Side effects of reading Brittany’s book may include laughing uncontrollably, writing her a fan letter, and (finally) dealing with your body confidence issues.

Blogger and body advocate Brittany Gibbons calls herself the “internet’s token fat girl,” and her popularity is no mystery: She’s turned the trials and tribulations of being not-so-comfortable with her body into a war cry, encouraging women everywhere to stop treating themselves—and other women—like shit for how they look.

Her book, “Fat Girl Walking“, is a candid and unapologetic memoir that takes you through her childhood, adolescence, college years, and present life, and her incessant body image issues as she fought against the “fat girl” stereotype.

There are several things that make this book so compelling:

1. It’s hysterical

I don’t recommend reading this book in public, especially if you’re prone to snorting when you laugh (unless of course you’re one of those rare unicorns who enjoys being stared at). Gibbons is effing hilarious. Every page contains a hardcore, laugh-out-loud moment that will make you feel like you’re about to throw up. Every. Single. Page.

2. It’s real

But Gibbons isn’t pulling a Chandler Bing: She doesn’t use humor as a way to hide how uncomfortable she is. She uses it to embrace her quirks, even flaunt them. Her book isn’t one of those obnoxious self-help books that offer you cheesy, pukey, paint-by-number solutions to your body confidence issues: In completely being herself and baring it all (sometimes literally), she leads by example, which makes you want to do the same.

3. It’s relatable

Reading “Fat Girl Walking” is like having permission to read Gibbons’ diary. The book is TMI in the best way possible (like the time she taped her vagina shut with Scotch tape, and the time she attempted to have a lesbian experience at summer camp). You end up reminiscing about your own mortifying, pre-pubescent experiences, and you find they’ve now become fond memories.

4. It’s comforting

Gibbons’ book makes you realize that being a mess is way better than trying to morph yourself into a femme bot. We all struggle with something, whether it’s body confidence or not, and her hilarious-yet-poignant tales are like comfort food for your emotions. You’ll feel inspired to unlock the proverbial shackles and live your life on your own terms.

“Fat Girl Walking” is an everygirl’s guide to body confidence, and rocking the tiny quirks that add up to make you whole. By the time you’re done reading, not only will Gibbons go to the top of your girl crush list, but you’ll feel ready to let go of the impossible standards you set for yourself and love exactly who you are, right this very second—cellulite and all.

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We all know how important it is to love yourself and take care of your body. Here are 10 important habits to lock down.

Skipping the occasional SPF application or falling asleep before you have the chance to floss isn’t a big deal in the short-term – but over time habits like these (or rather, a lack thereof) will contribute to health issues no woman wants anything to do with.

Show yourself some love by establishing these important beauty habits:

1. Use a gentle cleanser
Many of us tend to use harsher cleansers than necessary and exfoliate too much. We also tend to wash our faces in the morning, when we should only be washing them before bed. During beddy-by, our skin regenerates and balances itself out, which we then strip away with our morning scrub-down.

Love Yourself Tip: Only splash your face with water in the morning before applying your sunscreen and moisturizer. Choose a gentle cleanser and wash your face no more than twice a day.

2. Apply sunscreen daily
Not only does sunscreen reduce the risk of skin cancer, it also blocks out the aging effects rays can have on our skin. Too much sun exposure will lead to your skin wrinkling long before it typically would.

Love Yourself Tip: Put on sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher before applying your makeup.

3. Apply moisturizer daily
No matter your skin type, combining a mild cleanser with a quality moisturizer will make all the difference, and depending on the person, can take the place of a lot of products. When your skin is dry, wrinkles are accentuated.

Love Yourself Tip: Moisturize daily after your SPF, and use a rich night cream before bed.

4. Respect your tresses
There are so many terrible things we do to our hair: Wrapping a towel around our heads when we hop out of the shower, brushing it when it’s wet, and using too many styling wands to name a few. You should only brush your hair to detangle it using a wide-tooth comb, since over-brushing and over-styling leads to excess breakage.

Love Yourself Tip: When possible, let your hair air-dry. When blow-drying, make sure your hair has been thoroughly towel-dried first, and dry using medium to low heat.

5. Use clean makeup brushes
Makeup brushes are magnets for bacteria, which will lead to skin irritation and burning eyes. Not only that, but it will also impact the look of your makeup, leading to (gasp!) streaks.

Love Yourself Tip: Wash your brushes once a week, using water and dish soap/shampoo and lay them flat to dry. If you put them in a cup to dry, the liquid will impact the glue holding the bristles in place.

6. Maintain your smile
Oral care is about more than just clean teeth: Problems with your oral health can also lead to other health issues, such as problems with your major organs and digestive issues. No matter what, brush twice a day and floss before bed.

Love Yourself Tip: If you tend to skimp on flossing, a thorough flossing once a week is better than a half-assed daily effort.

7. Nurture your nails
During busy times, our manicures are often the first thing to go – but how you take care of your nails usually turns into a representation of how well you take care of the rest of your body.

Love Yourself Tip: At the very least, give your nails a quick shape with an emery board and a coat of clear polish.

8. Remember your neck and décolletage
We’re so focused on our face that many of us neglect our neck and décolletage, which are areas of our body that show signs of aging just as much as our face.

Love Yourself Tip: Getting into the habit of moisturizing these areas when you’re moisturizing your face will give your skin a serious boost from H2D (get it?).

9. Keep your hands to yourself
Many of us touch our faces without even knowing it, which transfers dirt and oils from your hands onto your skin and clogs your pores.

Love Yourself Tip: Even wearing light makeup helps break the habit of touching your face, since you’ll want to make your application last as long as possible.

10. Evolve your look
We all have go-to looks we turn to when we’re crunched for time or we continue to use them because they’re low-maintenance – but if you can’t remember the last time you tried a new haircut or eye shadow, it’s time to shake things up a bit. Periodically updating your look keeps you looking – and feeling – modern.

Love Yourself Tip: Let go of The Rachel and talk to your stylist about what’s new in the world of hair and makeup.

Are there other beauty habits you feel are a clear indicator of how much you love yourself and take care of your body?

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Image: Soren Rajczyk

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