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Your Weight Is Not the Problem: A simple, no-diet plan for healthy habits that stick

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An evidence-based guide to breaking your fixation with weight, with simple strategies to make peace with your body and build healthy habits that actually matter.

Our constant fixation with losing weight is exhausting. We're stuck in a vicious diet cycle, gaining weight after each failed attempt and never feeling good enough. Diet culture and unattainable #bodygoals contribute to burnout, overwhelm and feeling out of control around food. It's time to embrace a new approach.

In Your Weight is not the Problem, nutritionist and dietitian Lyndi Cohen offers a simple plan to break free from the dieting trap with small, doable healthy habits you can stick to no matter how busy life gets. Her evidence-based strategies will help you find freedom with food and build a trusting, healthy relationship with your body. Because health and happiness aren't about having a perfectly flat stomach or a cellulite-free tush. They're about feeling comfortable in your skin and having the energy to do the things you love.

Liberate yourself from food guilt and self-blame with a new approach to health that doesn't rely on willpower or counting calories, because you can't live a full life on an empty stomach.

304 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2023

201 people are currently reading
668 people want to read

About the author

Lyndi Cohen

6 books12 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
Profile Image for Melanie Hunter.
212 reviews8 followers
February 4, 2023
Do you love food?

I do! I love all kinds of foods.

I eat healthy foods, yet binged on chocolate at times and wanted to feel healthy. I want to be healthy for my boys and have the energy I need for them and for me, so that I can hopefully live a long life. I am mindful of heart health, since losing my mum suddenly 3 years ago. We all have a story as to why we pick up certain books. My reason was that I love feeling healthy and want to feel it more often. I also want to live a long life for my boys.

Late last year I was introduced to the keto diet. I lost 2kgs but did not feel healthy so soon stopped that. My usual positive outlook changed dramatically whilst on it.

I received Lyndi's first book late last year and loved what she had to say. As a nutritionist and dietician, her advice made sense, so I wanted to read more.

Your Weight is not the Problem by Lyndi Cohen shines the light on wellness wankery (also the name of her amazing podcast). Lyndi explains why diets don't work and ways in which we can feel healthy, have a healthy relationship with food, manage stress and increase body image.

The last chapter focuses on how we can share this approach with our children. Lyndi states that 'The way you think about food matters,' and suggests that the answer is not to demonise any particular food, but to embrace intuitive eating, not strict rules or diets. I love food and cooking. It was a relief to read Lyndi's advice, as a nutritionist, that it is actually ok to eat a variety of foods.

In the past, I have been swept away with diet trends and weight loss suggestions when really, all I want to do is continue to love cooking without those restrictions. I've always loved vegetables and fruit and could not understand when the last diet I tried eliminated some fruits. It's as if this book gives us permission to follow what our heart already knows about health.

I loved reading her advice on fitness. I started reformer pilates late last year and am addicted to it. I have always loved doing what works for me, not the highest impact exercise.

I love this book. I will refer to it always as a reminder of what health means to me. Thank you Lyndi ♥

#bookreview #melaniehunterbooks
Profile Image for Reannon Bowen.
425 reviews
February 14, 2023
Not much new in this book if you’ve already read a lot about anti diet culture, it reinforces all that stuff in a straight forward way that’s not preachy or wanky. it’s well written, relatable & easy to read. Lots of good things to take away from this book.
36 reviews14 followers
February 14, 2024
Despite not being the target market, that is, adult women. I found this book extremely helpful and well-researched. The basic premise is that dieting does not work and can have many negative consequences.
To combat the damage done by dieting, the author (a trained nutritionist) suggest a hierarchy of healthy habits. Starting with basic needs: sleep, hydration and eating enough. Through to your ideal habits.
A lot of it is common sense that has been forgotten due to the pervasive influence of diet culture.
Definitely worth a read if you are someone who has fallen victim to the dieting lifestyle.
Profile Image for Whitney Liegakos.
100 reviews
May 1, 2024
Best book of 2024 for me so far, but I love Lyndi Cohen and have followed her for a few years. ❤️ Please, if you’ve ever struggled with your body image, fallen prey to diet culture, or just need some rational health advice in today’s messed up, uber-filtered world, read this book! I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Profile Image for Jodi.
2,248 reviews42 followers
January 5, 2024
Wusstest du, dass dein Gewicht nur einen kleinen Teil deiner Gesundheit ausmacht? Wusstest du, dass Menschen mit mehr Gewicht länger leben? Wusstest du, dass der BMI niemals dazu gedacht war, die Gesundheit eines Menschen zu messen?

Wir leben in einer Welt, in der Gesundheit mit dünn sein gleichgesetzt wird. Eine Annahme, die sehr viele Menschen ins Unglück und im schlimmsten Fall in Essstörungen stürzt. Die Body Positivity-Bewegung ist nun aktiv dabei, dagegen vorzugehen.

Auch Lyndi Cohen gehört dazu, ihres Zeichens eine der berühmtesten Ernährungsberaterinnen Australiens. In diesem Buch geht sie nicht nur einigen Diätlügen auf die Spur (dein Körper entgiftet sich selbst, sonst wären wir alle tot), sondern zeigt uns auch auf, wie wir gesunde Gewohnheiten entwickeln, die uns tatsächlich gut tun und nicht einfach darauf abzielen, Gewicht zu verlieren.

Denn dein Gewicht ist nicht das Problem.

Dabei erzählt sie auch von ihren eigenen Erfahrungen mit Essstörungen, klärt uns darüber auf, was es mit dem Jojo-Effekt auf sich hat und wieso dieser so gefährlich ist, und erklärt uns die Pyramide unserer Bedürfnisse.

Es ist ein enorm aufschlussreiches Buch, welches bei mir zu mehreren Aha-Effekten führte. Ich habe schon einige Titel in diesem Bereich gelesen und Cohens ist ein wirklich gutes Buch; egal, ob sich jemand schon auskennt oder gerade erst anfängt, das Diäten hinter sich zu lassen.

Ich hoffe sehr, dass Bücher wie dieses bald auch den Weg auf den deutschsprachigen Markt finden und Body Positivity auch hierzulande mehr Freunde finden wird. Schlussendlich wird es uns allen gut tun. Lyndi Cohen ist ein gutes Beispiel dafür und ich ebenso.
Profile Image for Rachael.
9 reviews4 followers
February 6, 2023
I find self help books tough going reading wise and rarely finish or just skim them, so this was a winner.
Profile Image for Sasha_V.
25 reviews
April 8, 2023
Kind, compassionate book about how to resist the constant pressure from society, family and friends trying to dictate how you should eat and how you should look. Great reminder how pervasive and flawed the "thinness=health" formula is, and that our bodies should let us do what we enjoy, no matter how they look or what the scales say, and for that we need energy. Want a donut? Eat a donut. Eat ten. No, you don't need to go for a run afterwards, driven by guilt. When no food is off-limit, it becomes considerably less enticing. First you eat a lot, then you stop craving it. It's very hard to eat more than 300g chocolate in a day, every day.
- Prioritise sleep,
- find time to "put the oxygen mask on yourself first" (basic self-care),
- eat a rainbow: embrace crowding and variety approach in food (aim for 30 diff plants a week to feed your microbiome)
- drink enough water,
- listen to your hunger and eat when and as much as you want,
- put phone down/turn TV off when you eat,
- stop commenting on your weight and weight of anyone else (or engaging into any conversations about weight), especially around children,
- don't beat yourself when you don't think you eat perfectly, and don't engage into "I've been bad so I now have to be good" pendulum behaviour,
- and many, many more great points.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jacqui Love.
46 reviews
February 4, 2023
Best health non diet book I've ever read. Hits the nail on the head of all diet behaviour and the science behind why they don't work! A must read for anyone that’s ever dieted, had an eating disorder or is consumed by thinking about what they eat/how healthy they are. Even if you think you aren’t one of these people, do yourself a favour and read it.
Profile Image for Gabriela.
398 reviews5 followers
April 22, 2023
“No one will stand up at your funeral and talk about your stomach pouch or whether or not you had cellulite or scrawny arms“ Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU! I needed this book.
Profile Image for Kari.
507 reviews57 followers
February 28, 2025
I have about 5 pages of notes/highlights from this book. That said, if you've never struggled with body image, then this book might not be for you. But as someone who has had a lifelong struggle, as early as elementary school, to accept (and appreciate) myself and my body, I gleaned so much from these pages.

I found the first habit section particularly helpful. I tend to try to add half a dozen new habits into my life at a time, and surprise to no one, it never lasts. Cohen talks about how when you add one smaller habit at a time, the success rate is much higher.

And no more holding myself to perfection! I've heard it before many times, but something about reading it this time really sunk in. If I'm doing a habit most of the time, that's what counts. Consistency is what counts. I know there're a lot of tactics like 'don't break the chain' when it comes to habits, but often that's just unrealistic. You'll get sick. Or work will overwhelm you. Or you'll just be exhausted by the world and life, and you'll miss a day of moving your body or eating well. AND THAT'S OKAY! Cohen said she considers a habit integrated into her life when she's able to do it 75% of the time. And I love that goal.

I'll leave you with the line that probably hit me the hardest when reading, and one I'm going to try to keep in the forefront of my mind as I move forward, "...it's not worth giving up your ideal life simply because you don't have your ideal body."
Profile Image for Melissa Riley.
474 reviews6 followers
Read
July 20, 2023
Some good takeaways from this one (which seem to be well researched judging by the footnotes). If you’re a Maintenance Phase fan you might already be aware of some of the junk science around the diet and nutrition industry, about how constant dieting generally results in gaining more than you lost during a fad diet etc. Some of that same ground is trodden here and is just as accessible. I think it stands out to me as more than a “diet plan” sort of book and is trying to instil principles of listening to your body, eating to fulfil but not having to watch every calorie/macro, and trying to be happy in your healthy self (even if that healthy self doesn’t fit the unrealistic cultural norm of size 0).
Profile Image for Jodie.
5 reviews
February 5, 2023
I can’t recommend this book highly enough to women (and men) of all ages. Anyone who has had a salad instead of that big juicy steak they wanted - or looked at their reflection and felt sad, frumpy or ‘too fat to wear that’ - prepare to have the lovely Lyndi liberate your beautiful ’ass’ from that shitty way of thinking and educate you about the diabolical diet machine in the process … all while gently reminding you that you deserve to feed and nourish your mind body and soul with good food, good fun and good laughs. And she’s delightfully Aussie and genuine and natural in the way she approaches this charged and highly emotional topic. Loved it. 10/10 for heartfelt, bullshit-free practical guidance.
1 review
February 6, 2023
An absolute MUST read for everyone, it's as simple as that! I was instantly hooked by the first page (not giving away spoilers sorry, hehe), but I am so beyond happy to read a book on health and lifestyle that calls out the BS diet culture that should have been called out a long time ago...!

As someone who used to struggle with body image and self-confidence through my teen years, Lyndi's book is such a refreshing read because it has opened my eyes to building actual healthy habits and a positive relationship with food, without these quick fixes that so many health companies promote.

I am an aspiring Nutrition student who absolutely loves helping others, and this book as really propelled my thirst to pursue a Nutrition career. Thank you thank you thank you Lyndi !!!

Profile Image for Emily.
453 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2023
Such a great book, and one that I'll come back to again and again. Full of reasurring and informative infomation on the keys to improving your health, body image and confidence without succumbing to all the wellness wankery and diet advertisements out there. Lyndi is honest and open about the industry and society standards that can cause real damage to our mental and physical health, and provides a new approach to the whole thing. Such a wake-up call.
Profile Image for Esther van Praag.
270 reviews1 follower
May 7, 2023
The right book at the right time for me. In the last couple of months I’ve been really enjoying getting into running and a high load of exercise, and about two weeks before starting this book I started macro counting.

I don’t think I’m prone to severe eating disorder, the macro counting was good for being mindful of vegetables and protein but I was definitely trying my best to hit under my calorie goals. I wasn’t getting too caught up with it, but my two wake up calls were: I don’t want to be calorie counting as a norm, and I realised the negative consequences of under eating and messing up my metabolism.

While I didn’t relate to everything she said, I really appreciated the overall message. Pretty much enjoy your life, don’t let the scales or the look of your body get in the way of living, set health goals around accomplishments not measurements (running the 10km, doing a pull up instead of fitting into a clothing size or weighing a certain amount), and consistency is what matters most (so if it means less intense workouts or small steps like cooking at home an extra night a week, this always wins over a perfect routine that only lasts 2 weeks).

A fresh take that I hadn’t heard before was you don’t NEED to love your body (though you absolutely should cherish this if you do), but your body always deserves RESPECT, no matter it’s size or shape. This feels more approachable, especially for people who are still a while away from truly loving their body.

Another key takeaway was that your body is trying to keep you healthy and wants what’s best for you. Your hunger cues should be trusted and listened to. There’s a lot of psychology that comes into play when you stop listening to what your body is saying, and follow strict diet rules / health fads / exercise regimes.

I recommend the audiobook, Lyndi has a great, friendly narration style.
Profile Image for Kelly Anderson.
176 reviews7 followers
May 7, 2023
THE Health book I’ve needed my entire life! Time to get my life back and not worry about my weight, by just looking after myself, whatever it needs. My body will work the rest out. Going to work through all the activities in this book again and again. If you’ve struggled with diets, berated yourself over and over, been taught from an early age that there are rules about consumption of food and always thought your body is not good enough. This book is for you!
268 reviews2 followers
May 3, 2023
Australian nutritionist and dietician has written a book bursting diet myths with practical advice how to love your body eat healthily and enjoy movement. Not a diet insight - helpful worldview, laugh out loud , relatable , a really refreshing look at eating. What this generation needs, what i needed growing up , Audio book
Profile Image for Miss Jai HY.
45 reviews
October 16, 2025
As someone who has battled with my weight, and dare I say an eating disorder, for all of my life - this book felt so deeply personal and was like a breath of fresh air all at the same time. I could relate on so many levels.
I really feel like I need to read it all again to fully integrate.
Thank you Lyndi for this book. Very helpful.
1 review
February 5, 2023
I’m truly grateful I stumbled across this book. It needs to get into the hands of all young women, their mothers and anyone who wants to put an end to emotional disordered eating. I’m only 100ish pages in and already the heavy mental load of always thinking about food, the next diet, the next binge or the next Monday morning new diet attitude is fading into the background. About time someone has lifted the lid on wellness wankery. It’s written in a way that we can all relate to. Easy to follow quite frankly I can’t get enough. Positive, practical, up building and no guilt attached.
1 review
February 6, 2023
Where do I start, this book has saved me from a miserable life of self sabotage around food. I wish I had read this wonderful book 30 years ago but it’s not too late. Every woman needs to read this book, thank you so much Lyndi for such a loving, supportive, honest take on the terrible treadmill that is diet culture, I will be forever grateful
1 review1 follower
November 9, 2023
Exactly what I needed to read. I was really struggling with my weight and this book shifted my whole mindset. I’m feeling so much better about myself and my food obsession has definitely settled down.
6 reviews
February 5, 2023
So many ah huh moments reading this book.... it's the book I wished I had when I was younger.

Definitely a must read for anyone who has or has had body issues, who has dieted forever and a day and who enjoys learning.

Highly recommended
1 review
February 4, 2023
Love this books message.
Diet culture is so toxic, definitely working on changing my mindset to the fundamentals taught here. Love that it's so easy to read and very relatable.
Everyone should read this!
Profile Image for Tara Jane.
9 reviews1 follower
February 13, 2023
Anyone who has ever gone on a diet, thought about losing weight, or resolved to “get healthy” should read this book.
Profile Image for Olivia Rogers.
3 reviews38 followers
June 2, 2025
Absolutely brilliant!! Lyndi is amazing. I wish every person who has ever struggled with their body image would read this book - I truly think it could change a lot of lives.
Profile Image for Nicole Carter.
1 review
January 28, 2023
I don’t like reading, so I wish this book had a lot less “fluff” in it. The book seemed to repeat itself quite a bit, or contain stories that weren’t required/ or the length of them anyway.
HOWEVER it is good to hear the information in the book and give a different way on thinking. Now to convince the GP. This book has helped me hate my body just a little bit less, which is nice.
Profile Image for Callie.
6 reviews
January 15, 2023
I love Lyndi’s approach to healthy living and NOT dieting. I really suggest reading this book if you’ve ever struggled with yo-yo dieting or body image. It is a great insight to how the health industry has really made us hate our bodies and always expect perfectionism.
Profile Image for Julia.
44 reviews3 followers
April 13, 2023
Absolutely loved this book!! This is the first anti-diet movement book I've read, and it was such an eye-opener. Lyndi articulated and brought to light a lot that has been on my mind for years but couldn't quite wrap my head around. I've always had a tricky relationship with food (massive love of it, guilt, confusion of what I 'can' eat etc) & it felt like pure relief to read this. It's everything I've sub-conciously known on a level, explained simply (with data to back it up!). If you are someone who obsesses over food and regularly feels guilt, a need to restrict yourself, worry you have a lack of willpower/control etc - definitely worth reading for a mindset shift. Big fan!
1 review
January 11, 2023
Lyndi spreads such a great message in this book. Based on the latest research and beautifully written with sass and wit. This is the book I wish I had read when I was younger.

If you're looking to leave diets behind and rediscover a healthy relationship with food and find real health, without any fads or nonsense, this is the book for you! Lyndi provides practical strategies and a framework that just makes sense and feels really doable and sustainable.

Highly recommended!

P.S - Follow her on Instagram @nude_nutritionist for no-nonsense advice and awesome tips.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews

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