Try free for 2 months

  • Not a Diet Book

  • Take Control. Gain Confidence. Change Your Life.
  • By: James Smith
  • Narrated by: James Smith
  • Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,156 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
AUD $16.45/mo after 2 months. Renews automatically. Cancel anytime.
Not a Diet Book cover art

Not a Diet Book

By: James Smith
Narrated by: James Smith
Try for $0.00

AUD $16.45/mo after 2 months. Renews automatically. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

The No.1 Sunday Times best seller. 

Are you ready to change your life? Are you sick of always wearing black and getting undressed in the dark? Are you fixated with a number on the scales? Are you afraid to step into the gym and commit to a routine? Is your confidence at an all-time low? Is all of this having a negative impact on your life, relationships and happiness? 

James Smith is armed with every tool you’ll ever need to achieve incredible results – from dieting, training and staying in shape to identifying the fads, cons and nonsense that get int he way of genuine lasting progress. Learn to reset your current mindset and attitude towards your diet and training, with chapters covering:

  • Fat loss versus muscle gain.
  • Metabolism and ‘body types’. 
  • Protein targets and calorie tracking.
  • Common fitness fallacies.
  • Female fat loss.
  • Supplements.
  • Training versus exercising.
  • The importance of sleep.
  • Forming habits. 

This audiobook will put you back in control. It is not a fad diet or a short-term training plan. It will empower you to adopt better habits that will allow you to take charge of your life. 

About the Author

James Smith is the world’s fastest-growing online personal trainer. Honest, unapologetic and outspoken, yet erudite, authentic and endlessly passionate about exposing the toxic myths within diet culture, and committed to helping people to reach their goals and make positive change for good. Not a Diet Book is his first book.

©2020 James Smith (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

"Meet the man changing the way you think about fitness. One of the most sought-after personal trainers in the world (who has) knocked current fitness It boy @JoeWicks for six and stolen the coveted crown of the fitness world." (Sunday Times Style)

Not a Diet Book mercilessly takes down every fad diet, workout and health drink you have been sold and instead explains [James’] mission to make understanding weight-loss as two words – calorie deficit.’ (The Sun)  

 "Personal trainer James Smith’s new book, Not a Diet Book, offers frank advice on getting in shape and busts some major diet myths." (Grazia)  

What listeners say about Not a Diet Book

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    982
  • 4 Stars
    103
  • 3 Stars
    37
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    25
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    851
  • 4 Stars
    83
  • 3 Stars
    29
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    18
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    840
  • 4 Stars
    85
  • 3 Stars
    29
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    20

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Gem
  • 01-03-2020

Nothing New

All author does is talk about himself and how he has revolutionary ideas...but actually doesn’t talk about anything that’s new knowledge and continually throws in a few eloquent words to make him sound more credible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

crappy book

it feels like the author promotes the actual book all throughout the entire thing, it's repetitive and makes for a really annoying listening experience. couldn't finish the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

It’s certainly not a diet book

I rate James. I agree with his theories. If you don’t follow him on Instagram or listen to his free podcasts, then this book will be great for you. Because I was already familiar with his academy and socials etc I feel I didn’t get much new out of it however.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Women’s Hero. Bit of a wanker, but still a hero

James Smith’s book changed the way I looked at a calorie deficit diet and long term maintenance. Not once have I ever been through an eating program that has taught me ANYTHING about my menstrual cycle, how to work WITH it instead of pretend it doesn’t exist which would make me feel like I must just have shitty self control. It was always just the typical ‘follow this eating plan for 6-12 weeks and you’ll lose X kilos’ and it would NEVER work because I’d fall off the rails with each period. I’m honestly astounded I never really thought about it before but I took on board what he said, started being kind to myself to keep working towards little improvements each week, found what worked for me and it paid off. And FINALLY someone who says you’re supposed to get fat and jolly at Christmas then follow up with it later because THAT’S LIFE. I never, ever, EVER thought I would find success following dieting advice from someone who seems like a fair bit of a wanker like James, but he’s a wanker that knows what he’s talking about and I highly recommend all the ladies I know have a listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Strange that this is a best seller with hype

More in-depth information listening to a few selected Joe Rogan podcasts or Layne Norton YouTube videos.

James oddly goes on about Brazilian jiu-jitsu and seams to have alot of regret about not starting it in his teens.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a book👌🏼

Shit Human to Date, but the smart fucker writes a cracker of a book📚

Simple & easy to follow educational insights with a strong philosophical streak that will empower all who read or listen to it ☺️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

meh didn't really learn anything new

Felt like a regurgitation of other people's information just rewritten as his own ideas.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A Self Promotion Diet

I was really excited at the start of the book to hear James proclaim there was no padding or unnecessary content and every word was carefully chosen. And yet hour after hour all I heard was the same stuff over and over again, much of which was James Smith promoting James Smith, not the useful information I was looking for.
I was skeptical as soon as he started down the calories in vs calories out rabbit hole. This myth has been well and truly debunked in recent years, It has been the corner stone of countless diet failures over the decades. Yes, like most diets it will produce results in the short term but will eventually lead to failure and more weight gain than from where you started. If that was all it took we wouldn't need yet another diet book (despite the proclamation that this isn't just another Diet Book).

I'm sure there are valuable takeaways in the book but there is just too much babble to see it through to the end and make any sense of it. Perhaps it is better suited to gym junkies looking for inspiration and motivation. The only weight loss I achieved was in my wallet.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

light on practical

this is mostly just a self help books with very little meat on its bones in terms of practical information I like his no BS look at the fitness industry but there just wasn't that much actually in this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

I love how James combines confidence with the ability to poke fun at himself. Whilst he has strong opinions I never get the feeling his ego is too big, he really cares about getting his message accross and i can feel the authenticity. I apply the Sunk Cost Fallacy to everything! Can't wait for the next book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.