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The Religion of Thinness: Satisfying the Spiritual Hungers Behind Women's Obsession with Food and Weight book cover

The Religion of Thinness: Satisfying the Spiritual Hungers Behind Women's Obsession with Food and Weight

by Michelle M. Lelwica
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SKU 9780936077550
With so many women approaching their diets, body image, and pursuit of a slender figure with slavish devotion, The Religion of Thinness is a timely addition to the discussion of our cultural obsession with weight loss. At the heart of this obsession is the belief that in order to be happy, one must be slim, and the attendant myths, rituals, images, and moral codes can leave some women with severe emotional damage. Idealized images in the media inspire devotees of this “religion” to experience guilt for behaviors that are biologically normal and necessary, and Lelwica offers two ways to combat this dangerous cultural message. Advising readers to look hard at the societal cues that cause them to obsess about their weight, and to remain mindful about their actions and needs, this book will not only help stop the cycle of guilt and shame associated with food, it will help readers to grow and accept their bodies as they are.

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Book details

Author
Michelle Lelwica, Cissy Brady Rogers
Imprint
Gurze Books, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
Published
Formats
Paperback
Subjects
Psychology › Psychopathology › Eating Disorders
Health & Fitness › Women's Health
Religion › Psychology of Religion
Topics
eating disorders · body image · women's health · spirituality and religion · diet culture · psychology of religion · perfectionism · women's studies
ISBN-13
9780936077550

About the author

MICHELLE M. LELWICA is a professor of religion at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and the author of four books. Her recent books include Hurting Kids, Shameful Bodies and The Religion of Thinness.

Lelwica earned a Master of Theological Studies and a Doctorate of Theology in Religion, Gender, and Culture from Harvard Divinity School in 1996. She has also published scholarly articles and book chapters on religion, spirituality, and women’s relationships with food and their bodies.

When she’s not writing, Lelwica teaches courses on the intersection of religion, gender, culture, and the body. Much of her work examines the spiritual dimensions of women’s relationships with food, weight, and physical improvement.

Michelle lives in northern Minnesota.

More books by Michelle M. Lelwica →

Format: Paperback