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Your Good Body: Embracing a Body-Positive Mindset in a Perfection-Focused World
Discover a fresh approach to moving, fueling, and loving your good body well!
So many of us feel as though accepting our bodies means abandoning any effort to improve. We look in the mirror and tell ourselves that we are going to love the skin we are in, but most days our inner self-critic is all we can hear. We constantly ask ourselves But there is hope! Pursuing the healthiest version of you means learning to love the reflection in the mirror, and Jennifer Wagner understands this all too well. From looking at her today, you wouldn’t know that she used to weigh 336 pounds. During her 16-year health and wellness journey, she has felt the deep anguish of torment from peers and strangers, let the scale dictate her moods, and cried herself to sleep all because of her "imperfect" body. But ultimately, Jennifer realized that to overcome the overwhelming negative feelings about her body, she needed to start with her mind and let go of all the expectations of perfection that were keeping her from being the best version of herself.
Embark on this journey with Jennifer as your guide and learn to live a life of healthy habits and positive motivation to take care of your good body.
So many of us feel as though accepting our bodies means abandoning any effort to improve. We look in the mirror and tell ourselves that we are going to love the skin we are in, but most days our inner self-critic is all we can hear. We constantly ask ourselves But there is hope! Pursuing the healthiest version of you means learning to love the reflection in the mirror, and Jennifer Wagner understands this all too well. From looking at her today, you wouldn’t know that she used to weigh 336 pounds. During her 16-year health and wellness journey, she has felt the deep anguish of torment from peers and strangers, let the scale dictate her moods, and cried herself to sleep all because of her "imperfect" body. But ultimately, Jennifer realized that to overcome the overwhelming negative feelings about her body, she needed to start with her mind and let go of all the expectations of perfection that were keeping her from being the best version of herself.
Embark on this journey with Jennifer as your guide and learn to live a life of healthy habits and positive motivation to take care of your good body.
288 pages, Paperback
Published January 11, 2022
2 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 13, 2022
I really liked this book! A must read for anyone who has struggled with body image. Jennifer Taylor explores the complexity of body image, weight loss, weight gain, comparison, expectation, health, mindset, and perfection. How seeking perfection, and the pursuit of what others think isn’t only not ideal, it’s not sustainable. Giving yourself permission (although obvious), letting go of expectations, and a shift in mindset are the keys to feeling more confident with your body, your weight, and overall who you are. I loved Jennifer’s action steps and ideas that paved a path to deeper personal exploration. (Audio)
January 9, 2022
A much needed read in today's society. Jennifer Taylor Wagner digs deep behind the issues we have when trying to lose weight for the wrong reasons and the endless spiral this can bring us. Instead, she encourages us to love our body as is and in a way that's mentally healthy so that if we choose to lose the weight, we won't be consumed by the numbers on the scale. Definitely a book I needed to read and embrace.
February 3, 2022
"Body-positive" is one of those buzzwords that people use to mean all kinds of things. Jennifer Taylor Wagner focuses her definition on helping women love themselves, let go of anxiety and harsh self-judgment, and pursue holistic wellness. She shares her story about major weight loss, but shows that losing weight didn't fix her deeper problems with a skewed self-image. Throughout the book, she is incredibly honest and vulnerable about her past and present experiences, sharing about how she has found freedom from self-punishing cycles of anxiety, frustration, and body shame.
Your Good Body is a great book for women of different sizes who are struggling with body-image issues. Although Wagner primarily focuses on weight-related struggles, she also writes about other physical attributes that women view in a skewed way, sharing an overall message of self-acceptance. She also shares realistic advice for how people can pursue healthy, balanced eating and exercise without being unreasonably demanding towards themselves or giving into diet culture. Although some books like this encourage people to accept themselves exactly as they are without changing harmful habits, and others push for dramatic, potentially unhealthy changes, Wagner shares a balanced perspective on how people can make better choices for themselves and their bodies through love and acceptance.
She also writes about common issues related to body-image insecurities in romantic relationships, and I appreciate how she acknowledges men's body-image issues as well. Even though she directs this book to a female audience, she recognizes that body shame is a pervasive cultural issue regardless of gender, and she shares ideas for how adults can better model self-love and body-acceptance for children. She also talks some throughout the book about her Christian faith, but this tends to not be a major focus.
This book is accessible to people of different belief backgrounds, and is not theology-heavy. However, if someone is looking for more content from Scripture and more specific Christian teaching, they might want to pursue the Jess Connolly book Breaking Free from Body Shame: Dare to Reclaim What God Has Named Good. These books both have different perspectives to offer, and could complement and counterbalance each other well. Overall, I would recommend Your Good Body to women who are struggling with body shame and looking for new and more holistic ways to think about nutrition and exercise.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Your Good Body is a great book for women of different sizes who are struggling with body-image issues. Although Wagner primarily focuses on weight-related struggles, she also writes about other physical attributes that women view in a skewed way, sharing an overall message of self-acceptance. She also shares realistic advice for how people can pursue healthy, balanced eating and exercise without being unreasonably demanding towards themselves or giving into diet culture. Although some books like this encourage people to accept themselves exactly as they are without changing harmful habits, and others push for dramatic, potentially unhealthy changes, Wagner shares a balanced perspective on how people can make better choices for themselves and their bodies through love and acceptance.
She also writes about common issues related to body-image insecurities in romantic relationships, and I appreciate how she acknowledges men's body-image issues as well. Even though she directs this book to a female audience, she recognizes that body shame is a pervasive cultural issue regardless of gender, and she shares ideas for how adults can better model self-love and body-acceptance for children. She also talks some throughout the book about her Christian faith, but this tends to not be a major focus.
This book is accessible to people of different belief backgrounds, and is not theology-heavy. However, if someone is looking for more content from Scripture and more specific Christian teaching, they might want to pursue the Jess Connolly book Breaking Free from Body Shame: Dare to Reclaim What God Has Named Good. These books both have different perspectives to offer, and could complement and counterbalance each other well. Overall, I would recommend Your Good Body to women who are struggling with body shame and looking for new and more holistic ways to think about nutrition and exercise.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2021
I would be lying if I don’t say that when I first saw this book I thought ‘This is it, I may finally get some advice about losing weight.’ So, yeah, (and this is very personal) I have had my share of not feeling so good about my body and weight, especially this last couple of years.
When I started to read it I was a little bit annoyed by the fact it wasn´t giving me what I wanted: the recipe that I desperately (I guess) I’m looking for. But you know what, It was kind of cool. Even though some of the sections felt a little bit long at times, Jennifer does find a way to make it meaningful and I felt seen. She is sharing her struggle and also she is sharing her joy. I appreciate how it ended and even though I couldn’t have access to the 7-day exercise challenge and the 30-day mind/body challenge at the end it made me realize how important is to work on your self-love. And I have seen that! How we only might see that when people around us are losing weight (willingly and healthily) it has a lot to do not only with motivation and exercising and omg so much effort and commitment but with self-love. So that’s that.
It was like listening to a good friend and her honest journey, and that is nice.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for this ARC.
When I started to read it I was a little bit annoyed by the fact it wasn´t giving me what I wanted: the recipe that I desperately (I guess) I’m looking for. But you know what, It was kind of cool. Even though some of the sections felt a little bit long at times, Jennifer does find a way to make it meaningful and I felt seen. She is sharing her struggle and also she is sharing her joy. I appreciate how it ended and even though I couldn’t have access to the 7-day exercise challenge and the 30-day mind/body challenge at the end it made me realize how important is to work on your self-love. And I have seen that! How we only might see that when people around us are losing weight (willingly and healthily) it has a lot to do not only with motivation and exercising and omg so much effort and commitment but with self-love. So that’s that.
It was like listening to a good friend and her honest journey, and that is nice.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for this ARC.
January 27, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! Jennifer is such an awesome person and that definitely comes through in her writing! It is friendly, real, and compelling to read. This book includes much of her personal journey, which is pretty unique. At her heaviest, she was three hundred something pounds, yet this book isn't about weight loss really, but about letting go of body expectations and learning to love yourself at whatever point you may in her journey. I love that she does focus on health, but she also brings up how weight (or lack of it) does not equate to health and that body image issues really is a problem with the mind. Her story is inspiring and I love the vulnerability with which she shares it while also revealing how she is still the same person, no matter what weight she has been at.
February 9, 2022
While the message to love yourself in the journey is a good one, I felt like I was waiting for some truth to be shared that never arrived.
This is probably a great read for someone who is just considering the beginning of a weight loss journey.
Not to say there weren’t some good moments — I appreciated the comments regarding reframing the scale.
Overall, it felt sort of meh.
This is probably a great read for someone who is just considering the beginning of a weight loss journey.
Not to say there weren’t some good moments — I appreciated the comments regarding reframing the scale.
Overall, it felt sort of meh.
November 30, 2021
OK this is actually fantastic, it’s still toes the line with diet culture which I’m not thrilled with. But it’s definitely overall about excepting your body and that it’s yours and it’s good and that’s what matters.
Not the size of the shape.
Not the size of the shape.
August 21, 2022
Hilarious, raw, and vulnerable!
This book means so much to me as a person who has struggled with their weight their entire life. As a survivor of childhood trauma, I sadly turned to food as a comforter, friend, and healer.
Unfortunately, food wasn’t a good friend to me. I was always bigger than the other girls and secretly trying every diet I could find to magically look like the girls in magazines, movies, and television. However, once I got out of high school, I really started to put weight on. Weighing in at a high of 265.5 pounds I set off on my own physical transformation. Would you believe I did it! I lost 110 pounds, but then I put it all back. Now I am on a quest to lose weight the right way!
Jennifer bravely exposes her story to her readers, ensuring they don’t feel alone. Hearing her struggles recounted on the page helped me to feel fully seen and understood. Her stories about being overweight, losing weight, and feeling worthy in a world that devalues anyone heavy is-RELATABLE!!!
I loved and appreciated the realistic and biblical advice on how to change your relationship with food, our body, and how we view success.
Please do yourself a favor and read this book! I highly recommend it and will be singing its praises for years to come!
This book means so much to me as a person who has struggled with their weight their entire life. As a survivor of childhood trauma, I sadly turned to food as a comforter, friend, and healer.
Unfortunately, food wasn’t a good friend to me. I was always bigger than the other girls and secretly trying every diet I could find to magically look like the girls in magazines, movies, and television. However, once I got out of high school, I really started to put weight on. Weighing in at a high of 265.5 pounds I set off on my own physical transformation. Would you believe I did it! I lost 110 pounds, but then I put it all back. Now I am on a quest to lose weight the right way!
Jennifer bravely exposes her story to her readers, ensuring they don’t feel alone. Hearing her struggles recounted on the page helped me to feel fully seen and understood. Her stories about being overweight, losing weight, and feeling worthy in a world that devalues anyone heavy is-RELATABLE!!!
I loved and appreciated the realistic and biblical advice on how to change your relationship with food, our body, and how we view success.
Please do yourself a favor and read this book! I highly recommend it and will be singing its praises for years to come!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews