Book Review: Satisfied: A 90-Day Spiritual Journey Toward Food Freedom by Dr. Rhona Epstein
Rating: 3.8/5
Reviewer’s Lens & Initial Reactions
As a female sociologist and public health professional, I approached Satisfied with cautious optimism. The book’s promise of integrating spiritual guidance with food addiction recovery intrigued me, particularly given the gendered pressures of diet culture—a systemic issue my research often examines. Epstein’s personal narrative of overcoming food addiction evoked empathy, but her heavy reliance on faith-based solutions left me conflicted. While her 12-Step approach aligns with proven recovery models (e.g., FA, referenced in my research), the lack of structural critique of diet culture’s harms—especially for women—felt like a missed opportunity.
Strengths & Emotional Impact
-Recognition of Food Addiction: Epstein’s clinical expertise shines in her practical strategies, validating the often-dismissed struggle of food addiction. Her 30-year counseling background lends credibility, though I wished for more empirical citations.
-Gendered Nuance: The book implicitly acknowledges women’s unique vulnerability to diet culture (e.g., societal beauty standards) but stops short of dissecting how capitalism and patriarchy amplify these pressures—a tension that stirred frustration.
-Emotional Resonance: The devotional format’s daily exercises (“trusting God one day at a time”) felt simultaneously comforting and limiting. As a public health scholar, I questioned accessibility for non-Christian or secular readers.
Constructive Criticism
-Diet Culture’s Structural Roots: Epstein’s focus on individual healing overlooks systemic drivers (e.g., the $70B diet industry’s targeting of women, per NAED research). A chapter linking spiritual recovery to collective resistance (e.g., body positivity movements) would have strengthened its relevance.
-Intersectional Gaps: The book centers a presumably heteronormative, able-bodied experience. How do race, class, or LGBTQ+ identities intersect with food addiction? Silence here undermines inclusivity.
-Scientific Rigor: While citing the 12 Steps, Epstein omits critiques of their limitations (e.g., one-size-fits-all applicability). A public health perspective demands evidence-based alternatives for diverse populations.
Why This Book Matters
Satisfied offers a compassionate, faith-centered toolkit for food addiction recovery, filling a niche for spiritually inclined readers. Yet its avoidance of diet culture’s structural harms—particularly for women—limits its transformative potential.
Thank you to the publisher for the free copy via Edelweiss. Rated 3.8/5—valuable for its niche, but read alongside critiques of diet culture (e.g., The Surprising History of Diet Culture) for balance.
Pair With: The Beauty Myth (Wolf) for feminist analysis or Anti-Diet (Harrison) for structural critique. A devotional balm, not a systemic antidote.