The first time I saw Chrissy Metz in her first scene on This Is Us, I unexpectedly burst into tears (and not for the last time, as any fan of the show can agree) because I immediately saw so much of my own struggle in that character and Chrissy's portrayal of it resonated with me in a big way. They never show big girls on TV and I never knew how much I'd been wanting to see someone deal with a weigh struggle (and not someone who is a size 4 and wanting to be a size 2). As I came to know more about her, I found her to be a very positive and inspiring person, so when I saw that she was writing a memoir and the tour was stopping in Philadelphia the night before the book launch, I knew I had to go. I bought a ticket the day they went on sale.

First, I thoroughly enjoyed her talk on the book tour. She was honest and funny and charming, and she spoke about so many of the struggles in her life that led her to where she is today, but even more specifically, she talked about emotional eating and beginning on a spiritual journey to discover who she was and what she wanted and how to avoid stuffing her feelings by reaching for food. She admits that she's a work in progress. It resonated with me because I am just starting down that path of mindfulness, as well.

The book is a memoir and it talks about Chrissy's life growing up, her relationship (or lack thereof) with her absent father, Mark, and how her mother supported them. It talks about her relationship with her grandmother and her stepfather, Trigger, and her siblings. It talks about her marriage (and divorce) to an English man named Marty, and it even talks about her lunch with Oprah. And, of course, it talks about This Is Us and her role as Kate, and how that role is informed by everything that happened to Chrissy up to that point. In many ways, she IS Kate, and she acknowledges that. It's why there's no one better for the role.

Then there's the relationship with food. She talks about how she came to associate it with nurturing and bonding when her grandma used to make her grilled cheese sandwiches after school. She talks about her self-consciousness and her eating issues and how her stepfather used to weigh her constantly and talk about how he didn't understand why she was just getting fatter. She talks about hiding her eating from everyone.

She talks about recognizing these behaviors and learning manage them.

Her positive spirit and sense of humor are evident throughout the whole memoir, but what makes it so motivating is that she presents her stories in a way that is like getting advice or having a chat with a wise sister. She knows she's not perfect and still has work to do, but she wants the reader to know that we shouldn't feel that we have to hide who we are. She talks about her sense of confidence and doing what she wants to do and not letting her size stop her.

There are mindful moments throughout that give ideas and tips for how to deal with a variety of situations that life might throw at you. This kind of book isn't for everyone, but for those who enjoy this style, you'll love this book.

I've been big into Rachel Hollis lately, and a lot of what's in this book reminds me of pep talks that Rachel might give. Chrissy is funny, wise, and full of heart. I liked her before, and I love her even more after reading this book. I just want to sit down to lunch with her and ask her so many questions!