9 Books To Read On Eating Disorders
Eating disorders affect millions of people worldwide. Organizations are advancing education and awareness about the severity of eating disorders by spreading their message across various social media platforms. As such, doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, and other professionals work to share their knowledge and advice through publications such as books and journal articles.
By: Regina Colie
Here are some books on eating disorder awareness, the anti-diet movement, practicing intuitive eating, and more.
Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating
By: Christy Harrison, MPH, RD
Synopsis: “In Anti-Diet, Christy Harrison, a registered dietitian nutritionist, takes on diet culture and the multibillion-dollar industries that profit from it, exposing all the ways it robs people of their time, money, well-being, and happiness. It will turn what you believe about health and wellness upside down, as Harrison explores the history of diet culture, how it has infiltrated the world of health and wellness, all the sneaky forms it can take, and how letting go of efforts to lose weight or eat “perfectly” actually helps to improve people’s health - no matter their size.”
The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt In America
By: Virginia Sole-Smith
Synopsis: “The Eating Instinct visits kitchen tables around America to tell the stories of women recovering from weight-loss surgery, of people who eat only nine foods, of families with unlimited grocery budgets and those on food stamps. Every struggle is unique. But Sole-Smith shows how every person’s experience - including her own - is a product of our modern food culture. And everyone is asking the same questions: How did we learn to eat this way?”
How To Raise An Intuitive Eater: Raising The Next Generation With Food & Body Confidence
By: Summer Brooks, MPH, RDN, and Amee Severson, MPP-D, RDN
Synopsis: “Nutritionists Sumner Brooks and Amee Severson will show you how to relax and thrive at home and at the table. This book is a guide for how to help your children trust their bodies with the three keys for raising intuitive eaters: providing unconditional love and support for your child’s body; implementing a flexible and reliable feeding routine; and developing and using your intuitive eating voice.”
Unapologetic Eating: Make Peace With Food And Transform Your Life
By: Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD
Synopsis: “In Unapologetic Eating, Rumsey shares what she’s learned from her own experience and through working with her clients: that food behaviors are the symptom of deep-rooted societal issues rather than the problem. Everything you think you “know” about food, appearance, body size, and more is something you were taught at some point.”
Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence From Her Eating Disorder
By: Jenni Schaefer
Synopsis: “Inspiring, compassionate, and filled with practical exercises to help you break up with your own personal E.D., Life Without Ed provides hope to the millions of people plagued by eating disorders. Beginning with Jenni’s “divorce” from Ed, this supportive, lifesaving book combines a patient’s insights and experiences with a therapist’s prescriptions for success to help you live a healthier, happier life without Ed.”
Just Eat It
By: Laura Thomas, Ph.D.
Synopsis: “Registered Nutritionist Laura Thomas, Ph.D presents this straight-talking guide to intuitive eating: the simple practice that will help you phase out diet tools like meal plans and calorie trackers and encourage a more peaceful attitude to food and your body.”
The Body Is Not An Apology: The Power Of Radical Self-Love
By: Sonya Renee Taylor
Synopsis: “This New York Times bestseller offers radical self-love as the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by these violent systems. World-renowned activist and poet Sonya Renee Taylor invites us to reconnect with the radical origins of our minds and bodies and celebrate our collective, enduring strength.”
Surviving An Eating Disorder: Strategies For Family and Friends
By: Michele Siegel, PhD; Judith Brisman, PhD, CEDS; Margot Weinshel, LCSW
Synopsis: “Drawing on case examples, this fourth revised edition explains the latest treatments and offers concrete advice and support, urging readers to care for both themselves and their relationships as they support their loved ones struggling with food and their bodies. Surviving an Eating Disorder considers crisis an opportunity- a time for the possibility of hope and change for everyone involved.”
The Picky Eater’s Recovery Book: Overcoming Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
By: Jennifer J. Thomas, Kendra R. Becker, and Kamryn T. Eddy
Synopsis: “You may have been told that you eat like a child, but AFRID affects people right across the lifespan, and this book is the first specifically written to support adults. Join the authors - three AFRID experts at Harvard Medical School - to learn how to beat your ARFID at home and unlock a healthier relationship with food. Real-life examples show that you are not alone, while practical tips, quizzes, worksheets, and structured activities lead you step-by-step through the latest evidence-based treatment techniques to support your recovery.”
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, we offer two FREE Virtual Eating Disorder Support Groups open to individuals seeking help and family and loved ones. The group provides a supportive forum where members can explore issues, including ambivalence about engaging in treatment, recovery, resources, and treatment options, and knowing when and how to take the next steps toward making change. RSVP for our next group here. You can also download one of our free resources to learn more about eating disorders here.
Our admissions team would happily answer any questions about our programs and services or to learn about what eating disorder recovery might look like for you. Book a free discovery call with our admissions team below, or read more about our philosophy here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Regina Colie (she/her).
Regina Colie is a blog contributor for BALANCE, whose previous work has been featured in Project HEAL and Nourishing NY. She is an alumnus of The New School of Social Research, where she received her Masters in Psychology. After attending Marymount Manhattan College, she had the opportunity to be published in Dr. Nava Silton's book, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Child, Adolescent, and Adult Development.