First, I have to remind myself NOT to accept so many reviews right before the holidays. I now have a backlog and I feel bad it’s taken me so long to get to some of them. That being said, I recieved the The Complete Beck Diet for Life book waaaay back in December (ok, so that’s not too long ago-I just feel bad.)
The book features the Think Thin Eating Plan. At first I thought it was going to be just another "diet" book telling me to eat this and not that, watch carbs, limit fat, increase protein, yada yada. That’s what they all tell us, isn’t it? The funny thing is most of us know WHAT we should be eating yet we still continue to make the bad choices. Why is that?
Cue The Beck Diet…
I was surprised to find in its pages a focus on mindset, thinking and motivation. Strategies on how to start, while stopping sabotaging thoughts (something I know very well). Activities were broken down into easy to follow tasks. Seriously, and I’m not kidding this book highlights a lot of the same strategies I use and try to share with you. For example Dr. Beck even has a "Prove to yourself that hunger is not an emergency" experiment! I tell myself that ALL the time (an coincidently post about it. ;)
The book spends most of it’s time really teaching you how to change your thought process and approach to dieting. Even at one point saying….
…you will focus primarily on building skills now. If you would like to get a jump start, you can do the following:
- Limit junk food to once a day.
- Eliminate caloric beverages.
- Eat vegetables and/or salad at the beginning of each lunch and dinner.
- Include Protein-rich foods at every meal.
- Eat fruit or protein at the beginning if (or for) each snack.
Once you get a good introduction to the "attitude" side of the diet. Dr. Beck moves to the plan. Which, based on a simple calculation, puts you into a calorie level. The book continues to give great strategies for dealing with different situations, like going out, Holidays, traveling, etc. It also has great activities, recipes, food lists, worksheets and even a weight loss graph to fill in.
Honestly, no matter the "diet" plan you are on (Weight Watchers, South Beach, even your own) this book can help you approach dieting from a new angle. Yes it’s about losing weight but this is the first book I’ve seen in a long time that doesn’t focus mostly on the food. It’s really more about your mindset. Which I think is the hardest part of weight loss. I know I used to self-sabotage all the time and still have to call myself down from the ledge now and then.
If you are intersted in checking it out Click here to order The Complete Beck Diet on Amazon for only $16.47! 
9 Responses to Book Review: The Complete Beck Diet for Life
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About Roni
Roni started this blog in '05 to journal her weight loss. 70lbs later, she's committed to living a conscious, healthy life and hopes to inspire others along the way. Read more on the about page.
I own several of Dr. Beck’s books and have just started working my way through this plan. If anyone else is following either the Beck Diet Solution or the Beck book Roni reviewed here, feel free to let me know! The more people working the program and supporting each other, the merrier :). Thanks for doing this review, Roni!
As you know, Roni, this is my absolute favorite “diet book.” Her psychology skills are simply amazing. Like you point out – I already know everything I need to know about nutrition and weight loss. Where I falter is the mental aspects…and this book has helped a tremendous amount.
Great review Roni! I love your blog, and not just because you live in Bawlmer (I lived in Maryland for 9 years). I really relate to your posts.
I just started a new blog yesterday to follow along with each of these skills. If anyone is interested in following, here’s the URL: http://beckdietdailies.blogspot.com/
Reading the first Beck book (The Beck Diet Solution) is what got me interested in CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and it’s the method my therapist is using on me to deal with anxiety issues that manifested themselves in disordered eating issues. It’s all about changing how we think … then the behavior changes. I often quote her “No choice” and “Give Credit” mantras.
(Her dad pretty much invented CBT, Dr Aaron Beck)
Great review and interesting book!
I like the ideas, I follow a fair amount of them already! But now I need to take a look at this book! Thanks!
Roni, great review and I’m a big fan of Dr.Beck’s CBT approach and her last book and workbook.
I really “think” the more her message gets out there the more it can really help us all from falling off the wagon.
Just started reading her new book, but this time I think I’m going to blog about it in real time.
All the best!
Hi Roni the Beck diet solution book did it for me. Dieting for me was easy after reading the first book. I knew I was going to lose 50 1bs after reading it and 18 mths later I’ve kept it off.
Also finding this site and you made it very easy too.