Living the Healthy Life – Jessica Sepel (Bluebird Books for Life)

What if the diet didn’t start tomorrow? What if there was no diet? Enter Jessica Sepel’s Living the Healthy Life. This is the anti-starvation bible, eschewing those toxic fads in favour of long-term healthy eating habits. After enduring a personal battle against a broken relationship with food, Jess realised the necessity of eating well and eating enough. In a world ruled by skinny and scales, Jess chose to heal her body and mind by stepping away from stressful triggers, and fully tuning in to her own nutritional needs.

This is the book for those who struggle; who have done every juice cleanse, calorie deficit, lettuce leaf-based diet under the sun and still failed to see results. Living the Healthy Life encourages the reader to go beyond external triggers in order to channel that inner ‘food voice’ – the one that wants you to look after yourself. With a comprehensive diagnosis of stress, emotional eating, hormone and thyroid problems, Living the Healthy Life necessitates inward reflection for outward progress. Pinpoint and destroy your own bad habits with this soul-cleansing cookbook, because according to Jess, you deserve happiness, confidence, and a huge bowl of mango chia ice cream.

“We’ll be delving into the issues that are affecting so many women today: sky-high stress levels; food addiction, bingeing and emotional eating; and uncontrollable sugar cravings. This book also shines the spotlight on dieting, and how it affects everything from your hormones and thyroid function to your self-esteem. Because enough is enough. Guilt is out, balance is in. We’re going to take things one week at a time, one step at a time, with a unique plan that’s just right for you.”

Living the Healthy Life by Jessica Sepel is out Thursday (6th April), published by Bluebird, £16.99. Images by Rob Palmer.

Cinnamon, cardamom & orange zest bircher muesli by Jess Sepel

Tomato & red pepper soup by Jess Sepel

Banana hazelnut chocolate bread by Jess Sepel