Body Respect
Lucy Aphramor and Linda Bacon
2014, 208 pages
Fiction
Body Respect starts by debunking established dietary advice. Fat? It’s not that bad for you after all. Dieting? It can actually make you fatter. Exercise? It won’t necessarily help you lose weight, even if it offers other benefits. What Aphramor and Bacon suggest instead of dieting and following a strict exercise regimen is – get this – listening to your body.
They admit it isn’t easy, and it will take time to get used to, but they offer step-by-step plans to enjoy “Health at Every Size,” by respecting oneself and cultivating that respect through eating well, moving (their term for exercising) in ways that are satisfying and fun, and paying attention to emotional well-being. All of which requires mindful awareness and a willingness to be open minded and try new things.
Why is that so hard? We’re conditioned to believe we should look a particular way, and to associate fatness with laziness, lack of willpower, or bad habits. Obesity is associated with disease and death, even though other health and genetic factors are often more debilitating than someone’s weight. Body Respect notes that living in a world where being fat is “bad” not only stigmatizes people, it also causes our cultural obsession with body shape and size. Almost everyone has or is exposed to disordered thoughts about eating, and unrealistic expectations about appearance.
If you’re willing to take a critical look at your own thoughts about body image, weight, and health, this book is a transformative read.
Deb Baker
Concord Public Library
For more information about the library, go to concordpubliclibrary.net. We’re also on Tumblr (reading-rumblr.tumblr.com and concordteens.tumblr.com) and Facebook (facebook.com/ConcordPublicLibrary).
