Book: How parents can influence their childrens body image
I found this posting by Dara Chadwick, 'You'd be so pretty if...', she talks about how she feels when she sees pictures of herself from many years ago. Dara is an author and has published a book called, 'You'd Be So Pretty If...: Teaching Our Daughters to Love Their Bodies -- Even When We Don't Love Our Own.
It is true that as parents, we can pass down to our children our attitudes about our bodies. How can we expect them to appreciate themselves if all they hear for us is that we are 'too fat'.
I grew up listening to my mom bemoan everything from the size of her thighs to the shape of her eyes. So you can just imagine my dismay the first time someone exclaimed, "you look just like your mother!"
It wasn't that I thought she wasn't beautiful - it was that I knew she thought she wasn't beautiful. So If I looked like her, and she didn't like the way she looked, then that must mean..."
Grab the book from Amazon UK and Amazon US. Check out the comments and reviews, seems like most enjoyed it and thought reading it was great idea.
Pat Ballard offers free book that gives you something to think about
Back in December, Pat Ballard dropped me a line about her new eBook. 'Something to Think About', published on the Peal Song website, is Pat's reflections on Life, Family, Body Image & Other Weighty Matters. It is a free download and will required a PDF reader. Here is a bit of a snip...
As I talked with a friend one day, I said, "When we go back in our past and pull out old hurts and dwell on them, we're slowing down our progress into the future." As I spoke this, it really hit home. I don't think it was as profound to my friend as it was to me-and it may not be as profound to you as it was to
me-but I've thought about it a lot in the days since: Negative thoughts are the speed bumps of life.Joe, my husband, has a line in one of his songs that says, "If I stay in the past, the future leaves me behind." How true this is. What I wish for everyone is that we can let go of the negative thoughts that weigh us down, that slow down our journey into the future. Stop dwelling on our negatives and dwell on our positives. Just try to go an entire day without thinking a negative thought about yourself. If you don't make it through the first day, try again the second day. Keep on until you've made it through an entire day without saying or even thinking something negative about yourself. Once you've
made it through that day, try for a week. Soon you'll have broken the habit and be on your way to
feeling like the beautiful person that you are.
We have mentioned Pat's plus size romance books before...
Susie Orbach book list
I never knew that Susie Orbach has written sooo many books! Of course her most famous book that every one cites is Fat Is a Feminist Issue. I did a quick look on WikiPedia but there is no page for her! Not one that I could find anyway. So a quick check on Google found this on the Penguin books...
Susie Orbach is a psychotherapist and writer. With Luise Eichenbaum she co-founded The Women's Therapy Centre in London in 1976 and in 1981 The Women's Therapy Centre Institute in New York. She lectures extensively in Europe and North America, is a visiting Professor at the London School of Economics, and has a practice seeing individuals and couples and consulting to organizations. She is a frequent contributor to newspapers and magazines, as well as to radio and television programmes.
Recently she contributed to the skinny model debate with an online petition. Anyway, I have had a quick look on Amazon and found this little lot which you may find interesting.
Skinny Women are evil
I was having a browse through Amazon, gota find a prezzy for my other half, when I came across “Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World”. Mo'Nique is loud and proud about her size, never seems to be too bashful! From the reviews on the Amazon page it seems a worth while read, here is a snip from one...
Mo'Nique is funny, irreverent and profane as she takes us on her journey from being born a ten-pound plus baby to the two hundred twenty pound television and movie actor who takes no prisoners when it comes to weight. She shares the picky and annoying eating habits of the thin to the difficulties of finding fashionable, beautiful clothing for large women. California restaurants are a particular sore point for her because of their propensity to serve tiny vegetarian portions of mostly inedible food. She will have your mouth watering even if you don't particularly like fast food as she escapes the upscale restaurants to find a cure for her hunger headache. Monique attributes her positive self-image to her father who always told her she was beautiful.
In fact most of the reviews on the Amazon sales page are positive. The review I liked best was written in December 2005 by 'Negombo Lo', titled 'Unfortunately, it's true'. Made me smile when I read about Pez dispensers and lolipops, you will have to read it to see what I mean!
Amazon US - Skinny Women Are Evil : Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World
Amazon UK - Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World
Review of Too big to miss - revised edition
Can you mention Sue Ann Jaffarian to many times? No of course you can’t! Just because we reviewed the book "‘Too big to miss" in 2001 and then much later told you about her honorable mention at the 10th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards in 2003 and then we told you all about how the book has been updated, can that count as too many times? I don’t think so!
So we have now read the new revised edition and thought the ending was great, worth buying it for that. Have you read any reviews of it yet? Well here is an idea of what it is all about, from the back of the book...
"To big to miss - that’s Odelia Grey. A never-married, middle-aged, plus size woman, she struggles with her relationships, her crazy family, and her crazier boss. And there’s her knack for being in close proximity to dead people..."
If you have not read the book then you will miss how Odelia deals with rude shop assistants and how they get their comeuppance. You will also miss the reasons her good friend died and why. The book is a good mystery with a good twist at the end and it is mixed with comments on size acceptance...
"...weight was the last acceptable prejudice. People of girth, especially women, were open targets for jokes and comments. It was still politically correct to assault and ridicule fat people"
And there is romance! Odelia does fall in love and with someone who does really appreciate her for who she is. But I am not going to tell you any more about that!
The book is a good read, a good mystery and the lead character is a BBW. This book, if it had been written by someone else and featured a thin girl instead, would have still worked. That is why I like it. The heroine happens to be big, the size acceptance angle does not get in the way of the story, although it is a big part of it, it does not overtake the plot line.
The characters themselves are nicely drawn, Odelia is a powerful women who just doesn’t not known it yet. Her love interest is a nice parallel of her own experiences of prejudice and again nicely developed. The other subsidiary characters are brought to life enough to make the story move along. I do look forward to see if Odelia’s own family get their just rewards, a background just waiting to be expanded on.
If this book does become as popular as I think it will be, it will introduce the idea of size acceptance and give a glimpse in to every day prejudices large size people experience.
Enough of all this, just go out and buy this book and enjoy a damm good read!
Amazon UK
Too Big to Miss: An Odelia Grey Mystery
Amazon US
The only plus sized pregnancy book you will ever need!
After having read many pregnancy books, all geared to the ‘regular’ sized mother, all condemning putting on weight let alone starting out as a Plus Sizer, it was a refreshing change to find such an honest approach to plus sized pregnancy when reading this book.
Brette, a former attorney, is a plus sized mother of two and this is the book that she had wanted when she was pregnant. Working with a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist who is experienced in working with plus-size moms, they wrote the book that has rapidly popular and indispensable
She is an experienced writer contributing to ePregnancy print magazine and a contributing editor to amaZe magazine. She has written a childrens book, extensively about parenting and families and her work has appeared in over 140 publications. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and therefore writes with some authority.
‘Your Plus Size Pregnancy’ comes in 16 chapters and 262 pages, all filled with information even the most experience mother may not know about. Chapters such as ‘Loving who you are’ and ‘Does my weight affect my pregnancy’ are aimed at plus sized women who are either considering a baby or actually having one.
I remember the battles I used to have with my inner-self about the harm I must be doing to my unborn child, not knowing how I could broach sensitive subjects with my health care workers during my pregnancy... how I wish I were pregnant now!
Topics discussed in a practical, heartfelt manner range from self esteem issues and accepting your pregnant developing body, the tests available, possible problems and how to deal with them and complications such as breast feeding with larger breasts and how to deal with postpartum issues, all dealt with in a sensitive yet frank way.
I like the way the book had little quotes from interviews with plus sized mothers who have experienced pregnancy or are at the moment going through the experience. At times hilarious, other times touching, these honest tales of the issues we, as big girls, have to deal with were powerful.
This pregnancy book will become a must have for plus size pregnant mums, a mine of information presented very well.
The book is published by Barricade Books. Brette Sembers website can be found here
and 
Teenage Waistland - the book that focuses on teens
While cruising around Amazon looking for something interesting, I came accross a book by Abby Ellin called 'Teenage Waistland: A Former Fat Kid Weighs In on Living Large, Losing Weight, and How Parents Can (and Can't) Help'
Its not often you find a book about teen obesity thats not to do with exercise or that examines societies cultural problems. Few books actually address the psychological medical, cultural and developmental complexities affecting over-weight kids.
A small snip from the Amazon...
Abby Ellin's parents got it all wrong when it came to helping her lose weight - but what would have been right? In this fresh, frank and funny look at childhood obesity and its treatment she journeys through diet culture seeking a better way.
Link to the book for Amazon UK
Link to the book for Amazon US
Too big to miss gets an update
We have already featured the book "Too big to miss" here before but we have just heard that there is a new revised edition. For those that have not had chance to read any of the stories, the other being The Curse of the Holy Pail, Sue Anne Jaffarian has created a plus sized amateur detective called Odeila Grey. The newer version of the book now has a new ending with an extra 6000 words and a new cover.
Previous books were self published but now we are pleased to say that her books have been picked up by new mystery imprint, Midnight Ink/Llewellyn. There is even a planned release of a new version of The Curse of the Holy Pail, due in 2007. Also in the works if an e-book by Hard Shell of "Too big to miss". There has even been some TV interest so perhaps we may see the first plus sized detective on screen soon? We can hope!
Links to Amazon UK:
Too Big to Miss: An Odelia Grey Mystery
The Curse of the Holy Pail: An Odelia Grey Mystery
Love at Large
Links to Amazon USA
Too Big to Miss (An Odelia Grey Mystery)
The Curse of the Holy Pail
Love At Large
7 days of books: Day 7 - Found on the way
Our last day of the series and we are doing nothing more complicated then listing some books that we found while searching for good titles. I hope there is something here that you find to your liking! Book info courtesy of Amazon.
Me and the Fat Man
Julie Myerson
"Myerson's third novel, her most uninhibited and powerful, is Amy's story -- a journey of sexual desire and her strange relationship with the fat man who rescues her from the past. Amy is a waitress living in Bath. She is married but she also finds men from the park, gives them sex for money and pays it straight into Nationwide. And then the mysterious Harris arrives in the restaurant one day; he knew Amy's mother, who drowned in the Aegean when Amy was just a young girl. Amy is confused but intrigued when Harris demands that she meets his friend Gary, a young fat man he shares a flat with. It is the beginning of a strange relationship that will take them back to Greece, where the past -- and all its dark secrets -- is confronted. Amy's story is so compulsive and frightening that it is impossible to put down. It is told in a spare and hypnotic prose that will leave you enchanted. Me and the Fat Man establishes this highly acclaimed writer as one of the finest novelists at work today."
Amazon UK or Amazon US
Such a Pretty Face: Tales of Power and Abundance
by Lee Martindale
"Think all heroes have washboard abs? Think all heroines wear Size 3 Junior Petite? Think again! Come join Gene Wolfe, Elizabeth Anne Scarborough, Jane Yolen, Jody Lynn Nye, and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, who along with nineteen other authors, introduce you to some of the funniest, wildest, sexiest, most powerful, and normal (considering these are science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories) fat people on earth and a few other planets. Meet a pirate named "Valkyrie" and a cardsharp named "Fat Moriah". Meet a xeno-fitness instructor and an earth-mage who don't apologize for taking up space. Meet fat cats on a mission and a very different kind of vampire. Meet characters for whom "plus-size" is about body size and heart. Brought together in this first-of-its-kind collection are stories that raise the set point on adventure and redraw the picture of "the hero" along the way. These are tales of power and abundance that prove that heroes and heroines come in all sizes."
Amazon UK or Amazon US
A Big Fat Lie?: What If Fat Doesn't Make You Fat...
Gary Taubes
"Mainstream nutritional science has demonised dietary fat for 50 years yet hundreds of millions of dollars of research have failed to prove that eating a low-fat diet will help you live longer. Nutrition and obesity scientists have struggled to make sense of the paradox that obesity has become epidemic, that diabetes rates have soared and the incidence of heart disease has not declined over this period. Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, The Zone and Sugar Busters are some of the books that have sold millions advocating low carbohydrate diets as the route to health, well-being and an ideal weight. A Big Fat Lie? makes sense of this paradox, and is essential reading for anyone trying to decide which diet - low fat or low carbohydrate - is truly the healthy diet, leading to optimal weight and health. The book debunks the popular misconceptions on health and takes a hard look at the corporate world of the diet industry."
Amazon UK or Amazon US
Fat Is a Feminist Issue
Susie Orbach
"The original anti-diet book is back - In one volume together with its bestselling sequel. When it was first published, "Fat Is A Feminist Issue" became an instant classic and it is as relevant today as it was then. Reflecting on our increasingly diet and body-obsessed society, Susie Orbach's new introduction explains how generations of women and girls are growing up absorbing the eating anxieties around them. In an age where women want to be sexy, nurturing, domestic goddesses, confident at work, and feminine too, the twenty-first-century woman is poorly armed for survival. Never before has the "Fat Is A Feminist Issue" revolution been more in need of revival. Exploring our love/hate relationship with food, Susie Orbach describes how fat is about so much more than food. It is a response to our social situation; the way we are seen by others and ourselves. Too often food is a source of anguish, as are our bodies. But "Fat Is A Feminist Issue" discusses how we can turn food into a friend and find ways to accept ourselves for who and how we are. Follow the step-by-step guide, and you too can put an end to food anxieties and dieting."
Amazon UK or Amazon US
Fat Politics: The Real Story Behind America's Obesity Epidemic
J.Eric Oliver
"Over the past twenty years, obesity has risen in the United States to epidemic proportions. Today, over sixty percent of Americans are overweight, and over one in four is obese. This book examines the cultural contradictions that underlie this massive transformation. Oliver's highly readable yet carefully documented book addresses the meaning of obesity in American life. At one level, the book outlines very straightforward issues such as controversies over the sources of obesity, its economic and social consequences, and its prospects for resolution. At another level, the book examines fatism, the last bastion of acceptable discrimination in the United States, particularly as it applies to women. Finally, the book makes a deeper argument about how obesity reflects a serious contradiction in American life. At no other time in human history has food been so easily available and survival so physically untaxing. But rather than giving us greater freedom, our affluence has disempowered us. Most Americans continue to gain weight and fight a losing struggle to reduce our body sizes, and increasingly, the overweight are derided for their moral failure. As more people become obese, this cultural paradox will grow. In the book's conclusion, Oliver outlines how the contradiction surrounding America's obesity epidemic may be resolved and where the battle lines in the coming fat wars are likely to be drawn."
Amazon UK or Amazon US
I'm, Like, So Fat!: Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices About Eating and Exercise in a Weight-obsessed World
Dianne
Neumark-Sztainer
"Hit the gym for a workout - but sit for hours at your computer. Super-size your value meals - but downsize your waistline. Today's media-saturated teenagers are bombarded with mixed messages that distort their self-image and lead many to overeat and others to starve themselves. When 'I feel fat' becomes a teen's common refrain, how can worried parents respond constructively? With "I'm, Like, SO Fat!" Dr Dianne Neumark-Sztainer shows parents how to strike the difficult balance between bolstering self-esteem and offering constructive advice. Drawing on her landmark study, Project EAT (Eating Among Teenagers), and her experience as a mother of four, Neumark-Sztainer offers a wealth of science-based, practical ideas for instilling healthy eating and exercise habits, educating teens about nutrition and portion size, and talking about body image. Here is a rock-solid foundation that parents everywhere can build on to help their teens stay fit, eat well, and feel good about their looks in a world where too-perfect bodies are used to sell everything from cosmetic surgery to fast food."
Amazon UK or Amazon US
7 days of books: Day 6 - Erotica
On to Erotica for day 6 of our series. We are not talking pornography for our first book here but well crafted stories. While the photos of our second book may not be classed as erotica (erotic art?), I include it here because it is such a good book and comes pretty close to the subject at hand.
Zaftig: Well Rounded Erotica
by Hanne Blank (Editor)
Hanne is one multi talented women, a writer, editor, public speaker, and educator. Not just in print but online as well, anthologies and collections.
Is her book you get twenty one short stories by and for overweight women and their admirers, by one of the most prominent spokespersons on the topic of size and sexuality. This collection of erotica that never fails to surprise and which successfully turns a popular sexual stereotype completely on its head. Unique and literate.
Amazon UK and US links
Women En Large: Images of Fat Nudes
Laurie Toby Edison, Debbie Notkin
I was going to say something about this book but once I took a look the photographs I can’t say anything more than this quote from the authors website.
"Women En Large is an incredible collection of photographs that portray beautiful, strong, courageous, powerful, elegant, handsome mid- to super-size women. ... The focus on the beauty and power of fat women provides an unforgettable and radical contrast to the ugly images of fat women which pervade our lives. As if that weren't enough, the text discusses fat oppression and fat celebration, health and body size, fat and sexuality, activity and ability, fat and ethnicity and more. This is our book if ever there was one."
Take a look at the sample photos and you will see what I mean.
Amazon UK and US links
7 days of books: Day 5 - Essays
On to Day 5 and we turn our attention to essay collections. Today’s authors are Rebecca Walker (Foreword), Ophira Edut (Editor) and Don Kulick (Editor), Anne Meneley (Editor).
Fat
Don Kulick (Editor), Anne Meneley (Editor)
The obesity epidemic is upon us but is not as straightforward-or even as universally damned-as one might think. With thirteen anthropologists and a fat activist between the cover of this book you end up reading something unconventional-and unprecedented-examination of fat in various cultural and social contexts. In this anthology, these writers argue that fat is neither a mere physical state nor an inert concept.
Links to Amazon UK and US
Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty & Body Image
Rebecca Walker (Foreword), Ophira Edut (Editor)
This is a book with not only essays on ‘fat’ but also discrimination on colour, height and tattoo’s. There are many chapters on size related issues, such as ‘Conquering the fear of a fat body:the journey toward myself’ by Regina D Williams, ‘Sizing myself up:tales of a plus size model’ by Kate Dillon. A good varied collection with a bias towards size related issues but covers a lot more.
Links to Amazon UK and US
Previous postings
I saw these scales in a TV documentary last year. Even then I thought to myself, where on earth do I get one of those? I am happy to tell you that not only can you get one but I can tell you who is behind it too!
Littlewoods dives in to Europe, advises on body shape
So most of the UK would of heard of Littlewoods. The stalwart supplier of clothing and other splendid products. But have you heard of Littlewoods Europe?
Bra Stop now offering Freya range and discounts
Bra Stop have taken in some new stock and offering discounts to go along with it. Freya range comes in a big size range, up to K Cup. Hard to find size for many of us.
Roomy Riders offers equestrian outfits
Are you finding it difficult to find something to wear for your equestrian interests? Well look no further as Roomy Riders come to the rescue. To be totally honest with you I know nothing about horses and related events so there is not a lot I can add, except of course that the clothing does look nice and generally covers size 16 to 26.
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