The Eden Diet – Book Review

I have to be honest here. Part of what drew me to this book was the delicious picture of chocolate cake on the cover. I love chocolate cake. I love anything chocolate, (well almost anything – I tried chocolate covered squid jerky one time . . .that was not so good). This is why the thought of being on a diet for the rest of my life makes me angry. I don’t think it’s fair to give up the “good stuff” all in an attempt to fit into a smaller pant size. Of course, I also get frustrated when I don’t fit into the smaller pant size. It’s a no win situation. 

Author Rita Hancock proposes that it’s possible to have your cake and eat it too. Her only stipulation: You can only eat when you’re hungry and you stop the moment you start to feel full. It’s common sense stuff, but it is harder than you think. Hancock has an ivy league education in nutrition and is a medical doctor specializing in pain management. Her theory is that God gave us hunger pangs for a reason: to let us know when we’re supposed to eat. She says that many people are overweight because they are eating according to the clock or for emotional reasons rather than because they are actually hungry. She believes that if we listened to our body’s internal hunger cues we would be able to eat fattening foods (in small quantities of course) and still lose weight. 

It definitely is a liberating “diet.” If I have a craving for some cookies all I have to do is wait until I am actually hungry and then I can eat one without any guilt or shame. No food is forbidden. She claims that every food was created by God to be enjoyed, we just need to exercise self-control and stop eating at the first sign of fullness. No gluttony allowed. We also need to discern the difference between true hunger and emotional hunger. She offers a few tips on how to tell the difference.

Although I like the premise (and believe it could work), I have found that it’s a little bit difficult to adjust to in real life. I’m a mom. I fix family lunches and dinners at a certain time. Hancock would say that if I’m not feeling physically hungry at dinner time then I’m not supposed to eat. It’s really hard to prepare a meal and just sit at a table covered in food and watch everyone else eat. She says there are ways to adjust your food intake so that your hunger coincides with meal times. It definitely takes a good measure of self-discipline, but I think this is a lifestyle change that can bring about good, sustainable results. The author claims that this method has allowed her to keep her weight off for twenty-five years.

If you’re tired of counting calories, keeping up with points, and mourning the loss of your favorite goodies, you might give this book a try.