I honestly didn't love this book as much as I expected. I love books about body postivity, but this one almost seemed to shame those who do what to take care of their body. I don't like diet culture, but I also think it is good to take care of your body and fuel it with things that make your body feel good, ditto to exercise that makes you feel more energized. I think it had good intentions, it just didn't resonate with much as much as other books in the genre.

This is a great read from the founder of Mega beauty about one of the biggest topics in our society body issues and positivity.
Premise

Can you imagine how much free time you’d have if you didn’t spend so much of it body shaming yourself? Katie Sturino knows all too well what it’s like to shit talk yourself. She spent thirty years of her life feeling ashamed of her body and its self-determined wrongness. Now she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her; she only cares that she’s happy and comfortable with herself. Body positivity and size inclusivity is still a relatively new phenomenon, but Sturino has dedicated her life to unlearning all that beauty standard BS and uses her blog, Instagram, podcast, and non-toxic, solution-oriented beauty products to share the message that changed her life: YOUR BODY IS NOT THE PROBLEM.
I really enjoyed what the author had to say about a variety of topics addressing our bodies and I think it’s a great book for women of all ages because we all struggle with these issues and it makes you feel less alone knowing what other woman are going through and their feelings about it as well.

I absolutely loved this book - so much that I plan to buy a copy for myself and others to give as gifts! It's a very quick and easy read but rich in tips and helpful exercises. It's a very fun book with bright colors, adorable illustrations and cool fonts. I highly recommend!

Thank you, Clarkson Potter and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

So this book is female empowerment all the way ! Or so it seemed at the beginning. I found that the more we delved into the book the more shaming there was on women who want to diet or lose weight or want to change their bodies. I just found so much negativity that it became exhausting to read. I get this book is trying to be relatable and just encourages loving ones body with all the perfect imperfections but there was so much subtle shaming along the way. It’s just not the energy I like

I was hoping to really love this book, because I've admired Sturino's Instagram presence for years. However, I think this book fell short for me in a number of ways. I love that it's colorful, honest, and bold. But I think it leans more toward "Body Positivity 101" than something along your journey. If you've explored body positivity at all, this book won't be new to you.

EVERYONE needs this book. So many of us grew up in a toxic culture of dieting and exercise that wasn't good for us. It is engrained in us. Not only does Sturino help deconstruct, but helps you refill your mind with things that ACTUALLY matter. I wish I could buy this for everyone I know. I'm so excited and happy that this is a book that exists in the world.

For anyone who wants to let go of shame and learn to love and accept their body, read this book! Katie Sturino is funny and authentic and this book was great!

This volume is written in an upbeat and easy-to-read style; however, it also has a great many insertions and double page sections that made it difficult to read in a digital format - potential readers should keep that in mind and consider opting for a paper-based format. As an adult, I recognized many of the same comments the author received as those I received myself, especially once I approached puberty and my mother began to focus on my appearance, and specifically your weight, which was appropriate before she focused on making me slender instead of average; were it not for the profanity, I would recommend it for middle and high schools for use with preteens and teens, but the language makes it inappropriate for a use in a school setting as curriculum. It s appropriate for older teens, and high school libraries may be likely to find it acceptable.

Katie Sturino, the author, is very open about her experiences as a tall child, who stood out from her peers at an early age for reasons unrelated to weight, as well as her experiences as a heavy teen and adult. She relates her family’s comments, her emotional response at the time, and the journey she took to reach her current state of acceptance of herself as she is - and then makes suggestions for readers to help them to that same level of acceptance.

She covers the mental health issues that occur with body shaming, as well as the general focus on appearance that pervades our society, but in discussing her weight, she never once addresses any physical health issues that may come from either excessive weight control or being overweight. Those who are looking for those discussions will need to look elsewhere. Those who are looking for someone who understands how it feels to be body shamed and not accepted based on appearance from an early age will recognize themselves in Sturino’s writing, and many will benefit from the acceptance exercises she includes. Those who are looking for tips for how to be physically healthy at any weight will not find them here; this book is purely about accepting oneself as one is, and nothing else.

Pros: I wanted to read this book because Katie Sturino is one of my favorite Instagram follows. I’m generally not one to read a self-help-type book, but I think the topic of this book is important for taking care of yourself, being a good friend, and helping shift societal norms. Just like on her Instagram account, in this book, it feels like the author is speaking to her friends.

This book feels like a very inclusive book—it’s not just for one category of person. It is about bodies and not just about weight. It acknowledges that everyone has insecurities of some sort attached to their body/appearance. I appreciate that in the first chapter of the book, the author notes that this book is not a magical cure-all but instead is one tool to use in an ongoing process of self acceptance. Throughout, the author helps to change the narrative and offers action items and pep talks.

I generally read books on audio, but I’m so glad I read this one on the NetGalley app because it’s a very visual book and has interactive pages that are like a workbook for the reader.


Cons: Not a con, but more of an obvious trigger warning that this book is about body image, which can be a very sensitive and complicated topic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read this book!

This was just the book I needed! It was a quick fun read full of colorful pages and illustrations. If you’re struggling with body image or with yourself in any way, I’d recommend this book 100%. It might not be a one stop cure but it does get your mind moving and had me thinking about it days after I finished it.

If I were to describe Katie Sturino's "Body Talk: How to Embrace Your Body and Start Living Your Best Life," I would likely describe it as the Lizzo of inspirational lit.

Sturino, the founder of MegaBabe," is a spirited and spot-on body acceptance advocate, influencer, and all-around outspoken voice for learning to love yourself and love your body.

Right now. As is.

You should be able to tell by the cover of "Body Talk" that this isn't going to be your usual "rah rah" inspirational book with unrealistic goals and impossible to adhere to recommendations made by someone who has never been there and probably never will be.

Sturino has been there. In some ways, she still is there. She gets the challenges that come with living in a body that's outside what the media and society often consider within the norm.

If you resonate with Lizzo's sass and body positivity, then you'll likely love Sturino. While the book is undeniably directed specifically toward women, I loved every page of it as an adult disabled male whose body has never fit within "normal" definitions of masculinity.

"Body Talk" is a quick read. It's filled with vibrant, colorful graphics and an easy to read font. While the book clocks in at just over 200 pages, this is a breezy, one-day read that you'll likely revisit again and again for Sturino's colorful, at times including graphic, language and sisterly sense of accountability and motivation.

"Body Talk" also functions at times as a workbook. Sturino serves up short exercises and gives you a page or two to write down your responses, obstacles, thoughts, and feelings. This was probably smart since this is a book you'll most definitely want to write in.

Sturino confesses she spent 30 years of her life ashamed of her body and believing the messages that surrounded her. Now, she's let go of the opinions of hers and learned to be happy and comfortable in her own skin. Sturino is a popular blogger who also does a podcast and Instagram and has worked to create solution-oriented beauty products that send a positive message about all bodies.

Trust me, this ain't Goop.

Sturino shares stories, affirmations, action items, journaling assignments, little bits of inspiration, and lot sof graphics on the way to encouraging all of us to spend less time thinking about how we look and what we eat and more time celebrating our inner fierceness.

As someone who recently took up yoga after years of telling myself my body was not appropriate for it and I'd feel out of place, I really clicked with a lot of this material and love the way that Sturino presents it.

If you're easily offended by expletives, be aware that Sturino uses them - I wouldn't say frequently, but it's certainly freely. While at times "Body Talk" seems to overly simplify the issues at hand, it's a minor concern for a book that deserves to be in the wellness toolbox for all of us who've been wrapped up for far too long in body shame. "Body Talk" is definitely a winner.

Part workbook, part manifesto, and 100% badass, Katie Sturino's book Body Talk is a great addition to your body positive library. Accompanied by bold illustrations and a clear voice, the author will help you give a big f-you to shame, toxic messages, and self hatred, and help you see yourself for the amazing person you already are by reframing your narrative by saying "nope" to negativity.

While I feel like the book's messaging is oversimplified at times, when in reality these skills take years and a lot of practice to fully learn, it is an excellent starting point for someone who wants to be more body positive. Simple tricks like telling your negative thoughts "nope" and keeping track of all the body negativity you experience in a day ("skinny latte" anyone?) are easy enough to put into practice immediately. I especially loved the bold illustrations by Monica Garwood, which are empowering all on their own!

Thank you to Clarkson Potter, Katie Sturino and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review and ARC of the Body Talk. It was a great read by Katie Sturino, the founder of Megababe! I personally use the thigh rescue stick so I was happy to see she wrote a book. This book gives the vibes of a no nonsense older sister giving you a pep talk about loving your body. She’s been there, done that and wants you to love your body too. I appreciated the segment on “being brave” since it’s BEYOND TRUE! This would be a great book for girls in middle or high school especially since that’s when insecurities really start to peak. The graphics were amazing and I love how colorful all of the pages were! I’m so glad a book like this is being published. Sometimes we all need that kick in the butt to remind ourselves to love each other in this exact moment. Not who we were or where we want to be, but the person and body type we are at this exact moment.