Today we have a guest post from Beth Bartlett with a book review of Such a Pretty Fat.
“Other than the exploding underwear, I’m pleased about the work I did today.”
For most of us, that line can sum any good day, but in Jen Lancaster’s weight loss memoir, Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist’s Quest to Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie is Not the Answer, it means even more. Lancaster goes from feeling that she’s ‘fiiiine,’ yet still sweats while she eats, to enduring numerous diet plans, from Atkins to Weight Watchers, and finally finding a smaller ass with, horror of horrors, a blonde personal trainer named Barbie.
This book is fast, funny, and should be required reading for every plus-size princess out there. As I’m also halfway on my journey out of the queen-size clothes, I found myself nodding like a bobblehead every time she discovered another truth along the road, from forbidden food cravings to her first yoga workout that scared the UPS guy, and even the ultimate secret: you have to like what you’re eating to succeed, and love who you are the whole way.
I did learn that this book should not be read in public places; her vivid entries about personal training with Barbie (“I wonder how much it would cost to have her killed”) caused me to shake and sputter uncontrollably, scaring a German Shepherd, two toddlers, and several soccer moms at the park. There’s plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, including her observations about Jenny Craig and her biting letter to the JustMySize.com customer service team. She’s honest about the difficulty of what she does along the way, but she keeps plugging along, eventually ditching what doesn’t work and reveling in achievements like finally being able to run on the treadmill.
The exploding underwear, a side effect of digging out long-lost skinny clothes, then forgetting why we discarded them in the first place, is actually a happy moment; even when your bra pops out its own peep show, slap on some duct tape and keep that workout going. Although she goes from confident fat girl to insecure dieter and finally to a healthier, fitter person, by the end of the book her journey isn’t over. I hope there is a sequel in the works, because there’s so much ground to cover (no pun intended) and she’s one of the few brave enough to lay it all out there.
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April 7, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Right on! I firmly believe that before someone can embark on a weight loss and health journey that they need to be comfortable in their body as is. Though I only have 15 pounds or so to lose on my frame, I found that I wasn’t in the right mind frame to start my journey until I came to terms with my size. So I bought all new clothes in the sizes that I am (and it is quite assorted because I am “somewhere in between”.
April 7, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Awesome review, Beth!! Like Katherine, I have all sorts of sizes in my closet. I’m thinking of losing maybe 20-ish more pounds? Not sure how that’ll turn out. I’m checking into a pilates class to tone up more so I don’t know if I’ll actually need to lose that much or if I’ll just tone up and have more muscle. I’d like to be a 4 or 6. I’m a pretty small-ish/medium frame so that’s do-able (and not a totally crazy goal) for me. I’m a 10-ish/12-ish right now. My body is changing and shifting and I’m not quite sure where this weight loss journey will end for me. Again, like Katherine, I’m in between! (Don’t ya just hate that sometimes, Katherine? LOL!) Anyway, I’m finding peace on my journey as I lose the last bit. I sometimes have to be reminded that I’ve lost over 100 pounds and that’s a huge accomplishment. When you still have more to lose, you sometimes focus on that–instead of how far you’ve already come.
And… that book sounds like a fun read!!
Thanks to Jen for posting your guest post.
*smiles*
Michele
April 8, 2009 at 2:37 pm
LOL, what a fun review and fun book! I’m putting this on my wish list!
April 8, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Sounds like a laugh riot book. I could stand to lose some pounds. Don’t know if it will ever happen.
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com