Live Large!: Ideas, Affirmations, and Actions for Sane Living in a Larger Body (Paperback)

by Cheri K. Erdman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Cheri Erdman (Nothing to Lose: Sane Living in a Larger Body) offers emotional support to large women with Live Large! Ideas, Affirmations, and Actions for Sane Living in a Larger Body, a collection of 140 meditations promoting a positive image and a celebration of one's size. Each page begins with a "Big Idea" (for empowerment) then "Fleshes It Out" (with an affirmation) and a "Size-Wise Action" (a specific task). Erdman, a psychotherapist, offers support and encouragement for women struggling to find a way to live with the bodies they have. (Harper San Francisco, $11 160p ISBN 0-06-251345-1; Jan.)
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
In three unique approaches, these books convince their readers to accept and enjoy their size 14-plus bodies. True Beauty is an autobiographical account of Emme, "the world's leading plus-size model." Her well-written story captivates the reader and presents a wonderful example of how a large woman can learn to be healthy, successful, and happy. This book is enjoyable and will appeal to those who like to read a story. In Well Rounded, Lippincott, another successful plus-size model, devises eight steps to follow to become happy with life in a large body. From accepting and enjoying your size (step 1), through getting to know your body (3) and assessing your body's strengths and weaknesses (4) to a discussion of movement and exercise (8), her advice is both practical and esteem-building. Each step includes a toolbox of activities to perform. This book will appeal to those who want an outline or guide explaining how to achieve their goal. Therapist Erdman (Nothing To Lose, HarperSanFrancisco, 1995) presents ideas to help women accept and enjoy their large bodies. Each page consists of an idea, a brief paragraph describing that idea, an affirmation, and an activity. This book will appeal to those who are searching for an ongoing program of development and reinforcement. All three books include sections for recommended readings and resources. Each will appeal to a different kind of reader, though True Beauty and Well Rounded may be best formatted for libraries.?Elizabeth Caulfield Felt, Washington State Univ. Lib., Pullman
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 157 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1st edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062513451
• ISBN-13: 978-0062513458
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,593,005 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live Large- Workbook, November 15, 1997

By A Customer

Reviewed by Barbara Altman Bruno, Ph.D. Dr. Cheri Erdman, author of Nothing to Lose: A Guide to Sane Living in a larger Body has written another very good book. While her first book was more narrative, Live Large! is a workbook. It is meant for women seeking a better life in their larger bodies, to interact with the bite-size bits of material on each page. Erdman subdivides the book in two ways: first, in sections for initiation into body-size acceptance, inspiration, determination, and living large. Within each of these sections, each page has a dominant theme which she calls "the big idea." Some of these big ideas include "my body, my business" (a catch-phrase she learned from her work with larger women), "body size is unrelated to the quality of a person's life," and "healthy bodies come in all sizes." Each big idea is "fleshed out" in an explanatory paragraph. Then Erdman offers an affirmation related to that particular big idea. Affirmations are a tool which I also recommend to my clients because they can enable people to change the self-critical voices in their heads into self-affirming ones. While these affirmations - positive sentences stated in the present and repeated to oneself - can seem like science fiction when one first tries them, they can actually establish a new truth in one's mind. Finally, she recommends a "size-wise" action, often accompanied by journal-writing, to reinforce the experience of the big idea. These actions are generally do-able pieces which together form a big picture of someone living a positive life in her own, present body. Erdman's doctoral research led her to the concept of a "spiral of size acceptance." That is, most people do not go directly from hating their bodies to accepting them. Their path tends to look like a spiral, where they advance and yet sometimes feel like they're back at an earlier place. Most of us can relate to feeling better about ourselves, only to have someone's nasty, lipophobic comment send us reeling. Erdman reminds us that such setbacks are only steps along the path. Because each person's path can be different, we can choose a "big idea" which fits where we are at that moment. We do not have to work through the book page after page. We can return to pages which relate to our current situation; we can meditate on a section or take a size-wise action. Her book offers support at every step. What I especially like, in addition to the thoughtful structure of Erdman's book, isits message that to live large is not solely about having a larger body. It is about expanding into our spirit, which is much larger than anything physical. It is about living our purpose. There is much wisdom in this small book, both in its construction and in the messages it imparts. I recommend it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book helps you love yourself and in turn, your life., April 16, 1997

By A Customer

This is a fantastic book that every woman should read, large or small. It helps you with your self-esteem so that you can focus on the more important things in life. You will learn or perhaps re-learn how you don't have a weight problem, society does. You shouldn't change your body to fit the culture, that's not healthy and takes a big chunk of your time; time you could focus on more important matters like your career, school, children, etc.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic book, November 4, 2002

By	JeanC (North Idaho) - See all my reviews

Not only are there some very good affirmations that a person can use on a daily basis, but there are actions that will help reinforce the positive affirmations. I highly recommend this book to any one who is starting on the path of self acceptance or even those who have traveled the path aways already.