Body neutral : a revolutionary guide to overcoming body image issues

Title:

Author:

Kneeland, Jessi author

ISBN:

9780593491768

Additional ISBN:

9780593491768 0593491769

Personal Author:

Kneeland, Jessi author

Publication Information:

New York, NY : Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2023]

Physical Description:

421 pages ; 21 cm

Contents:

How I got here -- Body positivity -- What is body neutrality? -- The one big, crucial lie -- Why am I lying to myself? == Meet the body image avatars -- The self-assessment -- the self-objectifier -- The high achiever -- The outsider -- The runner -- The body neutrality blueprint -- Identifying your hidden body image purpose -- Creating a vision for a body neutral future -- Creating a body neutrality action plan -- Putting it all together -- Micro-goals and action steps for each avatar -- But what about marginalized bodies? -- Body neutrality success.

Subject Term:

Body image.

Beauty, Personal -- Psychological aspects.

Self-esteem.

Identity (Psychology)

Language:

English

Abstract:

"Longtime body image coach Jessi Kneeland has worked with hundreds of clients struggling with body obsession, anxiety, and hatred. Determined to ease their pain, Kneeland created a revolutionary method to neutralize body image distress by illuminating and addressing the underlying, hidden causes of suffering. Now, in their groundbreaking Body Neutral, Kneeland shares this radical system, inviting readers to identify themselves among four body image "avatars," or types, each one representing a different underlying cause: the self-objectifier, the high achiever, the outsider, and the runner. Kneeland then uses the avatars to guide readers through a step-by-step process for accepting their bodies and their innate worthiness as people."--Page 4 of cover.

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Library	Shelf Location	Shelf Number	Material Type	Item Barcode	Status
Searching... Temuka Library	Non-fiction	306.4613 KNE	Book	TI6636724	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

"An incredible resource for those who are looking to find greater peace with their bodies in order to live a more empowered, joyful, and meaningful life." --Matt McGorry

A life-changing guide to reclaiming your relationship with your body--and yourself

Have you ever thought that if only you could change the way you looked, your life would be better? It's so easy to imagine that by changing the outside of our bodies, we'd feel better on the inside. But we all know that even if we could magically attain a so-called "perfect" body, our problems wouldn't actually be solved. That's because body image issues are never just about the body: they're always about something deeper inside.

As a longtime personal trainer and coach, Jessi Kneeland has seen hundreds of clients achieve their fitness goals but still feel trapped in a web of body hatred, anxiety, obsession, and dysmorphia. Searching for a solution, Kneeland set out on a quest to discover what it truly takes to help people understand, process, and heal their body image issues for good. They share their discoveries in Body Neutral, where you'll learn:

The power of "body neutrality"--the ability to accept and respect your body, even if it isn't the way you'd prefer it to be. Which of the four "body image avatars"--each of which represents a different root cause for body image issues--aligns with you and your relationship with your body: the self-objectifier, the high achiever, the outsider, or the runner. Actionable and unique methods to help you strip away the layers of false meaning, excess power, moral significance, and shame that have been preventing you from both connecting to and appreciating your body, and feeling truly worthy as a person.
There is a reason you're unhappy with your body, and Body Neutral will help you discover what that reason is and how to defuse its power, freeing you to enjoy a life of true confidence, security, and satisfaction.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Kneeland presents a fresh approach to body acceptance in their thought-provoking debut. Drawing on their experience as a personal trainer and body image coach, the author argues that the body positivity movement and its "all bellies are beautiful" slogans are flawed since they tie self-worth to appearance. Instead, Kneeland advocates for "body neutrality," which involves "stripping our bodies of all false... meaning," and is a more realistic goal for those unable to meet society's thin, white ideal. To achieve body neutrality, readers should identify what drives their body fixations (and associated diet and exercise behaviors)--such as winning external validation, or feeling a sense of psychological control over their life--and then brainstorm healthier coping mechanisms to address the root issue. Readers should also envision a future in which their emotional needs are met. Doing so, the author writes, will free readers from obsessing over appearance and allow them to ask themselves, for example "What would need to be different for to stop placing so much... power on body?" and then formulate micro-steps toward that goal. Kneeland outlines an inclusive attitude toward self-acceptance aimed at readers of all races and gender identities, and the advice is informed without getting preachy. Anyone hoping to repair a troubled relationship with their body should give this a look. (June)

Booklist Review

Many of us have love/hate relationships with our bodies. Former personal trainer and current life coach Kneeland, who identifies as queer and nonbinary, spent years trying to help clients make the changes they felt they needed to like their bodies. But something was still missing. With body neutrality, the emphasis is shifted away from the physical body. Instead, practitioners search for the underlying unmet needs and unresolved psychological issues that underlie their unhappiness with their bodies. Kneeland identifies four avatars or symbolic representations to promote healing. "The Self-Objectifier" focuses on gaining power, "The High Achiever" focuses on proving personal worth, "The Outsider" focuses on fitting in, and "The Runner" focuses on surviving. A self-assessment test helps readers zero in on the appropriate avatar, and the chapters that follow detail characteristics, explore a client's case as a guiding example, develop a blueprint for recovery, and set action steps. There's a lot here for readers who are serious about coming to terms with their body image and willing to do the work to make it happen.

Part 1 Body Neutrality
Chapter 1 How I Got Here	3
Chapter 2 Body Positivity	14
Chapter 3 What Is Body Neutrality?	35
Chapter 4 The One Big, Crucial Lie	57
Chapter 5 Why Am I Lying to Myself?	65
Part II The Avatars
Chapter 6 Meet the Body Image Avatars	75
Chapter 7 The Self-Assessment	84
Chapter 8 The Self-Objectifier	93
Chapter 9 The High Achiever	137
Chapter 10 The Outsider	169
Chapter 11 The Runner	204
Part III The Path to Body Neutrality
Chapter 12 The Body Neutrality Blueprint	241
Chapter 13 Identifying Your Hidden Body Image Purpose	244
Chapter 14 Creating a Vision for a Body Neutral Future	261
Chapter 15 Creating a Body Neutrality Action Plan	267
Chapter 16 Putting It All Together	295
Chapter 17 Micro-Goals and Action Steps for Each Avatar	315
Chapter 18 But What about Marginalized Bodies?	356
Chapter 19 Body Neutrality Success	361
Acknowledgments	371
Appendix: Recommended Reading	373
Appendix: Frequently Asked Questions	377
Notes	405
Bibliography	419

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Summary

Summary

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

Table of Contents