Publisher: Unsolicited Press

ISBN: 978-1950730698

If the idea of losing weight is always on your mind, if you constantly count calories and worry about every bite you take, you should read this book. If you've never thought about losing weight in your life, you should read this book. Really, everyone should read this book, and I don't say that lightly. 

MeaningFULL: 23 Life-Changing Stories of Conquering Dieting, Weight, & Body Image Issues by Alli Spotts-De Lazzer is another breed of self-help book entirely.

Whereas most books with words like 'dieting' in the title are concentrated on trying to help the reader obtain the perfect summer beach body, this one is far, far more profound. Within these pages are stories from everyday people who have tangled with things like extreme dieting, eating disorders and body image issues firsthand. 

Many of the stories in this book are harrowing but absolutely essential to understanding the perspective of someone who struggles with these issues. Some of the lengths that the storytellers went to in the pursuit of perfection, things like drinking Ipecac in order to induce vomiting, journaling every calorie, and restricting food intake to the point that they were harming their heart, are things that many of us will probably never experience but that millions of real people experience every day. 

This book is eye-opening, to say the least and I really do think it is life-changing for anyone who reads it. Each story contains a little seed of joy. That is, every story ends with the storyteller explaining how they got back their happiness and took steps to climb out of their self-judgment and self-hatred. These tips are all things that any of us are able to do and most involved going to therapy, asking for help and being more mindful of yourself, which I found very inspirational. 

At the end of each story, Alli Spotts-De Lazzer adds her commentary as a trained therapist. This adds to the usefulness of this book as self-help but she still recommends that you seek out professional help as well.

I know that I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come and recommending it to my friends and family who have struggled with body image issues. 

About Alli Spotts-De Lazzer

Alli Spotts-De Lazzer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, and a “CEDS” Certified Eating Disorders Specialist, and a person on the other side of her own decades-long struggle with food battles and body dislike. She has presented educational workshops at international conferences, hospitals, and graduate schools and has published articles in trade magazines, academic journals, and online information hubs.

A believer in service and advocacy, Alli serves on multiple committees and created #ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! —a movement embodying its message.

Follow Here To Read An Interview With Alli Spotts-De Lazzer