I've been reading some of Geneen Roth's books on compulsive eating for the last two years. She has amazing insight and wisdom to offer, because she lived with compulsive/emotional eating for over twenty years. I have learned so much about myself and why I'm a compulsive eater through reading a few of her books. I HIGHLY recommend her books for anyone who is looking for a fresh and very honest perspective on battling compulsive eating--and ultimately winning the fight!
The books I've read:

• When Food is Love
• Breaking Free from Emotional Eating
• When You Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair
• The Craggy Hole in My Heart and the Cat Who Fixed It (not really about compulsive/emotional eating, but still a good read, especially for cat lovers!)

Her website is: www dot geneenroth dot com
(Sorry I can't post links, because I'm new here)

Please check it out...it never hurts to look!

~Lauryn

Love this carrot!

I totally agree. I was just thinking about how far I have come in the past twelve years with my compulsive overeating. Things are so different today than they were even two or three years ago.

I have read her books and they are very good about so much of why some of us chose food as our friend, lover, consoler, abuser, etc.

Food is just food. Nothing more.

So simple, why didn't I get it sooner??

I'm glad you brought that up. It is a good read for those of us to need to know why "diets never work".

I remember reading her books and putting them down because they were too real for me -- I couldn't handle the truth about myself. I really need to reread them. Another author I've read is Dr. Ira Sacker -- he's written two brillant books eating disorders. For other books about overcoming eating disorders, look in this thread:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57800

Yeah..I think they are complete rubbish.

Maybe I ought to have put it less bluntly but what the hey, this is just opinions of a book!

You're fat because you like food too much and eat it too much because sometimes emotions are too much to handle.

Thats IT, in ONE sentence..but no, because that wouldnt make a book, she has to waffle on and ON and ON...its mighty tiring, very schmaltzy, urgh urgh

But if it helps other people, its good in a way, even if I hate her writings

Emily
xxx

You couldn't possibly summarize the complexity of eating disorders (any ED) in one sentence. It isn't fair to those who suffer, it's an insult to psychologists who have devoted their entire lives to finding causes and treatments, and it certainly doesn't make a sufferer feel better about their disease.

I've read some of her stuff. Although I think she's helpful to some people, for many of us her methods don't work. She believes in legalizing all foods. I cannot stock my cupboards with boxes of cookies, cakes, candies and expect to eventually normalize the way my body responds to these items.

I am a food addict and a compulsive overeater and OA is the only thing thats ever worked. I have to remove those foods and situations from my life that lead me to compulsively eat. Its as simple as that.

Ironic...I'm doing a Psychology degree, and I have an eating disorder myself., this is my sixth year.

Demeaning the ED is a way to kick its a s s!

And I was summarizing what SHE says, not anorexia

Emily
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