Food addiction is an extremely difficult disease that is misunderstood by the general public and by many medical and mental health professionals. Weight regain following extreme weight loss through medically supervised diet programs, fad diets, or weight loss (bariatric) surgery is all too often followed by weight regain. Regain is largely attributed to failing to following through with "behavior modifications," which are the focus in most weight loss programs. Behavior modifications include "eating less and moving more." Those whose weight has gone up and down over time attribute their regain to "going back to old habits." Understanding food addiction educates us about why it is so difficult for vast numbers of people to follow through with the behavior modification tools that actually do help the patients lose weight to begin with, and if practiced over time help in keeping the weight off. Food addiction takes our brains "hostage" and makes it seem impossible for intelligent, well-meaning people who sincerely want to lose weight to avoid foods they realize will result in added pounds. Food addiction "hijacks" our rational minds and leads us to making decisions that will defy our weight loss efforts and goals. Those who choose to have weight loss surgery often view it as "a last resort" for losing weight. They hope the surgery will result in dramatic weight loss, and will also help in sustaining that weight loss. It is a tragedy when patients who have elected to undergo a surgical weight loss procedure regain dreaded pounds in spite of having had good intentions to follow through with the behaviors necessary to keep the weight off. A hallmark of addiction is knowing there are physical and/or emotional problems caused, or made worse by a substance, and continuing to use the substance anyway. If food consumption is leading to excess weight and physical comorbidities, such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and/or diabetes, and the patient is informed they need to lose weight in order to improve these medical conditions, but they are unable to change their eating habits, food addiction may be a reason. If people are depressed because of their weight and the limitations it places on their lives and the friction it causes in their relationships, and they want to lose weight but cannot seem to stop eating unhealthy foods, again, food addiction may be a reason. If a person has both the disease of obesity and the disease of addiction (in this case, food addiction), treating only the disease of obesity will most likely not result in long-term weight loss. Food addiction is a powerful disease that needs treatment concurrently when treating obesity. Attempts to continue to "eat less" will fail if a person is a food addict and does not treat their addiction. The result will ultimately be weight regain, frustration and discouragement. Weight Loss Surgery Does NOT Treat Food Addiction is for people who have had bariatric surgery, are considering bariatric surgery, or for anyone who struggles with weight loss and keeping weight off. In this book, I explain what food addiction is and why it must be addressed in addition to working on weight loss and weight maintenance. I also share tips and steps to take in order to address food addiction, as well as what it means to be in recovery from food addiction. Get ready to learn. Get ready to grow as a person by learning more about yourself in this educational, engaging and down-to-earth book. Join me online and on Facebook as well for more helpful information and tools. And finally, please share this book with anyone you know who may be struggling with food addiction, whether or not they are a bariatric surgery patient. Food addiction can be treated! Get help now and get healthier and happier. Your Health. Your Responsibility. This Day. Every Day.

The founder of Shades of Hope Treatment Center offers real-life solutions and a step-by-step program that teaches you how to stop the never-ending cycle of diets, binges, negative behaviors, and broken promises that come with food addiction. Includes a Foreword by Ashley Judd There are millions of people who bounce from one diet to another with no understanding of the link between emotional eating (compulsive overeating) and not being able to keep off the weight. Author Tennie McCarty was herself an overeater, food addict, and bulimic. Tennie believes that food addiction is a physical and mental problem with a spiritual solution. Tennie confronted her addictions to unhealthy relationships, food, work, and was finally able to find the one thing we all ultimately crave—serenity. In her work with clients, Tennie helps them uncover why they yo-yo diet, why they compromise their health with a diseased relationship to food, why their uncontrollable need for control has left them feeling broken, and what it is about their past or present that leads them to seek comfort in the oscillating consumption and restriction of food. As Ashley Judd, a former patient says, “Because if there was hope for Tennie McCarty, there was hope for me.”

Drawing on her experience in addictions treatment, and many personal stories of recovery, Dr. Vera Tarman offers practical advice for people struggling with problems of overeating, binge eating, anorexia, and bulimia. Food Junkies, now in its second edition, is a friendly and informative guide on the road to food serenity.

Presents "Success Habits" to successfully control your weight loss after weight-loss surgery.

Develop Your Personal Plan for Weight Loss Surgery Success How do you imagine life after weight loss surgery? Maybe you see yourself living a more exciting life than ever before, participating in activities you haven't enjoyed in years. If you have been stuck in an ongoing struggle with obesity, your dreams for life after bariatric surgery may be as simple as being able to sit in a seat at a movie theater or going for a walk outside. Chances are, along with those dreams, you also have lingering questions and concerns about the bariatric surgery process. If you're seeking honest answers, The Weight Loss Surgery Workbook can help. This workbook will be your guide every step of the way as you prepare to make a smooth transition into post-surgery life. Written by a medical psychologist who has counseled many clients through weight loss surgery, it offers skills from cognitive behavioral therapy to help you make the critical pre-surgery lifestyle changes and adjustments to your eating and exercise habits that will enable you to maintain the best results after the procedure. This workbook will help you: •Make the decision whether or not to undergo bariatric surgery •Choose the right kind of surgery for you •Find a qualified surgeon and dietician •Control problem eating and emotional eating •Make peace with your body after surgery This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

Over the past fifteen years, there has been a great increase in the knowledge of eating disorders in sport and effective means of treatment. In this book, the authors draw on their extensive clinical experience to discuss how to identify, manage, treat, and prevent eating disorders in sport participants. They begin by examining the clinical conditions related to eating problems, including descriptions of specific disorders and a review of the relevant literature. Special attention is given to the specific gender and sport-related factors that can negatively influence the eating habits of athletes. The second half of the book discusses identification of participants with disordered eating by reviewing symptoms and how they manifest in sport; management issues for sport personnel, coaches, athletic trainers, and healthcare professionals; treatment; and medical considerations, such as the use of psychotropic medications. A list of useful resources is included in an appendix, as well as a glossary of important terms.

EAT IT UP! is the first book incorporating a whole person, mind/body/spirit approach to prevent weight regain in the months and years following weight loss surgery. Each chapter is devoted to a "Center of Balance," explaining obesity's negative impact on every aspect of a person's life. Eat It Up offers skills and strategies to overcome difficulties following weight loss surgery, resulting in the reward of lifelong happiness and healthy living, free from weight regain. Written with humor, compassion and a "firm and fair" approach, Eat It Up! is a must-have for the millions who are obese or overweight. Regaining weight in the months and years following bariatric surgery is a devastating reality - one that can be prevented.