There are many obese people in our country, as we continually see in media stories about "the obesity epidemic". But even Biggest Loser has never had a contestant who was 700+ pounds. Most people who become as extremely obese as that end up dying of complications of their obesity rather than losing the weight. By the time they're that big, they are incapable of doing almost everything, and feel extremely isolated, helpless and hopeless. Nancy Makin was at that place in her life too, but unlike most other people who have become that heavy, she found her way to recovery.
Low self-esteem is often at the core of turning to food to cope with feelings of unworthiness. Food addiction is just another form of trying to find something to soothe, comfort and pleasure yourself when there are no other alternatives in your life. Some people turn to alcohol or drugs, but food is much more readily available, and, to some extent, more socially acceptable. Nancy led a deprived childhood, as she compellingly describes in her back story. It's not hard to see how she developed feelings of unworthiness. But her turning point came through her online communication with others. Even though she was isolated in her apartment, she was able to get online and find others to chat with about politics. She realized she had something to contribute to online discussions, and made friends who enjoyed and respected what she had to say. She began to feel better about herself, and began to take steps to eat less and gradually lose weight.
This is not a diet book, or a weight loss "how-to" book. This is a story of one woman's descent into extreme obesity and her gradual recovery. And by recovery, I mean not only weight loss, but a change of attitude and spiritual growth. She writes with compassion towards others who suffer from obesity as she did. She regrets all the years she spent "beating herself up" for her alleged weakness and unworthiness. She says later, "there's no bigger waste of time than beating yourself up. It doesn't change anything that happened in the past. It doesn't help you not to make the same error in the future. It takes up all the time you should be using to make real changes."
She refuses to be a victim and doesn't place blame on others for her situation. She stresses over and over the importance of taking responsibility for oneself, and learning to value ourselves for the unique personalities and inner qualities each of us possess. She stresses that self-worth does not come from an acceptable number on the scale. People who lose weight without changing their inner selves will likely gain it right back again.
I was very impressed with her wisdom. She has a common sense way of writing, and does an excellent job of inspiring, encouraging, and giving hope to those who struggle with food addiction and obesity. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in not only losing weight, but also losing the kind of mindset that keeps them turning to food as a solution for things food cannot solve.
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