The Rules of Normal Eating: A Commonsense Approach for Dieters, Overeaters, Undereaters, Emotional Eaters, and Everyone in Between!

I bought this book because I was tired of wasting my time thinking, worrying and feeling bad about what I was eating and what I weighed. I tend to overeat, feel bad about what I weigh and how I look, get excited about dieting, lose the weight and then start the cycle all over again! The author has an excellent style of writing: she is thoughtful and intelligent, without making any wild statements or proclamations. One could say she is practicing the rational thinking that she preaches. If you are looking for a book to help you lose weight, you may need to look elsewhere. But, this book provides you with much, much more than that: how to have a healthy relationship with food and eating. As an added plus, you will learn how to examine your beliefs (about anything) and choose ones that will leave you happier and healthier. What more could you ask for from a book?

Karen is spot on with this book. Well organized and well written, Karen gets right down to the point that anyone with a eating disorder can relate to. It's easy to refer back to over and over again and great to keep in your tote bag in case of the need for emergancy support. Though she makes the process of normal eating seem like a walk in the park, she reminds the reader that it takes time and effort. But everything she says makes so much sense.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/06) "The Rule of Normal Eating" is written for people that have an unhealthy relationship with eating. People that are unhealthy eaters can range from undereaters to overeaters. The author, Koenig, has impressive credentials as a psychotherapist. What really makes her writing different and refreshing is that while she has these credentials, she is also able to relate to her readers with unhealthy eating habits, because she is a former overeater and chronic dieter. She understands what she is writing about. This means a lot to me as a reader, because I know that she was able to apply the principles of what she presents to her own life and that she succeeded. Koenig uses Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy techniques as guidelines to assist the reader with developing normal eating behaviors. While she addresses the unhealthy behaviors that are a result of having an unhealthy relationship with eating, she focuses more on the positive aspects of developing a healthy relationship with food. The readers need to develop healthy relationship with themselves while overcoming their unhealthy habits. Koenig does an excellent job describing the painful experience of feelings of deprivation caused by dieting and then the guilt that ensues when the chronic dieter falls off the wagon and overeats. As I read this book, I realized that I don't want to be like this anymore. As I read her descriptions of what it is like to be a normal eater, I realized how much easier my life would be if I didn't put so much emphasis on what I was eating, when I was eating and the guilt that follows when I don't eat as well as I should. Koenig discusses new ways to handle eating situations and people's reactions to the changes that you will be making. She also writes about accepting your body the way that it is. In this section, she really opened my eyes as to the reasons behind why I over-exercise. "The Rule of Normal Eating" is not a quick fix. It has been my experience that quick fix diet books tend to fail quickly, leaving me to feel like more of a failure than when I started. By reading this book and realizing how my unhealthy behaviors are really caused by unhealthy and incorrect beliefs, I am given tools to make the changes that I need. The new habits will not happen over night, but I feel confident in knowing that every day I will be able to make positive new changes that will make each day better.

"The Rules of 'Normal' Eating" is a touching,hopeful, helpful. loving and validating book written in everyday language with great humor and wide appeal. Karen Koenig hits on so many dysfunctional eating beliefs, behaviors and feelings that disordered eaters cannot help but see themselves. This book should not just be read by individuals on their journey of recovery,but by the therapists who wish to guide and support them as well. The American culture has become pleasure-seeking and pain-avoidant to the extent that we will often do anything to avoid experiencing emotional discomfort. This book is a reminder that only good can come out of an exploration of what drives us so that we can learn to endure,understand and resolve our emotional pain. This book is the light at the end of the tunnel that replaces the light at the back of the fridge. Nina Martin,BSN,LCSW,former director of an inpatient eating disorder program at a community hospital in Suffern, N.Y. and current director of the mental health clinic at the same hospital.

This book is back-to-basics and practical. It asks of its readers no more than to examine their own faulty beliefs and replace them with more rational thinking--the kind of enlightening work necessary for true recovery. Known as cognitive therapy, this kind of work is far more effective for weight loss than willpower or diets of any kind. I own a Yahoo! group to help folks ditch their diets and become normal eaters. Of all the "non-dieting" books, Karen R. Koenig's is the one I most often recommend.