Resources

Whether it has to do with practicing Bright Line Eating, being a business owner and CEO, or living an amazingly full Bright life, these are Susan's favorite books, tools, and other resources.

Fat Chance

by Robert H. Lustig, M.D.

Fat Chance is an excellent book on the science of food addiction and the reasons why long-term weight loss is so hard. I love Dr. Lustig’s approach at the end regarding advocacy, food policy, and what we can do as a society to start charting a different course.

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The End of Overeating

by David A. Kessler, M.D

The End of Overeating is one of several books I assigned every semester in my college course on the Psychology of Eating. It’s a fascinating romp through the science of over-consuming hyper-palatable foods. Dr. Kessler’s credentials are impressive, and his book is, too.

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The China Study

by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.

I read The China Study in February of 2012, and it rocked me to my core. I immediately started choosing plant-based instead of animal-based protein sources. In later years I learned of new science that calls into question some of what’s presented in The China Study, but as an introduction to plant-based eating I still believe it’s very much worth reading.

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Whole

by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.

People often ask me what I think about supplements, and I refer them to this book. I resisted letting go of my multi vitamins for so long, but after reading this book I stopped taking them in one fell swoop. Generally speaking, there’s no substitute for getting our basic nutrients from our food. This book explains why.

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Your Child’s Weight

by Ellyn Satter, M.S., R.D., L.C.S.W.,

Although Ellyn Satter and I disagree on the biology of food addiction in adults, we agree wholeheartedly on the psychology of feeding children. As a mother of three kids, I’m so grateful I found Ellyn Satter’s “Division of Responsibility” when my oldest kiddos were still infants. I pass along her research-based wisdom to parents who ask me how they should be feeding their kids.

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Flourish

by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D.

For many years, I taught a college course in Positive Psychology. I believe this book is necessary reading for anyone who is interested in how to be happier, healthier, and live a more meaningful life. The “PERMA Model” is my favorite go-to framework for self-actualization and happiness.

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Willpower

by Roy F. Baumeister, Ph.D.

Reading the book Willpower changed my life. In fact, the name “Bright Line Eating” came to me in my morning meditation not long after I had read the small paragraph on bright lines in this book. A lot of Bright Line Eating philosophy is based on the research Baumeister presents here, and it’s a fabulous and fascinating read. I highly recommend it.

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Love 2.0

by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D

I adore Barbara Fredrickson’s book and recommend it every chance I get. I lecture a lot on the science of love and human connection, and the work coming out of her PEP lab (Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, leads the field. Love 2.0 offers a radical new view on what love is from a scientific perspective, and I think it’s right on.

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Food Addicts in Recovery

by Anonymous

I often speak of people I know who’ve been following the four Bright Lines of sugar, flour, meals, and quantities without a single deviation for 20, 30, even 40 years. Their stories are immortalized in this book. Most of what we know about what works and what doesn’t work in recovery from food addiction comes from these pioneers. If you have an interest in the 12-step origins of many aspects of the Bright Line Eating program, this book is a must read.

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Five-Year Journal

I have been writing in my Five-Year Journal every single night without exception for well over a decade now. (In all those years I think I’ve only missed two nights. Seriously! I’m committed!) Now I can read back over my children’s early years and remember the things they said and what we did. I recommend this practice to every human being on the planet. This is my current five-year journal created by Bright Line Eating for you, and I love it!

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Food Journal

Every night I write down my food in this journal. Still. It’s the hallmark of a solid Bright Line Eating program. And after dinner, as I look over the day just past, I note that I ate only and exactly what I wrote down and give myself a gold star sticker (yes, an ACTUAL gold star!) So fun! And in the notes section at the bottom I jot down a few things I’m grateful for. This tool is a must-have.

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Emporium Bundle

Get the complete set of Bright Line Eating tools for your journey!
Included:
5-Year Journal
Gratitude Journal
Food Journal
More...

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OXO Digital Food Scale

Not all digital scales are created equal. This one is my favorite by far. It doesn’t shut off too quickly when you’re adding ingredients to a big salad, and the extendable faceplate allows you to see what you are weighing, even if you have a huge bowl or plate on top. Trust me, this is the best scale on the market.

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OXO Compact Digital Food Scale

This smaller and lighter version of the OXO digital food scale has all of the great properties of the larger one, but is light enough to travel. When I’m on the road, I keep one in my purse.

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Meditation Bench

My meditation practice floundered for years and years before I discovered the magic of sitting on a meditation bench. This bench is a life-saver for folks like me with back pain; it tilts the pelvis at just the right angle to have a straight back and comfortable joints. I love this meditation bench so much, I can hardly stand it. The folding legs are indispensable. I take it in my suitcase with me when I travel. Seriously.

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Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie ever. Nearly every word is quotable. It’s hardcore to the max, for sure ut, hey, I roll like that. The brilliance woven into every scene and the full-circle storyline just gobsmack me. There will never be another movie like this. Total classic.

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Forrest Gump

Funny enough, my second favorite movie in the world also came out in 1994, the year I got clean and sober, and beat out Pulp Fiction for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Forrest Gump is similar in so many ways to Pulp Fiction, with one of the most memorable screenplays ever. I frequently can be heard spouting quotes from either Forrest Gump or Pulp Fiction. How can two movies with such similar traits be so radically different?

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Prince, Sign ‘O’ The Times

Ask anyone who went to grade school with me and, almost guaranteed, the main thing they will remember about me is my hardcore Prince fandom. I love all of his albums of course, but if I have to pick one as a favorite, I pick Sign ‘O’ the Times. Soulful, timeless, brilliant, like the man himself. Love you, Prince.

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Essential Snatam Kaur

One of my best friends turned me on to Snatam Kaur a few years ago and I became enchanted. When I want to use music to lift my soul up to the heavens and memorialize a moment in eternity, I play the song “Ong Namo.” It’s a spiritual experience waiting to happen.

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Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls

The debut Indigo Girls album is woven into the fabric of my coming of age. I remember walking the streets of San Francisco with headphones on, striding with a bounce in my step on a sunny day, just loving life, and feeling so connected to the sisterhood. “The less I seek my source for some definitive, the closer I am to fine!”

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Joni Mitchell, Hejira

At the age of eighteen, I was introduced to Joni Mitchell, and Hejira was the first album I devoured. The opening song, “Coyote,” strikes me as featuring some of the most brilliant lyrics ever. I’m a huge Joni Mitchell fan and love so very many of her albums, but Hejira will always have a special place in my heart.

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Box Set, Assembled

Box Set is a local band from my native San Francisco, and I spent my late teenage years and early twenties standing front row as a groupie at their concerts. Jeff and Jim are now dear friends, and this CD assembles the best of the best, showcasing what I love about this band so much. We invited them to play at each of the Bright Line Eating Family Reunions, and they always brought the house down. Box Set is now part of BLE culture for good.

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Ani DiFranco, Living in Clip

Ani Difranco is another one of my all-time favorite artists. So unique, so fiercely herself. I love this woman, and especially love experiencing her live performances. Living in Clip is one of my favorite albums because it contains all of my favorite songs, but delivered in that way only Ani can achieve when live on stage.

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Replay by Ken Grimwood

When it comes to novels, this one stands out to me. Man, I love this book! It’s a classic time-travel mind-warp with really powerful lessons about the trajectory of our lives, what matters and what doesn’t, and how we affect each other. My favorite books combine deep meaning and a twist of plot that makes my jaw drop. I friggin’ loved this book and I heartily recommend it.

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