When was the last time you prepared a truly healthy meal for yourself or your family? Maybe it was last night, and now you're searching for new ideas. Or perhaps it's been a while, and you're seeking inspiration to make some changes. A diet rich in whole foods can have a surprisingly quick and positive impact on your body. If you’re looking to lose weight, buying a weight loss book or cookbook can be a great place to start.
However, it can be challenging to know which book to buy. Many books promise quick results by drastically cutting calories or restricting entire food groups, but these diet plans are difficult to maintain and can foster negative relationships with food and your body.
Instead, focus on books that offer sustainable and realistic approaches to weight loss. Here's a roundup of some of the best weight loss books, chosen for their expert authors, realistic approaches, and positive customer reviews. These books have been vetted to ensure they align with well-being.
Top Picks for Weight Loss Books and Cookbooks
Best Overall Weight Loss Book: Embrace You
- Price: \$\$
- Author: Sylvia Gonsahn-Bollie, MD
Dr. Gonsahn-Bollie shares her own story of overcoming emotional eating, making “Embrace You” a relatable read. She acknowledges that everyone is different, which is why she believes weight loss strategies need to be individualized. The author’s approach to weight loss involves compassion, self-love, and acceptance, as well as realistic tips and education on how to lose weight sustainably. Each chapter has two main subtitles, “Release” and “Embrace,” that are designed to help you to let go of negative habits and thoughts and open yourself up to healthier behaviors and a positive mindset. While the book is relatively new, reviews are positive overall, with readers appreciating the book’s practical and behavior-changing approach to wellness.
Best Weight Loss Cookbook: Fit Men Cook
- Price: \$
- Author: Kevin Curry
This cookbook provides more than 100 recipes with nutrition information, many of which you can cook fast. Kevin Curry, a personal trainer and fitness influencer, ensures that all recipes are "#HealthyAF, Never Boring," proving that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor to eat more healthfully. With over 2,000 mostly 5-star reviews online, readers enjoy Curry’s fun and conversational tone. Reviewers not only love the recipes but also appreciate that the book makes living a healthier lifestyle feel doable.
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Best Weight Loss Cookbook for Athletes: Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.
- Price: \$\$
- Author: Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky
While this cookbook isn’t specifically for weight loss, it does offer sound advice for fueling for exercise along with delicious, nutrient-dense recipes, all of which may help support weight management. Written by Shalane Flanagan, an Olympic silver medalist, and Elyse Kopecky, a chef and nutrition coach, “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow” is loved by many. In fact, the cookbook has over 2,000 reviews, most with 5 stars. The authors first wrote “Run Fast, Eat Slow,” which was also well reviewed, but many customers prefer this second cookbook because it includes easier, less time consuming recipes. In particular, the book’s recipe for Superhero Muffins and its many variations are popular with cookbook fans. In addition to recipes, you’ll find useful tips from both Flanagan and Kopecky on what to eat before, during, and after a workout. The authors chose not to include nutrition information for these recipes because they prefer to keep the focus on fueling your body with whole, nutrient-dense foods rather than on counting calories.
Best Cookbook for Meal Prep: Skinnytaste Meal Prep
- Price: \$\$
- Author: Gina Homolka
This book provides healthy twists on classic recipes and encourages you to prep meals and snacks ahead of time. The recipe creator behind Skinnytaste, Gina Homolka, is a James Beard Award finalist and International Association of Culinary Professionals award finalist known for creating healthy twists on classic recipes. “Skinnytaste Meal Prep” is one of several cookbooks written by Homolka. It also features nutritional information provided by registered dietitian Heather K. Jones. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply eat healthier, this cookbook aims to set you up for success by helping you prepare meals and snacks ahead of time. In addition to general meal-prepping tips, the cookbook contains recipes for breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner, and even freezer-friendly meal prep ideas for anyone who is looking to really plan ahead. Recipes are labeled vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, quick (meaning 30 minutes or fewer), freezer-friendly, Instant Pot, slow cooker, or air fryer as appropriate, making it easy to find your perfect meal. With mostly 5-star reviews and more than 8,000 reviews, the cookbook is clearly a fan favorite. Reviewers comment on the convenience of prepping ahead, and many also find the recipes to be family-friendly.
Best Intuitive Eating Book: Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach
- Price: \$
- Author: Evelyn Tribole, RD, and Elyse Resch, RDN
Intuitive Eating helps you get in touch with your hunger and fullness cues and is less structured than traditional diets. Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch are registered dietitians and the founders of Intuitive Eating. First published in 1995, “Intuitive Eating” is now in its fourth edition and continues to be the go-to book on the subject. Intuitive Eating is a style of eating that focuses on following your hunger and fullness cues rather than a structured diet. It has also been shown to help improve psychological health and reduce the risk of eating disorders (1). Throughout the book, you’ll read about diet culture and learn realistic tools for changing your approach to eating. The goal of the book, according to its authors, is to help readers rebuild a healthy body image and make peace with food by following ten principles of Intuitive Eating. There’s also a workbook sold separately for readers who are looking for a more interactive experience. “Intuitive Eating” is highly rated, with many readers sharing that the book helped them drop their dieting mentality and feel at peace with their bodies.
Best Book for Healing Your Relationship with Food: Anti-Diet
- Price: \$
- Author: Christy Harrison, RD
This book provides an alternative to dieting that could be a good choice for those with body image or disordered eating tendencies. Christy Harrison is a registered dietitian, a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and the host of the podcast “Food Psych.” In “Anti-Diet,” Harrison uses her professional experience along with scientific research to provide an alternative approach to dieting. It’s a good read if you are managing body image and disordered eating. Using an Intuitive Eating approach, Harrison encourages her readers to escape the endless cycle of dieting and ultimately reclaim their lives. She also discusses what to do next, once you’ve decided you’re done with traditional dieting. Satisfied readers call the book compassionate and inclusive. Many mention that the book helped them foster a healthier relationship with both food and their body. However, some reviewers are disappointed that the book isn’t written in a “how-to” style like they were hoping for. Keep in mind that while this book can be useful for people experiencing disordered eating, it doesn’t replace the help of a qualified healthcare professional.
Best Book for Mindful Eating: The Mindful Eating Workbook
- Price: \$
- Author: Vincci Tsui, RD
Mindful eating falls under the Intuitive Eating umbrella and focuses on helping you enjoy your food. Considered a part of Intuitive Eating, mindful eating helps people slow down and enjoy their food, which can ultimately lead to better eating habits and even fewer instances of overeating (2, 3). Written by Vincci Tsui, a registered dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, “The Mindful Eating Workbook” is useful for anyone interested in developing mindful eating skills. Before jumping into the meat of the book, Tsui shares how mindful eating helped her break free from dieting and unhealthy eating habits. Designed for people who learn best by doing, the book teaches you how to become a mindful eater and provides opportunities to practice and record your experiences. Several reviewers claim the book is a “game-changer,” and many mention that it’s appropriate for anyone looking to become a more mindful eater.
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Best Plant-Based Diet Book: The Plant-Based Weight Loss Solution: A 28-Day Plan and Cookbook to Lose Weight the Healthy Way
- Price: \$
- Author: Marina Savelyeva, RD, and Viktoria Waite, DTR
This book covers plant-based foods, and how to flavor them with herbs rather than salt or sugar. Written by registered dietitian Marina Savelyeva and Viktoria Waite, an expert in food manufacturing and nutrition, “The Plant-Based Weight Loss Solution” features a 28-day plan to help you lose weight. The book discusses the basics of plant-based eating, including health benefits and tips for getting started. It also includes a 28-day meal plan and 75 recipes. Not only are the recipes vegan and whole food-based, but they also focus on flavoring foods with spices and herbs rather than large amounts of salt and sugar. Additionally, the book includes a portion control guide that uses the size of your hand to help you estimate appropriate serving sizes. Positive reviews mention that the recipes and meal plan are useful and simple to follow. Readers also appreciate that the meal plan includes tips for incorporating leftovers. However, the recipes and meal plan may be too low in calories for some people.
Best Weight Loss Book for Positive Affirmations: 365 Days of Positive Self-Talk for Weight-Loss
- Price: \$
- Author: Shad Helmstetter, PhD
The affirmations in this book can help with your mindset and mood during your weight loss journey. If you’re trying to lose weight, having a positive mindset can help. Written by Shad Helmstetter, PhD, author of 19 books on the topic of self-talk and personal growth, this book provides an affirmation for each day of a year. It also includes tips and background information to help you understand how positive self-talk could be useful in your weight loss journey. The affirmations are specific to weight loss and are meant to inspire and boost motivation. According to the author, “The thoughts you think and the words you say physically and chemically change your brain. Your self-talk literally wires your brain to succeed or fail.” Affirmations can be a perfect complement to any healthy eating or weight loss plan and are particularly helpful when you’re having difficulty getting out of a mental funk (4, 5). Many reviewers comment on how easy the book is to read because you need to read only one affirmation each day. Several readers also mention that they feel using positive self-talk as directed in the book helped boost their confidence and motivation to lose weight.
Best Weight Loss Book for Women: Fit Gurl: The Total-Body Turnaround Program
- Price: \$\$
- Author: Melissa Alcantara
This book provides realistic and simple strategies from a personal trainer and athlete who works with celebrities to help you lose weight and keep it off. “Fit Gurl” was written by Melissa Alcantara, a personal trainer and athlete who is best known for training Kim Kardashian. Alcantara approaches weight loss with realistic and simple strategies that stem from her own experiences with losing weight and keeping it off. While most of the book focuses on a fitness plan with detailed descriptions and images of each exercise, you’ll also find 40 tasty recipes and the author’s motivational story of how she reached her weight loss goals. Alcantara doesn’t believe in quick fixes like skinny teas or detoxes. Instead, she focuses on setting specific goals with actionable steps and staying consistent over time. It’s important to note that the fitness plan does include gym equipment, so you’ll want to make sure you have your own equipment or access to a gym. The book has more than 1,300 mostly 5-star reviews, with readers finding the message inspirational and the plan realistic.
Best Weight Loss Book for Women with PCOS: The PCOS Workbook: Your Guide to Complete Physical and Emotional Health
- Price: \$\$\$
- Author: Angela Grassi, RDN, and Stephanie Mattei, PsyD
This book is for women with PCOS and was written by two experts in the area. It provides tips beyond just your diet that are designed to help you improve lifestyle habits, too. “The PCOS Workbook” is an interactive book designed for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries and can cause weight gain (6). The book was written by two PCOS experts: Angela Grassi, RDN, an award-winning PCOS dietitian, and Stephanie Mattei, PsyD, a clinical psychologist specializing in eating disorders and PCOS. The book provides an overview of PCOS, including the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and more. It also reviews dietary recommendations for PCOS and provides tips for improving lifestyle habits such as sleep, stress, and exercise. As a bonus, you’ll find prompts and places throughout the book to keep track of your journey. Reviewers note that in addition to making PCOS easier to understand, the book helped them feel empowered in navigating their diagnosis. Others comment that the workbook helped them improve both their symptoms and their relationship with food.
Additional Cookbooks to Consider
- Caroline Fausel's Paleo-focused book: Helps anyone get nutritious dinners on the table faster with 12 weeks of Paleo recipes.
- The Everything Easy cookbook: Contains 200 easy-to-follow pre-diabetes recipes that help scratch your itch for foods you may have thought would be off limits, like doughnuts, pasta and tacos
- The Plant-Forward Solution: Registered dietitian Charlotte Martin explains the science behind plant-forward meal plans and provides a 28-day plan to help you curb your meat consumption.
- Fuel Your Body cookbook: Sports dietitian Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD, includes 77 nutritious and anti-inflammatory recipes made from whole foods.
- Healing Herbal Soups cookbook: Fortify your immune system against icky bugs.
- The Complete Salad Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen: Discover new and exciting ways to enjoy salads.
- Heart-healthy Instant Pot recipes: Prepare quick and nutritious meals like banana bread oatmeal and chickpea and lentil ratatouille.
- Mediterranean diet cookbook: Offers a 15-week meal plan and 1,100 recipes that only take 30 minutes to prepare.
- "American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Nutrition for Cancer Survivors: Eating Well, Staying Well During and After Cancer" by Barbara Grant MS, RD, CSO, LD, and Abby S.: This cookbook offers tons of healthy and tasty meal options made in 30 minutes or less, with five simple ingredients, or all in one pot.
- "The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery" by Assistant Rebecca Katz, PhD, and Mat Edelson: This cookbook supports cancer patients through treatment.
- "The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Beginners: A No-Stress Meal Plan with Easy Recipes to Heal the Immune System" by Dorothy Calimeris and Lulu Cook RDN: This beginner-friendly cookbook offers tips to help reduce inflammation and ease chronic pain.
- "Dysphagia Cookbook: 2500 Days of Easy, Tasty, and Healthy Recipes for Swallowing Difficulties" by Rachel Mallin: This cookbook includes a comprehensive guide to dysphagia for patients who have trouble swallowing.
- "Easy-to-Swallow, Easy-to-Chew Cookbook: Over 150 Tasty and Nutritious Recipes for People Who Have Difficulty Swallowing" by Donna L. Weihofen, JoAnne Robbins, and Paula A.: Provides recipes for those with swallowing difficulties.
- "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating" by Walter Willett MD and P.J.: This guide addresses common dietary myths and offers practical advice on optimizing nutrition by choosing good sources of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
- "What to Eat During Cancer Treatment" by American Cancer Society, Jeanne Besser, and Barbara Grant MS, RD, CSO, LD: This book provides practical suggestions to help patients and their caregivers handle the challenges of eating well during cancer treatment.
Choosing the Right Book for You
When shopping for a weight loss book, first consider your goals and preferences. For instance, a cookbook may be an excellent choice if you’re looking for tips on cooking healthy meals at home. Or, if you learn best by doing, a workbook might be the best fit. Some of these books may complement each other.
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Expert Nutrition Services
For personalized guidance, consider seeking advice from nutrition experts. Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center has one of the largest outpatient oncology nutrition departments in the United States, offering nutrition services, including meal planning, to help patients follow a healthy diet during and after cancer treatment. Their team comprises diverse professionals, each with a specialized area of expertise.