Memoirist’s book is for whom the fat rolls

 

 

INTERVIEW. Author Jen Lancaster has made a successful career out of blogging and writing about her life. Her best-selling memoirs “Bitter is the New Black” and “Bright Lights, Big Ass” detail what it’s like to be large, in charge and totally hilarious. But when she realized that she was “sweating while eating,” Lancaster realized it was time for a change.

Her latest book, “Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist’s Quest To Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, Or Why Pie is Not The Answer” [Penguin, $14], is  about her experience. She let us in on why she wanted to write “yet another memoir.”

The weight-loss memoir has been tackled many times by other authors. What do you think sets yours apart?
Hopefully “Such a Pretty Fat” is different because I have a contrarian point of view. It seems like every other weight-loss memoir starts off with a healthy dose of self-loathing. The author hates herself and hates her looks and she wants to lose weight to get her life back. I don’t do that. I had a very nice life when I started the process and I was happy with how I was and how I looked. I decided to lose weight because my doctor was all over my case to get healthier.

How is your dieting progressing now that the book is finished?
I’ve accomplished my goals of getting healthier — my cholesterol is way lower, as is my blood pressure and I feel great. Before I started, I could barely carry a basket of laundry up the stairs. Now I can lift 160 pounds and run a mile. I’m not thin, but I’m fit, and that’s made the biggest difference in my life. 

What is the No. 1 lesson that you learned about yourself through the whole process of writing the book?
I learned that my fear of growing up and taking responsibility for myself was the factor that was keeping me from even trying to get healthy. And I also learned that it’s never too late to try a little harder.