I Wish I Were Thin...I Wish I Were Fat: The Real Reasons We Overeat & What We Can Do About It [Hardcover]

Michelle Joy Levine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

JUMP OFF THE WEIGHT GAIN/WEIGHT LOSS TREADMILL AND DISCOVER THE REAL REASON MOST DIETS FAIL!

With so many diet programs available, most overweight people try one after another, with varying degrees of temporary success, but never succeed in reaching the permanent weight loss they so desperately want. In the bestselling I Wish I Were Thin, I Wish I Were Fat, Michelle Joy Levine, a psychotherapist for over twenty years, uncovers the real reason why most dieters fail: an unconscious yet powerful fear of being thin or a desire to be fat! As incredible as this may sound, the poignant and revealing case histories presented in this book demonstrate how childhood experiences affect our eating habits, and the helpful exercises included will teach you how to stop sabotaging your goal of permanent weight loss.

Understanding why we overeat is the first step toward a healthy weight and happier life. This highly acclaimed, remarkably insightful book is a must for anyone who is serious about eliminating destructive eating habits from their lives forever.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

With multitude of diet programs available, most overweight people have tried one after another, with varying degrees of temporary success, but never succeed in reaching the permanent weight loss they so desperately want. I Wish I Were Thin addresses the real reasons for overeating, bingeing, and the failure of most diets: an unconscious desire to be fat or a fear of being thin! As incredible as this may sound, the poignant and revealing case histories presented in I Wish I Were Thin demonstrate that these powerful, but unconscious, wishes are the most significant reasons most dieters repeatedly fail, despite their most determined efforts. Overeating cannot be successfully dealt with until the real reasons for excessive indulgence can be understood. I Wish I Were Thin is critically important reading for anyone struggling with the weight gain/weight loss tread mill. -- Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

Vanderbilt Press is extremely proud to have published this exceptional book which is receiving the highest acclaim from health professionals and many others as well. "One of a kind," "An exceptional achievement," "The book for all diet conscious people," "One of the best on the subject," "A must for people who are overweight," "A delight to read," "Unique and powerful," are just some of the words of readers of this wonderful book. Although the author is a highly respected certified psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and teacher, she speaks to the reader in an intimate and personal way conveying both her understanding of the struggles and pain of the overeater and her expertise about how to resolve the problem of overeating.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Publisher: Vanderbilt Pr; 1st edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965668649
• ISBN-13: 978-0965668644
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,147,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but certain chapters were way off the mark, April 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: I Wish I Were Thin, I Wish I Were Fat: The Real Reasons We Overeat and What We Can Do About It (Paperback)

I read the entire book in one day it was really interesting how almost all eating disorders are about control, even overeating. It breaks the stereotype that all overweight people are out of control and lazy. It shows how food just like any other substance can be abused in the quest to avoid dealing with emotional problems. My only complaint is how the author gets a little too Freudian in my opinion. Some of the chapters dealing with Oedopus complex are way off the mark and are a throwback to old school psychology. Needed more elaborate case studies with long term results instead of little paragraphs here and there.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A thought-provoking psychology book , not a diet book., October 28, 2000

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Wish I Were Thin, I Wish I Were Fat: The Real Reasons We Overeat and What We Can Do About It (Paperback)

Anyone who reads Michelle Joy Levine's "I Wish I Were Thin, I Wish I Were Fat," will not find a book filled with recipes and diet tips. Levine's approach is to give the reader the tools to work on his or her "inner self". Working on the "outer self" comes later. Are you interested in the dynamics of what makes you overeat in the first place? Do you believe that psychological reasons underlie your desire to remain obese? Some people believe that obesity is purely genetic and has no psychological component. I am open to the idea that it is possible to have an unconscious wish to remain obese because of unresolved psychological problems. Levine's book is well-written and clear. She describes various scenarios in the form of mini-case studies to show how people sabotage their weight-loss efforts as a result of emotional conflicts dating from childhood. For instance, a person who never separated emotionally from his mother may crave the nurturing that he misses now that he is an adult. Food often equals nurturing to our subconscious minds. Sometimes, a woman who fears getting close to a man may remain obese to avoid intimacy. Obviously, no one can be sure that by reading this book, he or she will be able to lose weight. However, I think that Levine offers "food for thought" that may be helpful for those who want to get in closer touch with their "inner selves".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a life-saver!, March 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: I Wish I Were Thin...I Wish I Were Fat: The Real Reasons We Overeat & What We Can Do About It (Hardcover)

I just finished reading I Wish I Were Thin- I Wish I Were Fat! Thank God for Michelle Joy Levine! Her insight into the problems of why we overeat is truly a lesson in self-awareness. I feel as though I can begin to deal with my eating disorder in an informed, sensible way . I am grateful for Ms. Levine's ability to write in a most fluent manner. With her help,I look forward to my challenge with hope and excitement. I feel certain that everyone who reads this book will come away with the tools for self-help. Diane Fero