FAT SHAME

Black encourages readers to let go of their insecurities and embrace their bodies in this debut motivational work.

The author writes that she had body dysmorphic disorder for years, and as a result, her weight fluctuated greatly. She tried yo-yo dieting, fasting, and working out, but because of her low self-esteem, she couldn’t find a weight-control strategy that worked. Her outlook needed to change, she realized: “when you truly learn to love yourself as you are, it’s actually easier to be physically healthy,” she writes in her introduction to this body positive guide. “The love you feel for yourself causes you to want to take care of your body, and the person on the outside begins to reflect the person you’ve cultivated on the inside.” With this book, Black seeks to help readers silence their own negativity, as well as that of others who attempt to shame them for their appearance. Positive body image, she says, requires eliminating self-loathing thought patterns, seizing one’s own agency, fostering self-forgiveness, opening oneself to the possibility of joy, and ultimately loving oneself. Black shares her own experiences with judgmental people, and how she learned to love herself through activities like meditation, therapy, and yoga. Each chapter includes exercises, activities, and a “Mindful Moment”—a short anecdote to help readers change their way of thinking. Black’s prose has a tone that’s both encouraging and pleasantly urgent: “When you find yourself feeling panicky or emotionally distressed, say to yourself, I’m going to be my own first responder.” Her advice has applications that go beyond questions of weight and appearance; indeed, they address insecurities and self-defeating behaviors that are common in many people. The book is also connected to the author’s larger regimen of weight-loss strategies; for example, it concludes with an advertisement for a 21-day “Keto Cleanse.” However, the self-love that she advocates here will be valuable for readers of all body types.

A positive guide to body image that reminds readers to first address one’s inner self.