Good conceptualization of anorexia
350912
I am a clinical psychologist who just finished reading "Anatomy of Anorexia."  I occasionally work with clients who have eating disorders, but do not specialize in this area.  I was interested in this book to enhance my knowledge of eating disorder development and treatment.

Steven Levenkron was one of the first clinicians who started working with anorexic clients in the 1970s and has treated hundreds of them over the years.  His conceptualization of anorexia arose from his rich experience in working with people who have this disorder.  Although I have read a number of books and articles about eating disorders over the years, I did learn quite a bit from reading this book.  Levenkron did an excellent job capturing the personality characteristics and defenses of people with anorexia as well as common dynamics in their families and other relationships.  He also described the treatment approach that he uses (Nurturant-Authoritative), providing case examples and process notes from sessions, which has lead him to have a high level of success in treating this often treatment-refractory population.

At times, Levenkron pulls certain information out of the sky which is simply inaccurate (e.g., his faulty definition of an addiction as something that is always pleasurable, his reference to nonexistent Axis II disorders).  So things like this as a profession kind of annoy me.  Better to do your homework first and cite research than just make things up.  His discussion of the influence of outside factors in leading to anorexia is also brief and less developed than in other works (e.g., Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters by Courtney Martin).  For these reasons, I give my rating 4 instead of 5 stars.

Nonetheless, most information in the book is interesting and useful, so I would recommend it to clinicians and laypeople alike.
1487048
I've felt for years that to lose weight, we need to redefine what food is,  so I'll admit this book does nicely dovetail into my confirmation bias. I've been talking about the disservice we have done our kids with all the manufactured foods that fill the shelves in our supermarkets.  To me it was a matter of caloric content, but his argument is that caloric content is not the issue.

With this book I feel I have a better understanding of the physiology of weight gain/loss, although in honestly, I believe this book would have made a better magazine article than a book.  The phrase beating a dead horse comes to mind.  That goes for both the first half of the book, which deals with the genetics and physiology of fat deposition, and the second half of the book, which deals with the optimal diet to control weight.

The first half of the book focuses on something I've often told my kids, which is that the most important decision they can make in life is to choose their parents wisely.  The premise is that one's basic body type and predisposition to fat depositions is pretty much programmed at conception - our biological destiny as it were.  You can't fight mother nature.

The second half of the book is all about why we need to remove as much carbohydrate from our diets as we can, and how an overabundance of carbs leads to a vicious cycle of needing and wanting more carbs.  This to me is where all the manufactured foods fit in, as they are largely built around simple carbohydrates.  But the author feels that the best course of action is to virtually eliminate all carbs.  For him there is no such thing as a good carbohydrate.

I will say that one place where my real world experience does not jibe with the book is the effect of exercise on weight loss.  His premise is that exercise simply causes us to eat more, thus negating any benefits in terms of weight loss.  But when I had knee surgery and was off my bike for a few months, my weight went up over 10 lbs, and now that I'm riding again, has come back down, with no changes in how or what I am eating.  But I suspect that this depends on the level of exercise, as I'm riding long distances with significant climbing.
3025236
I found the book to be very helpful in understanding why one overeats.  The workbook was particularly helpful to self assess areas the author refers to in her book.
425726
This is an excellent resource for any woman with an eating disorder. Or for any woman for that matter. Because it deals with "disordered eating" as well (for example, our obsessions with diets and overexercising) and our culture's and media's unrealistic portrayal of what women should look like. It's written by people who know what they're talking about, one having experienced an eating disorder and one having treated many with eating disorders. It helps women have a healthy view of themselves and their bodies. It is well-written and easy to read even though it discusses the subject in depth. I highly recommend it!
3959979
This book was a great and helpful for those of us that have found ourselves turning to food for comfort. I want to give much praise to the author for sharing her painful story with her readers. By doing so she let others know that they are not alone in their struggle with overeating. Also by sharing her story she helped others look at their situation in a different light. The author does an awesome job by sharing the definition of self-esteem and giving ways to help other build up their self-esteem. She did this by sharing an exercise to do. He author gives some really good advice about talking to someone instead of turning to food. She also does an excellent job giving samples of things we can do to fill the boredom that doesnt include sitting around eating. The author does a great job reaching out to other in the hopes of helping them. This was an excellent read and a book that every overeater should read.
3069140
Ayelet Kalter, a former dietician, asks the questions many may not ask in Free Yourself From the Diet Language.

Is obesity a disease, and weight loss is the solution?

That is the common belief. Yet, studies have since refuted this assumption, and from her experience she has learned that it is far from reality, but even so, this is still the given opinion among the masses.

The pursuit of thinness, the diet that accompanies it, and the failure therein has created a
language (for lack of a better term). A language of eating - the Diet Language

She brings us back to Mindful Eating.  Same and normal eating vs crash diets, and the diverse eating habits of people in general.

She takes us on her journey from being part of the diet institution business to helping people eat for their bodies.

She does indicate that every person has a set point which is their destined weight, and that genetics is a huge component in the tendency for obesity - and dieting in itself intensifies this tendency.

She states that 95% of people who go on a diet fail and regain the weight (if not more) within 5 years.

In this book, We learn about how many live life yearning for what will be, not living in the now - this is part of the problem.  And it's a powerful statement not only for weight issues, but for life in general.  If we always live in the past or future, what is happening to our present?

I do find the first portion of this book, however, quite sad and very statistical, making me feel defensive about what I want to achieve in my fitness and health.

She does, however, goes on to describe how weight is neither a measure of health, nor a measure of success or failure...and happiness has no weight.  This in itself makes this book not just about weight, but about changing our way of thinking, about being happy, and thinking positively.

We learn about Mindful thinking - not just thinking emotionally, but using all of our senses to be fully present in the here and now.  This practice allows us to learn acceptance, being in the now, observing self, and the ability to let go.

There are several exercises in the book in order to practice mindful thinking (meditation), which she encourages us to do 15 minutes a day.

With respect to eating, we are introduced to Mindful Eating - focusing on the taste, texture, and source of the food served.  Enjoying food instead of just eating to eat whether or not we are hungry.

Overall, it is not a light-hearted how-to book, but a philosophical view on society, behaviour, and bringing more mindfulness into our lives.  If you are ready to take the steps to live in the now, not in the "what ifs," I'd recommend this book for you.  It's available in paperback or Amazon download!

***I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
4894964
After reading this book. i know that Buimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and priging, or consuming a larger amount of food in a shor amount of time followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed , typically by vomiting, taking a laxative, diuretic, or stimulant, and or excessive exercise beacuse of an extensive concern for body wight. also, Anorecia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by immmoderate food restriction, inappropriate eating habits or rutuals, obsession with having a thin figure, and an irrational fear of weight gain, as well as a distorted body self perception. Love this book, RECOMMEND
1900811
Marya Hornbacher writes about her life's revolution around eating disorders in Wasted, a memoir of anorexia and bulimia. Throughout her life, Hornbacher faces family and health struggles as well as internal conflicts ranging from promiscuity to an addiction to crack cocaine. All of this influences her dependency on eating disorders.

  At times, Wasted is comparable to a girl's diary, filled with pages of poetic ramblings. The book would draw restless page skimming (which would result in equal understanding) save for Hornbacher's talent for writing with intense verbs and perfectly constructed sing-song sentences; readers roll down each page with a strong sense of imagery.

  Wasted is for anyone who has considered eating disorders as an option to relieve self-consciousness, or anyone interested in the psychological side of eating disorders. It's not for the light-hearted.
420714
The author does a good job at laying out the general characteristics of unhealthy narcissism and the root of the behavior.  The treatment of the subject is fairly general and superficial, but excellent as an introduction to the subject matter.  If you suspect that someone you care about might be hopelessly self-centered, unempathetic, oblivious to the destructive effect that their demands of attention, care, adoration have on you or others -- you would do well to read this.  The general approach and lack of detail in this book makes it easier to digest this information and not simply intellectualize the issue.
803660
The main theme of this book is about the choice to either learn and evolve or to regress and develop symptoms following the loss of a loved one. The reader is invited to be aware of how they may or may not be cooperating with their bodymind's desire for new circuits.  One suggestion that is offered is to begin the process by drawing an image of you and your heartbreak. For example one man found an image to be that of a turtle dying in a shell. Others found images depicting an emotional tsunami; a psychic hemorrhaging, a worn out rubber band with no snap left; a paralysis and a piercing. The author says that the benefit of doing this is so that there can be more communication between one's implicit memories (which are pre-verbal) and one's consciousness, "a mapping from the source domain to the target domain." This then orients a person to help them know where they are at. "A psychic GPS will work only if you are first able to inform the satellite of your situation." Each person will have their own unique image of how their heartbreak feels. "Although the trauma of heartbreak is archetypal, universal, a common drama, the symbolic form it takes is unique for each person ..."

The author then suggests having an imaginary dialogue with your image to learn more about the situation. An example is given with a woman who developed a skin condition as a symptom of her heartbreak.

The author then goes on to emphasize the importance of being aware of the three main parts of the brain which she nicknames: crocodile, puppy and wise human. The crocodile is focused on fight/flight survival. When triggered, she suggests naming it, "Here's comes the croc." The puppy connects and can feel what others feel (empathy), when it whimpers, it wants attention. Horses can get depressed and elephants spend one fifth of their time caressing one another with their trunks. The wise human sees what's going on learns as much as possible about the puppy and the crocodile.

Regarding projection, the author views it as a sign that some old synaptic connections in the brain wiring need to be updated. For example, one man was shamed a lot when he was a child and then decades later when someone pointed out to him that he had a piece of lettuce stuck in his beard, he felt a deep sense of humiliation. His reaction related to the past more so than the present. Another man who used to feel very attracted to "cold" women later realized that that was due to the rejection he received from a parent after birth. This awareness deactivated the old circuits.

Projections also run the risk of destroying relationships. One partner said to the other, "I am not the one who broke your spirit, cut your wings, said you were ugly, stupid, and a loser ... You are not with me in OUR story, you are engaged with the villains of your past."

Chapter 10 provides a summary of narcissism. Those with this style/pattern believe that "only my suffering counts, yours is nothing compared to mine." They also find it difficult to love themselves and others. They need others but at the same time usually dislike them.

Chap 11 includes the idea that if a person feels invisible it may be a clue that they are experiencing heartbreak. Chap 12 offers one way of reading fairy tales. Chap 13 gives an example of how a famous person successfully recovered from heartbreak and the book concludes with some notes on how the field of neuroscience can be of help in transforming the lead of heartbreak to the gold of love.

A lot of songs and works of art are in response to heartbreak.

A clearly written and thoughtful book.
1350020
Eating disorders are a dark and depressing and anxiety filled disease. They're addicting and plague so many people. I felt that this book was a little too fluffy and little to "rah, rah you can do it" I didn't feel it showed how sick people can get and how hard it is to say "goodbye Ed" and "hello me". That transition can take years. I would recommend this book to someone with an eating disorder but for someone who wants to learn about them - whether for their general interest, career related or to understand a family member or friend who has an eating disorder, I don't think it would be very helpful.
1562872
Geneen does a great job in talking about the feelings underneath the action of eating food.  As a counselor, I really appreciate the way she recognizes it is not just about calories in/calories out.
3794815
I wouldn't label myself as having a food addiction, but I definitely overeat at times. This short read made me dig a little deeper into my eating habits, and I realize that I tend to overeat when I am feeling insecure, have taken a break from exercising, am sitting down and studying, or am overall feeling bored. I know the triggers that cause me to overeat, but I wouldn't have thought about it so in-depth if it weren't for a book like this. This particular book covers all the bases for food addiction and if you are having a problem controlling the amount of food you eat, this book will likely provide much clarity.
892024
A good read for those looking to understand food addiction and binge eating written by someone who experienced it first hand.
4563393
This is a great easy to read book that breaks down binge eating from the perspective of someone who suffered from it. Unlike medical books that tell you information based on studies. The steps are simple yet hard but not impossible. I feel hopeful.
3016144
Skinny Thinking covers ways to deal with the reasons we eat that are unrelated to our bodies' needs for nourishment---as well as good advice on what and how much to eat. A well-rounded study of how we use and abuse food. This information should help all committed readers to become less "well-rounded."
957547
I think this book would be very helpful for anorexics, however I am not one. All I was looking for was a way to break free of gorging on refined carbohydrates (I call pasta "my crack"). I'm about 30 lbs overweight, and have been at least a little overweight virtually all my life. I have diabetes in my family, and other health conditions, so I know my overweight is a real problem but I haven't been successful in getting to a healthy weight and staying there. I have lost and regained weight a few times. I've been successful in losing weight, only to eventually slide back, resuming eating large quantities of carbohydrates again (there was always a "good reason", like family get togethers, special occasions, etc). It eventually dawned on me that I may have something of an addiction to carbohydrates. This book didn't address that and after searching through the book for the information I wanted, I eventually just put it down and didn't finish it. I didn't finish it because 1) Yes, self-love is a problem for those who eat a lot but I have dealt with the majority of my self-esteem and self-love issues over the years, and yet I still find it hard to control my intake of carbohydrates, I know I use them to self-medicate even though overall I have healthy self-esteem 2) The concept of size acceptance, which is part of the core of this book (the very term size acceptance is dubious in my opinion, but that's a whole other story), can be misconstrued to lead people to believe that being overweight is not a health problem. I have a medical condition that REQUIRES me to lose weight, so accepting that I'm meant to be at the weight I'm at? That's not an option for me, unless I want to let myself become diabetic and let my other weight-related health conditions run amok.

Yes, for those women who can't stop themselves from the anorexic downward spiral, this book would probably be great for them. For 100 lb women who look at themselves in the mirror and believe they just need to lose a little more weight, this book would be good for them. Me, I'm not one of those people. I just need to be a healthier weight (I'd be totally happy with about 140-150 lbs). I was just looking for a way to break free of my carb fixation. I've come across other books that address that (Food Addiction: the Body Knows seems more targeted for what I'm after) and will be arming myself with information on how food addiction works, and how to get away from it.