Penguin Life, 2023. 432 pages. Nonfiction
Have you ever thought that, if only you could change the way you looked, your life would be better? We all know that our problems wouldn’t actually be solved by magically attaining a so-called "perfect body". That’s because body image issues are never just about the surface: they’re always about something deeper inside. As a personal trainer and coach, Kneeland set out on a quest to discover how to help people understand, process, and heal their body image issues for good. Body Neutral will help you discover why you are unhappy with your body and how to defuse its power, freeing you to enjoy a life of true confidence, security, and satisfaction.
I've had body image issues for at least a decade and a half now, and this may sound naïve, but I had never really considered what might be the underlying reason(s) for them. Kneeland presents four "avatars" that describe common profiles of people who struggle with body image. This book will make you work, and it has a lot to unpack, including specific actions to take on a personal level. I liked this book enough to purchase myself a copy after reading (which is not something I do very often, as a public librarian). I'll for sure revisit this book as I continue to work on seeing my body through a neutral, impartial, unbiased lens. (I also especially appreciated that Kneeland wrote to a diverse audience in this work: body image issues are not women-exclusive, thank you very much.)