Fattitudes : Beat Self-Defeat and Win Your War with Weight (Hardcover)

by Jeffrey Wilbert Ph.D. (Author), Norean Wilbert B.S.N R.N. C.H.E. (Author) "We want to tell you this story so you can learn from our mistake..." (more)
Key Phrases: Food-Feelings Log, Community Center

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
As more and more Americans discover that crash diets and diet pills don't work, they are turning to self-help books that stress taking responsibility for one's weight and eating more healthily. Why Can't I Stop Eating? focuses on understanding how addictive substances, such as carbohydrates, sugar, and caffeine, react in the body. Danowski and Lazaro, a recovering food addict and a medical director of three addictions hospitals, respectively, believe that carbohydrate addiction is the main reason why 50 percent of Americans are overweight. The authors cite research illustrating physiological reasons for food cravings (especially carbohydrates) and downplaying the effectiveness of weight-loss drugs like Fen/Phen. They also provide exercises that clarify which foods trigger overeating and diets that emphasize low carbohydrate intake. Jeffrey and Norean Wilbert, a food therapist and a registered nurse, respectively, suggest that "fattitudes"Dself-defeating behavior that causes overeatingDare the main obstacles to maintaining ideal weight and present helpful exercises to identify them. This book's philosophy is that even people genetically prone to obesity have emotional (perhaps unconscious) reasons to be overweight. Because both of these titles are clearly written and will appeal to general readers, they are recommended for larger public libraries.DLeAnna DeAngelo, Springfield, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
With this book, the Wilberts are exposing one of the biggest secrets to successful weight management that has long eluded yo-yo dieters. Fortunately, they are willing to share the combination that can open the door to a healthier body weight for others. Their book gently takes its readers by the hand and helps them to disarm the dieting demons that have sabotaged their past attempts at weight loss. Having counseled people in weight management for the past 25 years as a Registered Dietician, this book will now be assigned reading in my practice. -- Robyn Flipse, R.D., author of The Wedding Dress Diet

Fattitudes is a breakthrough. If you've been on a diet more than once, before you start the next one, you need to read this book. The easy to follow, step-by-step Fattitudes plan will help readers understand and resolve their hidden obstacles to health and fitness. -- Paul Barclay, President, Just Results Lifestyle Studios, Inc.

Good things come to those who wait...andthe wait is over for a "diet" book with real meaning. -- Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 8, 2000

The Wilberts provide a user-friendly approach to understanding and changing the attitudes that add pounds and make losing weight so frustrating. Fattitudes offers readers practical help in controlling emotional eating and straightening-out relationships with friends and family members who would undermine their dieting. This book will help the reader remove the psychological barriers that interfere with permanent weight loss. -- Edward Abramson, Ph.D., author of Emotional Eating: What You Need to Know Before Starting Another Diet and To Have and To Hold: How To Take Off the Weight When Marriage Puts On The Pounds

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (May 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312251912
• ISBN-13: 978-0312251918
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,073,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration & Motivation, June 19, 2000

By	Queenie "Book & Music Lunatic" (Camano Island, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Right into the book one of the authors (Norean) talks about the necessity of getting out of our own way in the battle to lose weight. She had my attention from that moment on. Most of us know how to lose weight, it's our attitudes that need adjusting. This book is easy to read, with helpful information on every page. I read it with a Magic Marker in my hand, marking passages to read again. It was pretty well marked up by the time I finished the book. AND, it's got to be the FIRST weight loss book I've ever read cover to cover. I highly recommend it. It's written with compassion.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Apprieiative Client's Reccommendation., April 24, 2000

By A Customer

Thank you Dr. and Mrs. Wilbert for sharing your expertise and personal experience with Fattitudes! Following the process of self discovery defined by Dr. Wilbert has literally changed my life. I was at the end of my dieting rope when I joined the Fattitudes support group. I tried every fad diet, weight loss group, comercial diet center, starvation and bulemia. I measured my self worth by my body size. I had many temporary successes, but each time I regained the weight, it left me looking for the next quick fix. I felt out of control of my eating and was frustrated by my lack of will power. I grew to hate my body and myself. after a few years of doing nothing at all, I discovered the Fattitudes support group. With the help of Dr. Wilbert and fellow group members, I discovered that the war I was batteling with food actually had very little at all to do with food. I am in the process of discovering and addressing the issues which had for years led me to self defeating behaviors and attitudes. It isn't easy, it isn't fast, and my progress cannot solely be measured on a scale. I am facing my problems head on instead of medicating my heartaches with food.I highly recommend Dr. Wilbert's approach to healthy weight management. I am excited that many people with stories such as mine will find that there is hope beyond the struggle.

91 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Simple and Practical approach to weight loss, September 28, 2000

By	Minnesota Raven "Viking Vixen" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

The authors of the book are two practicing psychologist. They decided to write a book about what makes people tick when it comes to controlling their food intake and in turn what can you do to manage it. I am an avid reader and I also have had ups and downs with my weight so I have read a lot of health and diet books trying to find the solution that would work for me. There is nothing wrong, misleading or contradictory to any info they impart.

A lot of time is spent giving short, one page or less, case studies of people who fit a particular type of problem they find causes people to turn to food. Later on in the book, they provide short exercises for you to do to help identify your specific issues. I can find nothing wrong with this particular approach to weight management as they are trying to attack the root of the problem not the results. It's another way to go so you won't find any recipes in here. They quote the standard eat right and exercise motto everyone else does.

The short coming of the book is there is not enough problem solving info. I already knew why and when I eat. So parts I and II aren't going to buy me a lot. I suspect other women my age who want to get a handle on their eating are in the same boat as myself. How to effectively deal with the specific problems is not given enough effort.

If you are not sure about the underlying reasons people turn to food and which of those reasons is applicable to you then this book will certainly help you identify them. If you have that already figured out and want detailed solutions on how to overcome these reasons for eating then you may not be so happy with this book.