Tried to get into this book but it just wasn’t for me unfortunately. Maybe it will be someone else type of book.

This is a highly recommended honest story about being fat and the way people react before and after weightloss. There is discussion of binge eating disorder which for some may be uncomfortable.

In The Weight of Being, author Kara Richardson Whitely reveals her struggle with trying to lose weight, having a binge-eating disorder, and the shame she feels about her size. Following along in her journey, readers will learn about the frustration she felt with each failed dieting attempt, the fears she had about passing on bad food habits to her children, and the despair she felt when her weight began to prevent her from participating in family activities she once enjoyed—all of which ultimately led her to making a life-changing decision.

I read most of this book in one sitting, stopping only when my eyes felt too heavy with the need to sleep. I was completely wrapped up in Kara's story, wanting to know more as each chapter came to an end. I felt a great deal of empathy for her frustrations, particularly when things left her feeling overwhelmed or inadequate in some way—something I think every woman can relate to, whether they struggle with weight or other issues.

Whitely's conversational writing style was enjoyable to read, and I think it's one of the main reasons I felt so compelled to keep reading as long as I could. It sort of felt like I was participating in an actual conversation, rather than reading a book... if that makes any sense. I appreciated her candor in telling her story, as well. In an era where many people want to present themselves as close to perfect as possible, it's refreshing to see someone willing to be real for a change!

Simply put, this memoir is inspirational, and definitely a book worth reading.

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Seal Press via Netgalley.

Honest perspective of what it is like being obese in America. It was a bit slow and repetitive at times but a worthwhile read.

I loved the author's raw and honest portrayal of struggling with her weight and how it affects her life. I admire that honesty, as I am overweight and felt instantly connected to her. I definitely will recommend this to friends who also struggle with their weight, as it is nice to have what I am feeling put into words.

I read this author's first book and found it inspirational, so I was a little disappointed with this one.

While her first book was all about empowerment and discovering yourself, this one is all about EVERYONE else in her life. I do recognize that eating disorders affect just about everyone in the person's life and it is important to reflect that and understand how they are impacted. For this, I give the author full credit. She wasn't afraid to confront what her food issues are doing to her family.

Having said that though, I worried that she basically put everyone's feelings above her own ALL THE TIME. Frankly, nobody came across as particularly nice or even encouraging in this story. Her husband basically doesn't want to deal with any of it, so he ends up coming off a bit selfish and Kara's mother needs to be told that she is needed by her daughter, which is sad.

This book feels as though everything that is wrong in Kara's life and family is because she is overweight. I understand that Kara would think this, but I would have killed for ONE member of her family to tell her "we will support you and your decisions" and "not everything that is going wrong in our lives is because you are overweight".

The most interesting aspects for me are the running commentaries in Kara's mind, as she tries to fit these emotions and reflection into her reality of day to day life - something that I believe every binge eater does. The emotions and thoughts that came through Kara were scary, deep and honest. This is the Kara that I liked in the first book.

Overall, I am left somewhat let down. I wanted more Kara and her thoughts, her ambitions and her hopefulness.

A raw, realistic and absolutely heartbreaking look at what it's like to be obese in America, and what Binge Eating Disorder is and the havoc it wreaks. I've heard and read that the obese are the last group it's "ok" to openly discriminate against; while I'm not sure they're the *only* group, they are definitely treated with absolute disdain all over the place. I'm thankful for Whitely's bravery in telling her stories of humiliating experiences, so that hopefully more people can place themselves in her shoes and think about what their actions and words do to people. I'm also thankful for Whitely's willingness to open up about her struggles with anxiety and depression, for the same reason: that people can put themselves in her shoes and start to reduce the stigma that's often attached to mental illness.

While I'm rooting for Kara on her post-surgery journey to lose weight and learn to have a better relationship with food, what I'm most happy about is that she finally reached out to get the help she so desperately needed to make her life and emotional turmoil more manageable: therapy, help with her kids, finally opening up about things that were eating away at her. It seemed that those issues were the real root of the problem, and without starting to address those, everything else is pointless.

The book could use some tightening up - there were a few instances where Whitely went of on tangents that didn't seem to have much to do with the overall story (the tidbit about the competing Halloween parties, for example) - and there were some loose ends that I wondered about (her borderline-compulsive and secretive spending of money, for one; her husband's not doing his fair share with the home and the kids, for another). But overall it was a powerful story.

Having read Kara's previous two books I was ecstatic to get my hands on this book.

I truly root for Kara and wish her nothing but success with her struggles. I truly wanted to love this book. At first there was some retread of her background that she talks about in her previous books. I understand the necessity for any readers who didn't read her previous books and know her back story. It just felt a little too much like "Have I read this book before?".

Overall I just didn't love the tone. There was a lot of anger at innocent people (husband/kids), but I did love how happy she seemed in the end. I wish her all the best.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I was initially disappointed with the pace of the book and the author's writing style, but was soon drawn into what turned out to be a very well-written memoir. Most of the existing descriptions of the book include a spoiler, which is no surprise when discussing food addiction. I mean, the author either gets help, or he or she does not, so let me say at the outset that she does seek medical intervention.

Whitely did an excellent job of carrying the reader right along with her throughout her food addiction. All the while, I asked myself why she couldn't be addicted to fresh fruits and vegetables, but I was educated on the fact that, had that been the case, there would have been no weight problem and no book. Sugar is a drug in itself, after all.

I applaud her for taking the huge and scary step toward surgery. It will be interesting, however, to see what she teaches her children about food and a healthy relationship with it. I was very disappointed to see her "treat" her children to ice cream after the family took a long hike. I would be interested in learning what kinds of food choices she now makes for herself and her family, as there are many cases of people who have the surgery, but refuse to change their food choices.

I did enjoy reading the book, and I hope the author will write another to let us know of all the changes in her life!.

I really enjoyed this honestly written memoir about the author’s struggles to lose weight her entire life and how she coped with being heavy as a daughter, wife and mother. It was when she finally had weight loss surgery that she was able to gain some confidence and control in her life.
A well written and easy read, I highly recommend for anyone who has ever struggled with their weight.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I truly liked her honestly and her candor. She was honest and didn't sugar coat it at all.
It was a quick read. I read it in one day on my commute.
Enjoyable.

While I appreciate her struggle, I was disappointed that after knowing she could lose 120 lbs, she opted for the surgery. This book would be much better if after having the surgery she gave more information about how it changed her life - both good and bad. Did she lose all the weight? Did she have digestive issues? What about her nutrients? Did she have to have skin surgery? It felt this book was incomplete and all we know is she struggled with weight her entire life, lost a significant amount of weight on her own (not totally sure how) and gained it all back and worried about her child having the same issues. Did the daughter have those issues? How did the author get over her emotional eating issues? What did she do instead of eating?

The book is just ok and feels like it left the reader hanging. Maybe there will be a part 2?

@NetGalley #partner

Thank you #NetGalley for the review copy of #TheWeightOfBeing. All opinions are my own.

Kara has struggled with her weight for most of her life. Food is what she uses for comfort, boredom, hunger, anything. As a result, she ends up weighing well over 300 pounds. She struggles through different diets and can't seem to lose the weight. This is her story about her journey.

This book was pretty good. It was an interesting look at how an overweight person feels about themself. This author also was living in a time where Binge Eating Disorder was not a classified eating disorder so she's not really sure what to call her problem. The character is relatable and I enjoyed reading about her journey.

#books #bookstagram #reviewer #ARC

This was a very good book about the author’s struggles with her weight and food. She was very forthcoming. The book kept my attention the whole time. It was a quick read, I finished it in about 1.5-2 hours. I would have like the ending to go into more detail.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

I loved this book so much that I read it in a day! Kara's unflinchingly honest, incredible struggle with her obesity and her weight loss surgery make for compelling reading. An experienced journalist and gifted writer, her literary talents make this memoir one worth reading, whether or not the reader has dealt with a weight issue. Universal topics are examined such as love, death, grief, parenting, marriage, adventure, and community. I only wish that the final chapter had been a little more fleshed out. I hope Kara writes a sequel that depicts her ongoing challenges and triumphs. Highly recommended!

A lovely candid book about dealing with weight. Liked her honesty. Very impressed.

Thanks to author,publisher,and NetGalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating i gave it.