Non-diet books having import as to dieting.
 

I hope this is in the right place. Recently I have been reading "The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force"by Jeffrey M. Schwartz (Author), Sharon Begley (Author).

I picked it up after seeing a PBS special on neuroplasticity (the idea that our mind or consciousness can actually reshape the physical make up of the brain). Most of the book is about OCD and Turrets Syndrome (sp?) and how specific mental exercises, such as mindful / meditation have been shown to change the physical make up of your brain -- and cured or made both of the above much better.

But I can't help but see a lot of applications to dieting. OCD reminds me of binging. You are compelled to do something you don't want to do. Your mind keeps firing and you do something you don't want to. And is binging really about being hungry or is it just a trigger to the misfiring in the brain?

And the cure ( or treatment ) for the OCD was a long term training of the brain, 10+ weeks. The PET scan showed that an area that had been highly overreacting was now quiet. No drugs. So that got me thinking, do those who are on diets for long term succeed because they have actually changed their brain with their consistent daily training to think differently. Is long term dieting (2 lbs or less a week ) not only good for your body but for *training* your mind.

Anyway, the point is, do you find some of the best ideas on your maintenance / diet come from non diet books?

If you google non-diet books you will find a host of these available. Sometimes linked with intuitive eating, these books look at weight loss from a different angle........listening to your body and eating between hunger and satisfaction.

There are some decent books around on goal setting, making plans, getting organized that can be applied to managing your weight. I've used ideas I picked up in corporate training before.

I don't have any specific recommendations though.

Anne

I really find Adam Phillips a therapeutic writer - although he is a psychologist his work is really accessible in a non-academic way. Some of his essays are about food or about his patients and food but others are just really positive (about life in general). I also have Helping me help myself - which is a really positive book about the difficulties of helping youself (or admitting you might need a little help from time to time).

Living your yoga by Judith Hanson Lasater. Im on part three right. It's easy to read.. sort segments and easy to relate to. I swear by this book! asimple, yet amazing :)

I've heard it recommended before. I think I will go get it. I need to start making my yoga something more. It's fantastic exercise and conditioning. And I always planned on it being so much more than exercise, but I had so many changes going on that I didn't push it at the time. But it's 4 months later now. Thanks for push now :D.

Awesome, Julie! Let me know what you think!
My book is all filled with underlined sentences and notes in the margins.I seem to be reading lots of my books that way lately.. :

LOL, all my books are like that! I'm a big reader, but mostly nonfiction. I can't read and learn without underlining and stuff. I have been known to buy a new copy of a book so I can re-read and underline afresh. :o

Julie : Yeah... it feels good to have a fresh page to underline! It's also kind of fun to buy a used book and see what other people underlined and found useful. Lots of added bonus insights that way as well !

Has anyone read ' the power of now' by ekhart tolle? There are a couple chapters in the middle that i kind of got lost in.. but the rest really helped change my outlooks on lots of things. The chapter on relationshops really helped me out too.

I saw it referred to when reading something else. It's been on my list. My list is soooo long. Kinda ironic to put off reading "The Power of Now." :o

I was just about to recommend his other book, "A New Earth." There are so many principals that can be carried over into all aspects of wellness, from mental to emotional to the physical.

im in the process of reading it right now :) It's really good. I bought both a new earth and the power of now at the same time and im finally on the new earth one.

It's funny, my sister actually had a copy of "The Power of Now" while we were on vacation last week, but I forgot about it. I'll look for "A New Earth" too, it sounds interesting.