The Elephant In The Room
Is Weight Lost Worth It?
After decades of dieting, Christine finally lost weight so why couldn’t she stay slim?
“I was ashamed of my weight and even more embarrassed by my failure to lose it.”
Women are taught that being slim in a sign of success. The Elephant in the Room examines why diets fail, why shame persists and why women believe that changing our bodies will fix our lives.
This book explores the roots of weight gain, the seduction of slimness, and the cultural forces that teach women to distrust their own bodies.
This is not another diet plan or 10-step programme. It’s an invitation to stop trying to fix our bodies and start listening to them.
Story Angles
Why are 80% of GLP-1 users women?
What the popularity of weight-loss medication reveals about the pressure on women to be slim.
Why is a woman’s credibility and earnings tied to her body size?
Overweight women earn less than their slimmer counterparts – a penalty that does not apply to men.
If slimming works, why do we regain the weight?
Why all weight-loss solutions focus on getting rid of fat rather than understanding why gain it in the first place.
About the Author
Christine M Thomas is a Health Economist and Visiting Professor who has spent her career evaluating the costs and benefits of healthcare interventions. Since researching depression-related obesity two decades ago, she has personally lost and regained a total of ten stone. This contradiction between professional knowledge and personal experience lies at the heart of The Elephant in the Room.