“You Just Need to Lose Weight”

Very informational and I appreciate the self reflection queues and resources after each myth to dig further. Definitely worth a read to touch on an array of subjects/ myths. Although I feel like it was a little shallow, like she covered so many myths and hit briefly on each which got a bit redundant at the end and left me feeling I never dove in enough for full enlightenment on any of the myths. Still insightful and helpful, just a little surface level.

I've also listened to her podcast and loved her personality and witty humor but for some reason none of that came through in this book, it was a bit dull.

Again overall worth the read and very informational, just a little bit shallow and dry.

A few years ago I attended a continuing ed training focused on helping clients with weight/emotional eating/body image concerns. That training was so helpful to me in so many ways, and one of the great side effects was that I was introduced to Aubrey Gordon. She is an amazing thinker and community organizer, and has written for many years under the pseudonym of “Your Fat Friend.” She is also the co-host of the AMAZING podcast Maintenance Phase.

Anyway, needless to say reading one of her books has been on my list for a while now. As suggested by the title, this book is organized into 20 chapters, each one focused on a different myth about fat people (perhaps relevant here - one of the chapters focused on reclaiming the word “fat” as a neutral body description, akin to short/tall). If you have never thought about your views on body size, never questioned your innate reaction to congratulate people for weight loss, never thought about how larger bodies are portrayed in the media (or as the punchline of jokes), this may be a great book for you! It is heavily research-based, but for me the biggest punches come from stories and experiences of her own life.

If you are already a Maintenence Phase listener, you have probably been exposed to a fair amount of the information in this book (although not all). And if you expect it to read like a MP episode, that is not quite the vibe. Many of the chapters end with questions to think about and/or actions to take, which I really appreciated. I'm very glad I read this book!

I love the way she explains anti-fat myths in such common sense ways, but also with research to back her up. This has honestly changed the way I look at the world.

This book is a nice consolidation of all the things I like about listening to Maintenance Phase (except Mike, whom I enjoy but who is not represented here). Gordon's writing is thorough, well researched and empathetic.

If you've listened to Aubrey Gordon's Maintenance Phase podcast, which she co-hosts with Michael Hobbes, you probably don't need to read this book, as it covers pretty much the same territory. But if you're unfamiliar with her work and subscribe to the many myths about fat people e.g., they just need to consume fewer calories/find the right diet to become thinner; they are universally less healthy because of their fatness; being fat is an individual choice made by people without willpower - well, you need to sit down and let yourself get schooled by Gordon.

Although the podcast is arguably more entertaining, “You Just Need to Lose Weight” is informative and research-based without being dry. Gordon encourages readers to take the next step by including reflection questions and opportunities for action to engage in harm reduction in anti-fatness. Maintenance Phase completely changed how I view fat people and society's response to them; I hope the book will do the same for many other well-intentioned but clueless people like myself.