Make 2022 the year you learn to love your body.Yes, you can LEARN to love your body. No, it doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We’ve been bombarded with negative messages about our bodies for years, but you can overcome those negative messages with positive ones.The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body is one part humor, one part journal, one part recipe for self-love. Mix it all together, and … recipe for self-love. Mix it all together, and you’ll fill your plate with a greater appreciation for what’s on the outside AND what’s on the inside.
What’s in the Guide:
-what diet culture is and why it’s so harmful
-unpacking historical and sociological reasons for our obsession with youth, thinness, and beauty
-how to deal with bodyshamers
-how to advocate for yourself in healthcare settings
-how to dress for your body
-relationship and sex advice
-365 #bopo meditations
Plus, strategies for learning to love the skin you’re in now and forever.
It’s not easy. It does take work. But you’re worth it. I promise.
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The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body
By K.L. Montgomery
5 out of 5 stars
This is a book that I enjoyed reading. I loved the author’s wit and how she tackles the issues that are faced by those who are not happy with their body. This is a book that made me take a hard look at how I see and think about myself. The author gives advice and tackles many issues regarding how you see your body and how to love yourself. I loved that the author used her own personal experiences. I have struggled with my weight since childhood, so this book had me thinking back over the years and how I found that others shaped how I thought of my body. Many of my experiences have been negative. I found this book to be uplifting and a guide in choosing to be happy with my body. It is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn to love their body. Highly recommended.
K.L. Montgomery from the get-go has an interesting way of writing, in which she manages to almost make you feel like she is in the room with you having a conversation face to face rather than through her book. She continues this on throughout her book and it is one of her many charming aspects of her writing. As a young woman reading this book, she straight away puts me at ease within the first few sentences, relaxing me to the point I didn’t realise I had read halfway through the book until I looked up at the time. She has such a relaxed and calm way of writing it just flows effortlessly from page to page, making reading this book a very easy read.
In her book, ‘The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body’, the authoress has figured out a way to really pull you in and make you listen and understand the process in which to love your body. She is not one just to pull facts on you and make you listen but shows her evidence from her own personal experiences and through other social aspects that she has seen in her life. Not only that, but she makes you connect to your self in a way that I haven’t seen in any other books. She uses her own experiences and your own and manages to make a connection, helping you understand that experience in a way that you hadn’t before.
Not only is this a book for reading but for interacting with too. She makes you involve yourself, so this isn’t just a flick through book. This is something much deeper. She makes you delve into your own mind and your own thoughts about your body and even noting them down. However, she doesn’t just leave you there to drown in these thoughts, she holds your hand (metaphorically) throughout the book and by the end you can’t help but respect your body in a new way. Even if you can’t love your body completely, you find new ways to view it in a more appreciative way.
This book and the authoress have a very honest, funny, thought-provoking way of pulling you through the book and it’s hard to put it down once you’ve started. Montgomery, as a writer, has a fabulous way of making you smile and laugh as well as supporting you when you get to the more serious aspects. Her whole process really does change your mind and view on aspects of your body and your own mental health.
By the end of the book/journal I genuinely felt as if I had not only gained a new sense of looking at myself (both physically and mentally) but felt like a gained a friend in the writer as well from her tone and attitude with her writing.
Montgomery is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the sticky subject on writing about how people should love their bodies. She does it with an air of humour, a dash of laughter and always a hand to support anyone who reads this book. She’s honest, caring and above all keeps her readers well-being in the forefront of her mind throughout the book and it was honestly a real enjoyable read that changes your mindset towards your body in a gentle and humble way.
I’ve been doing the journal assignments for this on my blog. And there’s a lot of journal entries to complete but that’s the beauty of this book – it makes you actively think and assess your mindset.
Now, there’s an obvious target market – the clue’s in the title.
However, anyone with body issues can find benefit in this book, regardless of size or gender.
“It is not your job to be pretty” is a core belief here – sound advice for all, right?
The first half gives you background of the author’s journey along with advice before setting tasks for you. This is a voice of experience, people.
The second half details daily meditations. Every single day for a year, there’s a different thought for the day – something to think about or do, all aimed at helping you improve your attitude to your body and food.
This is not “I know better because I have all these degrees” advice. No, it’s far better. This is KL Montgomery sharing her experience and life knowledge with you. Open, honest truths.
The informal language throughout is fun and feels like a friendly chat – far better than the “do this/that/the other” of a lot of self-help manuals.
Oh, and there’s swearing included, so if the f bomb offends, this may not be the book you are looking for (*waves hand in a Jedi stylee*).
There’s definitely some things I will personally take from this book which will help me on my own body positive journey.
So, if you’ve got a less than friendly self-dialogue going on, grab this book with both hands.
It’s even in KU as I write this – a whole year’s worth of book fro free. Even at £5 it’s a bargain.
If you get the paperback, there’s pages included for your journal assignments btw.
If you do one good thing for yourself this month/year, buy this book!
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Makaela Patterson
This book was very interesting to read. As you keep reading you find yourself looking deep within. Some of the thoughts I took away from this book is that you have to know your own worth and if your not there itches next step is you. It starts with you. Take action on your self love journey Sometimes your mind can be your own problem you can be toxic to yourself. Easier said than done to re work your brain to think more positive I know. This book is such a touchy topic, and can be such a sore spot for people to talk about. One of the things I like about her book is that she makes the books very funny and light hearted kicking off your self Discovery and journey to loving yourself.
I don’t really read a lot of self-help books but this is one I’d definitely recommend. I’ve always been a skinny girl but have in the past few years become much more concerned with how I look. This book really helped me think about the way I think about my body and how that connects with other parts of my life. I loved the addition of the journalling prompts spread out throughout the book and the 365 daily prompts at the end, and the writing style is exactly like chatting with the author over coffee – girl next door and all. Highly recommended.
The Fat Girls Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery is a book you need to read. Although this book is primarily a body positive book it can be about anything in yourself that you have decided you do not like. Ms. Montgomery points out in this book how that is a “choice”. Of course, we all want to say…well that’s easy to say but how do you do it. What are the mechanics of making a different choice? In this book Ms. Montgomery takes you on a journey that will lead you into learning how to do that. She teaches you the mechanics if you are listening with your heart and mind. The language is a little rough at times, but I think it reflects a very real person that is talking to you in a very real way. Not dressed up and all Grammarly but plain and simple, and down and dirty. I feel like it reflects the heart of someone who has a very real desire to help people find out where happiness can be found. Let K.L. Montgomery show you how you are so much more “than the sum of your parts.”
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery
5 +++ Stars
Wow, just Wow, I really felt like this book, this author was really talking straight too me! K.L. Montgomery who refers to herself as Krista in her book is a ‘Kindred Spirit’. This is definitely not just another self-help book, it is much more than that, if like the blurb says, “Do you wonder if you’ll ever be happy with your body? then I recommend this book.
It is written in the first person almost as though Krista is talking to you personally, just chatting as friends as it has a casual feel to the writing which I liked and felt was right for this book. The book is divided into bite size chapters with clear headings and each one deals with a particular subject at the end of each chapter is a journaling assignment for the reader to work on.
Krista introduces us to ‘Journaling’ in an early chapter and this is what makes this book unique, as it is gives the book an interactive feel and gets us, as the reader involved and thinking about our own experiences and how we can change for the better. Krista is very clear throughout the book that, “it’s indeed your mind that needs to change, not your body”. “IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO BE PRETTY” is another saying which is repeated throughout the book. She reaffirms her positive sayings throughout the book.
Krista talks us through ‘deprogramming’ in one chapter and she introduces us to ‘Body Positivity or ‘BoPo’ as she refers to it. I love the fact that Krista is honest and talks openly about her own experiences which made me feel as though I was not alone in my thinking and that someone felt the same, this kept me engaged in the book from beginning to end and I read it in hours not days.
I have also referred back to certain chapters and feel that having read it cover to cover the use of easily identified chapters means the parts that are specific to you, you can refer back to. I love the fact that at then end you can download and print a certificate to, “remind yourself of your commitment to loving your body”. You can also join Krista’s ‘Fat Girl Tribe’, on Facebook and the book ends with a section of daily ‘BoPo’ Meditations which enables the reader to continue their journey, each day has an affirmation to be read and reflected on.
As Krista observes at the end of her book, changing ones mindset and learning to love your body is not an overnight thing. The, “meditations are meant to keep your focus on all things body positive”. I could go on raving about this book for hours but really you need to read it for yourselves to understand how inspirational Krista is and how her advice in this book can really help you. Therefore I can not recommend this book highly enough, a definite must read for anyone wanting to achieve a more positive body image!
So if as the blurb says, “Have you ever struggled to love your body? then yes I definitely agree that, “YES “YOU NEED THIS BOOK. NOW”!
The Fat Girl’s Guide To Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery
Five Stars
This is a must read book for everyone, especially if you have self image issues. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I started reading this book, but this book gave me something to think about. I don’t have to settle and this book gave me some great ideas about self image and attitude. I love the narrative when K.L. Is talking to you like a girlfriend. I’m not much for writing, but the exercises were stimulating and help give me a different perspective. So me new outlook on this year is to be better to myself and try not to sweat the small stuff. Life throws us enough curveballs we shouldn’t bring more on ourselves. Thank you Krista Lynne for the insightful words of wisdom. I look forward to continuing down this healing path for the foreseeable future.
This is a very interesting book and sounds like the author had some bad experience with medical professional when growing up been negative instead of actually helping. This is an extremely straight to the point book which is awesome in my opinion. Give it a read it real gets through to you about the way body image is portrayed on different forms of media.
This is not a self help book but a self love book.
This isn’t the type of book I normally read but took more from it than I thought I would. Yes, it is aimed at plus sized women but I believe that everyone should try to love their body because it’s the only one we get and although it is a long process, this book will give you some essential tips to help you achieve that. It opened my eyes to some issues plus sized women go through and I have learned valuable lessons in what is appropiate to say to friends and family when they say things about their weight.
This isn’t just a book, its a self love journal and a self love bible.
The Fat Girls Guide is surprisingly quirky, and incredibly inspirational. I enjoyed the book from the moment I started reading it to the moment i finished it. K L Montgomery has a way with making you laugh, and helping you discover yourself in the same paragraph. This book deserves 5 stars for it’s absolutely whimsical way of writing and overall being a great book. I truly loved this book and plan on reading it again!
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery. Anytime I see K.L. Montgomery’s name on anything I get it and read it. This was no exception and I’m so glad I did. I related to this book in almost every aspect. Its a must read for all girls/ladies/women. Its a book showing us how to go about having positive self body image and gives us the tools to do so thru music, journals and meditation. The work has to be done to see results but I truly believe that these are valuable tools that anyone can use to have a better vision of themselves. This book can pertain to fat people, skinny people, and everything in between. It may be uncomfortable if you are really truthful with yourself but the results will be amazing. Do yourself a favor and read Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body, you will be so glad you did!
I think everyone should read this book. I wondered how relevant some of the chapters would be to me, since I’m in a queer relationship and don’t necessarily adhere to gender norms, but I very much connected with it. The book is very inclusive. There are maybe two chapters that are aimed more toward cisgender/straight women, but that’s because that is what the author can share from her own experiences, and I think her reflections in those passages are still important for everyone to read. She’s spot-on with her callouts on our sexist society. The writing style is an entertaining mix of crude bluntness and sassy intelligence. Let this book help you put the work in to loving your body, and to stop tormenting yourself physically and mentally to fit some fake ideal of health and beauty.
I feel like K.L.Mongtomery is definitely on the right track with this book. I really liked the interactive way in which it was written. She uses journaling assignments to reinforce the lessons throughout the book. Most of these are thought provoking, to the point of being uncomfortable, but in the year that this book takes to complete, I can see how helpful it will be.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Perfect for the Overweight Woman who Needs a Little TLC
If you have ever had issues with body image or being body positive—or are indeed a fat girl like the title of this book says,–this book is just what you need to be encouraged to truly love yourself for whatever size that you are. The book is surprisingly long and has a lot of different sections. Through the first portion, there is journaling on specific topics. The author also has mini-essays on a variety of topics, including the misogyny behind fat-shaming, the diet industry, and relationships among others. The author at times gets quite strident, sometimes breaking out into ranting asides. But, if you have been a fat girl, you can appreciate her strong advocacy for what might be the last socially sanctioned prejudice. In general, the author is very supportive of the women who might read this book. The tone comes across as if she is just chatting with her best girlfriend; I love that easy, conversational style. After the main sections with these mini-essays and the journaling comes a set of 365 brief meditations to ponder, one each day. This book is meant to be used over the course of a year because, as the author states, learning to love your body as a fat woman who has internalized all that family, friends, doctors, and others in society say about and to fat women is not easy. It is not just a 30-day or three-month process. Actually, it is a lifelong process. Having been overweight all my life, I found that so much of the author said rang true. I think it might surprise us if we all shared notes at how common certain experiences would be. If you have experienced this, parts of this book will make you angry, and parts of it will make you sad, but I think the destination will be worth the journey. While I did read through this book for this review, I of course did not have time to truly act on it. I think I will work through it seriously because this is definitely a problem for me as it is for many others. If you are a fat girl or one who has problems with body image, you may very well find this book to be the tough love that you need.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery is a book I picked up with slight hesitation – there are loads of body positivity books and self-help books out there and I was wondering what would be the difference … what would be the purpose of picking up another one that would end up collecting dust (well, digital dust in this case) … BUT I was wrong, it is actually an interactive book that will start you on a journey IF you are open to it and why wouldn’t you? You have nothing to lose … so I took the first step and started with the journaling and already the first journaling assignment was like a kick in my stomach … it was debilitating to realize where we come from and how long we have been on that destructive path … and even when I thought that I have come a long way, there is still such a long way to go …
I will be working with this book for the rest of the year like the writer hopes that we would do, as she says it is not a quick journey or change of mind set, it takes time and it takes unconditional love … I also loved the song list, I have added all those songs to my playlist AND I started my journaling in a digital journal so that I can always have an access to the entries as it lives on the cloud …
Thank you Krista Lynne Montgomery for giving us a book that goes beyond the self-help industry handbooks!
****4 stars****
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery
This book is not only one for those struggling with their own body acceptance, but also a humorous and realistic take on figuring out how to love yourself, whatever your size. As someone who’s struggled with weight over the last 15 years I have experienced personally how body image can impact pretty much every aspect of your existence. As a mental health professional, I have found that many books regarding weight and body issues focus on what to eat and not eat, calories, exercise, and what you should do to be the “right size” and totally ignored the emotional side of things. That has been infuriating and unfortunate and I almost feel like many books just leave the readers feeling like crap instead of making you feel better having read them. Intuitive eating, triggers, the importance of self-care, journal assignments for self-exploration, and daily body positive messages were my favorite things about this book. I think whether your goal is losing weight or just getting comfortable in your own skin then you’ll find valuable information in this book that will help you along the learning process of self-acceptance.
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery
5 out of 5 stars
The Fat Girls Guide to loving your body by K.L. Montgomery is a great story that contains one-part humor, one-part journal, one-part recipe for self-love. Mix it all together, and you’ll come out the other side with a greater appreciation for both what’s on the outside AND what’s on the inside.
I have to say I was always skinny until I had my first child 29 years ago and I have had a problem with my weight ever since. I also have medical issues that seem to stop me from losing the weight especially when the doctors prescribe meds that make you gain weight So, this book really hit it dead on even if I didn’t care about body-shamers. I loved how the author talks to you as a friend and helps you with body positive knowledge that knocked it out of the ball-park.
This was a great book and I simply enjoy reading Ms. Montgomery’s work and look forward to more of her books….
Tracy
@tracym
The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery was an inspiring and emotional read. I did not know that I needed to read this book as much as I did. I started the book because the last few months I have been on this journey of self discovery and the next step seemed to be self care in regards to my body. I enjoyed all of the references and information embedded in the book. The humor throughout was a welcome relief, there are so many self help books that are just fluffy or don’t come across as genuine as this book does. I definitely want to spend the next year doing the journal entries. I did not do them the first time around because I could tell from the beginning that I needed to read this book and get the big picture before I started dissecting myself. This will become a welcome reread time and time again not just for the journal entries but for the reminders of the impact that our everyday lives have on our mental state.
The book helped me to look at myself in a different way. K.L. Montgomery takes on all of the old norms of what a woman should look like. As long as you are willing to put in the work journaling and be honest K.L. Montgomery’s book can help to make a change in how you think of yourself and how you view others. It is not an easy read or an easy concept, but it is definitely worth taking the journey. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to love themselves a little more.