This book is an important companion to anyone struggling with the yo-yo journey of trying to lose weight like I have. What works with this book is it not your typical "diet" book -- it does not read like an "infomercial" of the glut of diet books published promising weight loss if you follow the exact plan of what to eat and not what to eat. Instead this book focuses on the mindset we need as we embark on our journey to get healthier and lose weight or get in better shape. I emphasize "healthier" because the author Dr. Foster is the Chief Scientific Officer for WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) and the emphasis with this plan (of which I am a member) - is on overall health not just how we show up on the scale. Some of the information I have heard before from my participation in WW and some is a summary of ideas and concepts from other books and resources (e.g., Beck Diet and Charles Duhigg "The Power of Habit").

I really like how the book is structured -- Overall idea "Shift" followed by specific ideas, an example of a personal shift, Skill-building techniques that we can put into action and resources.

I recommend this book if you are looking for an additional compendium of ideas for how to shift your mindset to support healthier changes.

I’ve been a member of WeightWatchers (now known as WW) off and on for longer than I want to realize, so I was looking forward to reading The Shift by Gary Foster, PhD. With any book about weight loss, I always want to know about the author — who they are and whether they have any significant credentials. Dr. Foster is not only the Chief Scientific Officer for WW, he is also Adjunct Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry (whatever that means) at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley, I received a copy of his book The Shift in exchange for this honest review.

Subtitled “7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss,” this clearly written and practical book may surprise anyone who remembers the OLD Weight Watchers, in which there was a huge emphasis on the number on the scale. Thankfully, there has been a lot of progress in focusing on attitude, mindset, and thought processes. There are (unsurprisingly) seven mindset shifts outlined, including resting oneself with compassion, relaxing into gratitude, focusing on thinking instead of the scale, appreciating small steps (and non-scale victories, such as awareness of behavior patterns, rewards, and support from others.

There is a lot of scientific information and CBT (cognitive behavior therapy), plus anecdotes from actual WW members. As I said, it is practical and definitely not boring, as too many weight loss books tend to be. Four stars.

As a social worker/therapist, I greatly appreciated this book's approach towards the MINDSET needed to tackle weight loss. Packed full of practical insights and information, this is a must-read for those who want to address their emotional as well as their physical health. Highly recommend!

Good information, but there's not really anything new here. Author and psychologist Gary Foster approaches healthy eating and weight loss with a focus on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that focus on changing the way you think in order to reach your goals. When we get on the scale and see the number went up a pound, CBT focuses on training our brain to to react differently. Instead of thinking "I knew this wouldn't work", instead realize "I had a really good time with my friends last night and those extra calories were worth it". It's a pretty intuitive approach to CBT and the author does make it seem doable.

I have been on WW for almost one year and have been extremely successful on it but this book was so a great reminder of why this battle is so much more mental than physical! I was disappointed that chapter 5 was missing from the ARC though. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to get healthier or even to live a more positive, optimistic lifestyle. There is practical guidance and additional resources available in every mindset shift section. I can't wait to try it all out and continue cruising on my wellness journey.

THis book to me in a book that I will read more than one time. I thought that it had so many good points and thoughts that definitely change my thinking .

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Having done weight watchers previously this was a printed version of a lot of the wisdom that was shared by the leaders.

I'm not a fan of self help books, I normally find them boring. But I actually ENJOYED The Shift. It was interesting and fasted paced. I didn't feel like I was reading a text book! There are many things that Gary Foster talks about in his book that I plan on adding into my weight loss journey! All and all I highly recommend it!

The mindset to lose weight must start from within and this book gives you the key factors in getting your mind ready for your weight change. Filled with insightful and diagnostic reasonings why some weight loss plans fail, this was a great resource to getting your mind and body on the same page.

Gary Foster is the Chief Scientific Officer for WW, and has written this book, "The Shift", to share what he has learned. Throughout his book, he shares 7 ways the reader must change their way of thinking in order to lose weight successfully. Foster also includes a lot of scientific data, helpful tips, and personal anecdotes from WW members. The tip that helped me most was to see setbacks as opportunities to refocus, rather than proof that I've blown it. I think this book would be very helpful to anyone who is struggling with trying to lose weight.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was interesting to read as someone who uses WW. It was packed full of information and good tips for shifting your mindset during the weight loss process. Although it had a lot of Information I have to admit I have heard most of it before. It definitely had some good reminders such as talking to yourself as if you were talking to a friend so you don’t beat yourself up over something minor. If you are losing weight and need help with the mental battle it is a good easy read!

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this early.

The Shift was another book that was hard to put down. I have in the past dabbled some with WW but could never get the full hang of it. I am a very emotional eater and I have used food as my go to for a lot of things. From getting put down by an ex to a few abusive relationships, food has always been there for me. Trying to clean up my eating habits I've learned that I have a binge eating issue and I honestly never thought I'd say that. Instead, I have since read this book and need to start looking at food in a completely different way. I need to shift my thoughts into good thoughts and continue on my weight loss journey. I highly suggest reading this book if you too need a little encouragement on how you think of food.

I am a WW member and mindset is one of the main pillars we work on so this book instantly intrigues me. There is nothing new, but I really like how he laid his 7 mindset changes out and all of the real world examples included. I will definitely be putting these into practice in my own journey,

This book provided practical information on ways to change your mindset to achive weight loss. I did not think there was any ground breaking information. But, I thought the Author did an excellent job provding 'reminders' as to how to view food and healthy eating habits.
The Author provided clear and concise examples of real people and their struggles with weight loss. The book did not read like a textbook and I thought there was practical, useful information.
My only criticism is there is no new ground here. Since I value healthy eating, I am always looking for "New" information; a different perspective. I do not believe this book brought anything revelatory.

Thank you NetGalley and St martins Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

jb/
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