Book Review: Big Girl: How I Gave Up Dieting and Got a Life.

I loved this book. It’s the story of Kelsey Miller- a Refinery 29 writer, book author, and an awesome chick on the way to self-acceptance and Intuitive Eating. Happiness and fulfilling life, too, if we may be so bold to say.

She ties together her tale of childhood attempts at acting, family, show tunes, diets that worked, didn’t work, and were just plain upsetting as she carves out the niche that is her New York life as well as calming the voices in her head (that we all have!)

Kelsey has pioneered the Anti-Diet Project and is taking back the beach the way she wants to- as we all should. An interesting point raised in the book was that with every diet- she  can’t wait til it’s over.  

Who doesn’t want the diet to be over so that you can get back to ‘normal’ life. She recounts her life of her dysfunctional family, scary diet coaches, good friends, and food in many forms. This story does not end with her wrapping everything up neatly. Mostly of the time, Kelsey can’t even find the ribbon, let alone wrapping things into a bow. But she is trying.

Kelsey’s story is raw, sad, scary, triumphant, illuminating, joyous, and felt like I had a friend confiding in me. I cried with her losses and identified with her panic attacks and cheered with her successes, and was inspired by her hard work when she really focused.

Author Kelsey Miller, Picture from Amazon.com

From getting those ‘oh, we’re SO happy a girl like You could be a part of this fitness weekend (cue head tilt and quick glance over her bod)!’ Kelsey’s body- to others is plus size, to people who have called her obese, to those whom she is a true friend and family member too-
it’s a grim nod to the fact that so many people judge the book by its cover. Feeling positive about your body is a GREAT THING no matter any person, any gender, any size.

I’m sure many people will identify with her story, her journey, if you will, as she grows up and lives her life according to her rules, not anyone else’s for once.

Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?