you can be. So what are you waiting for? Let’s go be great!”

The book itself is beautiful, layout design by Leslie herself—one girl shop that she is. There are seven chapters, it’s filled with really appropriate full-color photos, and runs about 250 pages.

1. Diet 101: The Skinny (your basic paleo/primal, doesn’t demonize carbs, per se—though I’m still anxious for a book that makes exceptions for legumes if one tolerates them)
2. Fitness 101: Work It Girl! (like totally sensible, dude. And, wearing high-heels doesn’t count as calf exercises!)
3. Life 101: The Other Important Stuff (sleep, play, sun, smarts/risk assessment, and setting yourself up right, NOW and stay there, instead of playing catchup later, after everything’s effed)
4. Puberty 101: The Down and Dirty (Oh Myyy!)
5. Motivation 101: It’s a Date! (the inevitable backlash from everyone who thinks you just got even crazier, and how to deal)
6. Success 101: Nailed It! (a collection of grrril success stories)
7. DIY 101: Let’s Make It! (first tell Mark Sisson what DIY means; then, familiarize with the kitchen; then make breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks; then get all dolled up)

It’s a very accessible book for teen girls and probably just right. Mark has a great team down there to not only assist in every way a publisher would do, but has just the right sense about what should be published, who the audience is, and when they should be exposed. Then he helps competently market the book.

Can’t think of a single teenage girl who could not benefit a lot from this material, its presentation, and perhaps above all, clearing out so much of the hype, misinformation and downright lies for money.

It’s a work of love and salvation, so get it into the hands of someone or a few who need it.