More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament

More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament

  • Downloads:5554
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-04-17 11:51:21
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Lexie Kite
  • ISBN:0358229243
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

"An indispensable resource for women of all ages, this is a guide to help us better connect to ourselves, to value ourselves, to love ourselves, and ultimately, to be ourselves。"

—Chelsea Clinton

Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good; it is knowing your body is good, regardless of how it looks。

How do you feel about your body?Have you ever stayed home from a social activity or other opportunity because of concern about how you looked?Have you ever passed judgment on someone because of how they looked or dressed?Have you ever had difficulty concentrating on a task because you were self-conscious about your appearance?

Our beauty-obsessed world perpetuates the idea that happiness, health, and ability to be loved are dependent on how we look, but authors Lindsay and Lexie Kite offer an alternative vision。 With insights drawn from their extensive body image research, Lindsay and Lexie—PhDs and founders of the nonprofit Beauty Redefined (and also twin sisters!)—lay out an action plan that arms you with the skills you need to reconnect with your whole self and free yourself from the constraints of self-objectification。

From media consumption to health and fitness to self-reflection and self-compassion, Lindsay and Lexie share powerful and practical advice that goes beyond “body positivity” to help readers develop body image resilience—all while cutting through the empty promises sold by media, advertisers, and the beauty and weight-loss industries。 In the process, they show how facing your feelings of body shame or embarrassment can become a catalyst for personal growth。

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Reviews

Ele

Not a fan of this book。 Very much felt like homework。 I’m not the self help book type of girl and this did not convert me。 It’s a shame- I was excited about this one。

Leslie

I wish for all the women (and men! My husband is reading it too) in my life to read this book。 It’s important, vital to our well being, and understanding the principles taught is essential to tapping into our potential and finding true happiness。 These are some (not all) of the standout points for me。 If anything resonates with you, get the book and read it。 My book is soooo marked up!!“Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good, it is knowing it IS GOOD, regardless of how it looks I wish for all the women (and men! My husband is reading it too) in my life to read this book。 It’s important, vital to our well being, and understanding the principles taught is essential to tapping into our potential and finding true happiness。 These are some (not all) of the standout points for me。 If anything resonates with you, get the book and read it。 My book is soooo marked up!!“Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good, it is knowing it IS GOOD, regardless of how it looks”“What are you- and the world - missing out on because the soul-sucking posture of self objectification keeps you from doing, being, experiencing, contributing, and achieving in every area of your life?”“You’re beauty is not your life’s work。” “Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked female”“We aren’t meant to take up less space”Regarding dress codes “society sets rules to regulate the ways female bodies are allowed to appear with the intention of protecting the male bodies and minds that apparently need to be externally (and not internally) controlled。” “But dress codes don’t prevent girls from being perceived as sexual objects-they reinforce it。”“It is incredibly difficult to feel positively about your HEALTH when you are judging it based on LOOKS”“Validating and appreciating the diversity of bodies that exist, while inclusive and helpful on the one hand, STILL CENTERS THE APPEARANCE OF WOMENS BODIES AS THEIR MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE”- we want inclusion and representation, not equal opportunity objectification”“When your empowerment is based on others physical appraisal of you, it can be taken away as freely as it was given”“Rather than reinventing what beauty looks like, why not push against the whole idea that beauty is of utmost importance?”“Anything you want to do well at or get better at will benefit from your undivided attention, free from unconscious body monitoring” 。。。more

Lisa

I like what my friend Amy said about this book, every human should read it。 I love the way that Lindsay Kite, PhD and Lexie Kite, PhD are changing the narrative around body image。 The title is a great summary of their work: women are more than bodies。 Our looks don't define our worth, health, or value。 In their book they provide research based information that has been so helpful to me professionally and personally。 I strongly encourage everyone to follow them on social media (Beauty Redefined) I like what my friend Amy said about this book, every human should read it。 I love the way that Lindsay Kite, PhD and Lexie Kite, PhD are changing the narrative around body image。 The title is a great summary of their work: women are more than bodies。 Our looks don't define our worth, health, or value。 In their book they provide research based information that has been so helpful to me professionally and personally。 I strongly encourage everyone to follow them on social media (Beauty Redefined) and buy this book。 。。。more

Cathy Leslie

Eye opening book! I will be rereading it and recommending it to all women! Life changing!

Ellen

I’ve been following the Kite sisters for years and was excited to read their book。 Most of their information I’d already read via their blog or Instagram; however, it was nice having it in a book format as it flowed so well。 My biggest complaint is that I felt was a bit long, but maybe the audiobook (which is read by the authors!) was just read slow。 The ~nine hours of listening started to drag and I think I would have preferred a slightly condensed, maybe ~six hour version (hence the four-star I’ve been following the Kite sisters for years and was excited to read their book。 Most of their information I’d already read via their blog or Instagram; however, it was nice having it in a book format as it flowed so well。 My biggest complaint is that I felt was a bit long, but maybe the audiobook (which is read by the authors!) was just read slow。 The ~nine hours of listening started to drag and I think I would have preferred a slightly condensed, maybe ~six hour version (hence the four-star rating rather than five)。 But, even with that said, I think everyone should read this book (or listen to it)!!!If you're a woman, you'll learn how to have a better frame of mind for your body。 If you're a man, you'll get a better look into what most women go through at some point in their lives and many on a daily basis as we struggle with body image。 If you're raising kids (both boys & girls), you'll learn how to raise them to see more than bodies and be more than bodies。 Here's a quote from the book:“If you give looks-based comments the power to build people up, you reinforce their power to tear people down。 Continuing to focus on someone's looks, even in positive ways, uses the same framework and logic that makes appearance-based insults so lethal。 The truth is, when we stop giving beauty the power to make us, we take away its power to break us。To help a girl's self-worth and help her build resilience for future beauty-related disappointments, teach her she is more than beautiful。 Don't just reassure her that her body looks great, teach her that her body is great。”I feel like I have a fairly healthy body image (I still struggle from time to time), and yet I still learned and felt empowered after reading this book。 I don't know anyone that wouldn't benefit from this book。 I don't know any woman that hasn't struggled with body image at some point in her life。 I loved the reminder to remember how much our bodies can do and that our bodies are an instrument, not an ornament。 Do yourself, and the world, a favor and read this book (and then apply the principles)! 。。。more

Leah Beech

Everything this book says is perfect。 But there was a lot of “fluff” in my opinion。 Hard to get through, although it may just have been because I am very familiar with the ideas presented throughout since I have followed their account for a while now。 I wish everyone would read this and believe it!

Alyssa

The message of this book is 5 stars, for sure。 Just felt long。 I skimmed a lot and know I got the message and the knowledge that I needed from the book。

Erin

Seriously, read this book。 It is a revolutionary way to see our bodies and find the value in what they DO rather than what they look like。 It is a way to see the ways in which society objectifies women's bodies and how we as women objectify ourselves and billions of dollars are made by companies which prey on women's insecurities about all of our different body parts。 Read it。 Please。Quoting the bit from their blurb:Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good; it is knowing your bod Seriously, read this book。 It is a revolutionary way to see our bodies and find the value in what they DO rather than what they look like。 It is a way to see the ways in which society objectifies women's bodies and how we as women objectify ourselves and billions of dollars are made by companies which prey on women's insecurities about all of our different body parts。 Read it。 Please。Quoting the bit from their blurb:Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good; it is knowing your body is good, regardless of how it looks。How do you feel about your body?Have you ever stayed home from a social activity or other opportunity because of concern about how you looked?Have you ever passed judgment on someone because of how they looked or dressed?Have you ever had difficulty concentrating on a task because you were self-conscious about your appearance?Our beauty-obsessed world perpetuates the idea that happiness, health, and ability to be loved are dependent on how we look, but authors Lindsay and Lexie Kite offer an alternative vision。 With insights drawn from their extensive body image research, Lindsay and Lexie—PhDs and founders of the nonprofit Beauty Redefined (and also twin sisters!)—lay out an action plan that arms you with the skills you need to reconnect with your whole self and free yourself from the constraints of self-objectification。 。。。more

Becca

Freaking amazing。 I learned so much and I think about this book almost every day

Janeen Christensen

5 stars for the content alone (but also well written)。 Save religious texts, this is the most important book I have read。 They truly tackle objectification for women in a way that reasons and resonates。 "My body is an instrument, not an ornament。" 5 stars for the content alone (but also well written)。 Save religious texts, this is the most important book I have read。 They truly tackle objectification for women in a way that reasons and resonates。 "My body is an instrument, not an ornament。" 。。。more

Sam

A super interesting book that anyone who has at any point felt ashamed of how they look should read

Katie

Read this book! It will change your life, I promise。

Sadie Taylor-Jenks

“Your body is not yours to look good to the outsiders and consumers。”I thought this book would lead to better self image and body positivity, when really it pointed me to see the entire system that works to make my body consumed by outsiders, ultimately making myself an outside critic of my own self。 This has radically changed the way I see myself and the body-centric system that is beyond present in my day-to-day life。 Every person, especially those who identify as females, should read or liste “Your body is not yours to look good to the outsiders and consumers。”I thought this book would lead to better self image and body positivity, when really it pointed me to see the entire system that works to make my body consumed by outsiders, ultimately making myself an outside critic of my own self。 This has radically changed the way I see myself and the body-centric system that is beyond present in my day-to-day life。 Every person, especially those who identify as females, should read or listen to this book; not just those who feel they suffer from debilitating self-esteem issues or disordered eating。 Very thankful for the years and years of research and work Drs。 Lexie and Lindsay Kite put into the messages in this book。“Our bodies are our instruments, not the world’s ornaments。” 。。。more

Rebecca

Some great insights。 It is difficult to see people and not their bodies。 It is SO hard to not care about our own looks, to compare our bodies to others or to other versions of ourselves, and not spend so much on changing ourselves or trying to keep ourselves from changing。

Stephanie

I read this for a teacher's professional development course at my school。 I absolutely loved it; my copy is practically glowing with highlights。 I feel a profound sense of responsibility to myself and the women in my life (my sisters, my friends, my daughter, my adolescent students。。。) to shine a spotlight on self-objectification and remove it's harmful effects from our womanhood。 The chapter on reclaiming health and wellness really resonated with me。 It's time that we stop celebrating that all I read this for a teacher's professional development course at my school。 I absolutely loved it; my copy is practically glowing with highlights。 I feel a profound sense of responsibility to myself and the women in my life (my sisters, my friends, my daughter, my adolescent students。。。) to shine a spotlight on self-objectification and remove it's harmful effects from our womanhood。 The chapter on reclaiming health and wellness really resonated with me。 It's time that we stop celebrating that all bodies are beautiful, and instead, make it clear that beauty has nothing to do with our bodies。 Our purpose in life is not to be decorative。 ✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿♀️ 。。。more

Amy

So much to unpack。 Definitely need to read this again and again。

Amanda Lewis

This is an important read。 Unfortunately this book is really needed in our world today。 If only everyone could incorporate and understand these ideals- mostly women- we would likely live in a completely different culture。 Chapter 5 was my absolute favorite。 My big take-aways from this book:-The look of your body doesn’t always correlate with your health or happiness。 Ex。 Watch as marathoners cross the finish line and notice the different bodies types that just ran 26 miles-Remember yourself as a This is an important read。 Unfortunately this book is really needed in our world today。 If only everyone could incorporate and understand these ideals- mostly women- we would likely live in a completely different culture。 Chapter 5 was my absolute favorite。 My big take-aways from this book:-The look of your body doesn’t always correlate with your health or happiness。 Ex。 Watch as marathoners cross the finish line and notice the different bodies types that just ran 26 miles-Remember yourself as a little girl。 What kind of world did you want for her? How would you want her to feel about herself? -Health does not always equal skinny and skinny does not always equal healthy-Instead of thinking of yourself in realms of “before” and “after” think of yourself of being in the process- or the “during”-Positive body image isn’t about feeling your body looks good it is about knowing your body is good no matter what it looks like I have a hard time with some of the extremism and delivery of the information given in this book but that doesn’t mean I don’t value the perspective that is supplies。 。。。more

Ashley

Loved this so much! Such an important book。

Abbey

Great read。 Lines up with my Public Health education (e。g。 Metabolic fitness, Women's Health & media) and adds additional insights on the prevalence of objectification in our culture。 Put words to a few things I've experienced。 Could have been shorter。 Great read。 Lines up with my Public Health education (e。g。 Metabolic fitness, Women's Health & media) and adds additional insights on the prevalence of objectification in our culture。 Put words to a few things I've experienced。 Could have been shorter。 。。。more

Jana

I didn’t expect this book to change my entire way of thinking, but it all just makes sense。 I’ll be following these gals’ work from now on and will probably revisit this book often。 Highly recommend this for anyone with a body! Life changing!

Jackie Sp

More than just a book, this is both an encyclopedic discussion of body image and a thought-proving dissection of the ways in which our self-worth should be about more than appearance。

Alacia H (Our Charming Bookshelf)

I've been looking forward to this book since Lexie & Lindsay started talking about it on Beauty Redefined。 I have heard these girls speak live before and love their message。 There is a lot to unpack in this book, but I enjoyed the things that it made me thing about and hope that I can start shifting my perspective on a lot of these things。 I listened to the audiobook and I loved that, but think that reading an actual copy of the book with a highlighter will be helpful so I can take notes and rea I've been looking forward to this book since Lexie & Lindsay started talking about it on Beauty Redefined。 I have heard these girls speak live before and love their message。 There is a lot to unpack in this book, but I enjoyed the things that it made me thing about and hope that I can start shifting my perspective on a lot of these things。 I listened to the audiobook and I loved that, but think that reading an actual copy of the book with a highlighter will be helpful so I can take notes and really internalize these messages。 。。。more

Shannon

Really (really!) important messages! Some of my favorite take aways: “It’s time to question our participation in our culture of objectification”; “the world needs you now, not 10 or 50 pounds from now or when you have tanner or brighter skin”。 And the overall message that the purpose of our bodies is NOT to be beautiful and admired。 I would be happy if every woman read this。 If you want a taste of how Drs Lindsay and Lexie Kite are turning the body image culture on its head, their page, beauty r Really (really!) important messages! Some of my favorite take aways: “It’s time to question our participation in our culture of objectification”; “the world needs you now, not 10 or 50 pounds from now or when you have tanner or brighter skin”。 And the overall message that the purpose of our bodies is NOT to be beautiful and admired。 I would be happy if every woman read this。 If you want a taste of how Drs Lindsay and Lexie Kite are turning the body image culture on its head, their page, beauty redefined, on Instagram is a good start。 。。。more

Laurenschnaremahoney

Interesting book about the dangers of focusing on the appearance of one’s body— calls for body neutrality over even seemingly well intentioned body positivity messages。 Extremely repetitive though and not well organized。

Vivienne

I wish this book was available years ago。 It's a must read for everyone! I greatly benefited from their insights and research on how we view our bodies and how we view others。 Beauty redefined is a revolution that is SO needed in our world。 I wish this book was available years ago。 It's a must read for everyone! I greatly benefited from their insights and research on how we view our bodies and how we view others。 Beauty redefined is a revolution that is SO needed in our world。 。。。more

Randi Renee

I loved this book!!

Shireen

Really important subject and perspective。 Authors do an excellent job and are thoughtful writers。 I just am not a huge fan of the self help genre。

Teresa

The best book I've read about self-care and a well-needed reminder that we are more than bodies for others to judge。 The best book I've read about self-care and a well-needed reminder that we are more than bodies for others to judge。 。。。more

Barbara

Found the chapters too long & hard to stay engaged。

Brittney

100% on board with the content, meh on the presentation and scope。