Permanent Weight Control

by Michael J. Mahoney Ph.D., Michael J. Mahoney Ph.D., Kathryn Mahoney M.S.W. M.S.

“This book … is the next major step forward in the bibliotherapy of obesity … It contains the first exposition in the popular press of the cognitive approaches to weight reduction … Permanent Weight Control is the best book yet available for the obese person who wishes to try to lose weight without professional help. It will be of even great value to professionals in the field.” ―Albert Stunkard, University of Pennsylvania, in Behavior Therapy This is not simply a “do” or “don’t” book, but rather a book directed at helping you to learn about yourself. It is based on principles derived from the careful work of scores of researchers who have studied the behavior and attitudes of overweight individuals. The major thrust of the book is to help you explore your patterns of behavior and thought, to experiment with change, to test consequences, and to incorporate new behaviors and thoughts into your everyday life. “Perhaps the best common sense, effective solution to the problem of weight control that has yet been published … Well written and documented by an impressive list of references.” ― Best Sellers

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is hilarious - for those who work in the weight loss industry it is a sentential read. I wish I read it at least a few years ago. Full of myth busting facts. I have the benefit of 30 years further research and yet it still rings true - although much has changed since then much is the same!

[Dennis Nehrenheim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Context & Why I read this book
Well, I am currently overweight and wanted to procrastinate doing anything about it by reading another book on how to do so. Jokes aside, I am currently really struggling with weight control and it seems no matter what I try I slightly gain some ½ kg per month for over a year now. Mahoney is one of my favorite and most trusted authors, and I wanted to avoid hyped diet books on the topic; that is why I chose this book from 1976 instead of the many alternatives that present themselves.

What is the book about as a whole?
The book aims to provide a system for losing pounds and keeping them off forever — a very ambitious goal. For this, Mahoney presents the best scientific evidence from that time (1976) for doing so. The book is very practical in that it is easily understandable, includes many assignments and exercises, and takes you by the hand in a step-by-step manner.

The book's structure
The book is divided into 12 chapters:
1. This Can Be the Last Reducing Program of Your Life
2. Reduction Readiness
3. Thick and Thin: What Makes the Difference?
4. Getting in Focus: The Culprits Are Patterns, Not Pounds
5. The Elements of Successful Self-Control
6. Cognitive Ecology: Cleaning Up What You Say to Yourself
7. Engineering a Slim Environment
8. Reducing with Reason: The Personalised Diet
9. Is Your Eating Style a Problem?
10. You Don't have to Be Radical to Be an Activist
11. Emotional Eating: Relax — You're not Hungry
12. Troubleshooting and Maintenance

One lesson
I am a professional caffeine -> source code converter (I drink a lot of coffee at work). Therefore, one personally relevant piece of information for me was that there was evidence at the time that caffeine may reduce blood sugar levels, giving rise to the sensation of hunger. I'll need to follow up on this and research if this has been refuted in the last 50 years.

Reading Recommendation / Who should read this?
Overall I rate this a 7 out of 10 (⭑⭑⭑⭑): it's a good read, despite minor weaknesses; and I generally recommend it to people who struggle with weight control. Although I didn't translate it into practice yet, the presented system seems very promising and I will make it a top priority to follow it in 2022. One year from now I shall come back and re-rate this based on my success or failure of applying it.

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