Breaking the Sugar Habit produced swift and noticeable results in my health
592615
This is one of the highest quality health improvement books Ive seen for the price. I was impressed with the level of research (60 sources) Margaret Wertheim did for such a concise book. The evidence helps the reader quickly learn the truth about sugar so they can change their habits and become leaner and healthier along the way. I believe if you read this Breaking the Sugar Habit book, change your habits related to eating sugar and craving sweets, reduce your intake and use the alternatives the author suggests, you will see improvements in your health, how you feel, and your appearance.

After you learn about the danger of sugar, it is almost fun to put some of the tips from the book into action and be strategic about it. A focus on the outcomes you can feel sooner rather than later helps. When Im breaking my own sugar habit, I notice results. I feel better, look leaner and less swollen, have more energy, less pain, and improved lab results sooner than I would think for important measures like cholesterol and triglycerides.

Ive tried the recipes and find them to be delicious. Cashew cream and the banana-based ice creams are incredible! Ive really enjoyed implementing the tips for natural sweeteners. Maple syrup has been an excellent new addition to my life. Consider getting this book as both a lifestyle and healthcare investment for yourself. It provides thoroughly researched, understandable, and sometimes eye-opening insight that is ready to be put into action. Try using this book in a bookclub or discuss it with friends to help each other break the sugar habit and reduce your dependency on sweets to help you look and feel better and take control of your own health so that you can go to your annual doctors visit with confidence.
4862301
This really is an Awesome book!  It has wonderful pictures, and several cool ideas on making treats without sugar.  I have a sugar addiction and need to cut back because I was told I was diabetic.  I certainly do not want to become diabetic poking myself and injecting chemicals into my body.  My sweet tooth is met through eating these treats.  I am happy to say I have reduced my sugar consumption and feel healthier using ideas from this Awesome book!  I highly recommend it!
1297144
This book changed my life and my body. I wanted to address my worn out adrenals and in the process got in better shape than I've been in decades. I don't even call this a diet. It's a new way of eating for me and leaves me free of cravings and fat around my middle. My functional medicine MD promised if I ate like this for 90 days I would never go back. It didn't take that long.
This very readable book shows solid science research that explains the role of hormonal fluctuations and how our body responds in weight, energy and stress reactions. Included tests help confirm whether you suffer adrenal impairment and can benefit with this routine. Within 2 weeks I lost arthritis pain. Mentally I felt clearer and then the belly fat went away.
729680
Really interesting. I definitely eat too much sugar, and I thought I was doing pretty good.
2476837
This book was quite a revelation. I was a lover of wheat products and I remember my grandmother making whole wheat bread early in the morning while I was still half asleep upstairs in bed. The aroma was heavenly! But, the wheat my grandmother used and the wheat that is being used in today's cooking are two different things. The author explains how today's wheat has been genetically altered and causes spikes in the blood sugar, that can lead to diabetes, hypertension, overeating, fatigue, celiac disease and other nasty things.

What interested me was the fact that a couple slices of bread could increase blood sugar more than 2 tablespoons of pure sugar. Being diabetic myself, I can see how this can be disrupting to one's health. The fact that one can lose as much as 50 pounds by eliminating wheat from the diet was encouraging. I've been trying to lose weight for years and this book gave me hope that I had finally found the problem and the solution for my weight problem.

The author has done his research  and opened up new avenues for thought. In our society we have a wheat based diet and he gives us a completely new way of looking at one's diet, a wheat-free diet. There is a lot of useful information about how to go about eliminating wheat from one's diet and how to cook without it. The book has meal plans and recipes which I found very helpful.

This book opened a whole new world for me. Everyone who is interested in optimal health should read it. -- Valerie Lull, Author, Ten HealthyTeas
2697544
I have to say there was a lot of information in such a small package. I have been on your recommendations for about a week and already i can feel and see changes. My blood sugar dropped 30 points in just this one week. I didn't believe it, but every day little things are telling me I'm on the right track. I'm feeling good during the day, my skin is clearing up and my co workers are telling me i look more fresh. If this keeps up I'm going to have to call it a miracle.
346285
This book has changed my life.  It works.  It works.  It works.  I was addicted to sweets and compensated by eating low calorie, tasteless meals.  I was hungry all the time and had no energy.  No amount of dieting or exercise could keep the weight off if I ate enough to feel satisfied.

I saw this book and bought it on a whim because I thought it was a funny title.  Oh my goodness!  Following this plan, I have lost 8 pounds in 10 days.  How is that possible?  Even more, I feel GREAT.  I have more energy, I am not hungry all the time, and I don't crave sugar at all.  As a matter of fact, sugar almost makes me sick now.  I realize that my sluggish behavior, tiredness, slight dizziness and nausea were all from too much sugar.

Eating this way gives willpower like you would not believe, because you simply aren't hungry.  When I do eat, it is delicious food. No more tasteless fake mayonnaise and low fat sour cream;  I use the real thing!  Favorite snack:  sour cream with a little cocoa powder and a packet of Splenda.  It is yummy, and only a little satisfies me.  This is quite different that eating a cookie or piece of pie. . . . no matter how much you eat, you still want more.

My favorite restaurant is Mexican food, and I can devour chips and salsa by the pound.  On this plan, I was able to leave the chips sitting, order a giant taco salad (without shell) with plenty of meat, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole, and dump my salsa on top of that.  It is more than I can eat, and I had the willpower to leave the chips alone.  I have never had willpower before.

And best of all, this is just easy.  No fancy receipes or calorie counting;  just start eating as described. Within a few days, you will absolutely stop craving carbs and sugar, and the weight FALLS off.

I don't feel that this is a diet at all, and I know I can stay on this plan indefinitely.

Update:  2 months later. . . I have lost 20 pounds in exactly 60 days, almost effortlessly.  I just had my annual bloodwork done, and my cholesterol is down 54 points (with no meds at all) and my triglycerides (the bad cholesterol) are down 172 points !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4350967
Thanks for an honest sharing of your story Jimmy! I especially loved the chapter on changing your mindset about sugar.  I have been saying to myself that "sugar is not my friend, sugar is not my friend!"  But your version is sooo much better!!  Thank you for all of the hard work you are putting in trying to share the truth about sugar in our diet.  I wish you great success!
685027
For as long as I can remember (perhaps 4 years of age) I have had problems with being overweight. I have also survived two heart attacks (at 40 and 47), so I have been searching for a way to get healthier for a long time. I tried many different regimens including Dean Ornish's diet plan for 18 months after my first heart attack. I lost weight, but eventually went back to my old ways and gained all of the weight back and more. At my heaviest, I was 306 lbs (at 6'2" tall) and this is when I had my second heart attack. I realized that I could not embark on any temporary "diet" because I would eventually revert back to (bad) form. What I needed was a permanent lifestyle change. In the last several years, I have read a number of books on nutrition related to weight loss and in October 2013, I read "The 100" by Jorge Cruse and started down the path of attempting (though not always succeeding) to limit my carbohydrate intake to 100 sugar calories per day or less, with most of that coming from dry red wine and dark chocolate (>70% cocoa solids).  I have largely eliminated both grains and fructose from my diet. I also quit diet pop cold turkey to eliminate the memory of "sweetness".  By doing so, I have experienced many positive benefits. In the 15 months since I started, I have lost over 40 pounds and I would say that this has been almost effortless compared to past undertakings. As the author of this book noted, my experience of hunger has changed completely.  I no longer go through intense craving cycles daily and I can go for eight or more hours without really needing to eat. I know I am hungry and that it would be nice to eat, but it is not intense and there is no weakness or headache associated with the long period of not eating.  I do not shy away from meat and fat, though I am careful not to eat much polyunsaturated vegetable oil and not to eat virtually any trans fat.  I also eat a lot of green vegetables and small amounts of fruit, mostly berries and melons.  Perhaps the best side-effect is my sense of well-being. I have truly never felt better in my life. The daily dyspepsia I experienced when eating a lot of grains and sugar is a distant memory and my mental acuity is much better. The triglyceride level in my blood is < 50 mg/dl which is excellent and is far more indicative of heart disease risk than total cholesterol ever was. I have found my permanent lifestyle and couldn't be happier. If you would like to read some other eye-opening books, let me suggest "Grain Brain" by Dr. David Perlmutter, "Fat Chance" by Dr. Robert Lustig, "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis, "The Great Cholesterol Myth" by Dr. Stephen Sinatra and Jonny Bowden, Ph. D., "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes (or the shorter version called "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It") and "The Big Fat Surprise" by Nina Teicholz.  You will be shocked at how little evidence there ever was that low fat and high carb diets were good for you and how much bad science was practiced to foist this myth off on the public for so long.  Good luck in your journey.  By the way, the only reason I didn't give this book five stars is that I am a scientist and would have preferred a little more technical detail, but from a practical point of view, there is nothing wrong.
4842516
I have lost 20 lbs in 15 weeks, strictly because of this diet.  The weight came off easily and almost effortlessly, once I got used to my new sugar-water regimen.  About me: before trying this diet, I worked out 3 times a week but didn't watch what I ate too much.  I LOVE food and eating, and I pretty much thought about food all the time and when I would eat next.  I was 30 to 40 lbs overweight, and only lost 2 lbs after 6 months of working out 3 times a week.  I thought there was nothing really to lose with this diet, except for the $13 cost of the book.  So what the heck, I gave it a try.  Seemed too good to be true.  I started with 2 Tbs a day of oil and later in the day 2 Tbs of sugar mixed with water.  It took 2 or 3 days for me to stop feeling hungry.  After 1 month I could not drink the oil any longer--made me gag.  So I switched to the sugar water twice a day.  I was truly amazed that I NEVER felt hungry and began eating about half of what I used to eat.  I didn't think about food constantly anymore.  I felt free and the pounds slowly came off (sometimes one lb a week, sometimes 2).  I still ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, but the truth is that I just felt full and didn't want to eat as much as before.  This continues to this day.  I always drink a sugar water about 8 or 9 PM, so it has eliminated my nighttime snacking (can't eat after 7 and then by the time I could eat again after the sugar water, I'm not hungry and it's late and I go to bed).

Here is what I have found difficult and I suspect may be why some people are not successful with this diet:
1. At the beginning I would forget that I cannot have any flavors 1 hr. before or after the sugar water, including toothpaste and gum.  I would sometimes brush my teeth by accident or even lick my fingers after preparing food for my kids.  You have to be careful not to do that!  Once you get used to it, you start to remember.

2. I will still eat large amounts if I have food in front of me (like at a restaurant).  Even though I'm not hungry, I still cannot stop myself from pigging out if the food is good and the portions are large.  I still have to watch my portion sizes, it's just that I am totally satisfied with half the amount of food I used to it.  Literally.  Half a sandwich is perfect for lunch.  Half a can of soup.  One frozen burrito instead of two.  This diet will not stop you from emotional eating, it will only cause you to feel full faster and make you not hungry between meals.

3. It takes some planning as to when you drink your sugar water or oil.  If you are going out to eat or to a party where you may want to have a drink, you have to PLAN ahead to drink your stuff so that you don't look like an idiot saying "no I can't eat or drink anything for 20 more minutes."  Also, it has happened before where I ate breakfast (1 banana and a cup of coffee!), then had to sit in a 3 hour meeting and wanted to drink my sugar water, but forgot to bring it in.  So then 3 hours later I'm hungry and I eat lunch, then I have to wait an hour before the sugar water, but I'm in another meeting or otherwise indisposed.  So think ahead and actually schedule what time you will prepare your sugar water or oil.

I cannot say how happy I am with the results.  It's the easiest thing I've ever done to lose weight and I am confident I will never go back, as long as I have my sugar water. Seems unbelievable and I'm the first person to be skeptical of stuff like this.  But it's really so easy to try, so why not?  Give it a couple weeks and follow the rules carefully, and I bet you will see results too.  Good luck!
2898133
I am amazed in the results. Ive been using for almost 30 days and noticed a marked improvement the first week. My sugar has conned to reduce every day.  Ive told all my diabetic friends and relatives about this fabulous natural sugar reducing miracle. Thank you so much for assisting me to greatly reduce my sugar.  Cant believe these fabulous results!
4298004
This book changes my life. My goal was to get healthy, not to lose weight, but I did both. I have so much energy, and I don't crave bread or sugar anymore. I finished my 30 days couple of weeks ago, but I am not planning to go back to my previous lifestyle. This feels too good to stop it. Thank you for inspiring to start my journey!
3385129
After losing my thyroid gland to cancer 7 years ago, my metabolism went haywire. I slowly gained 90 pounds over 7 years, even though I remained active and ate a healthy diet. Any attempt to lose weight worked for about a week or two - I would lose 2 or 3 pounds, then my body would reset and resume gaining without any change on my part. I grew tired of doctors insisting that I was doing something wrong. I knew it was a metabolism issue, probably as a result of my body not being able to synthesize T3 from the T4 of synthetic thyroid meds. The Fast Metabolism Diet was my last chance, and it seemed to address the issue of metabolic disorder in a sensible and healthy way, so I gave it a try.

The first four days were hell. To change one's eating habits so dramatically took its toll; Pomroy does warn you that Phase 1 and 2 are designed to challenge your body and she is correct. I almost quit several times the first few days but had committed to trying it for at least the first week. However, on the morning of day 5, I realized that all of my arthritic joint pain was gone and that it didn't hurt to walk downstairs, my hands were not swollen, and my neck and back worked properly. The anti-inflammatory effects of this diet are not to be underestimated. This motivated me to continue and of course, Phase 3 is easier to follow.

I just completed the first 28 day cycle. I have lost 24 pounds and 3" off of each measurement (chest, waist, hips). I feet great, although I still feel a little tired and drained on the second evening of each Phase 1 & 2 cycle. Nevertheless, I have more energy overall and am losing weight steadily. This is a miracle to me, after 7 years of watching my body change without being able to control it.

The good news is that eating this way gets easier. I created a one sheet guide for each phase, with the outline for food combinations and a list of what I liked to eat. I don't use any of the recipes in the book, they are not to my taste, and I don't eat meat or poultry, so I've had to find my own solutions and adapt my own recipes.  The up side is that you give up certain foods only for a few days, then they come back around again. I love apples and pears, so they are my main fruits on Phase 1. Fish, egg whites, and giant salads are my "go to" foods for Phase 2. Salmon, whole eggs, and raw nuts are my mainstays on Phase 3 with the added bonus of raspberries and blackberries. As my joint inflammation recedes, I am able to push my exercise more and I'm getting much stronger and more fit. One warning - if you take thyroid meds, you should be careful eating a lot of raw cruciferous vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. as these type of vegetables can interfere with thyroid uptake (thiocyanates). Cooked forms, including lightly steamed, avoid the problem. Since kale in quantity is recommended in Phase 2, just be aware of this if you are on thyroid medication. I included steamed spinach in my veggie dishes to get the benefit without the problem.

I still have 66 pounds to lose, but now I have hope and a plan that works.
1296057
My husband was the one that wanted to get this book. Said he wanted to see his feet again.  It's not a Diet, It's a change of Life.  I'm off all Sugars, Breads, MY DIET COKE, 8 pm snacks. I've lost 8 lbs in 7 days. Bloating has dramatically reduced and have so much energy.  I would strongly suggest getting this book.  It's a change of LIFE. I feel great. Still have 20 lbs to lose but I have so much more energy and I can actually get down and up with out grunting and walking up and down stairs is a joy now.  I know the inflammation of the knees and bloating was the DIET COKE .  Oh well, I have no desire for my DESSERTS, which I Loved and I haven't had a DIET COKE in over a week and have no craving for one.  Looking forward to SUMMER ! ! !
3967573
I love this book-one week in and I have lost 12#  Nothing has worked for me before-and now that I have found @driansmith I am a firm believer in this plan! I am looking forward to seeing my end results after the 5 weeks then plan on shred cleanse as my next phase of improving my health! I highly recommend this book-whether you are diabetic, pre-diabetic or just need to blast the sugar! #sugarblasters
343498
Trying to treat my diabetes much better and this book has allowed me to still enjoy my food yet being conscious about my health.
1930405
I have been a fan of this program for over two years. Sugar cravings have been a constant battle in my life contributing not only to weight gain, acne, and eczema, but also to depression and problems sleeping. After completing this program for the first time, I finally found out that food does not have to control me. I don't have to spend my life addicted and waiting for my next "sugar-fix" just to stay awake. I can be clear-headed and full of energy! I have learned so much about myself and each time I do this, I learn something new! You've been an inspiration to me.