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The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work
With over two thirds of Americans overweight and the $66 billion weight loss industry only growing larger, a maverick obesity expert exposes how widespread myths about dieting prevent us from losing weight and getting healthy.
At least 90% of diets end in failure and for chronic dieters, this can mean years of compounded frustration, disappointment, and shame—baggage that won’t make weight loss any easier the next time. But in THE DIET FIX, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff breaks down the flaws in the way that we approach dieting and offers an exciting plan that will empower anyone to achieve lasting results.
Combining years of medical practice and cutting-edge research about metabolism, nutrition and willpower, THE DIET FIX exposes the 13 myths of modern day dieting that so often interfere with weight loss as well as dieting’s 7 deadly sins that so often lead to failures. Next, he presents a program that will reshape the way people mentally and physically approach dieting. In just 10 days, anyone will be able see and feel results from this positive new method.
In addition to being a proven, stand-alone weight loss program, THE DIET FIX can also be applied in conjunction with any other diet, from Weight Watchers to Paleo to South Beach and more. Dr. Freedhoff provides detailed instructions for readers who want to reset their favorite weight loss programs, turning them into the permanent success stories they were originally promised. This easy-to-use reset empowers dieters to navigate real life with a healthy, positive, and constructive attitude—one that will prevent them from slipping back into the negative patterns that destroy weight-management success.
From the Hardcover edition.
At least 90% of diets end in failure and for chronic dieters, this can mean years of compounded frustration, disappointment, and shame—baggage that won’t make weight loss any easier the next time. But in THE DIET FIX, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff breaks down the flaws in the way that we approach dieting and offers an exciting plan that will empower anyone to achieve lasting results.
Combining years of medical practice and cutting-edge research about metabolism, nutrition and willpower, THE DIET FIX exposes the 13 myths of modern day dieting that so often interfere with weight loss as well as dieting’s 7 deadly sins that so often lead to failures. Next, he presents a program that will reshape the way people mentally and physically approach dieting. In just 10 days, anyone will be able see and feel results from this positive new method.
In addition to being a proven, stand-alone weight loss program, THE DIET FIX can also be applied in conjunction with any other diet, from Weight Watchers to Paleo to South Beach and more. Dr. Freedhoff provides detailed instructions for readers who want to reset their favorite weight loss programs, turning them into the permanent success stories they were originally promised. This easy-to-use reset empowers dieters to navigate real life with a healthy, positive, and constructive attitude—one that will prevent them from slipping back into the negative patterns that destroy weight-management success.
From the Hardcover edition.
Audio CD
First published March 5, 2013
213 people are currently reading
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About the author
Yoni Freedhoff
4 books44 followersI'm an assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa, and the founder and medical director of the Bariatric Medical Institute—dedicated to non-surgical weight management since 2004.
I've been called a "nutrition watchdog" by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, and "Canada's most outspoken obesity expert" by the press.
My blog, Weighty Matters has been a bit of an obsession of mine since 2005, and I'm pathologically attached to Twitter.
My first book for the public, The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work will be published by Crown in March 2014.
I've been called a "nutrition watchdog" by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, and "Canada's most outspoken obesity expert" by the press.
My blog, Weighty Matters has been a bit of an obsession of mine since 2005, and I'm pathologically attached to Twitter.
My first book for the public, The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work will be published by Crown in March 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
August 14, 2016
When I started reading a runners blog called Sweat Science I found a post that recommended three nutritional books, one of which was this one. I thought that it couldn't possibly hurt to know a little more and got all three from the library.
Dr. Freedhoff has a wonderfully practical take on losing weight, much of it determined by being a doctor who specializes in helping the obese lose weight.
I personally found little value in the pep talk and eating plan portion of the book, though it's pretty obvious that he has heard about all the excuses and reasons that a dieter has ever used based on what and how he's written this. His 'Reset' healthy living plan is well thought out and addresses every excuse you've ever heard or used yourself. And while I'm not an obsessive diet plan book reader, it's pretty hard not to hear about all the new or popular versions there are and this particular plan looks very doable.
The part I did find quite interesting was the third part called The Recovery, essentially a further chat about how to maintain your new lifestyle and what to do when you fall off track. From addressing weekends and holidays to common self sabotage and what to do as parents, there are some good chapters that talk about what thought patterns we need to change and what to watch out for. Though I can't say I agree with his acceptance of artificial sweeteners.
To use this plan I think you would need to be ready to do what you've always known is the way to successfully lose weight, eat less, eat better and exercise more. And don't think that you can stop when you've made it to your best weight, this is a plan to follow forever.
Dr. Freedhoff has a wonderfully practical take on losing weight, much of it determined by being a doctor who specializes in helping the obese lose weight.
I personally found little value in the pep talk and eating plan portion of the book, though it's pretty obvious that he has heard about all the excuses and reasons that a dieter has ever used based on what and how he's written this. His 'Reset' healthy living plan is well thought out and addresses every excuse you've ever heard or used yourself. And while I'm not an obsessive diet plan book reader, it's pretty hard not to hear about all the new or popular versions there are and this particular plan looks very doable.
The part I did find quite interesting was the third part called The Recovery, essentially a further chat about how to maintain your new lifestyle and what to do when you fall off track. From addressing weekends and holidays to common self sabotage and what to do as parents, there are some good chapters that talk about what thought patterns we need to change and what to watch out for. Though I can't say I agree with his acceptance of artificial sweeteners.
To use this plan I think you would need to be ready to do what you've always known is the way to successfully lose weight, eat less, eat better and exercise more. And don't think that you can stop when you've made it to your best weight, this is a plan to follow forever.
September 3, 2016
I picked up this book because Yoni Feedhoff is one of the few (qualified) voices of reason on an internet full of nonsense about nutrition. I concur with many of his sentiments about our food environment, which fuelled my discomfort with the intuitive eating approaches. Though the latter provide a reasonable approach that can help people let go of emotional eating, I don't actually think they are realistic in a modern food environment where food is everywhere and engineered to trigger all of our senses and make us want more. So I was curious to see what Feedhoff would say, both about the nutritional research and about behavioural elements of dieting.
First, the good: He starts with the premise that all diets work short term, but none work long term. This is difficult to argue with, and there is plenty of evidence to support it. He also relies heavily on research about what makes people successful, and makes those habits the core of his program. Sensible. Among the habits he promotes is actually tracking your food, and he provides tips on how to do so without becoming obsessed, as many of his readers will have used journaling as punishment in the past. I agree with this tactic because of the modern food environment I mentioned above. It's very much not sexy, and most diets these days give you free reign to eat a restricted number of foods (usually vegetables and protein, and with the paleo diet - fat). But the reality is that people who track are more successful, and those who struggle with overeating will find a way to overeat anything. He offers a 10-day 'reset' but it's not the same as what other diet books offer. It is 10 days to prepare to change your habits, and the start of a very long journey, which he makes clear is going to be very long.
Now for the disappointments: I thought this book would be heavier on research and actually address some of the nutrition myths out there in the media and online, but he didn't. Instead, he actually provides information on how you can use any existing diet with the program. While this flexibility is nice, I actually think some of the diets he chose are just inherently too restrictive to qualify as a "non-traumatic" diet, which is what he is trying to get people to overcome. Finally, the book doesn't really deal with the emotional element of dieting and eating, and certainly not in a way that is likely to help the readers. He is writing to dieters who have "post-traumatic dieting disorder" and yet he doesn't actually deal with that emotional trauma. He relies instead on the habits of people who successfully change their lifestyles, which is one piece of the puzzle, but not the most important one for most people who struggle with overeating.
In the end, the book, I think was written in a way that tried to achieve too broad of an appeal, and in the process it reads too much like a diet book, and doesn't let Freedhoff's intellect shine. Overall, a good book on the topic, but a disappointment from this particular author.
First, the good: He starts with the premise that all diets work short term, but none work long term. This is difficult to argue with, and there is plenty of evidence to support it. He also relies heavily on research about what makes people successful, and makes those habits the core of his program. Sensible. Among the habits he promotes is actually tracking your food, and he provides tips on how to do so without becoming obsessed, as many of his readers will have used journaling as punishment in the past. I agree with this tactic because of the modern food environment I mentioned above. It's very much not sexy, and most diets these days give you free reign to eat a restricted number of foods (usually vegetables and protein, and with the paleo diet - fat). But the reality is that people who track are more successful, and those who struggle with overeating will find a way to overeat anything. He offers a 10-day 'reset' but it's not the same as what other diet books offer. It is 10 days to prepare to change your habits, and the start of a very long journey, which he makes clear is going to be very long.
Now for the disappointments: I thought this book would be heavier on research and actually address some of the nutrition myths out there in the media and online, but he didn't. Instead, he actually provides information on how you can use any existing diet with the program. While this flexibility is nice, I actually think some of the diets he chose are just inherently too restrictive to qualify as a "non-traumatic" diet, which is what he is trying to get people to overcome. Finally, the book doesn't really deal with the emotional element of dieting and eating, and certainly not in a way that is likely to help the readers. He is writing to dieters who have "post-traumatic dieting disorder" and yet he doesn't actually deal with that emotional trauma. He relies instead on the habits of people who successfully change their lifestyles, which is one piece of the puzzle, but not the most important one for most people who struggle with overeating.
In the end, the book, I think was written in a way that tried to achieve too broad of an appeal, and in the process it reads too much like a diet book, and doesn't let Freedhoff's intellect shine. Overall, a good book on the topic, but a disappointment from this particular author.
December 16, 2013
THE DIET FIX is the real deal: a book that challenges the conventional wisdom about losing weight. This compassionate and hope-filled guide serves up the secrets to achieving — and maintaining — the weight that’s right for you. Forget the quick fix: THE DIET FIX will give you the tools you need to (finally) make peace with food.
[ Reviewed from galleys ]
[ Reviewed from galleys ]
September 2, 2016
I think I'm insane reading all these diet books, I've reviewed more than a few over the last couple of months. As adults we know the regular problems with weight stem from fast food, sugar, soda, large portions......losing weight is easy..it's keeping it off that's the problem. Dieting seven deadly sins... Hunger-this author does a medical rehash. Of what hunger is and how diets fail because of hunger. Sacrifice -success depends on your willingness to sacrifice foods. Willpower-resisting temptation. Blind restriction- preaching avoiding foods. Sweat-excercise alone doesn't work. Perfectionism- losing weight without fluctuations, don't try to be perfect...weight fluctuates on its own. Then last but least denial...giving up when weight loss slows. I thought an important fact was the diary. Keeping track of what your doing is a bonus. 1. What you ate and how much. 2. What time you ate. 3. Calories 4. How long you excercised. 5. When and how dramatic episodes of hunger and cravings. It boasted of a site called calorie king.com this has the same intent as shred...eating to stave off hunger. Eating breakfast to stave off a binge meal loaded with calories. Minimum meals 300-350 calories....and snacks 100-150 calories six times a day. Three meals and three snacks. Buying an indirect calorimeter to help figure out how many calories you need to eat. Making sure you have protein in every meal/snack to stave off hunger pains. Thedietfix.com as their website for more info. Small chapters on medical problems and children with weight problems also. Overall a great guide to pretty much everything. Last part even has recipes for healthy snacks ...meals...andnutrition. Thanks goodreads for a great first reads win.
I have been using the app this book suggested along with the common sense advice, and I am happily losing weight. The love handles are slimming down, and I feel great!
I have been using the app this book suggested along with the common sense advice, and I am happily losing weight. The love handles are slimming down, and I feel great!
May 3, 2014
This is perhaps the best book about dieting that I have ever read. Period.
To start with, it isn't a diet book. Most of those are, essentially, gimmicks. Don't eat after 8pm. No carbs! No grains! No fat! No fruit! Only fruit! No foods with the letter E! Subway three meals a day! Cabbage soup before every meal! All of those, each and every one of them, is a way to trick you into, in fact, reducing calories. Period. This is no magic there. Which is why these books sell and work, at least for a short time.
So. No two-week-diet-plan at the end of the book. Oh there are some recipes, but they feel there just because, there is no OMG, these are the very best recipes that will help you...
What Dr Freedhoff did, in this book, is identify problems, and give solutions, and helps everyone find their own path as a dieter.
There is SO much in this book, and I'm going to only highlight the two things that I found the most helpful.
Dr Freedhoff is aware that some of us are what he calls survivors of "traumatic dieting". We're the ones who've tried and failed, tried to be perfect, and failed, whose self-esteem, if it were a geologic era, would be somewhere around the Cretaceous. His "solution"? A 10 day reset of expectations at the start of a diet.
Oh, for most of us, it would take more than 10 days, which is probably the only gimmick in the book. To do this right will take longer, because it is not just the planning of meals and trips to the supermarket, but the emotional breaking down of years of a crappy relationship with food, our bodies, and dieting. The tools are there.
This "10" days reset, btw, will work no matter what brand of weird diet you want to choose for weight loss, from Weight Watchers to South Beach. In his comments, btw, about "resetting" the Weight Watchers diet, he made something very clear to me, that I hadn't seen before about WW and my behaviour on the diet, and I'm slowly trying to correct that. Anyhow.
In a nutshell, the reset can be viewed as a recovery program, a way for those of us with multiple failures in our past, to break away from some of them, and perhaps to move on. Again, I've rarely felt this positive about a book that speaks of weight loss.
The second thing that was good to read.. This is something that I've been trying to articulate over the years, to people online and at my Weight Watchers meetings but Dr Freedhoff has gone further and been more clear than I could ever dream of being.
That human beings rejoice in food. We celebrate with food, we share food, we enjoy it. And that any program that does not allow for that intimate participation in a fundamental part of human culture is bound to fail long term. That doesn't mean we have to eat out lavishly every night, but that celebrating with food is normal, and should not be viewed as obscene and disgusting, as it often is in the ascetic culture of rapid diets (which I'm part of at times!). To me, this mind shift is fundamental, because it acknowledges the shared humanity of fat AND thin people. Despite the mantra in many diet-places, "Eat like a thin person eats!" does not translate to never celebrate your birthday, because thin people do, in fact, celebrate at times. Like most humans.
Those two things I was going to high light? Never mind, I'm moving on to a third, though I suppose it's part of the first in some ways.
The goal for weight loss, he says, is to eat as little as you can while still being happy with your life.
And that, my friends, is a majorly dramatic departure from every other book on dieting I have ever read. Happy. With. Your. Life. Dear god, that is NEVER mentioned elsewhere. You're fat, you're supposed to suffer every day, in order to hopefully attain thinness. If you can't suffer long term, it's because of your lack of willpower. And that breeds self contempt. That cycle is what Dr Freedhoff is giving the tools to help us break.
Happy with your life. Be at a weight where you can be happy, that you can happily maintain.
To start with, it isn't a diet book. Most of those are, essentially, gimmicks. Don't eat after 8pm. No carbs! No grains! No fat! No fruit! Only fruit! No foods with the letter E! Subway three meals a day! Cabbage soup before every meal! All of those, each and every one of them, is a way to trick you into, in fact, reducing calories. Period. This is no magic there. Which is why these books sell and work, at least for a short time.
So. No two-week-diet-plan at the end of the book. Oh there are some recipes, but they feel there just because, there is no OMG, these are the very best recipes that will help you...
What Dr Freedhoff did, in this book, is identify problems, and give solutions, and helps everyone find their own path as a dieter.
There is SO much in this book, and I'm going to only highlight the two things that I found the most helpful.
Dr Freedhoff is aware that some of us are what he calls survivors of "traumatic dieting". We're the ones who've tried and failed, tried to be perfect, and failed, whose self-esteem, if it were a geologic era, would be somewhere around the Cretaceous. His "solution"? A 10 day reset of expectations at the start of a diet.
Oh, for most of us, it would take more than 10 days, which is probably the only gimmick in the book. To do this right will take longer, because it is not just the planning of meals and trips to the supermarket, but the emotional breaking down of years of a crappy relationship with food, our bodies, and dieting. The tools are there.
This "10" days reset, btw, will work no matter what brand of weird diet you want to choose for weight loss, from Weight Watchers to South Beach. In his comments, btw, about "resetting" the Weight Watchers diet, he made something very clear to me, that I hadn't seen before about WW and my behaviour on the diet, and I'm slowly trying to correct that. Anyhow.
In a nutshell, the reset can be viewed as a recovery program, a way for those of us with multiple failures in our past, to break away from some of them, and perhaps to move on. Again, I've rarely felt this positive about a book that speaks of weight loss.
The second thing that was good to read.. This is something that I've been trying to articulate over the years, to people online and at my Weight Watchers meetings but Dr Freedhoff has gone further and been more clear than I could ever dream of being.
That human beings rejoice in food. We celebrate with food, we share food, we enjoy it. And that any program that does not allow for that intimate participation in a fundamental part of human culture is bound to fail long term. That doesn't mean we have to eat out lavishly every night, but that celebrating with food is normal, and should not be viewed as obscene and disgusting, as it often is in the ascetic culture of rapid diets (which I'm part of at times!). To me, this mind shift is fundamental, because it acknowledges the shared humanity of fat AND thin people. Despite the mantra in many diet-places, "Eat like a thin person eats!" does not translate to never celebrate your birthday, because thin people do, in fact, celebrate at times. Like most humans.
Those two things I was going to high light? Never mind, I'm moving on to a third, though I suppose it's part of the first in some ways.
The goal for weight loss, he says, is to eat as little as you can while still being happy with your life.
And that, my friends, is a majorly dramatic departure from every other book on dieting I have ever read. Happy. With. Your. Life. Dear god, that is NEVER mentioned elsewhere. You're fat, you're supposed to suffer every day, in order to hopefully attain thinness. If you can't suffer long term, it's because of your lack of willpower. And that breeds self contempt. That cycle is what Dr Freedhoff is giving the tools to help us break.
Happy with your life. Be at a weight where you can be happy, that you can happily maintain.
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The Diet Fix is a great alternative to the empty diet books out there. Rather than giving a 'one size fits all' narrow approach to dieting, the author discuses the different types of diets, why they do and don't work, and the problems he's encountered in his practice with keeping the weight off his clients. He then presents an easy and very adaptable approach to dieting and fitness that doesn't a) remove any foods, b) deal with heavy exercising, c) Require willpower, d) try to fit all people into doing the same narrow restrictive diets and e) take all the joy out of life, and most especially e) shy away from the long term difficulty of keeping weight off.
The author has a very human and humane approach to the psychological as well as the physical needs of losing weight and getting healthy. I really like that the book is very easy to use and adapt - it utilizes both a short term (10 day) goal with realistic approaches to long term goals as well.
We've seen all the buzzwords of diets every decade (calories in the 1960s, cholesterol in the 1970s, aerobics in the 1980s, Carbs in the 1990s, and wheat/grains/paleo diet in the 2000s). This is unlike all of those diets - none of which really take into consideration the unique conditions that led to the weight and will impact the ability to keep it off long term.
This is one of the first 'diets' I really feel has a chance of success. I really liked the author's presentation and tone - it's friendly but knowledgeable, sympathetic and encouraging. The underlying philosophy of his approach is that weight loss should be done in a way that doesn't make a person's life miserable - without shame, guilt, frustration, unhappiness, or denial.
If you've tried diets and find they are just too difficult to sustain, this is a good alternative. It's about simple foods, a food log that helps to identify why you're hungry and when you might be eating too much, and a lifestyle change that is doable, enriching, and geared to a long term manageable weight loss.
Highly recommended. Received as an ARC from the publisher.
March 6, 2014
Won this book from the First Reads program, and I cannot wait for it to arrive and to learn what it has to offer! I am excited about this book and once I finish I will write another review and let you know what I think!
Update~~~
So far I really like this book, I love the way this book is written compared to most other diet/health books I have read. This book lets you know it's ok if you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up over it, pick up and move on! I love that! Most diet/health books I read seem to almost make you feel worse if you make a mistake. This book comes with a 10 day plan. I went ahead a skipped days 1 & 2 as I already had everything needed and was already doing everything for those days.
With that being said I am on Day 3, and the book has made suggestions for things I am not currently doing already. One is to eat breakfast earlier than I currently have been and the other is about consuming more protein, which I know I have not been getting enough of. So far I am excited to continue on with the plan from this book and excited to know what else I can learn from it. I will post my final review update once I complete day 10.
Final Update~~~
I really enjoyed this book and the ten day program. I am already very into health/fitness lifestyle and clean eating and this book still taught me things! There were several wonderful things in the 10 day program that I wasn't already incorporating into my diet. Some things I had heard of but wasn't sure of their benefit or how to add it in correctly and a few I hadn't heard of at all. All the changes in the Diet Fix are super easy to make. I love how this book is written and how it for every, from the total beginner to the more advanced into fitness. If you are just starting out this would be a wonderful book to have! Definintly one I wished I would have had when I was new to the healthy lifestyle. I will be keeping this book and referring back to it often, it is a great addition to have!
Update~~~
So far I really like this book, I love the way this book is written compared to most other diet/health books I have read. This book lets you know it's ok if you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up over it, pick up and move on! I love that! Most diet/health books I read seem to almost make you feel worse if you make a mistake. This book comes with a 10 day plan. I went ahead a skipped days 1 & 2 as I already had everything needed and was already doing everything for those days.
With that being said I am on Day 3, and the book has made suggestions for things I am not currently doing already. One is to eat breakfast earlier than I currently have been and the other is about consuming more protein, which I know I have not been getting enough of. So far I am excited to continue on with the plan from this book and excited to know what else I can learn from it. I will post my final review update once I complete day 10.
Final Update~~~
I really enjoyed this book and the ten day program. I am already very into health/fitness lifestyle and clean eating and this book still taught me things! There were several wonderful things in the 10 day program that I wasn't already incorporating into my diet. Some things I had heard of but wasn't sure of their benefit or how to add it in correctly and a few I hadn't heard of at all. All the changes in the Diet Fix are super easy to make. I love how this book is written and how it for every, from the total beginner to the more advanced into fitness. If you are just starting out this would be a wonderful book to have! Definintly one I wished I would have had when I was new to the healthy lifestyle. I will be keeping this book and referring back to it often, it is a great addition to have!
January 3, 2014
I was lucky enough to get an advance copy to read and I'm so glad. I've been following Yoni's blog and site for a while now and he seemed sensible. I hoped that the book would not disappoint and it absolutely didn't!
This is not your standard diet book. You know the one-exclude some food group, the weight falls off, it'a a miracle! I've gone through quite a number of them and the miracle was always short lived. I've yo-yoed up and down for the last 20 years and have an extensive wardrobe of different sized clothes to prove it. For the first time in a long time, I actually have some hope of making lasting changes.
The book starts out by describing diets gone wrong. I recognised myself in many of the descriptions. Too many! It leads into a 10 day/10 step programme to fix the damage and start losing sensibly. It's all wonderfully doable and makes sense. Pitfalls are covered and there's also a great recipe section at the back. Even I could manage them!
If I had to pick one word to describe the tone of the book it would be "kind". No matter how many times you've tried and failed, there's hope for you. You're not alone and you're not a failure. With this approach, you can actually change your life for good!
This is not your standard diet book. You know the one-exclude some food group, the weight falls off, it'a a miracle! I've gone through quite a number of them and the miracle was always short lived. I've yo-yoed up and down for the last 20 years and have an extensive wardrobe of different sized clothes to prove it. For the first time in a long time, I actually have some hope of making lasting changes.
The book starts out by describing diets gone wrong. I recognised myself in many of the descriptions. Too many! It leads into a 10 day/10 step programme to fix the damage and start losing sensibly. It's all wonderfully doable and makes sense. Pitfalls are covered and there's also a great recipe section at the back. Even I could manage them!
If I had to pick one word to describe the tone of the book it would be "kind". No matter how many times you've tried and failed, there's hope for you. You're not alone and you're not a failure. With this approach, you can actually change your life for good!
April 24, 2014
I received this free from goodreads.
This is by far my new favorite diet book! It was so honest about dieting in a way no other book has ever been before. Freedhoff explained about being happy on a diet and finding a diet that you can be happy with and do for the rest of your life, sometimes I want a quick fix but Freedhoff explains how you can really achieve the body you want for life. I was really intrigued by the negative consequences some dieting can cause! It was very enlightening and I am left wanting to fix my diet and start doing it right!
This is by far my new favorite diet book! It was so honest about dieting in a way no other book has ever been before. Freedhoff explained about being happy on a diet and finding a diet that you can be happy with and do for the rest of your life, sometimes I want a quick fix but Freedhoff explains how you can really achieve the body you want for life. I was really intrigued by the negative consequences some dieting can cause! It was very enlightening and I am left wanting to fix my diet and start doing it right!
October 12, 2019
Early in this book the author made me feel like weight loss is hopeless. The author did have some good thoughts throughout it.
January 29, 2022
3* because the book has some good advice, but I don't think it will really be all that helpful for the majority of people. Dr. Freedhoff is very moderate in his approach and I largely agree with him, aside from a couple of things here and there (e.g. I don't think brown rice is inherently better than white; or emphasis on breakfast, or 3 hours between the meals).
I wouldn't give the book a higher mark, because while it has good information, it requires the person to be really committed to changing and have tons of patience to do it. I do believe that is the right approach for a successful weight loss, but the book doesn't do enough to prepare and convince the person that it is the right approach. I can imagine how many people will simply be annoyed at their slow progress, for which they have not been prepared and have not set proper expectations.
Also, the more time passes, the more convinced I become of the fact that we should stop being so moderate about diet advice. Sure, no food is forbidden, but you can't eat like a 5-year-old. There should be proper emphasis on being responsible with your food choices. Dr. Freedhoff does have the emphasis, but also tries to tell you that it's okay to use food for comfort. Well, I don't buy that. It's okay for food to comfort you. It's not okay to use it for comfort. The distinction is subtle, but important. In the former case, you aren't seeking that effect specifically, or if you do, it is still contained in the larger framework of good food choices. In the second, you outsource your comfort and use food as the instrument to do it. That is a recipe for an eating disorder, in my opinion.
That being said, if someone is on this road and doesn't know where they are going wrong, this book can be an eye-opener.
I wouldn't give the book a higher mark, because while it has good information, it requires the person to be really committed to changing and have tons of patience to do it. I do believe that is the right approach for a successful weight loss, but the book doesn't do enough to prepare and convince the person that it is the right approach. I can imagine how many people will simply be annoyed at their slow progress, for which they have not been prepared and have not set proper expectations.
Also, the more time passes, the more convinced I become of the fact that we should stop being so moderate about diet advice. Sure, no food is forbidden, but you can't eat like a 5-year-old. There should be proper emphasis on being responsible with your food choices. Dr. Freedhoff does have the emphasis, but also tries to tell you that it's okay to use food for comfort. Well, I don't buy that. It's okay for food to comfort you. It's not okay to use it for comfort. The distinction is subtle, but important. In the former case, you aren't seeking that effect specifically, or if you do, it is still contained in the larger framework of good food choices. In the second, you outsource your comfort and use food as the instrument to do it. That is a recipe for an eating disorder, in my opinion.
That being said, if someone is on this road and doesn't know where they are going wrong, this book can be an eye-opener.
June 5, 2021
After gaining weight during the pandemic and feeling frustrated with past diet experiences (losing and then eventually regaining the weight), I picked up this book because I heard Georgia raving about it on My Favorite Murder. The entire philosophy can be summed up with this quote:
"Your goal is to live the healthiest life you can enjoy"
Tools and tips (including a step by step 10-day Reset) outline how you can change your eating habits in a way that is not painful, does not promote short term suffering, and is maintainable over time. What is the lowest amount of calories you need to be healthy and happy - that you can actually enjoy? What is the most amount of exercise you can enjoy?
Diets that don't allow food for comfort or celebration will fail - this book is about learning to include both as part of your life. Diets that are overly restrictive might work for a time, but the weight usually is regained once the diet stops. This book is anything but restrictive - it's more about a mindset and lifestyle change that you can maintain forever.
I'm impressed and have enjoyed the Reset.
"Your goal is to live the healthiest life you can enjoy"
Tools and tips (including a step by step 10-day Reset) outline how you can change your eating habits in a way that is not painful, does not promote short term suffering, and is maintainable over time. What is the lowest amount of calories you need to be healthy and happy - that you can actually enjoy? What is the most amount of exercise you can enjoy?
Diets that don't allow food for comfort or celebration will fail - this book is about learning to include both as part of your life. Diets that are overly restrictive might work for a time, but the weight usually is regained once the diet stops. This book is anything but restrictive - it's more about a mindset and lifestyle change that you can maintain forever.
I'm impressed and have enjoyed the Reset.
May 21, 2019
I really like that he emphasizes that there is no ideal weight and in everything else in your life you focus on whats best for you so why not aim towards a best for you weight? I didn't do the full reset but enjoyed listening to his tips and tricks and there's a lot here to make you really think about your own habits.
September 9, 2018
As someone who counsels obese patients on a daily basis, he obviously has some good advice. I do disagree with a number of his suggestions including calorie counting, the use of artificial sweeteners and protein powders. I think that Michael Pollan had the answer all along and that we need to eat a whole natural foods.
April 9, 2021
Humane.
May 22, 2018
I got a lot out of this book and its tips on eating well in a sustainable, life-affirming way.
August 10, 2016
I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads contest.
Yoni Freedhoff is one of my favourite bloggers, blending his staunchly pragmatic approach to weight loss issues with a sense of humour and a dash of scientific disdain.
So I was really happy to finally read the book he had been talking about for many months on his blog.
The Diet Fix is a book about weight loss but it is more a book about lifestyle change and behaviour modification. Unlike other diet books, Yoni does not promise weight loss. He fully admits that his program - based on food journaling, calorie counting and cooking one's own food - only works if people follow it. So he can't promise anything because he can't know how closely you will follow his instructions.
But he blends his pragmatic advice with stories about patients he has or is still treating at his clinic in Ottawa, Canada. And he is honest about troubles his patients have sticking to this lifestyle change. So I found this book very different from the average diet book that promises dramatic weight loss with very little effort.
The writing itself in the book reflects Yoni's experience as a blogger: short chapters with simple titles such as "Eat!" or "Exercise!". And each chapter is often split up into sub-sections roughly the size of a typical Yoni Freedhoff blog post. I enjoyed that because it gave the reader time to digest (sorry, bad pun) the material presented.
The easy, conversational style of blog posting was also evident in the book.
The structure of the book did follow that of other diet books I've read: a beginning chapter promising great things, a chapter telling you to get ready for the transformation, a middle bunch of chapters explaining how to transform oneself, and then a chapter wrapping things up and a list of recipes. For a book that is a radical re-think of how to lose weight, it seemed odd that it should have the same basic structure as so many other faddish plans.
Yoni's 10-day reset plan is the central part of the book, a series of tasks taken over 10 days that help you prepare for the lifestyle change necessary to lose weight. I almost feel like that should have been the beginning or end of the book so that the other information about why lifestyle change is important and the science to back it up were given more prominence.
Overall, I found the book really enjoyable to read. I like nutrition science and understanding how it affects us every day. This book provided that in spades. And it had a few laughs and some heartening anecdotes.
I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a common sense plan to improve their nutrition and their health. It is not a weight loss book at all, although following what Yoni recommends may result in weight loss.
I would not recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick fix to their weight woes.
Yoni Freedhoff is one of my favourite bloggers, blending his staunchly pragmatic approach to weight loss issues with a sense of humour and a dash of scientific disdain.
So I was really happy to finally read the book he had been talking about for many months on his blog.
The Diet Fix is a book about weight loss but it is more a book about lifestyle change and behaviour modification. Unlike other diet books, Yoni does not promise weight loss. He fully admits that his program - based on food journaling, calorie counting and cooking one's own food - only works if people follow it. So he can't promise anything because he can't know how closely you will follow his instructions.
But he blends his pragmatic advice with stories about patients he has or is still treating at his clinic in Ottawa, Canada. And he is honest about troubles his patients have sticking to this lifestyle change. So I found this book very different from the average diet book that promises dramatic weight loss with very little effort.
The writing itself in the book reflects Yoni's experience as a blogger: short chapters with simple titles such as "Eat!" or "Exercise!". And each chapter is often split up into sub-sections roughly the size of a typical Yoni Freedhoff blog post. I enjoyed that because it gave the reader time to digest (sorry, bad pun) the material presented.
The easy, conversational style of blog posting was also evident in the book.
The structure of the book did follow that of other diet books I've read: a beginning chapter promising great things, a chapter telling you to get ready for the transformation, a middle bunch of chapters explaining how to transform oneself, and then a chapter wrapping things up and a list of recipes. For a book that is a radical re-think of how to lose weight, it seemed odd that it should have the same basic structure as so many other faddish plans.
Yoni's 10-day reset plan is the central part of the book, a series of tasks taken over 10 days that help you prepare for the lifestyle change necessary to lose weight. I almost feel like that should have been the beginning or end of the book so that the other information about why lifestyle change is important and the science to back it up were given more prominence.
Overall, I found the book really enjoyable to read. I like nutrition science and understanding how it affects us every day. This book provided that in spades. And it had a few laughs and some heartening anecdotes.
I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a common sense plan to improve their nutrition and their health. It is not a weight loss book at all, although following what Yoni recommends may result in weight loss.
I would not recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick fix to their weight woes.
March 23, 2014
Best book on health and weight loss/maintenance I have read in a very long time, maybe ever. His approach is very practical and realistic, yet specific enough that it doesn't leave me wondering about exactly what I should do to lose weight and be healthy. He gives very actionable, realistic steps to take. Some of the steps have been said many times before, but his writing style makes even those items interesting. A refreshing non-judgmental approach to long-term weight loss. This ISN'T a "lose 10-lbs in the next 2 weeks" kind of diet, in fact, it's anti-quick-fix. Yoni shows why "quick fix" traumatic diets aren't fixes at all!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone serious about long-term health in regard to their weight and fitness. (It even works and is applicable if you're on Paleo / low-carb / vegan, etc., diets.) It's sound, practical advice we all can use, backed up by a lot of science and his years of experience and research!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone serious about long-term health in regard to their weight and fitness. (It even works and is applicable if you're on Paleo / low-carb / vegan, etc., diets.) It's sound, practical advice we all can use, backed up by a lot of science and his years of experience and research!
March 18, 2014
The Diet Fix is a breath of fresh air in the diet book space. Full of common sense, practical tips and a little humour, Dr Freedhoff tackles the psychology of dieting in an encouraging and practical manner. This is not another "eat this not that" nutrition book, but rather a set of practical guidelines that can be applied to any style of eating.
If you're ready to say goodbye to on-again-off-again diets and hello to an enjoyable life that includes chocolate, this book is just what you need. Highly recommended for those with a "traumatic diet" history.
If you're ready to say goodbye to on-again-off-again diets and hello to an enjoyable life that includes chocolate, this book is just what you need. Highly recommended for those with a "traumatic diet" history.
July 10, 2019
I wish I could make this book mandatory reading for anyone struggling with weight management.
Positive, helpful, and evidence-based, Dr. Freedhoff gives actionable advice, dispels common myths, and offers a self-directed path forward for a healthy lifestyle.
He argues that in order to make weight loss permanent, you need to lose it in a lifestyle you enjoy, not simply endure. He offers strategies to eliminating calories that are not essential to your happiness, and offers that you should find satisfaction with your personal best, not an arbitrary goal.
I can't recommend this highly enough.
Positive, helpful, and evidence-based, Dr. Freedhoff gives actionable advice, dispels common myths, and offers a self-directed path forward for a healthy lifestyle.
He argues that in order to make weight loss permanent, you need to lose it in a lifestyle you enjoy, not simply endure. He offers strategies to eliminating calories that are not essential to your happiness, and offers that you should find satisfaction with your personal best, not an arbitrary goal.
I can't recommend this highly enough.
March 9, 2014
Anyone interested in nutrition or weight management should read this book, or really, anyone who has ever gone on any diet. This is essentially the anti-diet.
Using scientific research and years of clinical experience, this book does so much to dispel so many of the misconceptions about diets and weight management that we are taught and reminded of on a daily basis.
Using scientific research and years of clinical experience, this book does so much to dispel so many of the misconceptions about diets and weight management that we are taught and reminded of on a daily basis.
August 21, 2018
Didn't really tell me anything I haven't already read in myriad other diet books. And really doesn't deal with the special challenges of emotional eating, which can be aggravated by the strategies mentioned in this book (journaling, eating when NOT hungry, etc.). The information is sound, but it is still a dieting way of life. Not my cup of tea, but it might be yours.
January 2, 2020
The first part of the book is fantastic! In it, Freedhoff makes an excellent case for why diets fail and are a bad idea. Unfortunately, the second portion of the book is essentially a diet. The first portion is WELL worth reading and is an excellent commentary on the history and pitfalls of dieting, however. Just skip the second half.
March 10, 2014
This is not a diet book in the traditional sense. Instead it offers a better approach to losing weight and eating healthy.
I am looking forward to experimenting with some of the recipes included within this book.
I feel much more informed regarding the science of dieting after reading this book.
I am looking forward to experimenting with some of the recipes included within this book.
I feel much more informed regarding the science of dieting after reading this book.
March 30, 2014
This books makes sense and will help you to change the way you think about losing weight. For me, it coalesced a lot of ideas I'd been coming to on my own. I really appreciate the definition of your best weight being the weight you can achieve with the healthiest lifestyle you can happily enjoy.
September 24, 2016
An excellent book! By far the best dieting advice I have ever read.
August 7, 2023
I really enjoyed this and I knew it was the right diet book for me straight away because the preface ends with some sage words; noting that the reason why most diets fail is because they don't include "prescriptions for chocolate". Truer words have never been written. Everything I read from that point on was wise advice that not only makes so much sense but was also backed up by clinical research. I particularly love Freedhoff's attitude to food; remembering that food is not just a fuel source. Food is used to celebrate, to comfort and is actually a huge and glorious part of the human experience.
I have tried very hard to go through the 10 day reset process and sad to say I've failed a few times now but I'll try again and hopefully get there eventually. This is not a criticism on the book but on my own lifestyle and struggling to find time and energy to make the changes in it that I so desperately need. I do find diarising in particular, a difficult habit to maintain as it is often tedious, I am by nature excruciatingly forgetful and I've never got it down to a quick thing the way Freedhoff insists it can be. I'm also too much of a perfectionist with these things which isn't helpful.
It's worth knowing before you start reading this though that it's not just your average fad diet book. It's quite literally a lifestyle change. That's why it's so difficult for me to go through those first 10 steps successfully - it initially requires a fair bit of commitment to get you going. However, if you are ready to commit, this book is almost certainly the way forward. Overall, this is the best dieting book I've ever come across and the one I am mostly likely to recommend to others.
I have tried very hard to go through the 10 day reset process and sad to say I've failed a few times now but I'll try again and hopefully get there eventually. This is not a criticism on the book but on my own lifestyle and struggling to find time and energy to make the changes in it that I so desperately need. I do find diarising in particular, a difficult habit to maintain as it is often tedious, I am by nature excruciatingly forgetful and I've never got it down to a quick thing the way Freedhoff insists it can be. I'm also too much of a perfectionist with these things which isn't helpful.
It's worth knowing before you start reading this though that it's not just your average fad diet book. It's quite literally a lifestyle change. That's why it's so difficult for me to go through those first 10 steps successfully - it initially requires a fair bit of commitment to get you going. However, if you are ready to commit, this book is almost certainly the way forward. Overall, this is the best dieting book I've ever come across and the one I am mostly likely to recommend to others.
April 10, 2021
This was surprisingly what I was looking for in a "diet" book.
I was searching for a book about mindful eating and a different approach to "dieting"-I hate that word.
Something that doesn't have a "plan" so to speak with points and rules and crazy expectations.
Some of the refreshing "that makes sense" points:
*stay accountable...you will most likely have to track or journal your food intake if you are looking to see what agrees with you/if you are eating too much or not enough
*incorporate movement that you REALLY enjoy. Anything counts (gardening, dancing, etc) but more often is key....his mantra: "Some is good, more is better, everything counts."
*the strict plans only work if you stay on them. Once you go off, you will gain back...it's not natural
*no food should be restricted unless you want to eliminate them for health reasons.
*some days will be better than others; trouble shoot and move forward
* don't focus on the scale...those BMI/weight ranges are not up-to-date
*How do you feel? Truly. Not based on what others say or promote. But if you are genuinely happy at the current state of your health/body then great. If not, figure out why and make adjustments to feel better.
*Fuel your body every 3 hours if you can to avoid binging
*Try to cook more
*Indulge and enjoy
*Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Bound
I was searching for a book about mindful eating and a different approach to "dieting"-I hate that word.
Something that doesn't have a "plan" so to speak with points and rules and crazy expectations.
Some of the refreshing "that makes sense" points:
*stay accountable...you will most likely have to track or journal your food intake if you are looking to see what agrees with you/if you are eating too much or not enough
*incorporate movement that you REALLY enjoy. Anything counts (gardening, dancing, etc) but more often is key....his mantra: "Some is good, more is better, everything counts."
*the strict plans only work if you stay on them. Once you go off, you will gain back...it's not natural
*no food should be restricted unless you want to eliminate them for health reasons.
*some days will be better than others; trouble shoot and move forward
* don't focus on the scale...those BMI/weight ranges are not up-to-date
*How do you feel? Truly. Not based on what others say or promote. But if you are genuinely happy at the current state of your health/body then great. If not, figure out why and make adjustments to feel better.
*Fuel your body every 3 hours if you can to avoid binging
*Try to cook more
*Indulge and enjoy
*Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Bound
January 5, 2022
Early January, a time for making resolutions, is the perfect time to review this book. Dr. Yoni Freedhoff , a graduate of the University of Toronto and a professor in family medicine at the University of Ottawa is a weight loss expert, especially in the field of obesity. The whole premise of his book is that if one loathes one’s diet and exercise program, long term weight loss will never happen. He describes a 10 day reset program to get started. It involves everything from weighing food to exercising to dealing with treats (allowed). He includes chapters on the effects of different medications on weight loss, dining out, dealing with holidays and celebrations, and he shares some tasty recipes. Some takeaway thoughts - every meal and snack should include some form of protein. Also, if after a restaurant meal, you have gained 2 pounds, it’s not the food but water retention from salt. This book offers practical, flexible, guilt free and humane ways to find the right diet and exercise program for you. Time to go and have those 2 leftover Christmas cookies, not the whole box.
October 24, 2018
The main takeaways - you have to enjoy the life you are living, and you have to make lifelong changes to manage your weight. Therefore you should eat as little of something decadent that you enjoy as it takes to be satisfied. You should exercise as much as you can and still enjoy it. In practice, this all sounds very simple, and in many ways, most of the advice within the book was information I'd heard before through many channels. What makes this book important and different is that Freedhoff's practical experience as an MD and obesity expert has allowed him to create a holistic framework for simply navigating all of the best practices and implementing them into your life in a way that is realistic, healthy, and while slow, also effective. I highly recommend this to anyone who has ever dieted - so pretty much everyone.
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