Think Skinny, Feel Fit: 7 Steps to Transform Your Emotional Weight and Have an Awesome Life

Chaban, a motivational speaker and nutrition consultant, shares his personal struggle with weight in this helpful memoir. Born in Venezuela, Chaban describes being raised in a family that placed an overriding focus on food, which he attributes to his father’s Arab background. As a child, he gained approval from his family when he ate enthusiastically, and his chubbiness became a source of pride for them. As he grew into his teens, however, Chaban gained more weight than was healthy: he ultimately weighed in at 314 pounds, and was bullied by peers. Later, he overcompensated, excessively dieting and becoming bulimic. While chronicling his emotional and physical journey to good health, he shares seven keys to his success: make a commitment to yourself, identify your emotional weight, set your goals, affirm your well-being, visualize your dream life, take action and create lasting habits, and focus on the present. Chaban maintains that emotional issues and weight gain are intertwined, arguing that even with the best diet plan, failure to address the underlying psychological causes of overeating will lead to relapse. Chaban’s story will inspire his devoted fans and also draw in new readers with its openhearted candor and supportive plan. (June)