Habits Not Diets: The Secret to Lifetime Weight Control

by James Mecham Ferguson, Cassandra Ferguson

The ground-breaking guide breaking the diet cycleIn this updated classic, psychiatrist James Ferguson provides a realistic, inspirational, achievable alternative to the dubious enterprise of dieting. Dr. Ferguson focuses his easy-to-follow weight-loss workbook or changing unwanted behavior. Dieters thwarted in past efforts will find this detailed 21-week behavior-modification program rational, upbeat, and extremely effective.

337 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Sandra Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was more helpful than any diet book ever was. Hope other people read this book too.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great 20 week program for behavior change. Obviously there are some outdated things like low fat, but otherwise I think it is a great resource! My take aways:
*Decalorize your environment
*Create designed eating space and eat all your meals there
*Overweight people are more sensitive to their environment when it comes to food
*Many people report that it takes 12-15 weeks to eliminate food cues
*Eat without distraction
*Have maintenance weeks. There is no point in losing weight unless you are resolved to maintain that weight loss forever.
*New behaviors are fragile and must be practiced over and over again.
*Overweight people tend to eat fast throughout the whole meal.
*Use smaller plates
*Split meal in two and give yourself a break for a minute or two before going into the second half
*Set some food aside to practice leaving food behind
*Never accept food from another person unless you ask for it. Make each encounter with food a voluntary one.

[Rdmlocks2 Prewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have on my bookshelf not one but two copies of this book. It makes soooo much sense to me. It really is about behavior modification as much or even more than the food choices themselves. And I know if I were to fully commit to doing this program rather than be half-assed about it, I would save myself a lot of angst, and drop the weight I want to say a final goodbye to.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 20-week program for changing behaviors related to food.