I love a good book! Especially at this time of the year when it’s cold and dark outside. I can’t think of anything better than snuggling down in a blanket on the sofa with an evening read. When it comes to learning more about nutrition and health, picking a good book can be an absolute minefield! There is so much information out there and everybody calls themselves an ‘expert.’ It can be difficult to know who to trust. Therefore, I’ve complied a shortlist of my current favourite nutrition and mental health related books. Enjoy!
The No Need to Diet Book by Pixie Turner
I love Pixie. She is a fellow registered nutritionist who has made it her mission to call out diet culture bulls**t. In fact, I’ve got not one, but two of her books included in this article! You can follow her on Instagram at @pixienutrition.
There are more and more books emerging about letting go of diet culture, however some can be a bit too wordy and feel like a boring textbook. This book is the opposite of that. It’s easy to read and makes talking about this often-touchy subject very interesting. If you have been wavering on the fence in your beliefs about weight and health and have not been quite ready to let go of dieting – this is the book to tip you over! Packed full of interesting science, with a dose of funny sarcasm, this book is very likely to change your perception on food – forever!
Synopsis:
“Diets suck. There’re not making you healthy, and they’re certainly not making you happy. So why can’t you remember a time when you weren’t on a diet? Why does food have to be so damn complicated? Well, it doesn’t.
There’s so much information out there about food and health, but it’s hard to know who to trust. Pixie Turner is here to help you bust the myths – using science. No, you don’t need to avoid anything you can’t pronounce. Yes, you absolutely can eat those biscuits when you’re feeling stressed. In fact, if you stop telling yourself you’re not allowed biscuits you might find your intense cravings begin to fade away.”
The Insta-Food Diet by Pixie Turner
As if the previous book offering wasn’t enough, we’ve been treated to yet another straight-talking, highly interesting book by Pixie Turner. I found this book so incredibly interesting, as its own basis is on something which didn’t even exist 20 years ago, yet it has a huge influence in the nutrition industry today.
Social media faces a lot of general criticism over its links to poor mental health and its portrayal of a perfect ‘ideal’ which we all compare ourselves to. As a nutritionist myself, social media has always been a concern to me from the viewpoint that it massively promotes diet culture and allows absolutely anybody (without the appropriate qualifications) to spout nutrition advice as if they are an expert. Pixie’s book really goes into detail about how much our food habits could be influenced by social media, without us even realising. Topics include food perfectionism, food shaming, how social media is changing the world of food brands and restaurants, as well as the overall impact on our health. I highly recommend this book, I found it a fascinating eye-opener.
Synopsis:
“Social media is a major part of modern life. Most of us can’t imagine not using it, and its unrealistic to assume that’s even possible. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook haven’t been around long, but they have already made far-reaching on our health and wellbeing. We are only just beginning to understand the influence these platforms have over our decisions around food and health, with many of these processes happening without our being fully aware.
But maybe we should be aware. From influencers deciding what foods we buy to government policy, via food shaming and comparison envy, activism and extremism, the role social media plays is now undeniable.”
Just Eat It by Laura Thomas PhD
I’ve been trying to think what to write here without sounding like I’m gushing! Well, I’ve blown it already, haven’t I?! Laura (also a fellow registered nutritionist) is the reason that I am in this particular area of nutrition and call myself a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor.
It was a couple of years ago that I came upon this book and had that lightbulb moment in my brain! This book is a wonderful introduction into the world of intuitive eating. Just like the title suggests, it’s based around sorting out your relationship with food so you can – just eat it! I would recommend this book for someone who is relatively new to the concept of intuitive eating and is still struggling to let go of old diet rules and patterns. It’s helpfully set out in the style of a step-by-step practical guide, following the principles of intuitive eating. Like it says, this book will “help you get you sh*t together.”
Synopsis:
“Have you ever been on a diet? Spent time obsessing about your body when you could have been doing something useful? Compared your waistline to the size of someone else’s? Felt guilt, actual guilt, about the serious crime of…eating a doughnut? You’re not alone. Registered Nutritionist Laura Thomas PhD presents this straight-talking guide to intuitive eating: the simple practice that will help you phase out diet tools like meal plans and calorie trackers and encourage a more peaceful attitude to food and your body.”
A Toolkit for Happiness: 55 Ways to Feel Better by Dr Emma Hepburn
If you need a break from reading about nutrition, I have the perfect solution! This book literally does what it says on the tin! Dr Emma Hepburn is a well renowned psychologist, who has built up a large Instagram following through her awesome illustrations and educating posts on mental health. Her Instagram handle is @thepsychologymum – I seriously recommend you check out her profile!
‘A Toolkit for Happiness’ is Dr Emma’s second book, which has easy to read advice, interspersed with little exercises (or ‘tools’), designed to get you thinking about your life and how you can help yourself to be the happiest version of yourself. All of this is of course written alongside her famous illustrations well-placed throughout. Look out for Brian the Brain and Colin the Crab! If you feel ready to change your mindset, pick up this book, you won’t regret it!
Synopsis:
“A Toolkit for Happiness is the ultimate guide to long-term and sustainable happiness. Using her much loved trademark illustrations, Dr Hepburn (aka @thepsychologymum) arms us with 55 accessible and easy-to-use tools to make us feel better.
Emma teaches us that happiness is as much about weathering the storms of life as it is about enjoying the sunny weather – and that by implementing small and simple changes we have the power to influence how we feel for the long term.”
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
Well, I couldn’t do a book recommendation article without mentioning the founders of intuitive eating could I?! Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch are two registered dietitians from the US, who were responsible for creating the evidence-based framework of intuitive eating in 1995.
Over the last 25 years, there has been a lot of scientific research released to back up intuitive eating as successful in cultivating a happier relationship with food. If you would like to know everything you possibly could about intuitive eating, its history, and its place in the nutrition world, this is the book for you. It’s packed full of advice to help you become an intuitive eater. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which supported me through my intuitive eating training. However, be warned that it is a bit long winded and ‘sciencey’ in places.
Synopsis:
“When it was first published, Intuitive Eating was revolutionary in its anti-dieting approach. The authors, both prominent health professionals in the field of nutrition and eating disorders, urge readers to embrace the goal of developing body positivity and reconnecting with one’s internal wisdom about eating – to unlearn everything they were taught about calorie counting and other aspects of diet culture and to learn about the harm of weight stigma. Today, their message is more relevant and pressing than ever.”
Which book takes your fancy?
There you have it, my current favourite books! If you end up reading any of them, I’d love to hear from you and discover your thoughts! You can email me (hattie@hattierees.co.uk) or message me on social media!
