Intuitive Eating, 3rd Edition by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch

TITLE: "Intuitive Eating" (3rd Edition)
AUTHORS: Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
DIETY?: no
IE?: YES!
MY RATING: 5*****

Intuitive Eating encompasses ten principles, but the main three (3) keys are these:

• Unconditional permission to eat when hungry and what food is desired
• Eating for physical rather than emotional reasons
• Reliance on internal hunger and satiety cues to determine when and how much to eat

I have been a big fan & promoter of this method since I first heard about it in 2005. Using its principles, I lost twenty-five pounds in six months while eating my favorite things (chocolate, ice cream, cheeseburgers, pizza, etc).

In this latest edition of the book, the authors have removed many of the numbers that were in the previous edition (stats, weights, heights) because they believe that it leads to self-sabotage when these are the focus. They have also added two new chapters — one that gives scientific backing to prove that IE works, and the other that focuses on how to help children and teens become Intuitive Eaters.

The chapter on kids was actually very interesting to me, as I have two of my own (ages 11 & 14), one of which is very rebellious in regards to food — he loves chips & ice cream, and it worries me that he’s learning all of my own bad habits. The authors insist, though, that letting kids make their own decisions regarding food (how much, what kinds, etc) is the best method because they will intuitively get in the balanced nutrition they need, if they’re left alone. It’s when an issue is made of their eating habits or their weight that they start to rebel, and/or lose faith in their ability to trust their internal cues.

One thing that surprised me about this new edition was the constant reminder of how it’s important to put weight loss on the back burner in the beginning of this process. The reason for this is that, if you’re focused on losing weight — as opposed to just learning how to become an Intuitive Eater — you will sabotage yourself by either getting depressed over the slowness of your weight loss progress, or by seeking out other diets in hopes of quicker results.

Here are some quotes from the book that I found helpful (some of which I forgot to write the page number references for):

• bring peace to your eating life and body image (p.32)
• focus on weight loss MUST be put on the back burner while you learn to return to Intuitive Eating
• If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating (chp.1)
• undereating leads to overeating
• you can’t fail at IE — it’s a learning process at every point along the way (p.53)
• the more you practice, the more confidence you’ll have (p.86)
• focus on continual change and learning, and start thinking in terms of what you can learn along the way (p.119)
• pause in the middle of eating to gauge your hunger level, and to ask yourself how the food tastes
• give yourself permission to eat again when you get hungry
• if you start eating when you’re not hungry, it’s hard to know when to stop from satiety (p.128)
• slow down while eating
• It’s what you eat consistently, over time, that matters — progress, not perfection…
• Intuitive Eating means having no guilt in your eating (p.301)

Lastly, there is a chapter on eating disorders, too, and how those caught in the throes of one can seek help, and also learn to eat intuitively.

Overall, I most highly recommend this book, and this method. It is very much based on common sense, and we all know that dieting doesn’t work in the long run, anyway. This method is great because you can still eat what you love, you can eat out at restaurants without worrying about blowing your ‘diet’, and you can lose the craziness of obsessing over what food is “good/bad”.

The Eden Diet by Rita Hancock, M.D.

TITLE: "The Eden Diet"
AUTHOR: Rita Hancock, M.D.
DIETY?: no
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 5*****

“Listen for hunger pangs, and when you feel them,

eat small quantities of the foods you enjoy.”

(from page 182)

That, right there, basically sums up this book’s premise.

THE EDEN DIET is a good guide for learning how to eat according to your “internal weight control system”. Dr. Rita’s approach is very freedom-focused, and she gives people ‘permission’ to eat what they truly enjoy, no matter their starting weight. There’s no guilt or condemnation here! She, herself, knows what it’s like to struggle with being overweight, as she lost 75 lbs with this way of eating, and has kept it off (if imperfectly) for over 25 years.

Even though the program is a Christian one, and God is a primary focus, this book is not at all “preachy”. I think, even if you don’t have a Christian worldview, you could still read this book for its weight loss advice/plan without feeling like you’ve been beat over the head with the Christian message.

The challenges presented inside — from the 7-Day Challenge, to the 30-Day Blocks, to the Apple Test — are all very helpful, but they’re not so complicated or intimidating as to scare you off. They have just enough to them to motivate you.

Many topics are covered inside, including (but not limited to): whether or not to eat breakfast, how to handle buffet meals and other special occasions, food- and people-triggers, and how to still eat when your family does.

I really liked how, at the end of each chapter (and even at the end of some sub-sections), Dr. Rita would give you a summary of what you’ve just read in order to help cement the ideas presented.

Overall, this is a fantastic book, and a terribly sensible plan. I definitely give this book my highest recommendation (and will be back in a few months to let you know how it’s working for me!).

Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure

TITLE: "Reshaping It All"
AUTHOR: Candace Cameron Bure
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: somewhat
MY RATING: 4****

Candace Cameron Bure used to play “DJ Tanner” on the television show “Full House“. I watched her on that show for years, growing up, as part of TGIF Fridays. 

So, I was really excited to see that (1) she’d written a book, and (2) she’s a Christian! 

This book is part memoir, and part weight loss advice. Candace tells the story of how she went from suffering from bulimia, to finding freedom through the hunger/fullness method of eating less. She also incorporates exercise (she loves Pilates), and chooses healthier foods when she does eat.

I loved that, throughout the book, Candace has included some of her family’s favorite recipes. They all look like they’ll be really easy to throw together, AND they’ll taste good (turkey tacos, anyone?). She also includes fan mail, along with her answers at the end of each chapter. And, there’s a whole slew of photographs of Candace in the middle of the book. 

I definitely recommend this book! Candace’s words are really motivating and inspirational. And, I’m a huge fan of the hunger/fullness method — it’s what I use myself — so I can’t help but love that she uses it, too!

REVIEW: "How to Survive Your Diet" by Linda Moran

TITLE: "How to Survive Your Diet"
AUTHOR: Linda Moran
DIETY?: no
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 5*****

I belonged to a Yahoo! group led by this author, called “DietSurvivors“. Members of this group are often talking about Linda’s book, so I got really curious about it, and had to read it for myself.


And, I’m glad I did! It’s a great book that focuses mainly on resisting greed, watching portion sizes, and accepting stress as a normal part of life. While Linda focuses on the hunger-fullness method for weight loss, she also outlines a few of the other diet plans out there, and shows you how you could use them sensibly, and make them work for you. She doesn’t condemn or belittle any of them — just shows you how to use your own inner wisdom if you’re going to choose to diet instead of follow your own inner hunger cues.


The one really great thing I got from it was the reminder to look for black-and-white thinking. I still have a lot of irrational beliefs about my food and eating, and this book helped me remember that I need to root those out and replace them with truth.


I also appreciated the bits about greed. I come from a Christian upbringing, so I don’t shy away from the word “greed”… it’s been a normal part of my growing up. And, I don’t want it in my life. But this book reminded me that there are many, many, MANY forms of it — some that we don’t see as “greed” when they really are just that! For example, the book mentioned greed for approval, and greed for freedom… I suffer from both.


Lastly, I loved the tiny size of this book (only 140 pages), as it was concise and to the point. And, Linda’s examples from her own life give you a really good picture of what it’s like to live as a “normal eater”.


Definitely recommended!


Rated: A

REVIEW: "The End of Overeating" by David Kessler

TITLE: "The End of Overeating"
AUTHOR: David A. Kessler
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: somewhat
MY RATING: 5*****

An absolutely engrossing read about how the food industry has contributed to the rising epidemic of obesity in America, and about how we can take back control over our eating.

Dr. Kessler explains the enormous appeal of the combination of fat, salt, and sugar in foods, and why this combination drives us to overeat, despite our better intentions.

He also gives the reader tools to use to combat the old habits and to instill new ones, renewing our thinking and, with that, our behavior.

I found this book to be really accessible, despite its scientific nature, and the tools given seem like they will be extremely helpful. The whole concept of what Dr. Kessler presents here is fascinating, and it really makes you think twice about what you’re eating, and how you’re supposedly being manipulated.

I really liked that the majority of this book also focused on the principles of Intuitive Eating: wait until hungry to eat, pay attention to your meals, watch your portions, stop when satisfied and not overstuffed, etc. Mind you, he had a bit of a different twist on some of it, and I found that refreshing.

Highly recommended.

Rated: A-

REVIEW: "Never Give Up!" by Joyce Meyer

TITLE: "Never Give Up!"
AUTHOR: Joyce Meyer
DIETY?: somewhat
IE?: somewhat
MY RATING: 5*****

Fabulous book! I love books like this, mind you, that encourage you to persevere, no matter what.

This one is laced with stories of people like Alexander Graham Bell, Marie Curie, Winston Churchill, Ben Carson, and Rosa Parks who all overcame obstacles in order to persevere and see their dreams fulfilled (and then some!). So encouraging!

My favorite quote from this book was this:

“…make a fresh determination to pay the price of progress…” (p.65)

Highly recommended, especially if you’re feeling low and need a fresh burst of motivation.

Note: This book is also really inspirational for those who are working on weight loss, as Joyce mentions that a lot here, too -- and we can be encouraged to put what she says here into practice regarding our weight loss efforts. :)


Rated: A+

REVIEW: "The Courage to Start" by John Bingham

TITLE: "The Courage to Start"
AUTHOR: John Bingham
DIETY?: no
IE?: yes
MY RATING: 5****

A fantastic book for those who are thinking about taking up running, or for those who are seasoned runners and just need to “return to basics” a bit.

I loved how most of this book stressed the importance of following your intuitition, and listening to your body for what it needs! And, I loved how Mr. Bingham showed that it’s okay to do your own thing — and not have to strive for the same things others strive for. Just because someone else says you “should” do your running “this way” doesn’t mean you have to… your body is the better judge of that. Of course, there are certain rules & guidelines to be followed in order to avoid injury. But otherwise, it’s all up to you!

Great book! Highly recommended!

Rated: A-

REVIEW: "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl" by Lisa Delaney

Title: "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl: How to Drop 2, 4 (or more!) Dress Sizes -- and Find Yourself Along the Way"
Author: Lisa Delaney
Pages: 247
Diety?: a little
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4.5****

A fantastic book! The author basically details her journey from being a fat kid, to being a fat college-student, then finally to becoming a skinny (we're talking size 2!) wife and mother. Don't be scared off by her current waist-size, though! Ms. Delaney can relate to what you're going through, as is evident by her story. I found myself relating to so much of what she wrote, despite the fact that I've only had a "weight problem" for the past 9 years.

Lisa gives you tips for how you can not only change your dress-size, but also how to get a new outlook and mindset/attitude, too!

This book was just what I needed, and I loved the "memoir" style! Very good.

REVIEW: "Look Great, Feel Great" by Joyce Meyer

Title: "Look Great, Feel Great: 12 Keys to Enjoying a Healthier Life Now"
Author: Joyce Meyer
Pages: 177
Diety?: somewhat
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

I saw this book in my church library and, since I'd wanted to read it for a while, I brought it home.

It's a good book that gives "12 Keys" to help you live a healthier life: drink water, exercise, let God lead, choose fruits and veggies and whole grains, etc.

The book was really just a lot of common sense tips, but it was also very inspirational! I liked how I could take it and make it work around the intuitive eating principles. :o)

Recommended!

REVIEW: "Eat Smart, Walk Strong" by Leslie Sansone

Title: "Eat Smart, Walk Strong"
Author: Leslie Sansone
Pages: 255
Diety?: somewhat
Promotes IE?: somewhat
My Rating: 4****

Another 6-week plan from Leslie Sansone, this one has you incorporate 6 new "healthy habits" that will keep you "naturally slim":

- Intentional Eating
- Breakfast
- Portion Control
- Slow Food
- Snacks
- Restaurants

This book was filled with excellent tips and advice, and of course, a nod toward getting in regular physical activity (especially walking! --grin--). It also, quite often, spoke in terms of Intuitive Eating! So, I have to recommend this book, despite the somewhat diety nature, in parts.

It really is based off of common sense, and Leslie's very flexible plan is doable. "Take what you love, and leave the rest!"

REVIEW: "Fattitudes" by Jeffrey and Norean Wilbert

Title: "Fattitudes: Beat Self-Defeat and Win Your War with Weight"
Author(s): Jeffrey and Norean Wilbert
Pages: 198
Diety?: not really
Promotes IE?: yes
My Rating: 4.5****

A 'fattitude' is "a thought or feeling that leads to self-defeat in weight management efforts".

This book gives you little forms to fill out to help you "Discover" your 'fattitudes', "Invent" new patterns of thinking and behaving, "Extinguish" old patterns and behaviors, and "Transform" yourself from the inside-out.

Highly recommended, as it meshes well with IE. :o)

REVIEW: "Why Weight?" by Geneen Roth

Title: "Why Weight?: A Guide to Ending Compulsive Eating"

Author: Geneen Roth

Pages: 186

Diety?: no

Promotes IE?: yes

My Rating: 4****

This was a workbook that had about 87 questions to help you dig down deep and discover possible reasons why you overeat.

I came across some things I'd have never guessed about my eating, so the book was definitely helpful. One of the best books I've read on the subject of non-dieting.

A lot of people find Geneen's books to be excellent. She also writes articles, monthly, for Good Housekeeping Magazine. :o)

REVIEW: "Thin Within" by Judy and Arthur Halliday

Title: "Thin Within: A Grace-Oriented Approach to Lasting Weight Loss"

Author(s): Judy & Arthur Halliday

Pages: 327

Diety?: no

Promotes IE?: yes!

My Rating?: 4.5****

An amazing book! Much, much more than weight loss is included here... it's a life transformation!

This book teaches you the principles of "hunger" and "fullness", by giving you eight "keys to conscious eating" to put into practice:

1. Eat only when my body is hungry.
2. Reduce the number of distractions in order to eat in a calm
environment.
3. Eat when sitting down.
4. Eat when my body and mind are relaxed.
5. Eat and drink the food and beverages my body enjoys.
6. Pay attention to my food while eating.
7. Eat slowly, savoring each bite.
8. Stop eating before my body is "full".

I lost almost all of my excess weight by following these "keys", and didn't even have to exercise (though, I did add in exercise after I saw the plan working so well without it).

The Christian aspect of this book is very good, but can be a bit much for some. The focus is on turning to God to help you when you're tempted to eat more than you need.

This book is laid out in a 30-day format... you read one "chapter" per day, for 30 days. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the program, and on God's help in transorming the way you relate to food and eating.

I highly recommend this one!

NOTE: There is also a non-Christian version of this book/program, written by Judy before she married. Click here to read that review. :o)

REVIEW: "Walk Away the Pounds" by Leslie Sansone

Title: "Walk Away the Pounds"

Author: Leslie Sansone

Pages: 252

Diety?: somewhat

Promotes IE?: no

My Rating: 4****

Leslie outlines a 6-week plan where you walk 1 - 3 miles a day, drink your 8 glasses of water, and get enough sleep. She guarantees you'll feel better and be thinner if you follow her program for 6 weeks without fail. Of course, proper diet is tied into this.

I have really enjoyed Leslie's "Walk Away the Pounds" DVDs, and the success stories sprinkled throughout this book (most of which have the people doing Weight Watchers, in addition to the WAtP DVDs) are very inspiring. The DVDs will make you stronger and boost your endurance, if nothing else.

The book is based on common sense. If you increase your exercise, and watch your portion sizes, you CAN lose weight. And, walk-aerobics is a fun way to do exercise. :o)

REVIEW: "Intuitive Eating" by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

Title: "Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Plan"

Author(s): Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch

Pages: n/a

Diety?: no

Promotes IE?: thoroughly! LOL

My Rating: 5*****

This book details the steps you need to take to become an "intuitive eater" -- a person who follows their body's natural cues of "hunger" and "satiety" in order to eat in moderation and shrink down to their natural body weight. (10 Keys)

I especially liked the chapters called: "Challenge the Food Police" / "Make Peace With Food" / & "Respect Your Body". Challenging the "Food Police" means undoing the "diet mentality" that's been so ingrained in us by society, and substituting positive statements every time you hear a negative one regarding food or your eating (in your head). Making peace with food reminds us that NO food is "good" or "bad" or "forbidden", and we need to give ourselves "unconditional permission to eat" the foods that we love and that satisfy us. Respecting our bodies means not having negative things to say about yourself when you look in the mirror, and it means buying clothes NOW (not later when you've lost X number of pounds, first) that make you look and FEEL great!

This is an awesome book that I recommend to a LOT of people! ;o)

REVIEW: "Mindless Eating" by Brian Wansink

Title: "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think"

Author: Brian Wansink, Ph.D.

Pages: n/a

Diety?: somewhat

Promotes IE?: yes

My Rating: 4.5****

There are 'hidden persuaders' in our lives that cause us to eat more than we think. These can be: labelling, sounds, lighting, package sizes, etc.

Wansink suggests that we can lose 10-30 pounds within a year by making just one to three 100-calorie changes a day to our eating habits and environment. These changes are small enough that our bodies don't really even notice that we've made them, but they supposedly work wonders!

A good book, with lots of interesting stories about the studies done in Wansink's lab. :o)

Highly recommended.

REVIEW: "100 Days of Weight Loss" by Linda Spangle

Title: "100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on ANY Diet Plan (A Daily Motivator)

Author: Linda Spangle, RN, MA

Pages: n/a

Diety?: not really

Promotes IE?: yes!

My Rating: 5*****

See Also: the Weight Loss Joy website

Don't be frightened by the word "diet" on the cover, as this isn't really a "diet" book, in my opinion.

Basically, the author gives you 100 "days"-worth of tips for how to keep yourself motivated, and how to make a plan that really works for you. On the very last day (Day 100), she also tells you to pick your Top 10 favorites from the book, and keep those as your "tools" to help you keep on track, or to maintain for the rest of your life.

I loved that soooo much of this book focused on the hunger-fullness principles, rather than on "diety" things. Ms. Spangle encourages you to pay attention to your body's signals, wait for true (physiological) hunger, stop at "satisfied", and be mindful while eating. Love it!

Some of my favorite "tips" were:

Interested or Committed: "'interested' means you only stay with your plan until something better comes along; 'committed' means you stick with your plan...no matter what!"
Half-Off Special: eat half as much as you normally would; never go back for 'seconds'
Smaller Amounts, Less Often: don't feel deprived; no foods are 'forbidden'; just eat smaller amounts of your favorites, less often!
The Eating Pause: when you naturally pause in your eating, you're usually at the exact point where you feel 'satisfied'; if you continue past this point, you'll probably find you've overeaten.

There are so many other good tips that I had a hard time picking *just* 10 for my "Top Ten". ;o)

Highly recommended book!

REVIEW: "Secrets of Successful Weight Loss" by Diana Burrell

Title: "Secrets of Successful Weight Loss"
Author: Diana Burrell (with Psychology Today magazine)
Pages: n/a
Diety?: a little
Promotes IE?: yes
My Rating: 4.5****

I loved this book. It was soooo full of great information, covering almost every aspect of weight loss and healthy living:

- a brief overview of most of the diet plans out there
- how to design your own plan
- exercise & eating healthy
- what to do when you hit a snag in your plan, or go through tough spots
- medical conditions caused by overweight/obesity
- what to do when you hit the maintain stage
- how to think differently once you've reached your goal
...and SO MUCH more!

This book has been put on my wishlist, as I'd like to own a copy. It really was helpful, and it'd be a great book to reference back to from time-to-time!