I had an evening client so I ate dinner a bit early and came home to a big ol’ smoothie. 
If you’re new around these parts here is my Green Monster Recipe. If you want a dessert-y smoothie try the one on my recipe page.
I say it every single time but taste in protein powder varies greatly, so you hafta find one that you love. That’s what really “makes” a good smoothie. Personally, I’m in love with my pro-powder. No drop left behind!
A few weeks ago I was contacted about Joy Bauer’s new book – Food Cures. Since I’m a huge fan (I think we’ve all seen her on the Today show) I was very excited to read it. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but do believe that food plays a very important part in how we feel. 
I haven’t looked through the recipe book on the left yet, but I am digging the Food Cures book! Naturally I flipped straight to the weight loss section and really liked it. Bauer has a very healthy and realistic approach to weight loss. There are tons of recipes and she encourages you to eat enough calories that you don’t want to die quit after one day.
I know intuitive eating isn’t for everyone, so if you are looking for smart advice from an RD I would highly suggest this book for that part alone. She also has solid advice about improving your moods (I better look into that one!).
Bauer’s peeps are sharing the love and will send one RER reader a copy too!
To Win: Leave a comment with the best weight loss or intuitive eating or self help book you’ve ever read.
Contest ends Tuesday (July 18th) at 10pm.
Amazing post admin thank you. I located what i used to be searching for right here. I’ll review complete of posts on this evening
thanks for share!
I know this plan – not bad but you need to have a lot of motivation 😉
Skinny Bitch is sassy, and Game ON! is a fun one 🙂
Ah! Can I say that I don’t have a favorite diet book?? I’ve read so many and none of them stand out to me. I get either confused or bored or frustrated because I can’t follow the outlined plan. I’ve stopped reading them really. But I do like seeing Joy on the Today Show!
I amazingly have never read one! This can be my first!
As a gal who is recovering from years of strict dieting and disordered eating I couldn’t pick just one book but three that I’ve used in the past year to help me in my journey to a healthier version of myself both inside & out….”Intuitive Eating”, “Made to Crave” & “Healthy @ Any Size”.
Skinny Bitch for sure! The sassiness speaks to me.
Nice giveaway, I’d especially like to check out the Food Cures book!
One resource that’s been helpful to me is the Skinny Bitch series. Though the style of the writing is not for everyone (helloooo, f-bombs and crude language) and I’m pescetarian (not vegan as the books encourage) the books helped me to “stop eating crap” and clean up my diet. I can honestly attribute a turning point about 4 years ago where I read the first book and made immediate changes, and haven’t looked back. Good stuff!
(ps my iPhone keeps changing the book title to “Skinny Botch,” haha!)
I haven’t really read any books but I subscribe to many health type magaiznes and love getting those little tips throughout to help me stay on track, month after month!
I really like the Beck Diet Solution. It’s all about retraining your brain to think positively and make better choices about food (and life in general!)
Haha, I don’t think I’ve ever read a good weight loss, intuitive eating or self help books, because I have weight to lose, could be MUCH better at intuitive eating, and–let’s be real now–probably need some help! Maybe I should start reading said books…
I really like reading “Eat This, Not That”!! :o)
I haven’t read a “diet” book in years. I got a little too carried away and was always trying the next new thing. I am new to your blog and super curious about this intuitive eating. The best book I have read would have to be the South Beach Diet book. I still refer to it for ideas on healthier whole foods.
My favorite “intuitive eating”/health book is Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon – I feel like it should be required reading for everyone!!
I love Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Very helpful tips for sorting through the massive amounts of processed foods masquerading as healthy options. I’m waiting on Intuitive Eating to come in from the library.
I am a big fan of Weight Watchers. I have been able to lose 20 pounds on that plan. It has allowed me to eat the foods I love with a strong push towards increasing protein. It has taught me about portion control and true hunger. I have become healthier and more physically fit because of Weight Watchers.
Thrive by Brendan Brazier. I’m not vegan but I’ve been making his gels for long runs and they taste better than store-bought!
i really enjoyed Thrive by Brendan Braizer and I would love to be able to lead that kind of lifestyle, but it just seems too annoying and too expensive for me at this point…i am busy, i need easy!
Like a few others who commented, I really enjoyed Skinny Bitch!
Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth was really wonderful!!
I read “Intuitive Eating” after reading about it on your blog, and the book hit home with me on a couple of aspects. I also read Jackie Warner’s “This is Why Your Fat” and enjoyed her approach as well.
haven’t read too many weight loss books but I did love, “in defense of food” which was great 🙂
I’m a huge fan of Intuitive Eating. I’ve been re-reading it and recommending it for years, so that’s definitely my fave. Currently, I’m reading “Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life” by Brendan Brazier, which is an extreme vegan approach, but interesting and full of unique recipes.
The best self book/zen book I’ve ever read is called: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. It made such a huge impact in my life and I would recommend it to anyone. It’s a nice short read too!
Adios 😉
I read Jakie Warner’s “This is Why You’re Fat” book and I really liked it! She gave simple scientific reasons why our body loves good whole foods and why it doesn’t like processed fatty foods.
I read Overcoming Overeating and loved it! It’s from the mid-80’s but it still holds very true. I recommend it to anybody looking to eat like a “normal” person.
Oh man. There are so many. I am reading Eating Animals right now which doesn’t REALLY fall into any of those categories but is great in terms of analyzing what I eat and why. I read Naturally Thin but didn’t like it–of course you would be thin if you “let yourself splurge on steak” but only had 2 bites of anything bad for you! If I only had 2 bites of a splurge food a day I’d lose 20 pounds in a month. 🙂
(It is so refreshing and funny to see you drinking straight from the blender pitcher instead of setting it up in a fancy glass, posing it just so in front of natural light, adding garnish, etc, hehe. Love it.)
And I honestly don’t remember the book title, but the first vegetarian cookbook I had was incredible in changing my view of eating healthier with more veggie meals. I’m not a vegetarian at all….I love me some meat. And the cookbook wasn’t even oriented toward weight loss or anything. But at that point years ago, I had a limited view of how to cook without meat and not get bored, so it really upped my count of viable healthy options, which meant a healthier me, even if I don’t eat a strict vegetarian diet or anything.
Hey Monica
I have tried a few but none of them have worked for me or related to my intuitive eating.
I would really like to try this one and see if it reaches me better than the other ones. 🙂
I’ve been reading Intuitive Eating and really love the concept. It really does make sense.
Love Joy! My favorite book, so far, is The Beck Diet Solution. I also love Bethenny Frankel’s book.
I loved Master Your Metabolism because it gave me so much to think about in terms of all the things that affect our health. Love Joy Bauer!
The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno is great. Real, clean food to fuel your workouts (lift weights!) – makes sense:)
I don’t have a book that changed the way I eat, but I think a combination of Weight Watchers and all the healthy eating blogs that I read have definitely shaped my diet. I’ve lost almost 40 lbs and kept it off =-)
I totally need these books!!
One book that I read and really loved was Woman, Food and God by Geneen Roth. It really gives an interesting perspective on how woman use food to feel better. I would suggest this book to everyone woman out there who is struggling to lose weight (arn’t we all?)
I just got New Rules of Weightlifting for Women…I’m really enjoying it!
I read Lift like a man, look like a goddess and I LOVED IT!! It was all about eating the right amount of food and not starving yourself, because you have to have fuel for your workouts. It was totally helpful.
I don’t love everything she says, but I did find Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel to be really helpful.
I loved Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel. Very practical and real advice!
I think the Clean Eating books are great. They’re healthy and have great recipes too. I also like the Body for Life approach because I think it’s realistic. A lot of diets are just too strict for me…I’m don’t do strict!
I really love The Unofficial Guide to Smart Nutrition, by Ross Hume Hall, PhD…it’s just basic info all broken down by types of food, and it has input and insights from a wide variety of experts. It breaks down different types of food and ranks them in order by nutritional value. Pretty groovy!
The Diet Solution by Isabel De los Rios. It has some stuff I really think you need to take with a huge grain of salt, but it is really a good book about basic nutrition that has actually worked for me.
Honestly, I’ve never read a book on eating/food other than recipe books. My mom did just get me the Pioneer Woman’s recipe book….love it!
I love Joy Bauer! I always look forward to her on the Today Show! One of my favorite authors is Geneen Roth. She writes articles in the magazine Good Housekeeping that are always inspiring to me. She incorporates her own past struggles with food in her writing and really sheds light on how to deal with food issues. Her book Women Food And God is a best seller. Check it out!
I loved “The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl” based upon a blog. Her struggles and the fact she didn’t (isn’t) giving up hit close to home!
I really enjoyed “The Abs Diet for Women.” The workouts were very reasonable and it was the first book to inform me about the benefits of eating whole over processed foods. It also taught me about the benefits/importance of incorporating healthy fats into my diet!
I read “My Pretty Fat” and that kept me very motivated, although, it really isn’t a weight loss plan per say. I also read tons of Weight Watchers materials and recipies to help keep me on track!
Diet Survivors by Judith Matz or Eating With Fierce Kindness by Sasha Loring.
PS: I don’t want to win the book, just wanted to share 2 of my favorites….
Monica- Team Teresa or Team Melissa?????
I think Joe Gorga is cuuute!
Joe Gorga is way too tiny for me 🙂 I can’t pick a team I think they are both showing a certain persona to the camera and it’s kinda fake. I still miss Dina 🙁
I haven’t really read many diet books, per se, but Jillian Michael’s “Making the Cut” and a snippet from Jackie Warner’s book, made me see that it’s not always just the calories it’s the types of food in those calories that can make a big difference in how your body works. Though you can’t always eat perfect, it’s nice to have some guidelines that will help you out along the way! I’m bad about desserts and snacking, so reading on what foods would be good for meal time to help fill me up was crucial!
I loved Bethany Frankels Naturally Thin book! She says there is no reason to diet and obsess…just live..and EAT!
I liked Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel.
To be honest, I think Skinny Bitch is one of the best weight loss books out there. It’s blunt and direct with readers, which is nice because it doesn’t beat around the bush to get you to change your eating habits.
I really don’t read weight loss books but through healthy living blogs (such as yours) I have lost 60 pounds! No joke. So I recommend reading blogs as support and reinforcement!
I read The Rules of Normal Eating by Karen Koenig. There are no actual rules. I think it’s supposed to be ironic. Well, she’s a therapist, humor isn’t her strong point! Anyway, it’s a cognitive behavioral approach to intuitive eating. And it works! I’m totally a normal eater now! I read it and now I’m awesome! Not really.
But it’s a good book.
I love Bethenny Frankel and her book Naturally Thin. I also liked You on a Diet by Dr. Oz. Joy’s book sounds great though! Can’t wait to read 🙂
I love the 400 Calorie Fix. It really helped me understand that I could eat anything I wanted as long as I controlled the portion sizes. I am very happy with it.
I really enjoyed You On A Diet by Dr. Oz.
Health Food Junkies by Steven Bratman!!!!! SO SO SO good. I truly related to so much of it… I really struggled with an obsession with ‘healthy’ eating after college… or at least my obsessive compulsive version of it. It was like I forgot how to eat intuitively… everything became planned and calculated. It was very alienating…a great quote from the book is “Rather than eat my sprouts alone, it would be better for me to share a pizza with some friends”. It taught me moderation and that eating healthful can be incorporated into a full, happy life without obsessing over it. Great book 🙂
My favorite book is “when you eat at the refrigerator, pull up a chair” by Geenen Roth. Filled with humor and really makes you think about why you are eating not just what you are eating.
I really enjoyed The End of Overeating as it spoke to me on many levels.
Thanks for the giveaway! I love seeing Joy Bauer on the Today Show.
So far my favorite book on a healthy lifestyle was “Reshaping it All” by Candace Cameron Bure (yes, DJ from Full House). I loved her approach and that fact that she focused on both the emotional side of the coin and the spiritual one. I found it to be a very good read and it had some great recipesin it too.
Hands down- Body for Life
And anything by Dr. Andrew Weil who takes a holistic approach to life and health.
To be honest, I’ve never read one but would love to!
I really liked ‘The Great American Detox Diet’ by Alexandra Jamieson, wife of Morgan Spurlock from ‘Super-size Me’. It really helped me understand how cook and eat healthier, and has a lot of awesome recipes that I use all the time.
Thanks for asking this question Monica – I’m excited to check out some of these books!
I enjoyed Body for Life. I tried hard to follow the program, but it was just too restrictive.
I really like Weigh Down …its sorta like int. eating; also cant wait to read Feeding the hungry heart.
The End of Overeating by David Kessler. Its pretty technical and deals with biology, but it makes it feel like I’m not the only one with eating issues.
Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Awesome book!
I have read Jillian Michaels’ “Unlimited” and I really, really loved it!
Women, Food, and God. It had some really good points in it about changing your attitude!
I really enjoyed the kind diet by alicia silverstone. while I am in no means converted to vegan diet, it truly made me really think about what I am putting into my body and for what fuel.
I really enjoyed “In Defense of Food”. It definitely opened my eyes. Now if only the hubby would read it . . .
“Spark” by John Ratey- it’s all about motivating people to exercise to help their brains.
Definitely “The Beck Diet Solution” by Judith Beck. It’s not a diet, it teaches you thinking and behavior techniques to stay on a diet (which is the hard part, anyway). AMAZING!!!
You won – please send me your address!
While not really what you’re asking for, I recently read the In Defense of Food which really made me think about how much we eat.
Oh such an AMAZING giveaway!!!!! My favorite healthy living/weight loss book that I have read to-date is probably “The Spark” sponsored by Sparkpeople!!!
I really loved “Women Food and God” by Geneen Roth.
An ED related book called “Gaining” gave me many insights into food and the role it plays in our lives.
I’m currently listening to Jillian Michaels’ Unlimited & LOVING it!!
I’ve never read a weightloss book but when i was out in the dating world I loved “He’s just not that into you”. So hilarious but SO TRUE 🙂
I would also have to say “French women don’t get fat”. It made me realize that you can enjoy REAL food without overdoing it.
Not quite a “weight loss” book but I’m a huge fan of The New Rules of Weightlifting for Women right now. Weight training is something I suck bad at and the “you need to eat not starve” perspective of the book is encouraging.
I recently started reading Carrots ‘N’ Cake. It gives good tips on how to not ruin your diet in certain situations like happy hour, eating out etc.
I really enjoy In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. His approach just seemed to make so much sense to me!
French Women Don’t Get Fat for sure! It is really eye-opening to read how/why French people eat so decadently but manage to keep the pounds off! It’s all about portion control.
I have to say “Life Without Ed” has to be att the top of my list.
Apparently I stutter, that should be “at” not “att” 🙂
Geneen Roth is my hero. her books are THE BOMB.
I’ve read a few of Geneen Roth’s books and find them very helpful.
Women, Food & God! I have read this 3 times and flip through it a lot. It’s about overeating and figuring out WHY we overeat. I highly recommend.
I have actually never read a weight loss book. I’ve seen many that look interesting but have never actually read one. I would love to win this one! 🙂
I’m currently reading Betheny Frankels Naturally Thin and I love how straight forward she is.
my favorite self help book is “your erroneous zones” – amazing! also, i’m a huge joy bauer fan and would love to get my hands on her new book 🙂
I haven’t been able to lose weight in over a year..no matter what I did…in the last month I have added more protein to my breakfast and have added a Benefiber drink mix thingy every day. I have lost 3lbs this month so far. I will be interested to see if this continues during my 1/2 training I just started…
“Intuitive Eating” is by the far the book that helped me the most. I know you have read it–I have given it to several friends as well!!
I loved the book “The End of Overeating” by David Kessler. It’s a real eye opener on what the food and restaurant industry does to make people keep eating and coming back for more. It also gets into why the sugar, fat, salt combo is so appealing to people. really interesting stuff!
You know how sometimes you read something and certain parts just stick with you forever and you find yourself thinking back on those things pretty often? The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone really did/does that for me. I didn’t agree with all of her opinions – as I felt some of them were a little extreme – but I did learn quite a bit more than I had anticipated, given an actor wrote the book (and a “Clueless” one at that!). It opened my mind to a different approach to food and eating and I’ve carried with me a handful of the tips she shares. An insightful read.
Definitely Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. I like Bethenny’s book too, but I think Intuitive Eating was super helpful. Love this giveaway!
I loved Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel.
Its not a diet book more of gaining a different perspective on what is ‘good’, but i absolutely lurved Clean food and Clean Eating by Terry Walters oh wait you said one right- well then Clean Eating that book is baller 🙂
not really weight loss books, but the thrive nutrition and fitness books really changed the way i eat and exercise. i would recommend them to anyone!!
I haven’t honestly read a healthy eating book that I found to be HEALTHY. I read Atkins back in the day, and all it did was suck the energy right out of me. I am currently making a training plan for New Rules of Lifting for Women though!
Hands down The South Beach Diet by Dr. Agatston. It taught me so much about nutrition and how food actually affects your body. I lost 75 pounds and have maintained my weight loss for the past year. Highly recommended!
Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman changed my outlook on dairy and meat. Excellent book on how to eat to be healthy. I also like You on a Diet by Dr. Oz as it provides a lot of medical explanation on why eating certain foods at certain times is better for your body.
Currently I am reading “Made To Crave” by Lysa Terkeurst. It is spiritually focused, but it touches on some Intuitive Eating. It’s helping me develop a mantra before putting anything “unhealthy or non beneficiary” in my mouth.
I haven’t read any books on eating, but my mom and I both love watching Joy Bauer on the Today show! I’d love to hear what she says about improving your mood too 🙂
Bethenny frankel”s naturally thin!
French Women Don’t Get Fat! OR just the plain old Intuitive Eating. These books gave me a kick in the pants to remind me that diet’s don’t work! It’s a hard truth to swallow, but through experience I’ve found it really is true.
I am not looking for weight loss but I love to read about food and cookbooks are my favorite. I just honor my hunger and eat every few hours, it’s not rocket science but it works for me! When I get overly hungry I get cranky and nobody wants that!
Not much of a health book reader. I did most of my research from online and the best tip I learned was eating completely natural food. Eating whole foods will do a body good over anything with added additives and ingredients.
I’ve never read a weight loss specific book but the book Eating Animals shaped my diet a ton when I was losing weight. It really made me wonder why, if I was avoiding meat partially for all the chemicals they put in it, I was eating so much other processed junk!
Bethenny Frankel’s Naturally Thin made a lot of sense to me and changed the way I approach my diet.
My favorite intuitive eating book is Women Food and God by Geneen Roth.
I really enjoyed Fit From Within…a lot of common sense ideas, but the author ties everything together nicely. 🙂
I’m going to say (and I have read alot) Jackie warners this is why you are fat and yes the title is horrible! but she believes in the 400 calories a meal and 2 150 calorie snacks I try my best to follow that .
Not really a weight loss book, but it got my butt moving – Dean Karnazes’ “Ultramarathon Man”. It’s great and I love his new one “Run!”. I also leave no drops behind in the blender. 🙂
The best book I’ve read is Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. It really gave me an overall understanding of my body and why it does the things it does!
Okay, not really a weight loss book, but I’m obsessed with The New Rules of Weightlifting for Women. C’mon, the slogan is “lift like a man, look like a goddess,” what’s not to love?!
I really liked Intuitive Eating! I have read it twice!
i like nancy clark’s sports nutrition guide book. and she has very easy recipes, too!
thanks for the giveaway!
The eat clean diet by tosca reno. Love the principle behind it!
Definitely Women, Food, and God
I think Life with ED was the best book – it really helped me get over my eating disorder
In Defense of Food. Michael Pollan has really changed how so many people eat and think about food.
By far the best book I have read on the subject is Body For Life-it changed everything for me!
never really read a weight loss book, but i have skimmed through ‘food rules.’ simple but realistic!
I enjoyed “The End of Overeating: Taking control of our insatiable appetite” by David Kessler and thought it was an eye opener. I found my own eating behaviours discribed many times in this book and it made me more aware of what is in some of the things I used to eat. I live in the UK and the processed food mania isn’t as bad over here yet but we are certainly well on the way.
I also like “The Eat Clean Diet” as it is a great aproach to nutrition and weight loss.
I’m not much for self help books (my MIL is always trying to push them on me) but as someone who is in recovery for an ED, I can use all the help I can get with meal-planning
weirdly enough, Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel is pretty awesome! it gave me a great perspective of how to not overdo it when it comes to food!
I do not consider it a weight loss book but the one I gained the most info was Precision Nutrition.
OH wow I never read a book for weight loss….but self-help??
Hmmmm, does Paulo Cohelo’s The Alchemist work?
It helped me philosophically!
I actually really like Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel. A few times I was thinking to myself, I’m not going to eat JUST a few bites of a food, but once you understand what she’s trying to say like paying attention to what your eating to feel satisfied, it really helped me!
I’ve never read a weight loss book, but since losing weight I’ve found the blog world to be SO helpful with tips and tricks to a healthy lifestyle that one can maintain for the rest of their life.
Michael Pollan In Defense of Food! And Food Rules by him as well.