Do I Look Fat in This?: Get Over Your Body and On With Your Life

by Rhonda Britten

The author of Change Your Life in 30 Days and Fearless Living confronts that nagging question from the inside out.

As a Life Coach on the Emmy Award-winning daytime reality show Starting Over , Rhonda Britten has helped countless women befriend their bodies-first by encouraging them to face and accept what they see in the mirror, and then by empowering them to make healthier decisions about their weight.

In Do I Look Fat in This? , Rhonda shares her personal story of body confidence and the stories of many of the women who have reached out to her. With Rhonda's encouragement and advice, people can find the courage and inspiration they need to move from disliking their bodies to celebrating them, from seeing them as objects of shame to considering them their own best friends.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 for me. Well written, but a reminder of why I don't enjoy self-help books.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Self help book that was almost inspired. Written by “Starting Over” lady which was interesting to find out. Did it help me get over my body issues? No. Nothing really new in this book.

[Lain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not watch TV, so I was not familiar with her work on "The Starting Over House" until I read this book. I had caught the show once or twice while traveling, so I quickly made the connection between the life coach I'd seen, and the author. Rhonda writes in a personal, easy-to-read style that makes her readers feel like she's sitting down with them over a skinny latte at the local Starbucks. She puts up no pretensions, and readily shares her less-than-glamorous personal history and struggles.

The strengths of this book are Rhonda's approachability and sound advice. Where it falls a bit short is I feel it tries to do too much at once. Rhonda's personal struggles are interspersed with those of the participants in The Starting Over House and the women who shared their feelings about their bodies for the photos at the beginning of each chapter. I think the book would have been stronger if she had stuck to one approach -- just her own stories, or just those of the clients she's helped. Instead, I felt a little like a pingpong ball, zipping between one story here and Rhonda's story there.

All that said, Rhonda's message is simple and clear: You can live in the NOW, or you can put off your "real life" until you lose five, ten, fifteen, or more pounds. The life in that future time is less important than your life in the here and now, so you may as well get moving.

Thank you, Rhonda, for sharing your story so honestly. You will help a lot of people.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with a group of women, and we discussed each chapter a week at a time. I highly recommend approaching the book this way, as there are a number of practical suggestions in the book that are worth trying for a week, and then discussing to see what worked and what didn't.

I don't think this is a book you can sit down and read in one fell swoop and expect to get results. It's one that takes time and commitment, which I understand isn't for everyone. But I've reaped a lot of rewards from this work, and would recommend it to lots and lots of people (men and women) who have body-love issues. You may not come out in love with yourself, but you'll definitely know a lot more about yourself, and that's a good first step.

[Joy Weese Moll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhonda Britten was a life coach on the reality TV series Starting Over during the time this book was written and published. She has written several other books beginning with Fearless Living in 2001. In Do I Look Fat in This?, Britten covers the issue of body image and weight. The book is part memoir, part self-help.

Many more thoughts about clothes designed for women without curves and other body image issues on my blog: Book Review: Do I Look Fat in This? by Rhonda Britten

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this is a book about processes, not results.

The writing isn't the best, but the ideas are strong. It's not "here are the right things to do to get your body beautiful" it's "here are the right things to do to treat your body the right way. don't abuse your body because it has x and not y, and find a b and c ways to love it."

[Alona Perlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The author is very relatable and it feels like you're talking to your best friend when you read it. Some of the advice is not new, however, a lot of points get through to you and also the written exercises are effective. I met the author and her books reflect her relatable, honest and heart-warming personality! I can't wait to read her other books.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has body image issues and this book is a great start at understanding yours and taking the first steps to healing the negative attitudes towards our bodies that hold us back and hinder our happiness.

[Rakisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

It referenced her now cancelled talk show too much to be effective for me, but others might benefit from the message.