No comments about Fat Is a Family Affair, Second Edition: How Food Obsessions Affect Relationships.

5 comments about Runaway Eating: The 8-Point Plan to Conquer Adult Food and Weight Obsessions.

1. As a psychologist, I love this book! The perfect title for a great book on our culture's obsession with food and appearance. Even though it addresses eating disorders in menopausal women, two of my teenage patients have told me they feel it describes them in details not found in other books. The concrete solutions offered have helped them to change their thinking. They feel understood by the compassionate tone of the authors. I like the stress reduction techniques and their understanding of how thoughts lead to behaviors. Change your thoughts, change your behavior. This book can clearly help to heal.



2. I have had food 'issues' for years. I have read books on eating disorders but none of them really described me. This book described all of my behaviors and opened my eyes to the motivations behind them. I am working on using the methods suggested in the book.



3. This book really turned on a light bulb for me. It clearly outlines what are called "subclinical" eating disorders. It also helped me to realize that my reaction to dieting was normal! What a relief to know that it's not just me. Included in the book are some written exercises to help you figure out what triggers your "runaway eating" episodes. It also addresses compulsive exercise, another very common problem.
   
   I have been greatly encouraged to leave my dieting mentality behind. It may seem overly dramatic to say it was ruining my life, but it was! And those of you whose lives are driven by thoughts of what, when, and how much you will eat, and how long you must exercise know what I mean. You can experience freedom. It's scary, but you can! The book teaches you how to learn to listen to your body, and reestablish your hunger-feeding mechanism. Very helpful information. I put away my scale, but I can tell you that the fit of my clothes has not really changed since I started working in this book. I have not lost weight, but amazingly, I have been much more relaxed with food (and life) and I haven't piled on weight. I really think that once I get this down and some of the cravings for junk out of my system, that my weight will probably go down a little, though I am probably never going to be a size 6. I am also experiencing less dissatisfaction with my body-a miracle!
   
   I cannot give all the credit to this book, as I have read others along the way that have emphasized my freedom in Christ that goes hand in hand with obedience.



4. If I didn't know better, I would think that the authors of this book had hidden cameras in my pantry (and in my subconscious). In just the first few pages, they perfectly described my over-eating episodes as if they'd been there with me while I devoured an entire bag of chocolate chips. And in the subsequent chapters they revealed the lies I've been telling myself in the back of my mind, helping me get honest with myself about my distorted view of my body, my eating, and how to find happiness. Although the book is clearly aimed at women in their mid-life (one of the 8 points in the plan is specific to menepause), I found most of the book applicable to me as a 30yo man who has fluctuated between over-eating and restricting my whole life. I feel like, for the first time in my life, a veil has been lifted that has revealed all the ridiculous lies I've been telling myself that keep me unhappy. I'm just starting out, trying to regain my ability to know when I'm really hungry (not tired, angry, bored, or depressed), and when I'm full (rather than eating until I'm sick). I already find I'm eating more than I convinced myself I should eat (though surely less than I was eating, since I'm not gorging on cookies anymore). I also have more energy and find myself able to deal with work and home with a smile, rather than succumbing to tension. If you've ever told yourself that your happiness is dependant on losing a few more pounds, or you've ever started eating a cake by taking a small slice, then rationalized another small slice, then another, and another and another, until the cake is nearly gone -- this book will be a kind, gentle wake-up call and help you take rational steps toward a healthy relationship with food.



5. An intelligent book- easy to read with a supportive tone, containing much needed information and guidelines for those of us who struggle with food issues.
   As a counselor, I have been inspired to consider leading a support group with this book as part of the foundation.

4 comments about It Started With Pop-Tarts... An Alternative Approach to Winning the Battle of Bulimia.

1. Any eating disorder is a challenge--a challenge for the person who's enveloped in it; a challenge for family members who don't understand the psychology around it, are in denial and don't have a clue on what to do; a challenge for friends who either know somethings wrong and don't know what to do or those who actually sabotage their friend in subtle encouragement that they look good thin as a twig; and a challenge for society because of the mixed messages that are so prevalent today.
   
   This author tells it like it is...was. Her ups and downs and eventual recovery where she finally took charge, side-stepping many of the "traditional" methods that were so popular at the time.
   
   It Started With A Pop-Tart belongs in every woman's health organization and library-- and should be a program that is delivered throughout the community. Hanson's message speaks to every mother, daughter (and son)... her story ends well; many don't. Highly recommended.
   
   Dr. Judith Briles, author of
   The Confidence Factor



2. This is an honest account of what it feels like to ride the roller coaster of an eating disorder. i've never been bulemic, but struggled with weight gain and loss over the years and still found it insighful and helpful in my own personal journey. A worthwhile read.



3. This book is not only a great read, but it contains valuable resources and referrals of excellent people that I currently use as a tool to live a better less stressful life. This book can be used as a tool for people not only with eating disorders but anyone that wants to see how incorporating meditation, yoga, energy healing, and the art of letting go into your life can change your results of living life immensely. Lori has been an amazing mentor, friend, and resource for me.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone looking for answers/resources on pushing your lifeing one step further.



4. When I read Lori's book, I knew it would be very helpful to people who are suffering with bulimia and eating disorders. I was delighted to discover how helpful it also is to those of us who think we have a good life and haven't considered what we can do to make it better. Lori Hanson shows us the power in being courageous, sticking to our goals, fighting the good fight and never giving up. Brave and important lessons for anyone! Her advice and perspectives on alternative health options were a surprise bonus, and I copied down many of her suggestions and resources. I know we will be hearing a lot more from Lori Hanson in the future.
   --Barbara Munson, [...]

4 comments about Overeating: A Dialogue: An Application of the Principles of A Course in Miracles.

1. I have reviewed this book two times previously but for some reason they were not posted. Maybe the third time will be the charm...I think any serious Course student would benefit from reading this book for we all have issues with food though maybe not a weight problem. In addition, the issues raised in this small book are applicable to all addictions, obessesions and problems. And it is still in print and available if you look around.



2. This is a clearly written book which is taken from A COURSE IN MIRACLES and helps you to lose the ego and when this happens you can begin to eat normally and eventually get to a healthy weight, not a weight loss book a life book.



3. This book is excellent! And,it's thin----as thin as I want to become. So many diet books become heavy,filled with superfluous minutiae about how many cacao b eans Moctezuma put into his chocolate drinks in order to get enough energy to please his harem.
   We don't NEED that. I have a friend named Carlos Valle who carries all of that stuff in his head.
   This little book approaches weight loss metaphysically.It's wonderful.All that's lacking is the address for the Hemlock Society in case I fail



4. I don't feel like this book really zeroed in on my own particular issues about overeating. Interestingly enough, it was another one of Wapnick's books that I found addressed the issue better and it wasn't even about this subject ("Children and Parents, Our Most Difficult Classroom").
   
   Of course, all Course in Miracle concepts are just the same one repackaged in a different form: the issue of forgiveness. So, if one book doesn't help another one might. This book may be exactly what someone needs but for me it didn't quite get there. The issue of punishment and victimization seems more relevant to the topic and I wish it had been more elaborated upon in this book.

5 comments about Eating, Drinking, Overthinking: The Toxic Triangle of Food, Alcohol, and Depression--and How Women Can Break Free.

1. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema has provided an informative and encouraging text book on her subject of the toxic triangle. I have learned so many things about myself and this problem and am at last hopeful of making some positive changes in my life.



2. The author calls the cycle the Toxic Triangle. Many women spend all week carefully keeping themselves in check. They work hard at their jobs all day making sure that they don't say or do the wrong thing. After work, they continue to control their actions by only choosing healthy food in just the right quantities and abstaining from alcohol.
   
   By Thursday or Friday, however, the frustration, pressure, and cravings becomes too much. These same controlled seemingly put together women decide to just have one glass of wine to unwind or just a few potato chips. This simple action starts a chain of excess which is turn fuels the desire to control which turns into a never-ending cycle.
   
   Eating, Drinking, Overthinking brings this cycle of self abuse to light showing women what they are really doing to themselves, likely without even knowing it. The author uncovers the real reasons behind these actions and shows woman healthy ways that they can deal with both their emotions and their unreal expectations of themselves.



3. This is the absolutely best & most informative book I have EVER read!!! This book is a must!!! I'm the Queen of self-help books & this book says it all. I even suggested it to two psychologist friends of mine & they purchased it for their clients/patients. I'm telling you now....STOP...& buy this book! It will change your life.....finally.



4. I really enjoyed reading this book not only because it was well-written, but because it seems to put these three disorders into perspective as they can be linked to one another. Obviously, not everyone gets trapped in the "toxic triangle" and each of the three disorders can exist on their own. However, for people who find they suffer from two or more, the book has much to offer. The author presents some psychological data along with personal stories and examples that help the reader to understand the interaction of eating, drinking and thinking too much. The begining chapters explain each of the three conditions and how they are detrimental to a person's well-being. The latter chapters deal with creating an action plan to help you "fight" your way out of the triangle and get on a path to healing. For me, it was a very insightful read (especially the chapters on Overthinking) and I highly recommend it to someone who may be suffering from any or all of these problems. It is a good starting point to think critically and understanding any or all of these three issues, but certainly does not provide the cure.



5. In her highly readable book, Susan Nolen-Hoeksema illuminates the risks that render women especially vulnerable to the "toxic triangle" of binge eating/drinking and over-analyzing.
   
   In their extreme attempts to please others and be who they think they "should" be, many women lose their voice and internalize their pain. In doing so, they are bombarded with self-loathing thoughts, and often turn to over-eating/drinking to temporarily escape the darkness that haunts them. The cycle feeds on itself, and these women lose not only their selves, but also any joy for living.
   
   Susan's book explains the roots and consequences of this toxic trio of threats, and it also provides clear guidelines on how women can turn their vulnerabilities into strengths, and escape from the triangle. A useful read for patients and professionals alike, this book provides valuable tools for helping women crawl out of the depths of hopelessness and despair and into a life filled with authenticity, meaning, and healthy connections.

4 comments about Reprogramming the Overweight Mind: 7 Steps to Taking Control of Your Subconscious (Includes Bonus Audio/Data CD).

1. As the author of this book I can tell you definitively that the quotes Trisha Brudsal put in her review do not exist on the CD. You can read the first two chapters of the book or listen to the first track of the CD by going to KellyBurris.com.



2. Kelly Burris' Reprogramming The Overweight Mind is at the cutting edge and one of the most valuable assets I have come across. I should know. I tried and was successful on Atkin's. I loved the thought that I could eat food and still lose weight. But, you know after awhile, you get tired of steak, prime rib, etc. and desire a big fat carb overload. And in fact, that is what I did after losing 20 pounds on Atkins. And soon I was back to my old weight plus a few pounds. As a 55+ male, I felt frustrated and was not eager to start the climb back to monitoring my carbs. So there I was stuck. Again.
   
   When I first encountered Kelly's book, I was skeptical. Another gimmick. Another diet. So I did nothing. And yet, something happened along the way.
   
   I encountered a new mind set. It was NOT done consciously. But I started to look at food differently. I made better choices. I made conscious choices. I started to avoid a few of the key ingredients Kelly pointed out as being "bad" for you. I read labels and found High Fructose Corn Syrup was all over the place...even in one famous person's Old Fashion Lemonade. I stopped putting sugar in my coffee. I drank more water. I found if I bought convenient size bottled water, I drank more. All of these changes were made by me as a willing accomplice. My mind set had changed. And I had a new perspective.
   
   After awhile, I noticed that my pants were loose. That I could bend over more easily. But I didn't pay much attention to it. After all, I wasn't dieting so I figured I was imaging it.
   
   At one point, I decided to get on a scale...and to my surprise, I found I had lost 20 pounds. I had gone from 251 pounds to 231 without any effort. And yet, I did not feel like I had deprived myself of anything. In fact, I felt well fed.
   
   And that is the moment I realized what Kelly was talking about. Reprogramming the Mind. Subconsciously. Indeed, I had done just that without the trauma of dieting, deprivation and all the other things that go along with losing weight. And I have no desire to go back to my old habits.
   
   I don't know about you. But if you were like me...overweight, late 50s, less than optimistic...maybe you should consider Reprogramming Your Mind.



3. Burris has my full endorsement. I recommend that all of my associates and clients get his book, do the homework and listen to the reprogramming CD. I personally have benefited from his mind fitness techniques as a individual and especially as a teacher. His methods are easy to learn and implement. They empower you from within, not tell you what to do. Burris is original and brilliant! Truly an 'Aha!' sense of this really works, when I've tried EVERYTHING.
   
   Carol Miller
   President
   Encore Personal Training
   Las Vegas, Nevada USA



4. Kelly has created a program second to none. In just a couple of days this program helped me to reprogram my subconscious and allow me freedom from nicotine and emotionally driven food. Thank you Kelly for your lifetime of work in order for this change to come about and put me back in the driver seat of my life!

1 comments about For Today.

1. This is simply the best. The best, the best. I also recommend For The Original Overeaters Anonymous Very Low Carbohydrate Food Plan: Greysheet Recipes. This is a beautiful book. I bought it because I'm on the very low carb food plan. It has great recipes. I really like the protein and vegetable recipes. I can never think of enough things to do with vegetables. Now I know what other people are cooking. I'm glad to learn more about phone and in person meetings. I never knew where the term "greysheet" came from. I have wanted to learn more about it for a long time.

4 comments about Taming the Feast Beast: How to Recognize the Voice of Fatness and End Your Struggle with Food Forever.

1. If you want another diet book that includes what or what not to eat, don't read this book. This book is not your ordinary book full of diet tips and exercise strategies. It's a powerful book concerning addiction and how to rationally overcome the addiction. It gives you a plan of action to conquer that voice that SCREAMS at you when you want to binge. The language is not techniqual and boring but straightforward. If you are a binge eater, this is a must read book.



2. The Trimpeys aren't going to be popular among all the myriad therapists, treatment centers, fat farms, diet gurus and "experts" like Susan Powter and Richard Simmons who are making fortunes at the expense of desperate dieters. What this book manages to so ably point out is that every person who has successfully lost weight and kept it off permanently did so from a Big Plan - NOT through the "support" of any group such as Weight Watchers, Overeaters Anonymous or the like. It was an INDIVIDUAL CHOICE backed up by individual effort and initiative. The Trimpeys help the reader find that motivation and reinforce the will to recover from binge eating by recognizing and seeing through the Voice of Fatness. While there are no easy answers or magic pills, there IS a rational choice which we can learn to make for ourselves. By debunking the irrational beliefs surrounding compulsive eating, discarding worthless theories about the origins of our problems, and directly confronting that internal voice masquerading as our own mind we can triumph over the whole kit and kaboodle.



3. This book turns the 12 step recovery movement as applied to overeaters on it's head. The Trimpey's are most known for their opposition to Alcoholics Anonymous and similar 12 step programs; Overeater's Anonymous is the same program used in AA, only applied to "food addiction". The first step of Overeater's Anonymous is to admit that one is "powerless" over his/her compulsion to overeat; that overeating is a lifelong "disease" that will never be cured. Only by working the 12 step program and attending meetings for life can anyone begin to approach "recovery". The Trimpey's argue that this belief system is irrational and ultimately unhelpful to the overeater. The book outlines some key "Philosophy of Fatness" (irrational beliefs) that helps to keep us overeaters fat. Some of these beliefs are the following:

   1. I am powerless over the urges to eat, and therefore not in control of what I put into my mouth.
   2. To feel like a worthwhile person, I must be "presentable" to others; so that no one will see me as fat or unattractive or even plain.
   3. To build self-esteem or respect myself, I must lose weight.
   4. My painful emotions and cravings are often intolerable,and they must be controlled by eating food.
   5. It is a dire necessity for adults to be loved, accepted,and approved of.

   The authors describe how these beliefs harm us and give us rational alternatives to them. There are also many anecdotes of people who have used "rational thinking" to lose weight.

   As someone who has participated in Overeater's Anonymous, I found this book to be liberating. I felt more powerful and in control simply by reading it. I was always uncomfortable with the idea of being powerless over my eating, and now I realize this concept won't work for me personally. The Trimpeys are not expressing new ideas here. Indeed, the concept of changing limiting or irrational beliefs about yourself and the world is a psychological concept known as Rational Emotive Therapy or RET. But it is helpful to see it used specifically for problems with overeating.

   If the book has one fault it is that the authors say more than once that examining your past and possible emotional reasons for overeating is useless. The size of your hips is due to the food you put into your mouth, not to a dysfuntional childhood. While I agree that my hips don't care about my childhood, I do think that it has been helpful for me to examine my emotional pain and where it comes from. It helps me to see that food was not the cause nor will it be the solution to my problems.

   If you've been struggling with compulsive overeating, this book is one you should plan on reading.




4. At last! A book written for people who are addicted to food and who are sick to death of diets, support groups, meetings and excuses. This book teaches you how to recognize the addictive voice inside of you and become master over it. AVRT, or Addictive Voice Recognition Technique, truly gives the power and control back to YOU. This recognition, as well as applying, what the Trimpey's refer to as T.A.P.S. is all you'll ever need again to lose all your excess weight. TAPS stands for Time - Amount - Place - Stuff. Setting rules about the time you eat, the amount you eat, where you eat (never in the car or in front of the TV, etc.), and of course, the "stuff" you eat, all in conjunction with making the "Big Plan" (i.e., I Will Always Eat Correctly) really, really works. I read this book, applied the AVRT to my life, and the weight has just melted off. The best part? I did not diet nor will I ever again. Now that I can recognize the addictive voice which screams for more food, especially when I don't need it, I know that I will never have to struggle with fatness again. I highly recommend this book!

2 comments about Preventing Childhood Eating Problems: A Practical, Positive Approach to Raising Kids Free of Food and Weight Conflicts.

1. This is a great book. The theory that this book encourages is sometimes called *intuitive eating*. I have introduced this method of eating to my family,and I already see wonderful results. It is empowering for our children to learn to listen to their bodies. By respecting our children, and trusting them to know what their bodies need, we stop the power struggles about food in our families.In addition, we give our children a wonderful gift: a healthy relationship with food. Buy the book!



2. I thought that the book was an excellent guide, not only in dealing with preventing eating problems in children, but to assist myself with eating problems that I have struggled with since I was a child. The approach advises to legalize all foods for your family and to not impose restrictions on your children because all it will do is backfire on you and they will want it more. The book is helpful because it deals with feeding from birth and up, and also shows how one can implement this plan with older children.

5 comments about Andrea's Voice: Silenced by Bulimia: Her Story and Her Mother's Journey Through Grief Toward Understanding.

1. Andrea's Voice is a moving tribute to an incredibly wise young woman and a family whose bond is inspiring. As someone who has been deeply affected by Andrea's struggle with an eating disorder and my own, this book both warmed my heart and broke it anew. There is so much here to be learned and reminded of regardless of whether or not one has been directly touched by an eating disorder. Doris' words, along with Andrea's, have the potential to begin a critical societal discussion about how we - as parents, siblings, partners, friends, co-workers, educators, treatment professionals, media personalities, policymakers - contribute to the thoughts that encourage disordered eating behaviors. As importantly, though, this book helps us begin to reevaluate and change our expectations and judgments of others and ourselves. In writing Andrea's Voice, Doris Smeltzer has given us incredible gifts: insight into her own journey and the gift of her daughter. Each person who reads this will be changed.



2. Thank you Doris for not preserving your journey with Andrea but for sharing, reaching and teaching all that you learned from her. I heard Andrea's voice when I was unable to hear my daughters'. She guided me on what I needed to do for them and told me what I needed to hear.....and I listened...for the first time...I listened ..... Thank you for your bravery and courage and inspiration. Thank you for sharing the deepest part of your soul, and thank you for trusting that we needed you to.



3. Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (6/06)
   
   "Andrea's Voice" is written by Doris Smeltzer, the mother of Andrea Smeltzer. Andrea Smeltzer was bulimic. Throughout the book, Doris Smeltzer tries to understand what caused the bulimia. She incorporates Andrea's journal entries and poetry through the book. This lets the reader feel Andrea's confusion and helplessness.
   
   Doris Smeltzer internally battles the blame for Andrea's disease. Like so many mothers, she wonders if she did everything she could do to be a good role model for her daughter. She writes, "One of the most important goals in my life, prior to Andrea's death, was to become the best mother ever--another aspiration toward perfection. This target provided a secure hiding place for me...I think that Andrea sensed, at almost a primal level, that her mother was in hiding. Maybe if I had faced my fears, Andrea would have been able to face hers."
   
   This book does not explain why Andrea developed bulimia. It does not describe how the family has come to terms with her death. However, it shows the long-term effect of the disease on Andrea and her family both before and after her death. This book is clearly a healing tool for Doris Smeltzer. "Andrea's Voice" can be a healing tool for bulimics and their families. As Doris Smeltzer explains, "Grief must be shared."



4. I highly recommend this book to parents of young women with eating disorders. Andrea's Voice is a deeply personal and eloquently told account of a mother's quest to bring her daughter through an eating disorder. This book offers something more than publications written by the "experts"--the books that tell parents what the best treatment is--it describes what it's actually like to confront an eating disorder, and how it affects a family. This is the real thing.



5. "Andrea's Voice Silenced By Bulimia: Her Story and Her Mother's Journey Through Grief Toward Understanding" is a final legacy organized and co-written by both Andrea's mother, Doris Smeltzer, and Andrea herself in the form of her journals and papers. This compelling account tells the story of a beautiful and talented young woman who suffers, and eventually dies from, an eating disorder. "Andrea's Voice" represents a great lesson woven from painful experience. Doris Smeltzer is co-founder of the eating disorder prevention nonprofit organization, Andrea's Voice Foundation. Through the finely crafted voices and carefully chosen writings in "Andrea's Voice," her mother presents both the deep isolationism of the disordered eater, her daughter, and the close bond that still enriches her life today, when her daughter's living voice is silenced. "Andrea's Voice" is both a deeply compassionate, inspirational tribute to the life of Andrea, and a search for clues and tools to stem the outcome in others with disordered eating. "Andrea's Voice" is both a clinical and a very human look at the relationship between Andrea and her mother, shared to help others afflicted with eating disorders -- or have loved ones who are faced with such potentially dangerous health issues.