The Amen Solution: The Brain Healthy Way to Get Thinner, Smarter, Happier

Let me start by saying I am a big fan of Dr. Amen and his work especially with his PBS programs. If you are not familiar with Dr. Amen, he is a physician, child and adult psychiatrist, but he is best known for his study of the brain. Other books include Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Magnificent Mind at Any Age and Change Your Brain, Change Your Body.

This book explains the role of the brain in the cycle of eating from a scientific viewpoint. Simply eating less and exercising more isn't always easy for people that seem to be addicted to food. Dr. Amen reveals some secrets to diets and why they don't work. One secret is that many of your weight problems actually begin in your brain rather than in your stomach. Another secret is that there are at least five brain patterns associated with being overweight.

There are different diet plans for different brain patterns, so it's not a one-size-fits-all diet. You start off by identifying your brain type. This helps you understand how your brain works and why you engage in certain eating behaviors. This information can be very helpful in reaching your weight loss goals.

One of the great points this books makes is the role of nutrition in brain functions. Also some interesting information about how the parts of the brain, such as the cortex and limbic system drive eating behavior. Some of the ideas are not really new, such as limiting your calories, eat breakfast and don't drink your calories.

This book is written in a "to the point" style, without a lot of fluff which I found very readable. There is a lot of good scientific information at times a bit excessive for the lay person. I think it will appeal most to logical minded people that like facts rather than theory. While it may not be the answer for everyone, it is information that will help everyone understand more about how their brain affects their eating behavior.

Bill Cashell Author of "The Emotional Diet"

Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

Some reviewers have complained that there is nothing new in this volume when compared with Amen's previous books, and for regular readers or followers of Dr. Amen, that might be a problem (concern!). I admit that I have not seen him on television; I have read none of his previous books, and in no way at all could I be considered one of his readers or followers; thus, I am reviewing this book as if it is a first-time experience.

As one overriding insight, I have to admit that any book that recommends exercise and eating right--especially one written by an acclaimed medical doctor, much less a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and brain imaging expert--is all right by me. To motivate our obese (overweight), lazy, Alzheimer's prone, depressed population will certainly take more than one enlightening book, but any contribution should be heralded and exclaimed. That is especially true when the prescribed plan is based on a brilliant combination of scientific findings, Amen's original research, clinical experience, and, of course, common sense.

As a second overriding insight, I must admit that one of the reasons I may not have read or seen Dr. Amen is a simple one. I do much of what Amen recommends. I exercise regularly (and heavily); I watch my weight; I eat highly nutritious meals; I do not snack between meals; I do not eat fast food nor junk food; I think positive, reinforcing, encouraging thoughts; and I am constantly concerned about good health (both body and brain). Am I one who needs an Amen Solution? Probably not--at least not as much as the majority of our population (most of whom will not read this book!).

There are ten chapters and 270 pages of text. Then, in addition, there are 8 appendices, references and further reading suggestions, and a complete index. Perhaps the most important theme throughout the book (and supported as well in his previous books) is for people to understand: " . . . their brain and weight are intricately connected and that if you boost your brain you can have a better body" (p. 2).

There are a number of things I liked about this book. First, it is well-written. Second, it is well-organized. Third, it is practical and to-the-point. Fourth, it is encouraging and motivational. Fifth, each section is short and easy-to-read. Sixth, he includes short sections, "Get Smart to Get Thinner," that are quotes from advocates that increase the motivation. Seventh, he incorporates great stories throughout that are fun, interesting, and full of attention-getting detail. Eighth, the photographs dispersed in many chapters are helpful and interesting. Ninth, the scientific findings are incorporated gently and without technical jargon. Tenth, Amen talks directly to his readers in a plain, simple, and direct manner.

I am not saying that Amen's solutions are earth-shattering ("Physical exercise is a powerful brain booster" (p. 189) revelations about which readers have never heard of previously. But he offers great reminders, wonderful, practical exercises and activities, and a comprehensive examination of the whole range of things people can do to boost their brain and body functioning.

I highly recommend this book without hesitation or reservation; however, I think instead of the title, The Amen Solution, it would probably be more accurate to say, Amen Solutions.

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There's great information in this book, but it seems he repeats himself over and over. I got it the first time. I've read two of his books and although I like the information in them, both books said the same thing.

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I realize this is very long, but hope others with impulsive-compulsive tendencies will take a look. My concerns and questions about supplements, at the end of the review, apply to everyone.

I unexpectedly found Dr. Amen's books when spending a rare quiet evening browsing at the local library. Unchain Your Brain really enlightened me on why my mind works the way it does in fact, why it works so poorly. My memory is terrible, my abilities to plan and follow through are dismal, my impulse control in regard to my diet is as bad as my memory and planning ability. All of these behavior patterns, I am learning, both increase and are increased by my brain type. I have learned a great deal about what is wrong with my brain and what steps I can take to help heal my impulsive-compulsive brain. After reading Unchain Your Brain, I started reading The Amen Solution because I know that my diet is harming both my brain and my body and I wanted a book that spoke directly to that aspect of my life.

However, reading this book made me think of another author's books I'd read a few years ago but failed to follow through on. The books are Potatoes Not Prozac and The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program, both by Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons. In reading Dr. Amen's plan for the compulsive brain, I was concerned that his advice was not good for the impulsive brain, because I remember that Dr. DesMaisons wrote that a brain like mine is low in both beta-endorphines and serotonin. Dr. Amen does acknowledge this, but I think someone with my brain type would benefit by combining the information from Dr. Amen with the more specific information in Dr. DesMaisons' books. Dr. Amen states that he finds that the impulsive-compulsive combination is fairly common in people who have a family history of alcoholism, and that is exactly the population Dr. DesMaisons' books address. Dr. Amen's books give more complete information on the workings of the brain and how brain activity affects behavior. Dr. DesMaisons, I feel, gives more complete information on how the brain chemistry of an impulsive-compulsive person manifests itself in a person's diet.

A major concern I have is with using the supplements that Dr. Amen recommends. The vitamin and fish oil supplements are fine, but many of his other supplements left me with unanswered questions and serious concerns. For instance, dl-phenylalanine helps to produce dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. Could that explain why I am way over-attracted to diet drinks? I would have appreciated some mention of the relationship between dl-phenylalanine and diet drinks, but no mention was made that I could see. Also, rhodiola use is encouraged because it has "been used to fight fatigue, improve memory, and increase attention span." Sounds like caffeine to me, so why it is any better for you than caffeine? One cause of concern for me was his description of St. John's Wort. According to Dr. Amen, it works very similarly to Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil. If those drugs should not be taken without a physician's involvement, then is it safe to use St. John's Wort as an over-the-counter medication? I am especially concerned about the dangers of stopping Prozac, etc. suddenly would such concerns also apply to St. John's Wort? Dr. Amen is very careful in using SJW with some of his patients, even saying that for some, he would not use it "without first stabilizing the temporal lobes with anticonvulsant medication." My goodness, why is this supplement so easily available when it carries such risks?

All in all, I am grateful for the information Dr. Amen provides in his books, including The Amen Solution. I would personally be very hesitant to use some of the supplements he recommends and would not do so without the advice of a physician who I felt really understood my brain and behavior symptoms. Rather, I would follow Dr. DesMaisons' nutrition advice and Dr. Amen's advice in other areas, and would hope to find improvement without using too many supplements.

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Only a few pages into the book and the author is directing the reader to amenclinics.com for a free bmi index calculator, then a page later for a free tool to calculate daily caloric needs. You get to the webpage and there is no tab for such resources and there is no search bar for easy access to these tools. I never did find them. The author state the importance of knowing these numbers but I have spent more time on the webpage looking for these numbers than I have spent reading the book. I finally used a search engine to find the information from other sources and am frustrated with my Kindle edition of this book.

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The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

I have lost 90 pounds using the principles and techniques in this book. How can that be true when the book has been out for only one week? No tricks here early in 2006 ( a year ago) I began a self-designed plan of eating right and exercising based on 2 things: 1. my many years of familiarity with every new diet and nutritional research discovery regarding weight loss; and 2. participation in a cognitive therapy-based group called DBT which teaches skills to increase emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, etc. A couple of months ago I started getting the Amazon plogs regarding Dr. Beck's new book, and I enthusiastically pre-ordered. After almost a year of steady weight loss and working my way up to walking 3 miles a day (with Leslie Sansone DVDs)I had stalled out at minus 90 lbs, and need to lose about 30 more pounds. Receiving the book, I was amazed, because almost everything I did to motivate myself over the last 13 months was contained in this work. Of course, the principles are set forth much more methodically, professionally, and with more of a well-developed theoretical basis, than in my home-made plan, but every sentence in the Beck Diet rings with honesty, integrity, thoughtfulness, compassion and hope.

To be more specific, the book does not contain a "diet" and you are told to find a suitable nutritious food plan to follow, along with an exercise plan of your own. The strategies presented in the book do indeed 'talk' you through cognitive retraining techniques which change your thoughts about food and eating and hunger: identifying positive outcomes; ways to make a choice NOT to indulge; how to effectively deal with set-backs and limit the damage done; how to say no to friends /family who show love by sharing good food (I'm Italian; I know a LOT of them!)

Interestingly, in the first 2 weeks you don't diet at all this is time spent planning and strategizing to re-train your thoughts. This involves completing motivational cards where you write statements to counteract any sabotaging thoughts that will come up. I found the process to be so similar to the strategies I used when I was successful in meeting the inevitable temptation, so I know that it works "in action."

On the 15th day you start your eating plan, and each day you have a checklist for reviewing the motivational materials (Advantage Cards, for example, list what YOU want to accomplish in losing weight.) Some of the basic concepts are to pre-plan for dangerous situations, acknowledge your accomplishments even if not perfect, and realize that resisting hunger and cravings is possible when you commit to using the skills Dr. Beck presents.

I have read many, many books both on weight loss and psychology, and this book is "the one" for me, and I hope for you. You have to be willing to think ahead about eating, hunger and cravings. You have to commit to following the techniques daily. If you do, this WILL WORK!!!!

I am going to be bold enough to add one additional technique that worked very well for me, and that is to "Redefine Your Treats." I admitted to a friend one day that I am basically 'treat-driven.' That is, I feel deprived and inferior in some way if I can't have a dessert, or eat a hearty portion of food. So I redefined treats to me now it is buying bottled water; drinking Harry and David Tiramisu Coffee (no calories!!); playing Sudoku on the computer for 20 minutes. I feel like I'm indulging but it has nothing to do with actual food. So if you are "treat-driven" like me, try defining and then indulging in your own rewards.

Reading this book made me feel positive; it made me feel like I can make it happen to lose the remaining pounds; it made me admire and respect Dr. Beck for producing a non-judgmental, encouraging, 'mindful' book that is written in an engaging style. I recommend it with 90 stars and more to come.

Six to eight years ago, I stopped spending money on diet related products. Because nothing has worked for me. Maybe initially they seemed they were working, but it was just temporarily. I saw one diet book, while I was just browsing around on amazon, "you on a diet", I thought I might wanna try that, thinking like "who knows maybe this is the thing for me", so I bought it. Even though I spent lots of money on diet products, as a book, "you on a diet" was the first book for me on dieting. And, in couple of months I purchased some other diet books, hoping one would include the missing ingredient on those.

This book,Beck Diet Solution was just released, and was at the best sellers list. I read the description. It sounded very promising, but since, at that moment I already had couple of diet books which none of them really fit in to my problem, I was skeptical. For two weeks, everyday I read the reviews, trying to see if some of the reviews was gonna convince me. I finally got it, I am so glad I did. Because that was the kind of help I was looking for.It is tryin to solve my physchological problems about eating and it is triying to re-program my brain about food.

I knew myself, I can never count calories, I can never follow a menu plan written by some other people, I can never count my steps, I can never count carbohydrates, etc...etc... My diet should be without all these stuff. So that's why this is the book for me.

She, the author asks you to make your eating plan, or if you want you can use any diet that already is out there. For me, I created my own eating plan.

Then, she just teaches you some skills which is the missing skills in people who struggle with weight and skills which all the thin people has. And these skills/behaviors are not difficult to adopt. All you need to do is just practice, practice and practice... until they are your habits. Everyday, for fourty two days, you keep learning one skill at a time, until you complete all of them in that given order. You may take your time if you need, as she suggests. For example I am in my 13th day, but it has been already 23 days since I had started. Some examples of the skills are, first day you write down the reasons you wanna get thin; third day, you learn and practice sitting down whenever you eat; fifth day, you start to practice to eat slowly, and so on. At the end of the program, you have all the equipment to think like a thin person, and to be a thin person. So far I have lost 6 pounds, and I feel like I will be able to follow my plan for a long time. She gives you that confidence. She sounds very sincere about the advice she gives. And she just takes you step by step through the journey and to the very end of the journey. With other diet books, I felt like I am just left somewhere with the tons of information I did not know what to do with, or maybe they just dictate you what to do, or sometimes have fun with your eating habits, and you feel insulted and hopeless. But in this book, BDS, I felt some love and caring about the people, she sounds like she truly wants you to lose weight.

By the way, I never write a review even though I enjoy reading them. That's how happy I am, it made me write one:) I hope this review is helpful for the people who cannot decide whether to buy it or not.

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I am a medical student and have a bachelor's degree in psychology. It is widely known in both medicine and psychology that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most successful type of therapy intervention, which is why I decided to give this book a try to help myself with dieting.

Much has been made about the reasons people eat. I've heard obese people on TV say, "Food was my best friend," or "I ate to fill a void." This book does not focus on the emotionally-based underlying reasons for eating that may plague a minority of overweight people, but rather the more mundane reasons that most overweight people have for overeating boredom, fear of hunger, cravings, etc.

The book provides very useful ways of countering overeating do to various causes. Dr. Beck asks the reader to change both sabotaging thoughts (the cognitive portion) and sabotaging behaviors, such as eating quickly and eating standing up (the behavioral portion).

The book provides a day to day guide with predetermined goals and homework assignments. You must be motivated and very willing to submit to following someone else's advice. In addition, as the other reviewers have pointed out, the book does not give you specific advice for what to eat or to avoid. You must pick a separate diet to follow.

I am about half way through the book and I feel that it has definitely helped me to control my overeating. I tend to eat out of boredom in the evening. I lacked the willpower to deny myself the snacks that I knew I didn't need. Now, I look at my advantage card (which is a list of reasons I want to lose weight) whenever I feel like snacking in the evening. The book also made me realize that I ate something right before I went to bed because I was afraid that I might be hungry later. I used this "fear of hunger" as an excuse for eating when I wasn't actually hungry. As the author points out, food is almost always around, so it hardly ever makes sense to eat just to avoid getting hungry. The author really does a great job of examining the reasons why most people overeat and gives solutions for how to overcome those sabotaging thoughts by countering them with more rational, helpful thoughts.

I had been trying unsuccessfully to diet prior to starting this book. Now, since I got it 7 days ago, I have lost 2 pounds. I am recommending this book to my family and friends, and in the future I will recommend it to my patients.

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I have The Beck Diet Solution, the book, which is excellent, but still purchased the audio book, to listen to while driving and doing other activities.

The Beck Diet Solution is great because it explains that proper eating is skill that can be learned, just as any other skill, like skating, knitting, or tying your shoes! It dispels the mystery behind proper eating and weight control ~ why it seems that some people are successful and some are not. It then proceeds to teach you the skill of successful dieting and weight control ~ and also teaches that to truly learn the skill, you must practice it. And as you use it, you will see success ~ I have lost 20 lbs. so far, and it has been consistent. More importantly, it also teaches you how to handle the inconsistencies, which are bound to occur, and still keep you focused on your goal.

Specifically, in regards to the audio book, the reading is clear, and the quality is excellent.

After I purchased the book, I then purchased a copy for my sister as a gift. I so strongly recommend this plan that I would recommend buying this book or audio book first before starting any eating plan, as this gives you the road map to the the Land of the Thin!

~:)

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This book has been such a great experience for me. I'm in week four right now, and have lost about 15 pounds 10 more to go. More importantly, I know I'll be able to keep it off, because my entire attitude towards food has changed. I actually enjoy my food more now, even though I eat substantially less. I went out to eat last night with friends at a Mexican restaurant, always my downfall, and I am proud and feel good about the fact that I didn't eat any of the queso and chips, and I stopped eating when I was full, though there was still a lot of food left on my plate. I was able to enjoy eating out without feeling uncomfortably stuffed and vaguely guilty afterwards amazing! This book is not a diet this book introduces you to a new way of life, which, though you may be resistant at first, you will ultimately find much more satisfying and enjoyable.

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The Conscious Bride: Women Unveil Their True Feelings about Getting Hitched (Women Talk About)

While these 6 inch thick bridal magazines have ideas on wedding gowns, honeymoon locales, and bridesmaid dresses, this book is wonderful for the emotional changes that will take place as you prepare for your wedding. For me the single most valuable aspect of this book is that it is *validating*that I'm not the only one who has experienced lows during this "happiest" time in my life. Through the use of other brides' experiences and quotes, this book validates the losses (e.g., place of Dad in your life), the fear of changes (loss of name, loss of single independence), the disappointments (the ring, the proposal, the absence of deceased loved ones), and generally the feeling of being overwhelmed by the giant Wedding Creature that seems to overtake your life. I didn't really get "advice" per se out of this bookmostly just the feeling that I'm not alone and weird if I experience a negative emotion as a I plan and anticipate my wedding. I don't really need adviceI just wanted to hear I wasn't alone.

As other reviewers have pointed out, the author does talk about losing one's "maidenhead" and the author does have a tendency to relate things to mythology. While another reviewer had a problem with the maidenhead sectionI really didn't. For example, the author relates part of "maidenhead" to the loss (or potential loss) of one's maiden name. I'm an older (31) professional (Ph.D.) bride, and I've struggled with the loss of my maiden name and my identity (and whether I want to lose my name at all). The author even indicates that older brides may have bigger problem giving up a name that they've had, identified with, and used professionally for so long. She also discussed the loss of life as a single woman, which is a huge deal the longer you are one.

In short: I personally don't believe that this book is limited to younger brides. I've got my own house and live in a different time zone from my parents, but I am still experiencing some of these issues discussed in the book. But all you've got are two different opinions from two different Amazon reviewers that you don't know from sticks on the ground.

The use of mythology didn't do much for me, but perhaps others might relate to it as a way of making one of the author's points more clear.

Did I relate to absolutely *everything* in the book? Of course notbut could I expect to? (For example, my mom has been wonderful and very unpushyso the parts dealing with pushy moms aren't really my deal). Overall, I highly recommend this book. And look: Given all the ridiculous amounts of money brides spend on those big fat bridal magazines that have all the same advertisements in themjust put down one of them, get this book, and see if it does anything for you.

This book is essential for every bride to be and for anyone who has been a bride. I found this book 3 years after I was married...I only wish it was available around the time of my wedding! It would have helped me so much! Reading it now, it helped me to realize that the crazy feelings I was having were ok and even normal.

Some of the things I could do without in the book: the frequent references to mythology and the way the author seemed to imply that in some ways you would become different after the wedding...(I am almost tempted to encourage brides to read this book well after their wedding for that reason).

A great self-help bridal book to help deal with the roller coaster of feelings, emotions, and changing states of mind of the bride.

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I was married recently at age 31 and while I was planning the wedding I was disappointed that so much planning time goes into the dress, and resgistry, and flowers, and, and, and... I enjoyed it but felt something was "missing". Luckily 3 weeks before our big day my girlfriend gave me this wonderful book. It refocused me on what matters. I read it practically cover to cover in one sitting. It describes all the EMOTIONAL adjustments you make -and aren't really given an outlet for in the frenzy of wedding planning. I feel like I appreciated my wedding day so much more because I read this book.

A great engagement (or post-wedding) gift to yourself and your fiance, or to a friend who is getting married. My now-husband found it very interesting too in order to better understand what was going on in my head.

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I LOVE THIS BOOK! I got married in October 2003. I recommend this book to any bride with self-awareness/insight and an interest in going through the insane wedding planning process with integrity and as much wholeness as one can muster. The BEST things I got out of The Conscious Bride were these:

1)Validation and guidence for my often not so pretty/complicated feelings that were coming up before the wedding about myself/my finacee/my parents -all of it!

2) a model for how to have a meaningful rather than just a materialistic bridal shower (In the end, I chose both!)

3) a guide for how to conduct myself on the day itself.

Because I studied the chapters "Has everyone gone Mad?" and "The Wedding Day" I was clear that -of course --things go wrong. So when they did, I laughed! I was totally serene on my wedding day and I attribute a lot of it to the inner work I did before hand that The Conscious Bride encouraged, unlike any other book I found (Except: On the Way to the Wedding by Linda S. Leonard). This book helped shatter the illusion of perfection that sets up paralysis and inevitable dissapointment.

It encourages brides to embrace their own humanity and the humanity of everyone around them and thereby create the space for truely having a great, whole day. I drank up every chapter and was deeply grateful The Conscious Bride was given to me because I found it hard to find that psychologically aware, sane, realistic, humane message in many other places.

P.S. One confusing thing is that the Book is By Sheryl Nissinen but the Amazon page calls her Sheryl Paul.

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This book was kinda strange. I was put off by the language which seemed to me to have very feminist undertones, and yet seemed to perpetuate gender inequality. E.g. it talked about women 'giving everything up' when they get married, but men gaining. I wouldn't reccommend it.

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Basement Ideas That Work: Creative Design Solutions for Your Home

This is very useful if you are finishing your basement yourself. This is not a how-to-manual though. (If you are looking for a how-to I suggest TAunton's Build Like a Pro.) This book is for the planning process. Great photos and ideas on what kinds of rooms you can create with all of that basement space. In addition, each section highlights the major planning considerations for creating that space. From traditional to modern, this book was the best and most current for basement ideas.

This book provided no interesting or unique ideas for how to finish my basement. Nor did it provide any useful information about how to initiate or implement a basement finishing/remodeling project. In short, the book provided me no value and did not live up to my expectations given the glowing reviews.

Here is a summary of the entire book: you can use your basement as a family room, a children's playroom, a workout room, a bedroom, a home office, a pub, or some combination of these rooms. It provides numerous pictures of all these options; most of which it appears they took in the 80's or early 90's.

Clearly, everyone else found this to be a wealth of information. I recommend reviewing the book in a library or bookstore before spending your money to determine if the ideas inspire you.

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The book has great ideas for helping plan my bsaement. I did not model my basement from just a picture but I drew ideas from several different styles and thoughts of from the author. After having an idea what I wanting I planned it accordingly.

It was an easy to read book, gave great ideas, and help plan my basement. This book is a must have to plan the perfect living space for my family and I.

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This book shows you how to create the basement of your dreams. It gives helpful ideas on how you can use the extra space that your basement gives you; from a bedroom or two, to a work out room for fitness. It even shows you how to divide the space into seperate rooms using the weight columns as half walls to hide them. Gives you ideas on how to use every nook created in your remodel/design of the basement to get use out of every inch of space. This book is full of ideas that are great to use.

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Love this book! Full of ideas to help create a customized gameroom for your individual needs. Whether you're a building a bachelor pad or a play area for the kids this book has it all.

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