November 24th, 2018 
author 
This revolutionary eating plan reveals definitive proof that sugar is addictive, and presents the first science-based program to cut out the sugar, stop the cravings that cause most diets to eventually fail, and lose weight–permanently.
If you’re like most people, you’ve tried a few (or maybe many) different diets without success. The truth is, most diets work for a while, but there’s usually a point at which the dietary restrictions become too difficult to maintain. Why? Because whether you’re following a low-carb, paleo, gluten-free, or even an all-liquid green juice diet, the addictive nature of sugar causes cravings to take over and sabotage your diet-of-the-moment.
In Why Diets Fail, Dr. Nicole M. Avena and John R. Talbott reveal definitive proof that sugar is addictive and present the first science-based program to stop the cravings and lose weight—permanently. A neuroscientist and food addiction expert, Dr. Avena has conducted groundbreaking research showing that sugar triggers the same responses in the brain as addictive drugs like cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol. And like those other substances, the more sugar you eat, the more you need to get the same pleasurable feelings. (No wonder your last diet didn’t stick.)
Avena and Talbott’s eight-step plan walks you through the process of going sugar-free and surviving the make-or-break withdrawal period—those first few weeks when your body feels the absence of its favorite sweetener most acutely. An easy-to-use Sugar Equivalency Table developed by Talbott lists the amount of sugar in hundreds of common foods so you know precisely what to eat and what to avoid. And when it comes to what you can eat, you have a lot to choose from. In fact, you’ll probably eat more on this diet than you normally do—while continuing to lose weight.
This science-based program is the diet to end all diets. It will help you break the yo-yo dieting cycle, end those maddening sugar cravings, and develop a new longing for the good food that will keep you fit, healthy, and happy.
Author Q&A
Q. What do you mean when you talk about sugar addition? I don’t take sugar in coffee or add it to my food, so I would say I can’t be addicted to sugar – can I?
A. Even if you are not deliberately adding sugar to your drinks or food, sugar is already an ingredient in many foods and beverages – some of which you might not expect. This book discusses which types of foods and drinks contain high amounts of sugar and includes a questionnaire to help readers see if they show signs of a sugar addiction.
Q. What is a ‘hidden’ sugar, and how do I discover which foods contain them?
A. Hidden sugars are sugars contained in foods or beverages that you might not suspect. We know that many dessert items, such as ice cream and pastries, contain high amounts of sugar, but there are also a number of food and drink items that you may not expect to contain a lot of sugar, including certain yogurts, energy bars, barbecue sauces, etc. Hidden sugars can be identified by looking carefully at a food or beverage’s nutrition label, a topic we discuss further in the book.
Q. How does your eating program handle eating out and holiday times, especially if there are hidden sugars everywhere?
A. This book discusses the types of foods that tend to be high in sugar and that may contain hidden sugars, as well as the social factors that may influence food choices, equipping readers with information to make eating out and holidays less challenging.
Q. If I cut out the hidden sugars from my diet, will I be able to lose weight?
A. If you were to continue to eat the exact same way you have been minus hidden sugars, which also mean hidden calories, you would most likely lose weight, and this weight loss would be even greater if you cut out or reduced the other major sources of sugar in your diet.
Q. Is sugar really addictive? When people say they have a chocolate craving – are they being serious, or just saying that so they can eat what they like?
A. According to the research from our laboratory and others’, binge eating sugar results in similar behavior and brain changes as drug addiction, suggesting that sugar can be addictive. This does not mean that everyone who eats sugar or claims to have a craving for a sugary food is addicted; people often use the term “addiction” in everyday life to refer to their love of sports, online shopping, etc., however, there are certain criteria that are used in the medical field to identify substance dependence. As discussed in the book, these criteria have recently been adapted to refer to food instead of drugs and studies have shown certain individuals to meet the criteria for food addiction.
This revolutionary eating plan reveals definitive proof that sugar is addictive, and presents the first science-based program to cut out the sugar, stop the cravings that cause most diets to eventually fail, and lose weight–permanently.
If you’re like most people, you’ve tried a few (or maybe many) different diets without success. The truth is, most diets work for a while, but there’s usually a point at which the dietary restrictions become too difficult to maintain. Why? Because whether you’re following a low-carb, paleo, gluten-free, or even an all-liquid green juice diet, the addictive nature of sugar causes cravings to take over and sabotage your diet-of-the-moment.
In Why Diets Fail, Dr. Nicole M. Avena and John R. Talbott reveal definitive proof that sugar is addictive and present the first science-based program to stop the cravings and lose weight—permanently. A neuroscientist and food addiction expert, Dr. Avena has conducted groundbreaking research showing that sugar triggers the same responses in the brain as addictive drugs like cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol. And like those other substances, the more sugar you eat, the more you need to get the same pleasurable feelings. (No wonder your last diet didn’t stick.)
Avena and Talbott’s eight-step plan walks you through the process of going sugar-free and surviving the make-or-break withdrawal period—those first few weeks when your body feels the absence of its favorite sweetener most acutely. An easy-to-use Sugar Equivalency Table developed by Talbott lists the amount of sugar in hundreds of common foods so you know precisely what to eat and what to avoid. And when it comes to what you can eat, you have a lot to choose from. In fact, you’ll probably eat more on this diet than you normally do—while continuing to lose weight.
This science-based program is the diet to end all diets. It will help you break the yo-yo dieting cycle, end those maddening sugar cravings, and develop a new longing for the good food that will keep you fit, healthy, and happy.
Posted in 
Tags: 
