The 15 Best Books on Food Addiction

Obesity has become one of America’s top health issues. Many people suffer from eating disorders and food addiction. Unlike other types of addiction, it is not possible to stop consuming food. We all must eat to survive.

Our lives are full of quick fixes. We often go to a fast-food drive-through on the way home from work, so cooking and cleaning can be averted.

Preparing meals and eating healthy takes time and energy. Many of us get caught up in this cycle and end up gaining weight and craving foods that are unhealthy.

Is it possible to eat healthy on a daily basis? What if we are truly addicted to food and are unable to stop eating? Is there hope for escaping tasty, fat and sugar-filled fast food?

The truth is, we are what we eat. Eating healthy food gives us more energy, helps fight off disease and makes us feel better in general.

Breaking the unhealthy eating cycle is well worth it. Kicking a food addiction or eating disorder to the curb may save your life.

I have listed the fifteen best books available today to help win this war. Please take some time to look through the list. There is something for everybody here. Eating disorders are as diverse as the people who have them.

There is no magic bullet for treatment. The secret is to find a remedy that works for you.

Remember to live a happy, healthy, healing life!

Dr. Livingston has a unique method to offer for food addiction. If you eat when not hungry or feel guilty after eating, this book could be just what you need. It will also help those who eat even when full or eat differently around other people than when alone.

Glenn describes techniques that could also help with other addictions. He describes the fat-thinking self as “The Pig”. The process he describes is designed to fight off the negative thoughts contributing to overeating. You will learn how to:

• Stick to a healthy food plan.
• Overcome feelings of guilt when eating.
• Stop obsessing over food.

Following this plan can help you see results without feeling deprived or eating foods you don’t enjoy. Glenn’s method is truly meant to give the reader a life-changing experience.

This book describes a couple’s journey from obesity to a beautiful new life. You, too, can benefit from their story.

The author is a radio host for “The Line of Fire” and serves as head of the Coalition of Conscience, a Christian organization.

If you are looking for a more spiritual, religious-based book on food addiction, this might be for you.

This is a book based on the Bright Line Eating Boot Camp. This is an eight-week comprehensive program that helps people change the way they think and helps them live “Happy, Thin, and Free.”

The four bright lines are:

• Sugar
• Flour
• Meals
• Quantities

The process in this book is simple to follow and relies heavily on boundaries. Some of the subjects covered include:

• Cravings and how to stop them.
• How the brain blocks weight loss.
• Why diet plans fail.
• A dynamic food plan that applies to anyone.

If you struggle with control over your food, this book is a great read!

The author covers many aspects of Binge eating, including:

• What are the causes of this disorder.
• How to create a healthy lifestyle.
• What are the consequences of binge eating.
• How to solve the problem.
• Types of eating disorders.

If you think you may have an eating disorder, take a look at this book. It can help change your behavior for the better.

This book explores how emotions can lead to poor behaviors such as binge eating. It doesn’t view the practice as good or bad but as something the reader would like to change.

A big part of DBP is mindfulness. This is where we pay attention to our thoughts without judging them.

Stories are used to teach various DBT skills. In this book, you will learn:

• How to practice and improve mindfulness.
• To become aware of your over-eating triggers and cravings without submitting to them.
• To deal with negative feelings more positively.
• How to change your behavior in small, manageable steps.

Beyond the Primal Addiction takes the approach of understanding addiction rather than demonizing it.

It explores treatments such as the 12-step program and explains why these often fail. The authors point out the common threads present in all addictions.

Rocklin and Akhtar have experience with psychoanalysis and addiction treatment. They believe addictions are one coping strategy used to deal with complex underlying issues present in the individual. They take a hard look at dependencies which are not the result of drug use.

This book can be beneficial for practitioners as well as patients suffering from food addiction.

Written by the founder of Shades of Hope Treatment Centers, this book helps create a path leading away from emotional eating and yo-yo dieting.

Tennie was once an overeater and suffered from bulimia. She believes there is a spiritual solution to this mental disorder.

McCarthy helps the reader understand why they diet. What causes their lack of control over food and how to make it stop.

She teaches us how to say goodbye to the shame, guilt, and blame that accompanies overeating. Most importantly, she gives us the tools to begin healing.

Packed with stories about real people with food problems, this book explains how individuals can indeed become addicted to food. The author is a firm believer in the 12-step program for recovery.

Vera explores medical research about food addiction. She helps readers feel they are not alone in their struggle.

You will learn what food addiction is, what the stages are, and whether you have the disorder. You will meet Lawrence, a food addict with a tragic story. This is an eye-opening book that I strongly recommend.

The author of Starved to Obesity struggled with anorexia as a teenager and was obese until age 47.

This book combines Emily’s weight loss journey with tips from Joel Furman, MD. Dr. Furman is a board-certified physician specializing in nutritional medicine, and author of the book Eat to Live.

If you are looking for a healthy relationship with food, or have been fighting with diets or binge eating, this is a great starting point.

Written by someone who has been through it, this book will help you on your healthy road to recovery.

The author teaches breathing techniques and emotional awareness to heal and make better food choices. These are ancient practices taught by Buddha.

Yogic breathing exercises are designed to heal the troubled mind, which is often the root of the problem. We all have information on why overeating is terrible. We have all tried dieting. We need a way to change our brains to think differently about food.

This book was written by Alison, who had a severe eating disorder. She would binge on food until it made her vomit. Her entire life became controlled by food. After being confronted by her mother, Alison began her quest to end her addiction.

This book is about what she learned, how she changed her eating behaviors, and how she can help you with your eating addiction.

If you want to regain control over your life, read this book!

Processed Food Addiction uses evidence-based science to explore the possibility that there may be a treatment path of abstinence from processed foods.

The book covers sugar and fat addiction, plans for abstaining from processed foods as well as mindfulness therapies for food addiction.

There is a chapter on the diagnosis and assessment as well as a case study of processed food addiction. This is an excellent book for practitioners who encounter patients with food addictions.

Crista lays out a plan for regulating emotions concerning food cravings. You will learn how to start your day without unnecessary snacking, the difference between good foods and bad foods, and which exercises will help curb your addiction.

This book will teach you how to overcome your binge eating habits.

You will be able to control your body and mind to eliminate urges and cravings. Learn how to avoid mistakes most people make when attempting to face binge eating.

Wendy spent 35 years of binge eating and battling food addiction. In her book, she explains how the W.A.I.T. (What Am I Thinking) and Click approach helped her recover.

She uses common sense, humor, and many stories to help lead the reader to a better way of life. Wendy is now a fitness trainer and health coach.

Her process teaches how to change daily habits, eat healthier, and reap the rewards.

This book uses a five-part questionnaire to identify your craving type.

The basis of Julia’s technique is to use amino acids to release neurotransmitters which regulate appetite. Once these neurotransmitters are triggered, a sense of satisfaction will counter the urge to continue eating. Ross believes our favorite foods are engineered to be addictive.

Julia has treated thousands of patients using the strategies outlined in this book. She rejects traditional diet plans and helps her clients improve mood, health, and stamina.