Rating: 
Summary: It changed the way I see myself...
Review: ...And for the record, no self-help book has ever done that before. As a woman who struggles with both PCOS and hypothyroidism, I've had my share of weight struggles, and I am also fully aware of the importance of maintaining my health. I strongly disagree with past reviewers who have stated that this book encourages women to be fat and unhealthy. For the record, I only remember one reference to Krispy Kreme Donuts and the author was not suggesting that we replace our daily vegetables with them! I'd love to meet one person, 100 pounds or 300 pounds, who has never ever chosen a chocolate bar over a celery stick. We've all done it, ladies! The important thing is to make the right choices most of the time, take care of our bodies, exercise, and feel healthy. I once had a skinny boyfriend who though it was OK for him to sit there and eat a Flintstone-sized portion of ribs along with fries and onion rings because (and I quote) "he didn't have to worry." One the other hand, he scrutinized every little bite that went into my mouth... I guess at 21 years old, 5'8" and a size 16 I should have been worried? I finally wised up and told him skinny people had arteries too.
After I finished this book I did not go out for a hot fudge sundae. Actually, I have lost a couple of pounds over the past week of reading it, which I don't think is a coincidence... the book encouraged me to focus on nurturing my body and giving it what it deserves, not punish it for being "bad." The former is a heck of a lot easier to live with than the latter.
And one more thing... Wendy does not tell us we should seek out only fat and bald men! What we need to do is broaden our horizons and realize that the Brad Pitts of the world may not necessarily be looking at real women. I did that years ago, and I am married to a wonderful and fabulous-looking guy. If we take an open mind to who we consider attractive, maybe the men will too, and we will all benefit!
Read this book. You'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful,Funny, and Oh so true!
Review: Being chubby my whole life bothered me until I read this book. It teaches that being fat is just one physical thing about you and that's it. It is such a great book! Makes you feel great about yourself- fat or thin.
There are 2 things I couldn't put down. This book and my cup of S o y f e e. It's made from organic soyabeans which you brew just like coffee. No caffeine and I don't miss it either. Look for on the web at www. S oycoffee.com
This is the best new book on how to feel good about yourself no matter what size! And it's delivered with a sense of humour ladies! Thanks Wendy!
Rating:
Summary: For women of all shapes and sizes
Review: Despite the title, virtually every woman would benefit from reading this book since very few are immune to distorted body images or have never dieted before. In THE FAT GIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE Wendy Shanker superbly exposes the brutal truths of the revolving-door diet industry and shrinking sizes of the fashion industry. She intelligently writes with compassion since she has suffered most of her adult life from being overweight and spent a substantial amount of money on diet and exercise in an effort to slim to society's ideal size. Shanker has since made peace with her body and is adamant to let other women know that they're not alone in their battle for the perfect body. She dispenses practical diet and exercise advice that every woman can benefit. While reading I was continually surprised at how Shanker manages to curtail popular ideologies including avoiding the ineffective diet regimes of Weight Watchers along with the commonplace practice of counting calories. Most surprising though was her unsatisfactory experiences of her month-long stay at the highly esteemed Duke Diet & Fitness Center. I have heard much about Duke's reputation but Shanker paints a very different picture of Duke being slow to adopt to new exercise programs and having futile support systems. Her tidbit of frequently seeing a pizza delivery van outside the center's hotel made me chuckle. Throughout her book Shanker sidesteps the stereotype of an overweight person: she's healthy, beautiful, socially active, has a successful career, and is intelligent. She is also feisty and her personality shines through in her book. THE FAT GIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE is at the same time serious and insightful, funny and original. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: WHY ARE WE CELEBRATING BEING UNHEALTHY????????????????
Review: Fat women will read this and think it's OK to be unhealthy now. Does this idiot Wendy have any idea how many obesity related DEATHS there are every year?? Thousands!! She treats it like it's a joke, like it's something cute, like it's something you SHOULD rebel again. Wendy, you idiot, maybe these people telling you to lose some weight care about you and your health. At one point she suggests substituting carrots for Krisbe Kreme. WTF???????? If you want to feel better about being unhealthy than this is the book for you. If you want to actually get healthy and live a happy life this book will only delude you. But for some, ignorance is bliss.
Rating:
Summary: It's not about being funny
Review: I am a reader from Santiago, Chile. (Southamerica, for the ones who have a question mark on your faces :)
I've been reading the other reviews and my question is: Who on God's green earth would read this book because it's funny??? If you want a funny book, read a book with jokes, but this is most definitely NOT a book to laugh AT...there are some funny situations, but don't treat it like a "funny book". It shows disrespect to the author and to all people who see ourselves pictured in this book.
After making my point clear, I have to say it is a great book! I myself am going through a "discovering myself" jorney, and this book has helped me getting to the core of my behavior; I haven't even finished it, and I already find it inspiring, not to "stop taking care of myself" or to think that being overweight is healthy, but to learn to feel good with myself, just the way I am. For all you people who think this books aims to make people want to be fat & unhealthy, I tell you, it is actually ALL THE WAY AROUND. I am "overweight" or in Wendy's words, a "fat chick" and this book has nothing but help me love myself a little bit; I still want to lose some weight, but with my feet more "on the ground"...see the difference? And like someone said, discriminating people for being fat, is just another type of racism...which speaks REALLY badly about us, 21st century people...don't you think?
Wendy, whatever you write, I'll be happy to read it! thanks for being so courageous and brave, to show the world who you really are and how proud you are of it! Hope I can be like you someday!
And I whish everybody were like that...it would be a much nicer world. :)
Rating:
Summary: It will make you see yourself in a different light...
Review: I have to say that I was kind of skeptical about this book at first, but I was hooked from the first few chapters on. I think this book can help women of any size feel better about themselves and the way they look. Wendy's great sense of humor on this subject is another element that makes this book very entertaining. I highly recommend this book if there is anyone feeling down about they way they look.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful read! So glad I bought it!
Review: I loved this book! She covers so many different issues about being overweight including how to shop for proper clothing, sex, different "diets", eating healthy, exercise, plastic surgery, eating disorders, the media and stereotypes. She says in her book that if you want to lose weight, then lose weight but that we should each also look at the big picture (no pun intended) and accept the fact that we are who we are. If we choose to lose weight, we shouldn't be insane about it or look for the quick fixes. I have recently lost alot of weight myself. I've gone from 270 pounds to 180 pounds in the last year and a half. But this book still helped me to realize that I should accept who I am, including my past, and not let the media, society, friends or family influence my weight. If I want to lose weight, then I should do it for myself and no one else. Wendy also talks about how she has learned to accept her own "fat" body (she uses the word "fat alot) and learned to love it. But she also points out that she still eats healthy, goes to her doctor visits and regularly works out. She has inspired me to look at my weight and weight loss differently. I no longer look at my weight as a burden but as it's just me. It's part of my life and I should learn to accept this part of my life. I should look at my body lovingly and use my larger assets to my advantage. Thank you Wendy for helping us larger ladies learn to love ourselves. But more importantly, thank you for sharing with us your story and showing us that we can live healthy even if we are "fat".
Rating: 
Summary: A work in progress
Review: I really liked this book and I think it has something to offer women of all body types, since it's not just about fat, it's about women's view of themselves. The style and content are a bit on the fluffy side; this book is not for those who take themselves and the subject matter too seriously. I agree with many of the reviewers below that Shanker seems conflicted herself about her body, and inconsistent at times, but that just makes her more like one of us - still trying, not quite there yet. I like that she exercises and believes a woman should try to be fit and healthy regardless of her weight. It's possible that if women - and men - concentrated on fitness and eating good foods, the weight issue would shake out naturally. Some people would be thin and some would undoubtedly still be fat, but they would all feel better.
I have to say there is one area, though, where she is shortsighted: she gives only passing reference to the cultural component of a beauty ideal. She mentions that black men hit on her more often than whites. In my experience, it is absolutely true that black, Hispanic and Middle Eastern men like larger women more than white men do. That said, if a fat girl feels she is not getting enough attention from men or that she can't find love, why not consider men from those ethnic groups? Shanker seems to think fat girls are automatically doomed to be less attractive to men; I think she should expand her cultural horizons a bit, and she'd find herself fending men off with a stick!
Rating:
Summary: Not a Bad Book but....
Review: I thought this book was quite good, but I also found, as did another reviewer, that there were conflicting messages at times. It was funny in parts, but if you're looking for "large" humor that will have you rolling on the floor, try The Big Girls' Guide to Life by Bunkie Lynn. Very funny!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Fat is good-- uh, I mean bad-- no, good
Review: I was very excited to see this book out, and some great points were made, but Ms. Shanker is clearly deeply conflicted. She swings wildly from saying that dieting is good, to saying that she still diets; from saying that she's always going to be fat, to saying that she reserves the right to change her mind and try yet again to lose weight; from saying that fat women are beautiful to saying that they are "garbage" compared to supermodels. This woman wears control top panty hose every day. She says that fat women shouldn't expect to get hunky guys, but should instead go for unstylish, short, and/or bald men. Most of what she had to say was good, but the bad stuff she had to say was really, seriously messed up. The attitude was "I'm fat, that sucks, I'll have to bear it." It should have been "I'm fat, and that's hard, but I now embrace and love it."
As a big girl battling bulmia, the duplicity of this book actually "triggered" my disordered thinking more than any fashion magazine, which says a lot considering that fashion magazines certainly do so.
Wendy is on the right track, but she wrote this book too early in her recovery from her deep self hatred. If she'd given herself another year or two, she could have come out with a much less confused, ambiguous book, and her wit, intelligence and beauty would have produced a fantastic piece of literature. This isn't it. I hope she'll give it another shot when she can say in all honesty that she fully ascribes to the concept that Fat women are as beautiful as supermodels in a different way, Fat women are sexy, Fat women deserve good AND hunky lovers, Fat women can be fit, Fat women aren't slovenly, and they don't have to confine the bounty of their bodies with foundation undergarments.
Try again Wendy. I'm rooting for you.
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