331 pg, paper, '01

Carol Johnson is a character and she shines in this entertaining, upbeat book on loving yourself and enjoying life! The founder of a support network called Largely Positive, she is exactly that—positive and encouraging on subjects such as weight and health, cultural "corsets," size acceptance, self-esteem, and taking action. Put on your "live-for-today" watch and "stand-on-your-own-two-feet" shoes and enjoy this book!

Find out:
*The real reasons diets don't work
*Why weight prejudice hurts everyone, fat or thin
*How to feel attractive and sexy at your natural weight
*How to create your own definition of beauty
*How to change the goal from thin to healthy

CONTENTS:

1 – Born Big
2 – Separating Fact From Fiction
3 – Bound by Culture
4 – Acceptable Discrimination
5 – Creating Your Own Deals
6 – What Are You Waiting For?
7 – Self-esteem Comes in All Sizes
8 – Creating Personal Style—In a Big Way
9 – I’m Only Telling You This for Your Own Good
10 – Lose Weight and Call Me in the Morning
11 - Movers and Shakers
12 – So You Still Want to Lose Weight?
13 – The Size Acceptance Movement
14 – Fitting In

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carol A. Johnson, M.A. is a research sociologist, certified psychotherapist, and founder of Largely Positive Inc., an organization that promotes health and self-esteem for all sizes. She is also Editor of On a Positive Note, a newsletter focusing on self-esteem and body image. She has appeared on such television talk shows as Ricki Lake and CBS This Morning, and has been featured in Ladies Home Journal, Woman's Day, Elle, and Better Homes and Gardens. She has given presentations for company wellness programs, size-acceptance organizations, and women's conferences, and at fashion events for Nordstrom, Macy's, and Liz Claiborne.

REVIEW:

"In this warm, savvy, supportive guide, Johnson shares her common-sense advice for developing self-acceptance and a host of excellent strategies for coping in an insensitive world."
— Literary Guild

"Self-esteem does come in all sizes! Let Carol Johnson help you appreaciate and cultivate your 'naturally bestowed' assets. . .you'll never be so thankful!"
— Emme, supermodel

"In this lively book, Carol Johnson shares common-sense advice for developing self-acceptance and strategies for coping in a world that can be particularly cruel to large people.

In this completely revised and updated edition of her earlier book, she reaffirms her strong message that you can love yourself and enjoy life no matter what your size. And she knows whereof she speaks-from 6 months of age on, she was already pronounced as being 'too heavy.' Throughout her life, the author tried diet after diet, one weight loss program after another, and suffered at school ('Carol the Barrel' to her classmates), but could not reach her thin ideal. She gradually changed her body image from negative to positive, and with this came a new energy and love for life. In this book, she explores the reasons that diets don't work, the impact of our culture on our self-image, and coming to accept and love ourselves as we are. Emphasis is on changing one's goal from thin to healthy and creating one's own definition of personal beauty.

Most of all, she encourages readers to begin living by feeling good about themselves, adopting healthy eating patterns, and becoming more active. She writes, 'Even though I may wish for some changes in size or symmetry, I can accept my body in its present format. I can live in it. I can, and want to, treat it with respect. My weight and my self-esteem are no longer glued together. I don't let my weight prevent me from living my life to the fullest...I am no longer playing the waiting game with my weight."
— Eating Disorders Today Newsletter, Spring 2003, Vol 1, No 4