Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain (↑)

Hello all! Back again with another finished novel! Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia de Rossi. For those of you who don't know who Portia de Rossi is, she's a famous actress who battled anorexia and bulimia as well as she's Ellen DeGeneres' wife. This book is basically a memoir of her battle with anorexia. Although, myself, I have never had a lot of body image issues (don't get me wrong, I still don't like certain aspects of my body), this book really sheds light on that area, and how dangerous comparing yourself to the 'ideal' body can be, and it can be a slippery slope before becoming an eating disorder.  Being a Psychology major in university, I spent a fair amount of time studying eating disorders, and what they stem from. Right away, you can see it's a classic case, but it's not exactly as it's described in textbooks. Although she doesn't like certain aspects of her body, for her it is definitely a control thing. It just amazes me that she didn't realize where she was headed by restricting her calories so much. As soon as you start restricting food intake and exercising at insane rates you are well on your way to an eating disorder. But I guess when you are in the thick of it, you don't realize what you are doing is wrong until it's almost too late. I have to admit though, my favourite part was the epilogue, where she goes on to say what helped save her from anorexia and bulimia. How now she lives by a eat until you're full, don't restrict what you are allowed to eat and find fun things to take up your time instead of obsessing over looks style of life. It's probably a style of life I should (and probably do) live by and why I've maintained the same weight for the past 5 years.

Overall I think this book is in my Top 10 must reads, and I would recommend it to any young female (or any female in general) just so they know what it's like to battle anorexia and how it starts, and how it's not a fairy-tale of being skinny, but rather can become a living hell.

I've already decided the next book I'll be reading. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I'm reading it because my boyfriend has been bugging me to watch the movie, so I've decided to just get it done and over with. After that series I'll start back in the Game of Thrones. Until then, Happy Reading!