Table of Contents

Part One How Sugar Causes You to Overeat
Step 1: Why Your Past Diet Attempts Have Failed 
Step 2: Weigh In on Your Sugar Intake
Step 3: The New Science of Sugar Addiction
 
Part Two  How To Overcome Your Addiction To Sugar
Step 4: The Sugar Freedom Plan for Breaking Your Addiction 
Step 5: What to Eat and What Not to Eat 
Step 6: Managing Your Withdrawal 
Step 7: Managing Your Cravings 
Step 8: Avoiding a Relapse  (and What to Do If One Occurs) 
 
Conclusion  How to Maintain Your New,  Addiction-Free Way of Eating 
 
Appendix: Sugar Equivalency Table 
Resources 
Endnotes 
Index

About the Author

"DR. NICOLE M. AVENA is a world-renowned neuroscientist and expert in diet, nutrition, and addiction. She received a PhD in neuroscience and psychology from Princeton University, and is presently assistant professor of psychiatry with positions at Princeton and the University of Florida. She has conducted pioneering research on food addiction and overeating. JOHN R. TALBOTT is the bestselling author of nine books whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, and The New Republic, and on the Huffington Post and Salon.com; he has appeared as a commentator on CNBC, Fox News, CBS, MSNBC, Fox Business News, and CSPAN, as well as on hundreds of radio programs."

Reviews

Sugar, fat, salt—a daunting combination. Avena and Talbott do an excellent job of analyzing the role that sugar plays in the obesity epidemic.”
—David A. Kessler, MD, author of The End of Overeating
 
“This book not only offers an in-depth explanation of our society’s dependence on sugar, it also provides a realistic, step-wise approach to managing it and improving your health.”
—Dr. Melina B. Jampolis, CNN diet and fitness expert
 
“Why Diets Fail describes the new science of sugar addiction and teaches us how we can use it to beat cravings and overeating—even in our modern food environment, which is plagued by sugary, hyperpalatable fake food. This book teaches you not only to think differently about how you eat, but also shows you how to do it.”
—Sara Gottfried, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Hormone Cure
 
“In Why Diets Fail, Dr. Nicole Avena and John Talbott discuss the addictive powers that certain foods possess over the mind and offer insight on conquering the addictive cycle. Following the guidelines in this book, you will learn how to turn your new diet into a lasting lifestyle, understand the science behind food addiction, and use this knowledge to approach your food as healthful nourishment rather than a source of guilt and frustration.”
—Andrew Larson, MD, medical director of JFK Medical Center Bariatric Wellness & Surgical Institute and author of The Gold Coast Cure and Clean Cuisine