10 Lessons from a Former Fat Girl: Living with Less of You and More of Life [Paperback]

Amy Parham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

Amy Parham, a former fat girl who became a fit girl after losing more than 100 pounds, learned what it takes to stay fit inside and out. In 10 Lessons from a Former Fat Girl, she offers nuggets of insight for changing not only the fat-girl body but also the fat-girl mentality. Focusing on the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our relationship with food and exercise, Amy shows how readers can make this a healthy partnership that brings permanent change. Amy speaks from experience as she

• identifies with the reader struggling with a food addiction
• describes emotional pitfalls that serve as triggers for overeating
• explores the mental and emotional benefits of regular exercise
• illustrates how and why fitness must be a lifelong pursuit
• demonstrates how to transform our minds as well as our bodies

The result is a practical, proven plan that will help any reader reprogram the fat-girl mentality into fit-girl reality.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Amy Parham co-authored with her husband, Phil, The 90-Day Fitness Challenge and The 90-Day Fitness Challenge DVD. She and Phil were contestants on Season 6 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Over a seven-month period, they recorded the highest percentage of weight loss of any couple in the program’s history. Married for more than 20 years, they live in South Carolina with their three boys, Austin, Pearson, and Rhett.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736938656
• ISBN-13: 978-0736938655
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #462,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not So Great July 16, 2011

By Jennifer Bogart TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

I enjoy a good, motivational weight loss book as much as the next person does, and sometimes they do inspire me to do better in my own fitness walk. I'm afraid that 10 Lessons from a Former Fat Girl was neither truly enjoyable nor inspiring for me. Perhaps it would have struck a deeper chord with me if I had followed author Amy Parham's journey of weight loss through her participating in the reality television show The Biggest Loser. Instead I was left to read Parham's words as a stand-alone take on her thoughts on weight loss.

Like most inspirationally-based weight loss motivation books, Parham focuses only a bit on the practical nuts and bolts of weight loss - exercise and nutrition - and instead focuses the bulk of her writing on her own experiences, memories, family background, and journey of personal growth as she moves from being overweight to slender. This is good because most of us don't really need to hear how to lose weight (haven't we heard it a million times?) instead we need to see it walked out before us, to see it with flesh on as it were.

While Parham does succeed in doing this by sharing from her own life experiences, I'm afraid I didn't find her writing truly engaging. Worse yet, she has created a dichotomy between fat girl and fit girl that is at best an oversimplification, and at worse, could be a source of condemnation for many women. Parham's writing is no doubt a simplification at best, but she often compares and contrasts the fat girl and fit girl mind set so strongly that it almost seems that unless you are a fit girl, nothing in your life is really going to go right and that you can't have it together emotionally (in terms of forgiveness etc.) unless you are a fit girl. I don't agree.

Sadly, some of Parham's summarizations of biblical events were often inaccurate as well - as in her explanation of why Moses and the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. And while I do want to lose weight, my reasons seem to be different in some areas than those that Parham offers. Honestly, thinking of myself wearing a bikini after I lose weight is NOT a motivator for me. I have never worn a bikini in public even at my smallest (125 lbs.), nor would I want to do so now or in the future. So imagining myself wearing skinny girl clothing and swimwear just doesn't do it for me.

There is one gem in the midst of this all though - the closing chapter where Parham shares how she dealt with transitioning from being an overweight woman to a slim one was very well done. She addresses the difficulties of shopping for clothing - the dangers on both sides - the necessity of changing one's mental image, and of the mental battle to adapt to her new appearance. This is really honest, and the best chapter by far.

Again, if I had gone into this book with more of a personal connection to Parham I may have connected with her thoughts more deeply. As it is, this one was a miss for me.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book March 7, 2011

By Shari Bravo

Format:Paperback

The book has inspired me 100 percent. I have noticed that while reading the book Amy and I have a lot in Common.. I have been through a lot in my life and this year was a big wake up call.. I met Amy at the beginning of the year and I think god truly sent her to me .. The book taught me a lot about changing my eatting habits.. portion control and I have more energy now so I'm more out and about rather than at home at the computer. The meal plans in the book are really helpful and its easy to stick to it.. Im in South America right now and I can control what I eat and portion sizes.. which if it was the old me I would be like eat eat eat eat vs now ok 2 small meals and one main meal here in south america and small snacks in between so Im now eating 6 times vs all the time. I like the way she has food as the term "fuel" and all u need is a little at at time and I feel so much better. Thank you Amy for all you have done for me ... If anyone is in the same boat as I am where U have to loose lots of weight I highly reccomend this book to everyone. thanks again Amy and one more thing since I started I have lost a total of 25 pounds and I'm gonna keep on going :)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Hey Look, It's A 'Biggest Loser' Who Has Kept The Weight Off November 18, 2011

By Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I used to be a big fan of the NBC-TV show "The Biggest Loser" when it first came out. Seeing people losing tons of weight and changing their lives was so inspiring and reminded me of my own journey losing 180 pounds in 2004. But then the commercialism of the show, the drama that became the storyline, and just an overall feeling that something wasn't right turned me off to the whole concept. Plus, hearing about the abysmal success rate of those who lost weight on the show only to gain much of it back has left a sour taste in my mouth about it.

But I was encouraged by the story of Phil and Amy Parham who not only did extraordinarily well on the show but have been able to make it stick and create a whole new career for them out of it. Amy especially has inspired the lives of so many women who have had lifelong struggles with their weight. Her book is less about what diet to follow as it is dealing with al that emotional baggage that comes from dealing with obesity for so long. I can see how that would resonate with some people and she's got the personality when you meet her in person to back it up.

Although I love the work she is doing and I was reminded of my own personal weight loss journey, I didn't really connect with this book. I don't know if it's because the book was intended to reach women (maybe Phil should write a book someday!) or what, but it didn't speak to me like I thought it would. Yes, I'm very proud of Amy Parham for the changes she has made and it's definitely working for her. I wish her and Phil well in the many more healthy years to come.