حقيقة علمية 1 : ان 98% من متّبعي الريجيمات الغذائية يزداد وزنهم مجدداً في المستقبل ويعود الى ما كان عليه قبل اتباع الحميات.
حقيقة علمية 2 :ان فكرة اتباع ريجيم قاس في الاكل هي ليست فقط فكرة سخيفة جداّ، بل هي ايضاً فكرة خطرة عاطفياً و مدمرة صحياً...
هذا الكتاب لكم
اذا كنتم نحيفين جداً او سمينين جداً او تتراوحون بتطرف بين هذين الوزنين. اذا كنتم تعانون من الوزن الزائد منذ طفولتكم. اذا كنتم لا تسمحون لانفسكم بأن تقولوا "نعم" للطعام، او لا تعرفون كيف تقولون "لا". اذا كنتم قد تعبتم من الريجيمات او من الافراط في الاكل او من تفحّص الميزان كل يوم . اذا كنتم تريدون ان تعيشوا بوزن مريح لاجسامكم دون ان تحرموا انفسكم من متع الطعام .
Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed., is a therapist, educator, eating coach, national speaker, international author, and expert on the psychology of eating—the how and why, not the what of it—with 30-plus years of experience teaching chronic dieters and overeaters the skills that "normal" eaters use naturally to maintain a comfortable, healthy weight for life without dieting.
I think I finally found the "diet" book for me and my food issues. This book isn't really a diet book, not in the sense of "eat loads of fat and cheese and no blueberries because grain is bad for you” not “follow these 4 restrictive bright lines to an eating disorder”. In these pages, you won't find the author giving a meal plan or an exercise routine - instead this is all about the mental health that goes into the reasons why people like me eat when we really aren't hungry - and why we may choose the foods we do.
This book doesn't claim to help you lose 20 pounds in 20 days; this doesn't promise weight loss at all. Instead, this is all about helping you shed the unhealthy thoughts about how to process feelings.
If these are problems you have too, this is book I recommend you check out. I definitely would like to reread this in the future to help me on my health journey.
This book is not for everybody. If you already are a normal eater, save some time and pick up another book. If you're not sure if you are a normal eater, that means you probably are, so save some time and pick up another book. Those of us who are not normal eaters know it. We think about food way too much. The good foods, the bad foods, the calories, and the amounts, the locations, everything. If you are (as the title suggests) a dieter, overeater, undereater, or emotional eater, I beg of you to PLEASE pick this book up, read it, and apply it.
Having been all of the above (see my personal story below for more details) I feel confident in saying that this book equally applies to folks in all of these situations. There are many truths and tips that apply to everyone, but the author also does a balanced job of addressing the specific thoughts/ needs of under vs over eaters.
In this book you will find how your beliefs, behaviors, and feelings are connected, and how changing one can impact the others. You'll learn to give yourself grace with what you've been going through in the past, and grace for the changes you're going to work on making in the future. You'll learn specific tips for how to prepare for specific eating situations (ex family gatherings, restaurants, etc). You will be given a variety of practical steps you can practice that will help you become a normal eater.
All around, this book is a must for us non-normal eaters who not only desire to become normal eaters, but are ready to change our thinking and our actions to become one.
{Personal story: I have been on both sides of the spectrum. I have been an undereater, counting calories and points, refusing all types of foods, etc. With some counseling I have broken away from the addiction and "safety net" of calorie counting. My pendulum swung naturally in the opposite direction, and I became an overeater, buying and (sometimes) sneaking foods that I had been denying myself for all those years of being an undereater. I am now at the point of neutralizing my pendulum, working towards becoming a normal eater.}
This authors real experience gives her a lot of creditability. I love the approach of trusting our bodies and not attaching so much guilt and shame to eating. I have given away my clothes that don't fit me, I'm paying more attention to my hungry and full cues and I'm even allowing myself to ask "what do I want to eat" instead of "what should I eat." The surprising part is that there's often not much of a difference in what my answer is but there is a huge difference psychologically. I felt lighter after reading this book when I often feel heavier after reading the next nutrition book (what's bad to eat now!)
While I have great difficulty going into a self help book without the bias that it's all "head shrinker touchy-feely talk" that could in no way actually help me, I find that when I give in and read, I typically will walk away with at least some ideas that can be useful in my life. I would say that this book fell into that situation.
Though I did often find my eyes rolling with the thought of "duh..." echoing in my head while I read some of the chapters, I also found things to think about in others. Especially after she finally got down to discussing how "normal" eaters think, feel and behave, as there were several chapters of build up that I didn't feel very connected to.
What I enjoyed about this book, perhaps more so than a typical "diet" type of book is that it isn't a diet type of book at all. "Normal" eaters don't diet. They eat when they're hungry or crave a certain food and they don't eat when those feelings are satiated. They don't feel anxious about cookies left on the counter and they don't worry about what other people think when they clean (or don't clean) their plates. Really, gaining a "normal" perspective on food and eating is so much more important than reaching a weight that society has taught us to believe is the goal. I also believe that Koenig is correct when she asserts that learning to get rid of all of the irrational behaviors and beliefs tied into food will in turn bring you to a healthy and reasonable weight without you actually ever trying to get there.
i think that this could be a life changing book. the title called to me, since i just want to eat like a 'normal' person. i don't want to count calories or feel like i have strict guidelines that i end up rebelling against. but i don't want to be compulsive either. this book was very practical in addressing beliefs that are behind our behavior. she even gave ideas of different beliefs that we could have and what more rational beliefs we could adopt instead.
she doesn't offer a quick fix. she says up front that becoming normal is simple, but hard. i think it will be a helpful one to go back to off and on throughout life to evaluate my thinking and the behaviors that follow.
Although I did not find all of the material covered applicable, Koenig does offer some valuable insight and exercises, or at least a healthier way of thinking about and approaching mealtime.She does not broach the subject of nutrition, opting instead to focus on awareness of hunger and satiety cues.While undereating is addressed overeaters will likely find more solace in her offerings.
4.5 Probably the best book I've read on intuitive "normal" eating. I was leery because the author has no medical background but obviously extensive background in counseling restrictive/compulsive eaters.
I love this book. Normally I would have blown through this book based on its size fairly quickly. However, it took me a while to read. I stopped to underline things in the book and think about things. I also listen to the book on audio as well as reading it as a physical book. However the audiobook was great for reminding me and reinforcing ideas but it was not a good way for me to get everything that was packed into this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has eating issues.
First half of the book is excellent. However it becomes quite redundant towards the end. I appreciate her mindset shift about food being fuel. The differentiation between cravings and hunger. She has some significant points towards the beginning of the book.
This is a very inspirational read. From the point of view of someone that has been there themselves, and successfully overcome the struggle of disordered eating.
This was a good book. It helped me to analyze and explore my thoughts and feelings about weight, weight-loss, my body, my appetite, eating, cravings and eating disorders. I myself have struggled with striving for a healthier weight all of my life--having been very overweight in high school, and my daughter has struggled with being underweight throughout her college years. This helped me to explore the motives behind each of these goals, and the underlying thoughts and beliefs that support our actions. This book helped me to better understand my daughter and her struggle with becoming too thin. It really helped me to see how each of these struggles, though seemingly polar opposite, actually have some grave overlaps and similarities. Some of the biggest take-aways for me were: a) the basics of healthy eating--becoming more in tune with your hunger and what your body actually wants and needs; b) using questions as a litmus test to figure out if your thoughts are rational or irrational, and c) the word picture of a marble on a sandhill as it rolls down being the image of how to re-train your thoughts. This book is very helpful for anyone who has a skewed perspective of eating, food, cravings, appetite, our bodies, and for anyone who would like to have a healthier perspective of all of the above. Healthy or normal eaters do NOT need to read this book; in fact, they may not understand it. The only small criticism I have is that I don;t like the word choice of 'normal' (versus abnormal. I think those terms are too broad, and more importantly, don't convey the right concept we are trying to esteem. It's more like Healthy Vs Unhealthy. (Btw, this was actually the second time I read this book. I read it first in 2007).
For me, the most earmarked and highlighted sections were about the process of change and what to expect when shifting from a compulsive/emotional eater to a “normal eater”...AND really well worded irrational beliefs about food/bodies/emotions/life and possible rational beliefs to replace them. GOLD.
I also loved the chapter about feelings and food. Spot on for a person like me, as I deep dive into the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to shift out of emotional eating for myself and my clients.
My criticisms: For me, it seemed like a big leap for disordered eaters to jump right into what sounds like full on intuitive eating. She refers often to “eating what you crave”, while (IMO) giving minimal attention to the importance of discerning between a biological craving and an emotional urge or physiological withdrawal symptoms (that feel like cravings) from highly processed foods that stimulate huge desire for more of the same. (These foods are largely sugar, flour, and lots of additives that create this experience in my body). I would’ve loved a bigger discussion of this in the book.
Overall, a great resource for people ready to gtf out of diet mentality and get on the path to greater mental, emotional, physical health!!
(Side note: I’m also reading The Food and Feelings Workbook by the same author and loving it!)
Seeing the title I wanted to read the book. What would a restrictive eater not like about having rules? We've had years of internal chatter telling us our self proclaimed rules that we've tried to hold on to them for dear life. Karen's book takes this concept and turns it on its head because all her rules made me feel better - not worse. It's hard work to work out why you're attracted to or repelled by food - but you can do it. I'm trying hard to apply all the rules and yes, some days I forget the wise words I read. I know that my relationship with eating is healing. Karen writes that the insights you'll need to move on can also be applied to other aspects of your life. Would you believe this book could also work as a Marriage Manual? Understanding your core beliefs can change the way you approach all aspects of maintaining an intimate relationship. I recommed this book to those disordered eaters who are really serious about changing their life. No magic bullets in these pages.
For emotional eaters finding a way back to recovery is very hard. I have just finished the book, and am overwhelmed. It will take a longer while for all this knowledge to sink in. Right now I recognize this work as revolutionary and fantastic. It has a smooth style, and very positive approach. I loved the way it unveils the way I think, and brings me back to touch with my body sensations. The bridge between my brain and stomach is lost, but strangely enough, there might be a way back to built the connection again. Thank you Karen Koenig.
I liked it! A lot of really great tips I was very invested in the book. Read cover to cover on a road trip. I expected it to be a lot more “eat a fistful of protein and half plate should be vegetables” but it actually (pleasantly) aimed to dismantle the idea of listening to any sort of extrinsic guidelines which defeat the idea of honoring your hunger. This was very helpful, excited to think about what she wrote in her book!
This book is a good intro to cognitive behavioral approach, and it uses that approach to consider irrational and rational beliefs about food, eating, and bodies. Behind this is a body-positive form of counseling in book form and I found this book to be useful. Will read again.
I don’t agree with everything Koenig advises, but most of what she suggests is very helpful. I’ve had an unhealthy relationship with food (and exercise) for a couple of years now, but I’m starting to get better and this book is helping with that.
An eye opening book for over eaters, under eaters, people wanting to create better habits revolved around food, health, and exercise. A good reminder to feel and go through your emotions and not use food or other vises to mask your true feelings.
Awesome Read !!! Very valuable exercises. I highly recommended no matter how disordered your eating is this book will help you understand how you got to this point and exercises to help you get through but being honest with self and actively being consistent is key.