Ilene Leshinsky

Reflections of a Fat Girl Ilene Leshinsky

That women struggle with how they feel about their bodies, and as a result, how they feel about themselves, is an understatement. Ilene Leshinsky knows this all too well. Growing up a "fat girl" in the 1950s, she was reminded daily about the size of her body and how much she ate. Ilene battled with her fluctuating body size for the first half of her life and experienced swings from highly restrictive eating to compulsive overeating. At the heart of Reflections of a Fat Girl is that child, teen, and young woman, who taught herself to honor her body and love herself. From 2008 to 2016, Ilene Leshinsky, therapist, teacher, founder of Find Body Freedom, and former fat girl, chronicled the lives of women in a monthly column for Jill Magazine. Full of wit, wisdom, and tremendous respect, Reflections of a Fat Girl is a compilation of her articles that explores the complexity of women; their multiple roles, careers, relationships, and life stages; and the cultural container in which they live.