Half-Assed: A Weight-Loss Memoir (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Yellow noodles of fat spilled out of Ms. Ribbit's gut..." (more)
Key Phrases: fat pants, skinny clothes, Lane Bryant, Weight Watchers, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this touching, funny, and sincere story, Jennette Fulda, who was once 372 pounds, recounts her lifelong struggle with her weight- first accepting it, then losing half of it." -- Shape Magazine, August 2008

Blogger Fulda explains how she lost 186 pounds. In January 2005, she weighed twice that. A year earlier, after having her gallbladder removed at the age of 23, she'd realized her weight was threatening her life and vowed to get into shape. "Only I didn't," she writes. "I stayed fat for at least another year. Wake up call received. Snooze button pushed." Fulda did eventually take control, changing her eating habits and taking up exercise: first walking, then jogging, then a combination of jogging, pilates and weight training. She started a blog, "Half of Me," to chronicle her progress. As of February 2007, she had lost half her body weight; in the final chapter, she writes that she's within 15 pounds of her goal weight (160 pounds) but warns, "I may have lost the weight, but it could still find me again." Fulda provides a fair amount of weight-loss information only the diet-and-fitness-obsessed could really love, but the book is redeemed by the engaging account of her personal history interwoven throughout. In a conversational and honest voice, she describes tackling the age-old paradox of trying to accept herself while also trying to change. This dialectical process caused her to run afoul of online "fat acceptance" communities, which work to decrease the marginalization of the overweight and the obese. "If I really accepted myself as I was, it meant I'd recognized who I was to the best of my ability, flaws and all," writes Fulda. "It didn't mean I was necessarily satisfied with all the materials that made the house of me." A winsome, charming memoir of personal discovery. -- Kirkus Reviews, Feb. 15, 2008

Following Indianapolis-based blogger Jennette Fulda's journey to lose almost two-thirds of herself is so inspiring you'll fill your cart with nothing but turkey cutlets and cruciferous vegetables for weeks. At age 24, she weighed 372 pounds. "The truth is," she writes, "I was a big, fat cliche." Despite some emotionally heavy moments, Fulda's biting humor and no-holds-barred honestly keep you turning the pages. -- Women's Health, July 2008

Product Description

After undergoing gall bladder surgery at age twenty-three, Jennette Fulda decided it was time to lose some weight. Actually, more like half her weight. At the time, Jennette weighed 372 pounds.

Jennette was not born fat. But, by fifth grade, her response to a school questionnaire asking “what would you change about your appearance” was “I would be thinner.” Sound familiar?

Half-Assed is the captivating and incredibly honest story of Jennette’s journey to get in shape, lose weight, and change her life. From the beginning—dusting off her never-used treadmill and steering clear of the donut shop—to the end with her goal weight in sight, Jennette wows readers with her determined persistence to shed pounds and the ability to maintain her ever-present sense of self.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580052339
• ISBN-13: 978-1580052337
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,317 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #13 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > United States > Literary Theory
  #41 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Gender Studies
  #51 in	Books > Nonfiction > Women's Studies

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Her rear is tiny, her life is big, April 21, 2008

By	Book Maven "E.D." (NYC) - See all my reviews

I'm a sucker for a good before and after tale. Lucky for me, this memoir is so much more. Fulda chronicles her amazing 186+ weight loss, more than half of her starting weight. But she does more than just show us her weight loss; she describes her relationship with her body and with her daily habits with such wit and humor that I laughed out loud dozens of times. The pace is quick, and the content is interesting (no daily diet plans or lists of gym workouts here).

I also like Fulda's attitude. She doesn't pretend to be a weight loss guru, and she never disrespects herself and her body. Everyone knows how to lose weight...it's her dedication that makes her tale amazing. Also, I enjoy her focus on becoming athletic rather than getting thin (especially refreshing in today's "Get Skinny!" social climate.) She is a very positive person, even when dealing with ugly plus-size clothes, negative blog comments, or the inevitable plateaus.

This is a great, inspirational read, and Fulda is a delightful writer. Reading it made my wait at the DMV actually enjoyable; I only wish the book could have lasted longer!

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational and funny, May 25, 2008

By	Karen M. Herbert (South Carolina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a regular reader of Jennette's blog & looked forward to reading her memoir. Her memoir didn't disappoint - it's inspirational and funny. And I disagree with the reviewer who complained that Jennette didn't tell how she lost weight - she totally did! She found a healthy eating plan that fit her lifestyle and followed it. When she made a mistake, she didn't give up. That's the "secret"! I appreciated that she wasn't trying to "sell" a program or a "diet pill" - her tools were confidence and persistence, and those are free. I was so inspired by how she added athleticism into her life that I signed up for a 5K Run/Walk myself, and I've been making time to walk on nature trails. Read and be inspired, too!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshingly honest look at life, April 24, 2008

By	S. Loza (Haymarket, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a wonderful and inspiring account! Jennette Fulda most certainly tells it like it is when it comes to her life as both a morbidly obese person, and someone who has now lost half her body weight. Her honesty, wit and humor as she tells her story of transition make this an insightful and entertaining read for anyone, not just those interested in weight-loss.