Dr. Adrienne Youdim '98

About the Book

Our hunger for perfection, for belonging, for presence, for meaning all contribute to our desire for food.

For over fifteen years, Dr. Adrienne Youdim has guided hundreds of people through their weight loss journeys. In all that time, she has found that the desire to lose weight is often a desire for something deeper. In this collection of patient and personal stories, Dr. Youdim blends story and science to get to the heart of what we are truly hungry for.

Using personal experiences, client observations, and medical/scientific commentary, Dr. Youdim identifies those underlying factors and gives proven advice for overcoming them. This inspirational and empowering book won’t just help you lose a few pounds. It will fundamentally alter the way you look at yourself—in the mirror and beyond.

About Dr. Adrienne Youdim

Adrienne Youdim, MD, FACP, is an internist who specializes in medical weight loss and nutrition. Her mission is to transform the weight loss narrative to one that is both empowering and compassionate, inspiring people to live more physically and emotionally fulfilling lives. Youdim draws on best medical practices in the field of obesity medicine and on her patients’ personal value system, trusting that we all inherently know what we need.

Youdim believes that navigating our hunger is a process that requires introspection, self-acceptance, and a sense of agency. One of the principles of her practice is to provide both inspiration and information. Youdim encourages her patients not only to consider tools and logistics of a weight loss plan but also to consider the motivating values that inspire them. She gives her patients information relevant to their weight-loss journey, including resources to promote self-awareness, journaling exercises, and mindfulness practices.

Youdim is a nationally respected teacher, speaker and thought leader in her field. She also hosts the Health Bite podcast. In her private practice, she follows an integrative approach that blends evidence-based medicine with mindful lifestyle change, creating a customized treatment plan for each patient, whether for primary weight loss or to treat obesity-related diseases.

After receiving her degree from UC San Diego School of Medicine, Youdim completed her residency training and fellowship at Cedars-Sinai. She holds multiple board certifications awarded by the American Board of Internal Medicine, the National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Youdim served as the Medical Director of the Cedars-Sinai Weight Loss Center, then brought her passion and expertise to her own private practice in Beverly Hills, Calif. She currently holds positions as Associate Professor of medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Her credits include a long list of publications, such as scientific articles in medical journals, chapters in nutrition, obesity and metabolic syndrome, in the professional and consumer editions of The Merck Manual, as well as editor of the soon-to-be-released Wellness Section. Youdim is also editor of her comprehensive textbook, “The Clinician’s Guide to the Treatment of Obesity.”

Youdim has been featured on Fox News, CBS News, Good Day LA, Dr. Oz, The Doctors and Dr. Phil. She has also been on NPR radio and highlighted in W Magazine and the Los Angeles Times, among other media outlets.

With years of clinical experience and understanding of what her patients need, Dr. Youdim created Dehl Nutrition, a line of functional nutritional bars and supplements created for health conscience people on the go with the goal of making it easy to live well.