Salad With A Side Of Fries Creator / Host Releases Book “Uncomplicating Wellness”

Authors and podcasters have a long-running symbiotic relationship. Podcasters need authors when specific expertise is required. The author is the ideal person to fit the bill. After all, authors are credentialed by virtue of their published works, and they can provide heft to the discussion brewing in any podcast.

For podcasts, authors provide legitimacy to any topic, and their insights — based on the wisdom mined from their book research — can make for an enlightening and lively discussion.

Surveys of podcast listeners have found that they tend to read more than the general population and listen to audiobooks at a much higher rate.

Perhaps due to their close relationship with authors, podcasters in increasing numbers are now becoming authors. As podcasts have increased in popularity, cultural visibility, and listener loyalty, podcasters have begun writing and publishing books based on their podcasts. Today’s book is a perfect example of a successful podcaster turned accomplished author.

For those who may not know her, Jenn Trepeck is the creator/ host of the Salad With A Side Of Fries podcast. The podcast, with over 300 episodes released, has won two Ear Worthy Awards for Best Wellness Podcast (2024 & 2025) and recently won a Women Who Podcast Award in the Stellar Interview category.

Jenn Trepeck is not one of those wellness podcast hosts where “failure is not an option.” That’s one reason I’m such a fan of her podcast. Instead, she recognizes and conveys that making lifestyle, fitness, and diet changes is exceedingly hard. Look for small wins, she urges, and do not make perfectionism the enemy of gradual progress.

This article is a book review of Jenn Trepeck’s new book, Uncomplicating Wellness, which was published last week. The nonfiction book is a succinct but informationally dense 190 pages and sells for $9.99 in the e-book version and $18.99 in the paperback format.

Like many nonfiction books today, Uncomplicating Wellness has a subtitle:

DITCH THE RULES. QUIET THE NOISE. RECLAIM YOUR LIFE.

Right in that subtitle, is the essence of Jenn’s book.

In the beginning, Jenn tells us: “Think of this as ‘wellness without the weirdness’ — science, strategy, and sanity delivered with compassion and candor. I hope this book helps you cut through the noise, build trust in yourself, and start making choices that work for you.”

In the book notes, Jenn explains to readers: “You’ve done the diets. Bought the supplements. Counted, tracked, fasted, and started over again. And still… something feels off.”

What’s so admirable about the book is that Jenn Trepeck is not one of those wellness advocates who motivate by shaming you. You know those fitness types? “Didn’t do 500 pushups before dawn! What’s wrong with you? Ate one donut during the entire week! You’re pathetic and weak!”

Jenn Trepeck has a more sensible approach that leads to self-improvement. In the book, Jenn says: “You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re not broken. The truth? The wellness industry is off the rails(!), selling you noise, perfectionism, and shame disguised as health. Uncomplicating Wellness is your permission slip to ditch the dogma and finally trust your body again.”

The book is structured for maximum reader comprehension in four parts. The first part is Quiet The Noise. Here’s what Jenn says to define this part: “Let’s get one thing straight from the jump: If you’ve ever wished for a magic bullet — some secret plan, miracle supplement, or perfect set of habits to finally “fix it” — this is going to be annoying and freeing all at once.”

Jenn continues: “Because the magic bullet? It’s you. You’re not the problem. You’ve just spent years navigating a wellness world that sells solutions while quietly undermining your trust in yourself.”

Jenn reveals that, “It’s not a coincidence that you feel stuck. The system thrives when you do. Confused people are compliant people, and the wellness industry is good at keeping you confused. It speaks inurgent headlines and contradictory advice. Eat more protein, butnot too much. Fast, but not for too long. Cut sugar, but enjoy life.Be consistent, but also flexible.”

Chapter Six in Part One — Top 5 Tips for Digesting Nutrition News — may be my favorite section. Here, Jenn does a public service. She gives us five simple tips to evaluate wellness news. Her advice may be your “scam alert” when Wellness B.S. is being pushed at you.

Part two is Build Your Biostack. Listen to how Jenn Trepeck introduces this section: “Here’s the problem: biohacks are designed to give you a slight edge (like 10 percent), and when everything else is already working, that’s tremendous! They assume you’re functioning at 90 percent, and you’re pushing for 100. But most of us aren’t anywhere near that (hard reality). We’re juggling all the balls of staying on top of work, taking care of our families, managing stress, and maybe, if we’re lucky, fitting in a vegetable or two.”

Here is Jenn’s nicely woven simile: “When we grab a ‘hack’ hoping it’ll fix things, we’re skipping the stuff that genuinely moves the needle. It’s like putting racing tires on a car that hasn’t had an oil change since 2019. Cool feature. Wrong problem.”

Part three is Read The Signs, and Jenn begins by tackling one of my pet peeves in the podcasting industry. Too many podcasters monetize their shows by hawking supplements of dubious value (Joe Rogan). A supplement cannot turn a 300-pound couch potato into Rocky Balboa.

Jenn says it better than I can in the book: “Let’s talk about…the ‘take this, and it’ll fix everything’ fantasy. The idea that one capsule will reset your hormones, melt your belly fat, and turn you into a glowing, zen goddess by Friday.”

Jenn continues: “If you’re relying on supplements to be your savior — to undo a chronically chaotic lifestyle, or to replace food, rest, and movement — you’re going to be disappointed, at best. Even the most advanced formula in the world can’t overrule sleep deprivation, burnout, or a vending-machine lunch.”

Part four is But What About… and that’s where Jenn pulls it all together. Here’s her intro to the last part of the book.

“This book is about uncomplicating wellness, so I don’t want to overwhelm you with facts and data. I also don’t want to leave you hanging. Think of this like a lightning round: What’s true, what’s hype, and what matters without the fluff or fear tactics.”

This book is well-conceived and meticulously organized. It’s well-written and explicitly designed to explain in plain terms, not dazzle with new “age-y phrases” designed more to market than to evaluate and communicate.

Jenn Trepeck has done us a tremendous public service and revealed the secrets of the Wellness Industry. In the book, she provides us with the tools to combat the B.S. and discover what is helpful for us and what is designed solely to sell us stuff.

Listeners and readers can go to episode 325 of Salad With A Side Of Fries to hear Jenn’s discussion of the book.

It’s fair to say that many podcasters who hawk wellness schemes, self-help authors, fitness gurus, and RFK Jr. will hate this book. Why? Because it speaks the truth. That’s an attribute that’s become scarcer these days.

If you’re trapped in the Bounce House of Wellness marketing schemes, I highly recommend you read Uncomplicating Wellness.

It’s one of the best Wellness books of the year, precisely because it doesn’t treat Wellness like a car that needs repair. “Your car won’t start. Check the alternator. Can’t sleep, take these seven supplements.”

I have a friend who takes 27 supplements. He has a cold-plunge tank, a sauna, a Peloton, a complete weight set, a rower, a nutritionist, and a masseuse. By contrast, I don’t have the money or time for all that chaos.

I follow Jenn Trepeck's advice and practice “Wellness without the Weirdness.”

Get off the hamster wheel. Check out Uncomplicating Wellness.

Unlike those Wellness gurus who claim all the credit for even your most modest accomplishments, Jenn Trepeck, at the end of her book, says this: “Last but not least, you, dear reader, friend. You made it this far. Wow! I am humbled and honored. I can’t wait to see all you do with everything shared here. Any progress you’ve already experienced, know that YOU did that, and you can continue. Your health is yours to create. What an absolute gift!”

Did you get the difference? Jenn Trepeck recognizes the reader for their accomplishments. She doesn’t hog the credit for herself like so many Wellness gurus who need to move product to clean out their inventory for next year’s wellness silver bullet.

Uncomplicating Wellness is the best investment anyone can make on their journey to wellness.