Dara-Lynn Weiss

What would you do if you took your cute but chubby little 7-year-old daughter to the pediatrician for an annual check-up only to be told that she was considered obese? That is exactly the situation in which Ms. Weiss found herself. She had the immediate reaction of guilt, as would most mothers. She couldn’t understand it since as a family they ate healthy, limited sugary snacks and engaged in regular activity. Yet here she was being told that her child was obese. How do you explain that to a 7-year-old? How do you put a 7-year-old on a diet? These are the questions this book tackles.

Ms. Weiss enlisted outside professional help as well as help from family and friends in trying to accomplish the task of getting her daughter into a “healthy weight” category. It was not an easy journey for any of them. While I do not agree with all the strategies Ms. Weiss employed, I do admire the courage, persistence and love she showed throughout the journey. I also admire her honesty in writing this book, as she not only includes the successes they achieved but the trials, tribulations and failures as well. She was criticized by friends and family and accosted by strangers during her efforts to keep her daughter on a healthy eating plan, and she made adjustments so that her daughter would not feel ostracized in social situations. Definitely an interesting read.
… (altro)

I had to go to the Vogue essay to see what Weiss and her daughter actually LOOKED like---what a fascinating book. I thoroughly enjoyed Weiss's view of what she was doing from her own 360 degree perspective---this was one person's really complete presentation of the entire problem of not only obesity in general but particularly in her own family. I think she covered the entire issue of "childhood" obesity beautifully. Unfortunately, it becomes a family issue immediately and I feel sorry for her that her husband did not also grab the issue for himself but it is a terribly personal decision with an adult that usually comes with some life-changing event to make the change happen. The audio version of this was terrific with Amanda Tepe as the reader.… (altro)