This book was published in 2009, but I only just discovered it and it is so great I just had to review it. I think the demonization of fat, and the automatic assumption that fat = unhealthy/unattractive/bad/wrong is incredibly damaging, and very much untrue. What's wonderful about this book is that it breaks down faulty dieting statistics (diets do fail, and then people put all the weight back on, and that’s not very healthy) but is still easy to understand, conversational in tone and very, very funny. It encourages the reader to stop obsessing over their weight and give up on the idea that weight loss will transform them; that even if you feel imperfect, you should be enjoying your life right now. It talks about engaging in exercise that's fun for you (because moving your body feels great), eating what your body needs (not what foods are dictated ‘good’ or ‘bad’) and celebrating your body, as it is right now. Health at every size + size and self-acceptance = awesomeness. And something we never seem to hear in mainstream media - instead big magazines alternate between empty ‘love yourself’ messages and ‘drop a dress size in a week’. This book is the perfect antidote. Every young woman should read this.
Originally published in Young Vagabond.
