Fat is a Family Affair

This writer has been there, done that, is truly an expert on the subject. And she has genuine academic credentials. Besides that, her writing is exceedingly readable. A fresh look at addiction; relevant for all kinds of addictive behavior. Unlocks some real hidden data that resides inside people suffering from eating disorders.

If you are looking to lose weight or just want to discover why you overeat then this is the first book you should read! It is filled with encouraging stories and takes a closer look at why diets are not enough to keep the weight off. Easy-to-read and encouraging this is an honest, practical book.

We look so often to chemicals like cocaine, alcohol, or heroin when we are thinking of addiction and the corresponding behavior patterns that become the hallmarks of an addict's life and relationships. And then it is almost expected that we fly into our abstract heads and think of things like television and the internet- or just recently sex- when we think of possible things to be addicted to, devoid of any sense of connection to a deeper-seeded emotional or psychological condition. Hollis brings such a compassionate but painstakingly thorough analysis of the addiction to food and the painful emotions it both masks and magnifies- and then moves out into the relationships of those suffering from it- that you cannot help but believe, and be moved.When you begin to see that underneath every bouncing, life of the party- or quiet and mousy- woman in a size 20 or bigger dress is an enraged and hurting soul who has learned to be afraid of everything involving either intimacy, independence or risk- to the detriment of joy in her life- you will see all women differently. And the guy with the beer belly may be telling the same story. Hollis manages to underscore and illuminate this problem without being maudlin or dramatic, or victimizing people out of a sense of personal power. Instead she allows not just people with eating disorders to see what is happening and how to come through it, but those involved with them, often codependently, to see that they have a path to walk to reality as well. After reading this book so many reoccurring issues in my relationships became impossible to ignore or explain away, as they all centered around my weight, her weight, and my fears of forging ahead in my career (and being alone while doing it).Women must be reminded that you don't have to look like Tyra Banks to be beautiful. But they must also have it known that you don't have to be suffering with a body that is more a cry for help than it is an honest expression of who they are. And, that people who love you- family and friends- have almost as much responsibility as you do, to bring love and trust and honest relating and support into your life. The behavioral paradigms of fear and grief do not discriminate; neither does forgiveness, wisdom, or love.I advise anyone who can relate to the emotional issues, personality traits, behavior patterns and relationship games/dramas laid out in this book to take it seriously. It can help a great deal.