Five Body Acceptance Books That Are Life Changing
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If you would've told me 10 years ago that I would be over 100 pounds heavier and ten thousand times more confident, I would say you are lying. The journey to loving my body has been a rocky one filled with diet fads, strenuous workouts, and self-hatred. It took many years to unlearn these practices with the help of therapists, workshops, journaling, and prayer.
While I'm grateful that past Mykalee did what they had to get to this space, I have to maintain the momentum. If you struggle or have struggled with body issues, you know that you have to do a little maintenance every now and then to keep the negative self-talk from taking the mic like Kanye at the 2009 MTV Music Awards.
One way I like to keep the body negativity at bay is through books! I used to be an avid reader as a child but as technology advanced, my books transformed into blog posts, social media, and youtube videos. In 2019, I made the intention to start reading again. And with my professional mission being to help all bodies through food and wellness, I have five great reads all about the body.
1.
The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self Love by Sonya Rene Taylor
Don't let the Radical Self Love title fool you. This is not your lovey-dovey body book. The Body Is Not An Apology dives deep into the social standards and views on different bodies from a historical and political sense. Taylor also puts the mirror in front of her readers, allowing us to examine ourselves and how we perpetuate body shame towards others.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it addresses that the negative self-talk we have about our bodies and the bodies of others not always our own but they are thoughts influenced by society. Also, she explains that we cannot reach radical self-love without acknowledging, appreciating, and celebrating all bodies.
2.
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings
This book was highly recommended by a few friends and I'm excited to dive into it this year. Sociology professor, Sabrina Strings delves into the history of the mistreatment of fat black women from the Renaissance to modern times. She ties that cultures that push people to have a slim figure is not about health but it's seeped in racism.
3.
Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Maree Brown
Pleasure Activism is a book that changed how I view pleasure as a whole and made me want to experience it on a daily basis. Adrienne Maree Brown asks the question "How do we make social justice the most pleasurable human experience?”.
Pleasure Activism dives into topics like the erotic, sex, burlesque, drugs, me too movement, trans experience, polyamory, through analyzing the work of feminist thinkers like Audre Lorde and Toni Cade Bambara as well as interviews with Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Cara Page, and more.
I added this to the body list because this book was riddled with thoughts, ideas, poetry, and discussions that relate to the body. Reading this book allowed me to learn about the experiences of people with similar bodies as me, different bodies than mine, and how we all find pleasure in this world. I recommend this book to anyone who just believes pleasure pertains to sex only. Pleasure is so much more and Pleasure Activism will open your minds, hearts, and bodies, to that truth.
4.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessen Van Der Kolk
This book has also been recommended to me by many friends. The Body Keeps the Score talks about trauma and how it affects our body and brain for years to come. Dr. Bessen Van Der Kolk also discusses helpful ways to recover and activate the brain's natural neuroplasticity.
Contrary to popular belief, trauma is more than a mental issue, it's a holistic one and this book covers how the trauma we have been through affects our lives more than we realize.
5.
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
Just like the title states, this book has revolutionized a way of eating that many dieticians and nutritionists highly recommend. I picked up the intuitive eating book when I wanted to learn how to eat in a way that was harmonious with my body and mind.
According to Amazon, Intuitive Eating is the "go-to book to rebuilding a healthy body image and making peace with food". I loved how Tribole and Resch dissect the dieting mind and provide steps to unlearn dieting behaviors. Focusing on unlearning bad habits and implementing the better ones helped me create a sustainable way of eating.
And while I'm still a work in progress when it comes to understanding the balance of my body, Intuitive Eating gave me the foundation I needed to break the disordered eating cycle and dive into living life fully, eating good, and loving my body.
These are a few books that have helped me along my journey to loving my body. And I still have a few books that are on my list to continue this work and healing.
If you are interested but might not have the time to read a book, try audible. It's a platform where you can listen to many titles on your phone, tablet, and other electronic devices. Audiobooks have been a part of my reading regimen for two years now. I love listening to an audiobook while walking, cleaning, and more. Interested? Try audible premium plus and get 2 audiobooks for free!
In the comments, please let me know if have read these books and your thoughts. Also if you have any book recommendations, please share those too!
