Health and Wellness Books That Make Perfect Gifts

Whether you prefer to turn the pages in your hand or enjoy listening while you work your brain muscle, these 7 health and wellness books will make the perfect gift for you or a loved one in your life this holiday season. Several books listed are regular recommended readings I share with my clients and think you’ll find them beneficial too, especially if you’re looking to help someone jump start their New Year with some extra guidance and inspiration.

(1) Smart Meal Prep for Beginners: Recipes and Weekly Plans for Healthy, Ready-to-Go Meals by Toby Amidor, MD, RD, CDN
Tired of asking what’s for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner? This Smart Meal Prep for Beginners from fellow registered dietitian and meal prep expert, Toby Amidor, provides a 6-week plan to help you make a habit of meal prep and keep your fridge full. I love how her step-by-step instruction eliminates the guesswork of what to eat for which meal and kick-starts your way to meal prepping like a pro!

(2) Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: A Mindful Eating Program to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle by Michelle May, MD
Are you ready to get rid of rigid food rules and strange food substitutes? Dr. Michelle May’s Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat will help you find your own love for food without fear, guilt, or deprivation that so often accompanies dieting. As a self-proclaimed recovered yo-yo dieter, Dr. May developed the Mindful Eating Cycle to clarify, simplify, and easily approach the essential steps to help you stop being afraid of food and start eating mindfully and joyfully.

(3) Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food & Nutrition Guide, 5th Edition by Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RDN, FAND, CFCS
Ready to up your nutrition knowledge? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide serves as the gold-standard resource for evidence-based advice on healthy eating. It’s no-nonsense guidance allows you to personalize your own path to healthier living through simple strategies. You’ll always find this reference book on my bookshelves!

(4) 100 No-Equipment Workouts Vol. 1: Fitness Routines you can do anywhere, Any Time by Neila Rey
Do you experience gym-timidation? Well you’re not alone! This collection from Darebee creator, Neila Rey, will allow you to be in complete control of your fitness. Forget about having the right equipment, the right attire, or finding the time or space to get active. This visual guide is easy-to-follow so it’s great for beginners or those who know a thing or two about fitness.

(5) The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life by Leo Babauta
Let’s face it, we’re great at making wishes, but not very good at actually achieving our personal goals. The Power of Less can help you streamline your life by eliminating the unnecessary and freeing you up to focus on accomplishing the goals you want. Author Leo Babauta, Zen Habits blogger, guides you on how to work less, work smarter, and focus on living the life that you want. I find Leo’s advice very practical when it comes to actually achieving your goals (health related or not).

(6) The Power of No: Because One Little Word Can Bring Health, Abundance, and Happiness by James Altucher and Claudia Azula Altucher
I always remind my clients that whenever you say yes to something, you always say no to something else. In this book, James Altucher and Claudia Azula Altucher share their own stories as well as feedback from their readers and students to guide you on the principle that you have the right to say “no” to anything that is hurting you.

(7) Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed
In this collection of over 100 quotes from best-selling author, Cheryl Strayed, you’ll find her wisdom, courage, and outspoken humor to encourage you to love more, forgive more, and endure more. This is the perfect pick-me-up for someone special in your life!

LINDSEY JOE, RDN, LDN

Lindsey is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist from Nashville, TN. She graduated from the Dietetic Internship program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and prior to this, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is a weight management expert, meal planning master, and TN Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nashville Media spokesperson. Lindsey is passionate about helping people ignite the healthy that makes them happy and you can follow all her food-filled adventures at @themealplanningmethod!