Waisted is a satirical look into the world of extreme weight loss and reality television. This timely novel examines the weighty topics of body image and self-worth. I believe this is written as an intentionally uncomfortable read, dealing with intensely personal struggles and societal judgement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the free eGalley of this book. All opinions are my own.

What a uniquely, wonderful story. I laughed out loud several times. Alice and Daphne meet during the filming of the documentary Waisted set in a remote mansion in Vermont. They think they are going to be on a show similar to The Biggest Loser, with help them to slim down, but instead find the filmmakers are hell bent on humiliating them on camera. I liked learning about the two woman and the things that lead up to their weight gain. I found I could relate to so much these woman dealt with. They are both successful, but are unhappy with themselves, and feel they are not enough due to their weight. This is an important read for any woman. Thank you to the author for the ARC. #Waisted #NetGalley

Alice and Daphne both have lives that many would envy - careers, husbands, families, but with each carrying around a bit of extra weight they decide to make a big change and go to a remote Vermont mansion to hopefully send their lives in new directions.

The experience at Waisted was an interesting behind the scenes. It reminded me of the tv show The Biggest Loser and although I didn't watch that show religiously I caught it a few times and I wondered how close some of these women experiences were to that show. To hear how hard they were working and what little change they would see in their bodies was so hard to read.

This book had me questioning my own health which doesn't happen often when I read fiction. I have gone through ups and downs with my health and weight, so to read a fiction book with women at the center and the unique experience it is to be a woman and fight to be near the "ideal weight", I enjoyed reading this one.

I am not sure how often I want to read about this, but I am glad that books like this one exist.

the premise sounded better than the book. Many authors try to incorporate too much in to the book and good editor would spot that.

Seven women sign up to be part of an extreme weight loss documentary. Their stories and their self-discovery is one that all women (not just those who struggle with body image) should read.

I liked the concept of this book, but I think it was trying to do too much. It felt like there was commentary on too many social issues, and I think it would have been easier to read if it was more focused on one or two things. Also, I would have liked to see more of a response from the creators of the weight-loss program in the aftermath. Overall, it was a decent read, but it's not one I will be going out of my way to recommend.

As a woman, I know that weight can be a very sensitive subject, for each individual, and I was drawn to the synopsis of this novel. Waisted takes the provocative subject of size and weight and uses it to tell the story of Daphne.

I myself can turn to food in an instant when I’m having an emotional day, and this novel resonated with me to a degree. It borders on eating disorders by discussing the small amounts of food that are being eaten, but also takes the idea home that we should value our bodies. It felt a bit stiff at times, and I disconnected with the characters.

*Thank you to netgalley and Atria Books for this complimentary book. All opinions are my own.

This is the story of seven diverse women, unhappy with their bodies, who agree to go to a "fat camp" and be filmed for a show somewhat like The Biggest Loser. The brochures made Waisted, a mansion in remote Vermont, sound like a spa where they would learn to eat right and exercise. In reality it was more of a prison with the women cut off from the outside and pitted against each other. They were split into competing teams, fed 800 calories and they exercised almost every waking minute. As a woman of a certain size I could so totally relate to these women and their struggles. I starved with them, hurt with them, cried with them, got mad with them, shared their humiliation, and cheered them on to the end. This book is a very timely social commentary that deals with race, culture and the obsession we have with our looks and our bodies. It emphasizes the need for honesty, the value of friendship, and the importance of making peace with the body we have. When the women discover that this was not a reality show about weight loss but a documentary about how far women would go for their looks and how much humiliation they can tolerate, it also becomes a novel of revenge. And revenge is sweet! I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and was happy to review it.

. A group of overweight women agree to be part of documentary that will allegedly help them learn how to manage their weight. However, things turn out to be very different than they thought, and they are forced to take matters into their own hands to get revenge on the filmakers who abused and humilated them.This book has a lot to say about the world we live in in which girls are made to think that they are valued for their looks above all, and they are pressured by society to fit into a certain mold. It will make you angry, it will make you want to change the world, but it will also show you that change is possible. It will sadden you but it will also give you hope

I had a really hard time with this one. I was so excited to read it and love it - the premise sounded amazing! I just didn't really enjoy the tone or the writing style. The story didn't go in a direction that I was particularly on board with and I struggled to get through this one. I will not be posting a review on my socials. I did post the book on my Instagram for a giveaway with the synopsis for exposure. Sorry that this one didn't work for me but hopefully it works better for others! Thanks for the copy to review!

Unfortunately, I struggled with this book - I had a hard time relating to the characters and understanding the author's voice

I thought the story it told was important. I'm all about body positivity, and though the first of the novel is a horror story, the second half definitely tries to impart some lessons. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of the execution. I found it hard to get into — the build-up took a little too long, and then the ending felt rushed. I kept putting it down and leaving it behind in favor of other reads/activities. I don't really think the dual-POVs were necessary and it made it somewhat confusing; the voices of the two main characters weren't distinctive enough to tell apart and often I had to go back and remind myself of which one the chapter was following.

I was very grateful to receive an ARC of this book and expected to love it but didn't.

This book tried to take on far too many social issues, some subtlety, some not at all and as a result was often muddled. I liked the protagonists and empathized with them, I thought everything about their struggles were relatable and real, but the whole sinister reality show piece just muddied the waters further.

Thank you for letting me try, I really appreciated the chance to read this!

If you have ever been overweight, you can relate to this book. 7 women, desperate to lose weight, go to a residential month-long program. The techniques used at this program include starvation, brutal exercise, humiliation and belittling. And to top it all off, they are being filmed for a documentary. 2 of the ladies are the main characters, Alice and Daphne. Alice struggles in her marriage. Alice and her husband are as different as night and day and up until now, he has been unwilling to compromise on anything. It’s all about him- one of those types! I love the way the author had these characters repair their marriage. Very well done. Daphne is surrounded by family that love her unconditionally. But, she doesn’t love herself. Again, her metamorphosis is very well written. What these ladies do to expose this program is remarkable. This book is inspirational.
* I received a complimentary book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book sounded promising! I had a number of different thoughts while reading this book and not too many of them were positive.

My first thought was to wonder if this book was giving me instructions on how to implement an eating disorder! There are these weird tips sprinkled throughout the book.

My second thought was to wonder about waisted. Uh where did this come from and why? Just why?

My third thought was that this book was too long and a bit boring for me. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and I had a hard time following what was going on and who was who.

The book’s overall message is a good one but to me it was just too little too late.

Seven overweight women, of different age, race and background agree to participate in a one month retreat that promised them guaranteed weight loss in return for allowing the company, to document the process. There's Daphne, a makeup artist hailing from a very Jewish family in Boston, with a (fancy) mom who is obsessed with her daughter's weight. Then there's Alice, who has a black father and a white Jewish mother (plain and petite). They room with Hania, who is the "techy" S. Asian or Indian, roommate. The others are Seung (Korean), in her 20's Susannah (white) Jennifer (black) , both in their 40's, and Lauretta (hispanic) in her early 30's. Their reasons for accepting to participate are as diverse as their backgrounds. But they were all at the point where the issue of their weight is interfering with their lives and they are desperate for a solution. At first, even though the program was not what they anticipated, it was actually far more demanding then the promotional package described, they went along with it. But when their safety and health are put at risk, drastic measures became necessary.

Alice and Daphne, as well as the others soon realize that even though they may have lost weight, this does not resolve many of the other issues that they ran away from, once home,not only did they have to resolve these outstanding issues, NOW they had to worry about maintaining the weight LOSS.

In writing this book, Randy Susan Myers has tackled an issue that she, as well as every single one of us, have grappled with, our weight. In addition, she looked into (I quote) "how women are judged, above all else, by appearance over the quality of their character; and how wretchedly we divide ourselves by race, culture and religion. Finally she poses the question "How far would you go to lose weight?' Because no matter what our roots may be, weight issues know no borders and cause havoc, indiscriminately.

I really enjoyed reading #Waisted by @randysusanmayerauthor. In particular, I appreciated the details she included in the book, like mixed race artists, and politicians (Sheldon Adelson) and artists (Sylvia Plath), hailing from Boston, as well as many other interesting facts : (did you ever try doing the dragon walk? or, did you ever hear of the wax moth?). Thank you #netgalley for the e-Arc.

Favorite Quotes:

She, along with six other substantial women, stood in the parking lot avoiding each other, as though their abundance of flesh might transfer from body to body.

“I’m in shock at the number.” Daphne refused to state the actual number. “Shock without any baseline of knowledge. I don’t know what I should weigh. Last night, watching those men and women being weighed like heifers at market, I wanted to cry.”

Mirrors engulfed them, mirrors sharper and brighter than Daphne imagined existed… Mirrors courtesy of Satan.

“Alive is a story— decades old, but true— of plane crash survivors in the Andes Mountains,” Daphne explained. “The passengers who lived survived by eating the flesh of the dead.” A week ago, Hania would have groaned in disgust. Now she looked as though she understood cannibalism.

Fat women looked more naked than normal-weighted women. Clothes made the woman. Naked made the shame.

When they learned that Susannah worked as a nursery school teacher, Daphne imagined toddlers climbing up onto her giant lap as though scaling the Matterhorn.

Daphne snuck up on the scale as if approaching it slowly would trick the machine… Like the smuggest of men, the scale mocked her.


My Review:

Oh what wickedly clever insights Randy Susan Meyers skewered me with, it was as if she has been spying from my pantry. I could have easily been a character in this book. I was blessed (overly so) with a curvaceous body shape and am a life-long expert dieter (yoyo) and as one who counts vacuuming as strenuous exercise (begrudgingly done), I saw my crazy on several pages of this revealing tale and had a fleeting worrisome thought of whether I should possibly check my home for hidden cameras. I will confess to having fervently thrown myself into countless fad diets and “lifestyle programs” as well as begged a few (numerous) doctors for the latest magic pill being advertised, all while keeping fingers crossed it will be as promised - the last one I’ll ever need. I know I’m not unique, and imagine 90% of women have suffered from similar concerns at least once in their lives.

Ms. Meyers’ narrative raised several interesting points and provided thoughtful if not a bit painfully reflective entertainment as to the extreme measures (including soul-shattering humiliation, deprivation, and degradation) that women would willingly allow being perpetrated upon them for the goal of quick weight loss. She had me there. While the plot and storylines were relevant and topical, I also deeply appreciated how this perceptive author craftily navigated the nuances and complications of racial and cultural quirks toward these issues with the use of clever wry humor and insightful observations. While many of the characters’ revelations and inner musings were markedly profound, my favorite combination of all the words used in this book was a notation of “the secret obese of France,” snort, you know there has to be at least a few hidden away.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy of Randy Susan Meyers’ novel. Waisted, in exchange for an honest review.

Weight gain has been a life-long struggle for Alice. However, she met her husband, Clancy, when she was going through an tough time in her life, which resulted in weight loss. Now, over the years, which included giving birth, the pounds have piled back on and Clancy feels that his wife is not the woman that he married. Through this strain in their relationship, Alice runs off to participate in a weight loss reality show called “Waisted.” She does not tell Clancy until she has left for the show, because Clancy is in the documentary film industry and “Waisted” is being produced by his biggest rival.

During the filming of “Waisted,” Alice becomes fast-friends with her roommate and fellow contestant, Daphne. Daphne has a supportive husband, but she has a negative body image from her overbearing mother. Daphne has even tried bulimia to keep the pounds off.

From the first day of filming it is clear that “Waisted” is not the show that was originally pitched to the contestants. Rather than a wellness retreat, “Waisted” is more of a hardcore bootcamp. The women are stripped of their possessions, including phone access, and are made to wear unflattering jumpsuits. They are belittled, starved, and exercised to exhaustion. When they are given amphetamines to push their weight loss goals to unsafe levels, the women seek to find out the truth about the production and what they discover is shocking.

Meyers tackles heavy themes of self-love, body acceptance, and family dynamics. I found her overall message to be positive and uplifting. I especially like a scene in the novel where Daphne, a make-up artist by trade, helps an disadvantaged teenager build her self-confidence, by giving her skin care and make-up tips to cover extreme acne. I liked how it showed that it is okay to both love yourself and acceptable to use fashion or make-up: the two don’t have to be separate. Earlier in the story, Daphne hides behind her make-up, using her skills to create a distraction from her body, highlighting features like her beautiful eyes. However, as soon as Daphne lets go worrying about her body, her make-up becomes part of her self-expression, rather than a shield.

Alice and Daphne are two strong, female protagonists and the story is structured to alternate between their lives at home and their time on “Waisted.” The weight issues aside, I think many women will find aspects of these character’s lives and emotions to be relatable. I was rooting for these characters to succeed, especially Alice dealing with her emotionally abusive husband. I found Daphne’s desperation, including the use of pills and bulimia, to be heartbreaking.

Unfortunately, the plot for Waisted is very messy. An exciting story opportunity was missed with the reality show aspect. “Waisted” is quite horrific and we learn that the aim of the show is to expose the extremes that women will go to in the name of weight loss. Its purpose is to be shocking and not to actually help these women meet their goals. The concept of this could have made a potentially intriguing story, especially holding a mirror to the way our society gobbles up these types of shows. I have no doubt that if a real version of “Waisted” aired on American television, it would be both a sensation and crucified. People would not admit to enjoying it, but they would secretly watch it and the ratings would be high. We live in a time where it is both still socially acceptable to shame fat people and one where we promote the idea of having a positive body image. I think things will shift towards being more body positive, but we are not there quite yet. Meyer had a real opportunity to play with the larger societal impact of a show like “Waisted” and that would have been intriguing.

Unfortunately, the women’s participation in “Waisted” fizzles. They leave the show and make efforts to expose the producers, but there is not a truly satisfying conclusion to this issue. I was let-down. I felt like the story was heading in the direction of making a real statement against the reality television production, but the plot meandered and focused more on the individual relationships that the main characters have with their families. This was important too of course, especially in the area of character development and growth, but it was far less interesting than the fallout from “Waisted.”

Waisted is strong in character development, but weak in plot. Often, I can overlook weak plots if the characters are great, but in this case, I can’t overlook the missed opportunities in the storyline. Although Waisted tackles important and sensitive topics, it only skims the surface and goes for cliches. For this reason, I can’t recommend it.

I was intrigued by the description of this novel and curious as well. I knew I had to try it. I read it all and had some positive and negative thoughts. I enjoyed the different cultures, religions and races involved in the telling. It gave the story several different perspectives.
Seven women embarked on a one month journey to lose weight. But the brochure they were given describing the experience was filled with falsehoods. It reminded me in a small way of the TV show The Biggest Loser in that the women were put through tough exercise regimens, but that’s where the similarity ended. The two main characters had background information given as to why they decided to join Waisted. One had a husband that didn’t like her fat and the other had a controlling mother that shamed her about her weight.
The humiliation, embarrassment and suffering they went through was shameful to the point that three of the seven took it upon themselves to try and expose the crew that were doing the “documentary”. They took some chances that added to the intrigue factor.
The retrospective that each of the women talked about was a positive addition to the conclusion.
My negatives had to do with some of the language used and many words that had to be looked up for me to understand the context otherwise it was an interesting way to spend an afternoon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley but was not required to write a review.

May contain spoilers…

Told through the eyes of two of the seven women who sign up for a month-long program which promises to bring an end to their lifelong struggles with food and dieting. In return, they agree to be filmed for a documentary. Unlike the spa setting and supportive atmosphere they were expecting, the program, titled Privation, turns out to be a harsh, extreme, and humiliating approach. The resulting in film footage closely resembles an exploitative reality show.

Waisted addressed a number of topics which, along with the cast of characters, were diverse. This struck me as both a plus as well as a minus as it spread the focus a bit too thin. The primary topic of weight and self-image was naturally extended to family with a focus on the character’s contrasting relationships with their husbands and mothers. Even though there were a wide range of ages, religions, races, and backgrounds represented – I still had difficulty relating to any of them. Unfortunately, at least for this reader, Waisted was neither informative or enlightening; humorous or entertaining. I found the pace somewhat slow and was bothered, distracted, and ultimately, bored by the repetition of various forms of fat shaming.

I applaud the intent and the theme which were what initially drew me to Waisted but was disappointed in the execution.