Weight Expectations

"You can drown just as easily in a puddle as a lake. You drown by staying there."

Dave tells us that he had a pleasant childhood, but as he went off to college and then launched himself into job and life in London, he began to struggle. Anorexia was his way of coping. Anorexia was a clear-cut way of measuring if I was succeeding. Avoiding food was one thing I could be on top of.

Yes, it was a way to cope, until it wasn't. It was like my brain had too many tabs open. Dave organized his book according to the steps in his recovery process.

Dave uses humor to share his journey with us. It's ok to have a giggle. In fact, I'd prefer you did. Dave is British, so while some of his humor is charming to the American ear, much of gets in the way of relating to him. And I felt a bit uncomfortable by the amount of self-deprecating humor that seemed to get in the way of knowing the real Dave.

I also wonder why the book is subtitled One Man's Recovery from Anorexia because from what I understood from the book- one doesn't really recover. I liked how he included songs that were meaningful to him and that related to each chapter. He also included a summary of places to seek help. He may want to consider adding some American links. Overall, Dave wrote a solid book that sheds light on how a man deals with an eating disorder. Thank you, Dave.

Dave is a comedian and also a former anorexic. This is his story of his battle with the disease after a move in London, a breakup and family struggles. Each chapter is a segment of his recovery.

A favorite quote of mine: "You can drown just as easily in a puddle as a lake. You drown by staying there."

Overall I enjoyed the book and its realism. Felt that it portrayed his struggles realistically. He is funny and British so a win in my book. I love how he talked about therapy and getting help.

A male comedian's experience of suffering from an eating disorder and a personal account of his recovery and what worked for him. Not very well written - rather repetitive. The playlists of songs seem pointless and superfluous.

This book started off with an interesting premise-that you don't need to have a catastrophe to struggle with mental illness, but that was about the best part. There might be a good book about a man's battle with anorexia, but unfortunately this isn't that book. It just wasn't at all well written, and seemed to be a random stream of consciousness diary. I'm not sure the point of the playlists that accompanied each chapter, although I did like some that he chose. I unfortunately would not recommend this book.

Ok, I admit, when I saw the name of the author I realised it was a comedian who I have seen perform stand-up (at which he is brilliantly funny!), and had seen his TED talk about eating disorders, and I was interested to know more. I barely put this book down, and found it both insightful, thought provoking and at times really funny too.

Whilst I haven't suffered with an eating disorder, and have no one close to me that has, I was very interested to learn more about what it is like, not from a scientific view, but from a real life view, and this book delivered. I have suffered with anxiety throughout my life, and whilst my coping mechanism is different, it was fascinating to read the similarities in how he felt / feels about life and his outlook, and how closely I was able to relate to it, albeit finding a different outlet.

Very honestly written, with candour and integrity i am sure he would disagree, but Dave has been brave in putting himself out there. It was interesting to see that this is not just a female illness, but that men are affected too, and that men have feelings, insecurities and vulnerability in life as well. I really wanted to just give Dave a hug by the end of it.

I really liked the layout, with the playlists, which I was trying to guess the mood and vibe at the time from, but also the tips at the end of each section. These are really good, practical and helpful ideas which I think could apply to not only those with eating disorders, but wider mental health problems also.

Thank you for gifting us this book Dave, and for allowing us to see into your world. I hope that you stay well and that life is lots of good times and good health. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Weight Expectations follows comedian Dave Chawner's experience of Anorexia Nervosa. I think this book would offer a lot of hope to individuals experiencing anorexia, particularly men. I specifically liked how the book is divided into "states of change," and how he discusses that recovery is an ongoing process with ups and downs. I also enjoyed the playlists of songs prior to each section! This would be better suited as an introduction to the disorder, as does not go scientifically in depth. Overall, I would definitely recommend it to someone who has been in the early stages of eating disorder treatment.

I loved it I really did.

I was sent this from Netgalley

I had requested it, but forgot I had 😊

I love reading all things Mental Health, Addiction related aswell as all things Eating Disorder related.

I myself has struggled with them all throughout my 28years on this earth, as did my Mum who sadly is no longer here.

other members in my family have too.

I think it's so important for more Men to open up about their ED's in the hope of helping other Men.

you hear so much about Women having an ED but never Men.

It's ok to tell your stories...it inspires many others to get the help they need.

I can relate to so much in this book, on any different levels.

well done Dave on being so brave to finally put it all in writing.

even if you don't have an ED you self, then please, just try recommending it to someone who may have.

I've not read this as a way of progressing my own issues...I've read this to make more of an understanding of my Mum & Aunties ED (sadly both in heaven) and my own ED issues.

5* for this.

let's raise awareness

#MenHaveEDsToo

Weight Expectation is more of a introduction to Anorexia, a man journal and struggle though the mental illness and addiction. The story is written in a way it feel as if they are endless journal entries that do not flow from though to thought but rather jumps from topic to a completely different topic.

Readers will not learn anything new if they have read other stories about food addiction and the mental illness. The story is funny at times but it doesn't make for the lack of cohesion. I don't think this book would have been publish if it had been a woman writing her struggle but because it is a man and very rear to find a man to confess to this addiction I feel that is the reason the story is being published.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy.

This book was so funny. It was well written and honest. In his introduction Dave Chawney says "we all have health, we all have mental health and some of us have mental illness." Weight Expectations explores the mental illness that is anorexia. He shows that it is not a disease of ego, insecurity or vanity but one that is triggered when life gets hard and when there is nothing in life that one seems to have control over. An anorexic can always control what they eat. It becomes a coping mechanism. I know someone who self harms and this helped me understand what she goes through and I hope that he writes similar books on depression or anxiety. He has written the book that he wishes he had when he didn't know anything about anorexia. It isn't a text book, it isn't academic, it is like a chat with a wise friend who has been there and is working their way through it and it is brilliant.

This book is a unique perspective on eating disorders. It is not often that you hear from straight men on their struggles with an eating disorder. Chawner shares his story along with tips that he wished he knew at various points in his journey.

This book is a good read for someone who might be able to relate to Chawner's story. For those highly knowledgeable about eating disorders, it might feel simplistic.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the read.

Comedian Dave Chawner wrote a raw account of what it has been like to be a man suffering from anorexia. I think that many of us forget that men also suffer from this disorder, as most information is geared towards women. I highly recommend this book.

Dave Chawner is a comedian and this is his mental health memoir revolving around his history with an eating disorder.
This book was everything I wanted it to be! It was raw and honest, and I, quite frankly, really appreciated the awareness brought to eating disorders existing for men too! We almost never see representation of male fictional characters with eating disorders, and so I think that this is an incredibly important read. It also showed how EDs aren’t glamorous or vane, they are often just coping mechanisms for when someone loses a sense of control in their life, (or other stressors).
I would highly suggest Weight Expectations to anyone who enjoys non-fictional mental health related books, however want to mention an obvious content warning for Anorexia.

This was an important book to read especially if you want to understand eating disorders by someone that actually went through it. You can read thousands of psychological texts but the realism and the way he described his disorder made it possible for the everyday person to understand. Thank you for allowing me to read and write about this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It takes courage to share difficult life experiences especially when not everyone understands. My daughter is anorexic and has suffered with her illness as well as nosy and "well meaning" people.
Dave Chawner used his brilliant humor to discuss his difficulties. I was both entertained and enlightened.