Body neutral A revolutionary guide to overcoming body image issues

Many of us have love/hate relationships with our bodies. Former personal trainer and current life coach Kneeland, who identifies as queer and nonbinary, spent years trying to help clients make the changes they felt they needed to like their bodies. But something was still missing. With body neutrality, the emphasis is shifted away from the physical body. Instead, practitioners search for the underlying unmet needs and unresolved psychological issues that underlie their unhappiness with their bodies. Kneeland identifies four avatars or symbolic representations to promote healing. "The Self-Objectifier" focuses on gaining power, "The High Achiever" focuses on proving personal worth, "The Outsider" focuses on fitting in, and "The Runner" focuses on surviving. A self-assessment test helps readers zero in on the appropriate avatar, and the chapters that follow detail characteristics, explore a client's case as a guiding example, develop a blueprint for recovery, and set action steps. There's a lot here for readers who are serious about coming to terms with their body image and willing to do the work to make it happen.

Kneeland presents a fresh approach to body acceptance in their thought-provoking debut. Drawing on their experience as a personal trainer and body image coach, the author argues that the body positivity movement and its "all bellies are beautiful" slogans are flawed since they tie self-worth to appearance. Instead, Kneeland advocates for "body neutrality," which involves "stripping our bodies of all false... meaning," and is a more realistic goal for those unable to meet society's thin, white ideal. To achieve body neutrality, readers should identify what drives their body fixations (and associated diet and exercise behaviors)--such as winning external validation, or feeling a sense of psychological control over their life--and then brainstorm healthier coping mechanisms to address the root issue. Readers should also envision a future in which their emotional needs are met. Doing so, the author writes, will free readers from obsessing over appearance and allow them to ask themselves, for example "What would need to be different for to stop placing so much... power on body?" and then formulate micro-steps toward that goal. Kneeland outlines an inclusive attitude toward self-acceptance aimed at readers of all races and gender identities, and the advice is informed without getting preachy. Anyone hoping to repair a troubled relationship with their body should give this a look. (June)