Book Review by Guest Blogger, Kat Dorman - The End of Overeating by David Kessler
Check out this review on “The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite” by David A. Kessler from my very good friend and fellow pop culture lover, Kat Dorman. Thanks for sharing, Kat!!!!
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So a fellow dieter on a message board recommended this book to me. “It’ll change your thoughts on the food industry,“ she promised.
Once I downloaded it, the first few pages did not disappoint. A food addict himself, Kessler described what it’s like to be obsessed with food on a daily basis. I felt like he was speaking directly to me. How an open bag of m&m’s on a table takes over my thought process and I can’t focus on anything else. How I yearn for a 10 piece mcnugget meal after a long, stressful experience. Even though I don’t indulge every urge, food occupies my thoughts through most of the day. Kessler’s descriptions were so accurate, I started referring to the book as “food porn.“
After the first chapter, the book went down hill. Kessler liked to hammer his points home by repeating himself A LOT. So here are the ground breaking points that he made:
*People become addicted to foods high in salt, fat, and sugar because it causes chemical reactions similar to endorphins. Since these foods make us happy, we continue to seek the same feeling over and over again (insert many scientific examples here). Mix this with memories & emotions and poor eating becomes a habit. (this took over 10 chapters for Kessler to illustrate)
*The food industry knows we’re addicted to salt, fat & sugar and spends a lot of time and money making sure their foods are the perfect combination in large portions. Marketing helps keep food at the forefront of our mind. (again, 10 CHAPTERS)
*A large portion of Americans suffer from Overeating, an addiction similar to alcoholism or drug addiction that leads to many to be overweight and/or obese. However, overeating can affect those who also appear healthy but are consumed with thoughts on food. (only 5 chapters for this point)
*Kessler asserts that we need to change the food industry in America to stop obesity rates from getting higher. He proposes that nutrition labels be available for all restaurants and that Americans should be educated on healthy eating and correct portion sizes.
Finally I arrived at the end where Kessler tells us how to break the cycle. This is where he started to contradict himself.
He claimed that diets don’t work because it asks people to rely on willpower and to deny themselves the food they’re addicted to. His advice is VERY different and revolutionary - he recommended that overeaters should setup “rules” to prevent them eating certain foods and avoid foods that will cause us to overeat.
...really?!
Kessler also encouraged overeaters to treat this disease like alcoholism or drug addiction. In order to break our habits, we need to find new patterns to daily routines. He suggested finding different routes to/from work to avoid a fast food chain or asking a friend to grocery shop for us.
...seriously?! That must be a really, REALLY good friend. Plus, unlike alcoholism, you can’t quit food. That would be a really harsh withdrawal process if you did.
Unfortunately, I think the core issue with the book is that the author is not a nutritionist, a trainer, nor an expert on healthy living. The bottom line is he is an overeater who is still overcoming his own food issues.
All said and done, the only thing I really took from this book was a craving for a Panera cinnamon sugar bagel.
Posted by Kristin Hanley at 09:26 PM. Filed under:
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