Dietitian Hannah

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7 Must-Read Intuitive Eating Books

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If you are interested in learning about intuitive eating, self-help books can be a really great tool. There are lots of intuitive eating books out there these days that could help you to improve your relationship with food.

Unfortunately, diet culture has co-opted the language of intuitive and, in many ways, has tried to turn intuitive eating into a diet. As a result, there are some books out there that claim to be about intuitive eating that are actually just another diet in disguise. Don’t worry, you won’t find any of those books on this list.

Without further ado, here are my 7 intuitive eating book picks.

Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

This is the OG intuitive eating book written by the creators of intuitive eating! If there is one book out of this list that you decide to read, let it be this one.

Intuitive Eating guides you through the ten-principle framework and provides loads of evidence on the science behind intuitive eating and why it works.

The authors also have an accompanying workbook that I highly recommend you pair with the main book. Elyse Resch has a workbook for teens, as well. And Evelyn Tribole has another book with daily guided practices to help you rediscover the pleasures of eating.

So, I say start with the original book and then add in different the workbooks as you see fit! You can trust that it is truly an intuitive eating book/workbook if it was written by Evelyn Tribole or Elyse Resch.

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Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating by Christy Harrison

This book dives a little deeper into the history of diet culture and why dieting doesn’t work. Once the author helps you understand why past diet attempts may have failed you, she provides a path for healing. The author also has a popular podcast, too!

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Unapologetic Eating: Make Peace with Food and Transform Your Life by Alissa Rumsey

We all loved this one inside The Nutrition Reboot Membership! The author not only describes why diets don’t work and the history of diet culture, but she also provides various take-aways and journaling prompts to help you put the book’s lessons into action. This book truly felt like a warm hug.

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The F*ck It Diet: Eating Should Be Easy by Caroline Dooner

The title alone should tell you about how honest this book is. The author helps readers to understand that they aren’t the problem - dieting is. This one might get you a little fired up and angry at diet culture!

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Complementary books to help you on your intuitive eating journey

This next set of books are not specifically guides to intuitive eating but may be very supportive as you work towards food freedom.

The Body is Not an Apology, 2nd Edition: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor

This one had me hooked from the beginning and I finished it in just a couple of days. If you have ever felt ashamed of your body because of the way it looks or how it takes up space, this book will provide you with a life-altering perspective shift.

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Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff

Although there is not a whole lot of food talk in this book, the author continuously and graciously reminds readers that we are all human and we deserve to forgive ourselves. And this definitely can and does tie into dieting! The author breaks down the science (aka her life’s work) on how self-compassion can improve your well-being in all areas of life.

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Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Springs

You’ve probably heard of diet culture and maybe you are aware of how it impacts our relationship with food and our bodies. But did you know that diet culture has racist roots?

I can’t say it better myself so let me share a quote from the Amazon sales page - “Fearing the Black Body argues convincingly that fat phobia isn't about health at all, but rather a means of using the body to validate race, class, and gender prejudice.”

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Happy reading!

Are there any anti-diet books that I missed? Leave your favorites in the comments below!

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