68 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book, January 19, 2007
This review is from: Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work (Paperback)
I never really had any serious weight issues. But at one point in my life, as a short 5'4" guy, I hit the scale at 155 lbs. and thought that I was slowly digging my own grave with a spoon and fork. So, I started to read books about diets and nutrition; but with the plethora of diet programs and the apparent high incidence of failed dieters, I just decided to go on my own and follow a very simple rule: when eating, just listen to your stomach. Basically the rule translated to: eat when you are hungry, stop when you think you have consumed enough to last you for the next scheduled meal, eat only to the point that the stomach "does not stretch" so that it gets used to only being filled with less, and enjoy every bite like it's the last. There were times I broke my rules, and learned valuable lessons in the process, but in less than 4 months I dropped to 115 lbs. Not only that, I was shocked to find out how little food our body actually needs if we just consume food based on our physiological needs. Lots of my acquaintances have always asked me how I did it and how I have been able to maintain my weight for years. And to my increasing annoyance, until I found "Am I Hungry?" at Amazon, I have to lengthily explain and "defend" my eating habits.
This book has really made everything easy for me. Now, every time people ask me about tips on weight loss or dieting, I point them to this book. Everything, and a lot more, is explained in "Am I Hungry?"
This book is a real treasure. It is light reading but heavily loaded with wisdom. No smoke and mirrors. No cheering. Just lots of plain common sense. Basically, it teaches about total eating awareness. From the book's lessons, one re-learns the basic principle that eating correctly is about feeding the body in the most mindful way. And the right way to eat is to be satisfied for the right reasons. One realizes that the most reliable cues of when to eat this and/or that kind of food are not found in the bookstore or the popular opinions of a bestselling diet guru. It is within each of us. Eating right is about having the clearest communication with our body. It is about enjoying food, and not about being constrained by some diet prescriptions. Sensible eating requires no willpower at all, just plain consciousness. Above all, this book teaches eating skills. And from the skills, the student reigns supreme again in making a decision of what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, ... based on the right reasons why one has to eat in the first place. This book is highly recommended.
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cure Overeating Now!, July 26, 2005
This review is from: Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work (Paperback)
"Am I Hungry? What to do When Diets Don't Work" is the first book, system, group, idea, or anything regarding weight management that worked for me. I know it will continue to work long-term. In 3 ½ months of utilizing this book, I have lost 30 pounds and regained confidence and positive body image. It will work for anyone. Dr. May presents the reader with a plan that each person can do starting from page one, and it is truly a lifestyle change, not a diet. The book teaches you all you need to know and do to take charge of your health, feel good, and be happy with yourself.
To me the biggest secret is that diets are always something you enter with the idea in the back of your mind "when I get thin I won't have to do all this awful stuff like exercising and eating carrots instead of real food". Diets tell you at the beginning that you obviously are not doing the right thing now, you must change, and, by the way, here is the whole list of changes, demands for exercise, and food restrictions all at once. To be a success you must do all these things without fail. Of course, being human beings, we all fail on some step somewhere. Most of us feel bad, berate ourselves, and go back to our comfort foods and habits, resigned to stick with our comfortable "fat" clothes.
Dr. May's book helps you from the first pages on. First, you will learn about overeating - I know, you are already an expert at that right? But, with diets you are trying to change the outcome (fat) without learning about and changing the real cause of your overeating. We all know someone who is thin, fit, and able to eat anything and everything whenever they want. Dr. May helps you to understand how that person employs instinctive eating compared to the overeating we do that got us fat in the first place, or the restrictive eating we employ when we try to diet. You start by simply asking yourself "Am I Hungry?".
The good news is that "all foods fit"! So, no more restrictive eating! You will learn how to identify the triggers that lead you to overeating habits, and learn how to deal with the triggers in different ways. You will learn how to make small changes that will increase your activity level and your metabolism. You will learn a bit about nutrition, in fact a lot. Again, you can start on page one learning what you need and taking charge. There is a recurring, simple message of balance, variety, and moderation.
One of the biggest benefits is you will remind yourself that you are your own best friend and re-learn the mental patterns and self-talk you employ. Would you tell your best friend that they are an unworthy fat slob? Of course not! You encourage and help others to be their best. With this book you will be able to truthfully affirm to yourself "I am a fit, active person"! Try it, you will like it!
I spent over 35 years trying every possible diet plan out there. I cannot tell you how many total pounds I have lost and regained over the years. I knew what I needed to do for my health, but struggled for years in the how to do it. Am I Hungry? is the secret - from learning to identify overeating triggers, through learning to incorporate nutrition and exercise, to manage hunger and fullness - it all comes together and works. And, starting with just 5 minutes of exercise, over time it has become automatic that I want to exercise, something I have almost studiously avoided! I truly feel I have cured myself of life-long overeating. Do I still overeat sometimes? Yes. Do I still eat pizza when I want to? Yes. And I have lost 30 pounds. Each time I might overeat or "make a mistake" it is just a learning step and takes me that much closer to my goal of optimal health. This book helps you overcome the diet mentality.
I carry my copy of Am I Hungry? with me on work travels, read on planes, or just taking a few moments for myself. It is dog-eared and well-worn by now, because the simple messages contained are so valuable and they bear repeating and re-reading and sharing with others.
I hope you will purchase this book and open your own door to optimal health and lifelong weight management. You will love it and love the new you!
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm Losing Weight and I'm Not On A Diet!, March 7, 2006
This review is from: Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work (Paperback)
I would give this book 10 stars if I could! I had done every diet known to man, and I lost weight, but I kept putting it back on. I realized that "diets" don't work for me. I had completly given up any hope for attaining a lean figure. How could I live without Starbucks Mocha Chip ice cream in my life? Then I read "Am I Hungry" and my life is turned around! Michelle's easy step-by-step methods have taught me how to understand my hunger and eating cycles, and also how to give my body what it needs and wants. I have lost 16 pounds in a few short months and I get to eat ice cream, too! All I need to ask myself is "Am I Hungry?".
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