Customer Reviews

Food Addiction: The Body Knows: Revised & Expanded Edition

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After trying (and failing) for years to lose weight with Weight Watchers and dieting, I had almost concluded that significant weight loss was for me, not possible. Then I was introduced to the principles of Kay Sheppard's food regimen, and in four months, lost 30 pounds. I am still losing, and for the first time, without having to fight feelings of deprivation and those terrible food cravings. If this is a diet, it is the easiest and most effective diet I have ever been on. My friends and family are amazed.

There are two major aspects of Sheppard's food regimen: (1) the physiological aspects of food addiction that derive from low blood sugar due to a hypoglycemic response to flour and sugar in the diet, which is what causes the food cravings and binging, and (2) the moral, spiritual and pyschological support needed to get through the early withdrawal phase, and for many, to stay in recovery.

Sheppard mentions support organizations like Overaters Anonymous and Food Addicts Anonymous, which provide sponsors, information, and moral support for the morbidly obese and other food addicts. I have personally met several individuals in such organizations who have lost over 100 pounds (one young woman had lost 150 pounds)with the result that their lives had turned around and their health restored. The reviewer below who reports that she failed in this food program should try again, this time with a sponsor and an organization to help her.

If you have a significant weight problem or eating disorder, read Kay Sheppard's book. It will be the first step on your road to recovery.

7/13/00 I am a 48 year old female who was overweight all of my adult life. I tried a "zillion" diets, and lost weight, but could not keep it off. This book helped me to understand how food addiction affected me and what I could do that would help me live with this "eating disorder". My highest weight topped the scales at 250 pounds. I lost 40 pounds on another diet, but quickly regained 20 pounds shortly after. I was ready to try this new way of eating. It was a challege at first as I had to read labels alot. But the results were instantanious. My life completly changed almost immediately. My chronic depression lifted, and how I see myself and the world has completly changed. I am a different person inside and out. I am happy despite the difficult life I'd had. I've also lost 55 pounds in 8 1/2 months just following this wonderful, healthy, fully satisfying food plan. I can live with this food plan the rest of my life - I do not feel deprived of the foods I've had to give up. I am also involved in 12 step recovery work with Overeaters Annonymous which has also helped tremendously. I've gotten tons of support from them. Also, I can't tell you how many people have asked me how I did this - everyday someone makes a comment about the weight I've lost. This is no gimic. My physical aliments have improved dramatically (decrease in lower back pain, relief from arthritis pain in my knee and foot), and I am so much more alert and focused than I have ever been. I used to think I had attention deficet. I don't believe that anymore - I was in a "food fog" before I started this healthy way of eating. I will never go back to my old way of dealing with lifes challenges - I don't eat over them anymore.

I have struggled with compulsive eating for as long as I can remember. I have tried the "eat only when you're hungry" plan prescribed for compulsive overeaters, as well as just about every diet you can name, only to find my self-destructive behavior worse than before. And then, I found this book.

Admittedly, when I first read the prescribed road to recovery, I was none too thrilled. In the beginning, I assure you, it's tough. But the rewards are so far and beyond your wildest dreams, I can't even begin to explain. In ten weeks I lost 25 pounds as a side effect of the recovery process. The weight loss, though quite welcome, has not been the true blessing of recovery. It has been my ability to think about things other than food, to release my feelings of inferiority, of weakness, of shame.

The program emphasizes the importance of support from friends, family members, and eating disorder groups. I recovered in a foreign country with a different language where I had NO ONE. No friends, no family, no nothing. If you are blessed with the support of loved ones, I promise you will succeed. I was able to kick a disease that breeds in isolation while I was all alone. And if I could do it, anyone can. Buy this book and take what Kay has to say to heart. Her advice has forever changed my life.

I have tried every diet known to man. I have lost and gained so many times that I have lost count. This is the first plan that has been a tremendous success for me. I have lost 28 pounds in less than three months and I feel free from food. There are no cravings for me to overcome, it is the easiest thing (foodwise) that I have ever done. I find myself now enjoying the fruit and vegetable section of the grocery store more than I enjoyed the cookie, candy and frozen ice cream aisle.I no longer constantly think about food as I did before, I just eat when it is mealtime and that's it. I have had absolutely no desire to not follow the plan and no hunger and everyone I tell about Kay Sheppard says it would be too hard to give up wheat, I tell them try for one day and see, it is so easy and I don't miss it one bit. This is the best gift I have ever gotten in my life and I thank God every day for Kay Sheppard. Thanks for listening

As a 63-year old woman who has lost and gained hundreds of pounds over the past 40 years, this book has shown me where the ultimate problem lies. This is the first time I have ever been on a diet where I felt so good and had no more cravings or even the desire to binge eat. I am slowly losing the 154 lbs. that I need to lose - which I have never been able to do before without feeling deprived. This book is a miracle for me and I only wish more people would realize the help that is in there for those who have lots to lose. I cannot praise this book enough. Thank you for writing it - it has become my food bible and I will never again let food ruin my life as it has done in the past.

I grew up crying myself to sleep for overeating: hating myself wondering why I couldn't stop forcing food in my face even though I was horrified by any extra weight and my stomach was beyond full. Why didn't the threat of being heavy stop me? Why was I eating when I was way past full? Why could I not stop myself when what I really wanted was to stop myself?

After reading this book, I am happy to say that now I understand what is going on with my system. After reading this book, and then having binged, I could see (a revelation of sorts) that my behavior was a completely 'out of control' addiction. I would be in a euphoric state where I couldn't even focus on things I loved. I had to find more food. And nothing or no one could get in the way. But now, armed with the book, I am very well-equipped to help keep myself from bingeing.

The book talks about abstinence from those foods that trigger the overeating. And when you avoid trigger foods, you wouldn't believe how free you become. Totally free from the addictive, obsessive behavior that is caused by these foods. It is the best feeling in the world after all those difficult food addiction filled days.

I thought I could sprinkle a little bingeing into my life as long as I kept myself on the right track 90% of the time. But I, of course, underestimated the beast of food addiction, and could not limit the bingeing to 10%. Accept the things you cannot change (I cannot only eat 3 potato chips or 3 MnM's or a bowl of cereal with my kids without starting a terrible binge.) Change those that you can (if I cut the trigger foods out completely, my body does not go fanatical and it is the best feeling in the world.) Abstinence is freedom from food obsession.

Life changing book for me. And I would recommend it highly to anyone who feels they cannot control their eating.

I never knew what was wrong with me until I read this book. I always struggled with food, and have been a compulsive overeater my whole life. This book gave me the courage to stop eating compulsively. I now enjoy freedom from the grips of sugar and flour products, and no longer think about food on a minute by minute basis. I am maintaining a 90lb weight loss, and feel wonderful. Thank you Kay Sheppard!

I bought this book 12 years ago and attended Kay Sheppards treatment program. I lost 60 lbs, had 5 years of abstinence and the only freedom from food I have ever known. Then I decided to get "flexible" so it would be easier for me to live in "the world". At first I thought I had it under control, but slowly my eating has escalated and now I find myself 45 lbs heavier, back into bingeing, uncontrollable consumption of sweets and a bevy of emotional and health problems to go with. After reading old journals and seeing how happy and sane I was during those 5 years --- well I decided I can continue with this trek toward insanity and death or I can surrender myself to this simple program. So I'm back.
The critics of this program are either in denial or not full blown food addicts --- yet. This is no magic bullet. It works if you work it.
Thank you Kay for your uncompromising honesty.

After 50 years of active food addiction, I am abstinent for four years using the work of Kay Sheppard described in this book. As a result of this abstinence, a whole new life has opened up to me. I recommend this book to those for whom food intake or withholding is an issue. It saved my life.

As a lifelong food addict, Kay Sheppard's book has given me hope. This book's ideas are new, and I admit a little scary for the true addict, but they DO induce change, one day at a time, for those who are Honest, Openminded, and Willing to listen. I highly recommend this book for those who a diet has not worked for and will not work for. I don't really think it's for someone who just wants to lose a few pounds to fit in a dress, because Kay's concept is weight is not the issue of recovery from food addiction.