Lose up to a pound a day and curb your craving for sweets with delicious recipes and simple, science-based food swaps from David Zinczenko, Good Morning America’s health and wellness editor and bestselling author of Eat This, Not That! and Zero Belly Diet.
With Zero Sugar Diet, #1 New York Times bestselling author David Zinczenko continues his twenty-year mission to help Americans live their happiest and healthiest lives, uncovering revolutionary new research that explains why you can’t lose weight—and shows that it’s not your fault! The true culprit is sugar—specifically added sugars—which food manufacturers sneak into almost everything we eat, from bread to cold cuts to yogurt, peanut butter, pizza, and even “health” foods.
Until now, there’s been no way to tell how much added sugar you’re eating—or how to avoid it without sacrifice. But with the simple steps in Zero Sugar Diet, you’ll be able to eat all your favorite foods and strip away unnecessary sugars—losing weight at a rate of up to one pound per day, while still enjoying the sweeter things in life.
By replacing empty calories with essential ones—swapping in whole foods and fiber and swapping out added sugars—you’ll conquer your cravings and prevent the blood sugar surge that leads to some of the worst health scourges in America today, including abdominal fat, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, liver disease, fatigue, and tooth decay.
And all it takes is 14 days. You’ll be stunned by the reported Lisa Gardner, 49, lost 11 pounds Tara Anderson, 42, lost 10 pounds David Menkhaus, 62, lost 15 pounds Ricky Casados, 56, lost 12 pounds
You, too, can melt away belly fat, boost your energy levels and metabolism, and take control of your health and your life, armed with a comprehensive grocery list of fresh produce, proteins, whole grains, and even prepared meals, accompanied by two weeks’ worth of fiber-rich breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes and real-life results from successful sugar swappers. The fat-burning formula for long-term weight loss and optimal health is at your fingertips. Join in the crusade and say goodbye to added sugars—and goodbye to your belly—with Zero Sugar Diet!
David Zinczenko is an American publisher, author, and businessman. Previously, he was the executive vice president and general manager of Men's Health, Women's Health, Prevention and Rodale Books, the editorial director of Men's Fitness and the nutrition and wellness editor at ABC News.
I have had the best news recently: my blood test results came back absolutely NORMAL--good cholesterol, no diabetes, etc. I have reached my weight loss goal and feel terrific! All thanks to following the recommendations and menus in this book.
Zinczenko zeroes in on the added sugars in processed foods as the culprit in the obesity and diabetes epidemic and gives instructions in how to read the labels and choose wisely. He also believes these foods should have more fiber than sugar in their ingredient lists. That alone eliminates a lot of packaged foods! Naturally occurring sugar in fruits, dairy and veggies is fine--it's what is added during processing that is making us fat, he believes.
The Zero Sugar Diet at a glance: 1. Zero sugar carbs: Vegetables: unlimited--eat until you are satisfied. Whole grains, beans, nuts, etc. 2. Fresh fruit: limit to 2 or 3 servings a day. 3. Power protein: eggs, fish, Greek yogurt, lean meat such as turkey, chicken, lean beef, roast pork. 4. Healthy drinks: water, tea, milk, and wine in moderation. No juices EVER. No beer, guys--sorry! 5. Exercise.
After nearly three months of following this plan, my husband is still saying, 'This is the best diet we've ever been on!' But instead of 'diet,' I believe we should call it a lifestyle change, and I hope it will be that because it is definitely a change for better health.
The author's newsletter is available @thezerosugardiet.com. See for recipes, tips, etc. Another book to check out for the science behind these claims: The Case Against Sugar.
Written in an easy-to-read style, yet packed with medical and health research. The author cites many studies and other data in accessible language; he follows up with a diet plan that is easy to understand and follow.
I had recently learned that too much sugar in one’s diet can lead to inflammation throughout the body, which causes joint and nerve pain, digestive problems and other serious health concerns. Yet, I was skeptical about my ability to eliminate or reduce sugar. I’m a believer after reading this book. This is not an extreme or dramatic change to lifestyle. The author explains simple ways to reduce “added sugar” in one’s diet, one of which is simply reading labels and changing your shopping list a bit. For example, I was surprised that most bottled spaghetti sauces has sugar (in many forms) added. I now purchase a brand that does not add sugar, along with many other no-added-sugar (or artificial sweetener, which is worse for your health) products.
My husband and I did the 14-day first phase, and both had favorable results -- weight loss, no sugar cravings or withdrawal, no hunger pangs. We are also enjoying reduced joint pain and increased energy. The best part is that this new way of eating has been easy to maintain (we’ve be at it about a month now); we don’t feel deprived in the least. I know it sounds too good to be true. I’m just glad I set aside my skepticism to give this a try. This is a fabulous book for anyone who wants to improve overall health and loose a bit of weight.
Pretty simple premise; eat foods with no added sugar for fourteen days, be sure to include plenty of protein and drink lots of water. After those initial two weeks select foods with more fiber than sugar. Not sure why it requires an entire book to relate this information. Unless someone has been in a coma for the last twenty years this isn't likely to be much of a revelation. The lone exception is an intriguing study about a hormone known as fibroblast growth factor 21. A selection of recipes, an approved grocery list, and tips for eating in restaurants are also included. It is obvious the author is attempting to keep it light-hearted. He frequently inserts contemporary references that are meant to be humorous. The result, although it does have an easy-to-read style, screams "trying too hard." Additionally, I noticed several times when incorrect values where noted for food values. Was the editor perhaps scarfing down too much sugar?
"A 2016 study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that less than 3 percent of Americans live what the authors dubbed 'a healthy lifestyle.' (Yes, that number is correct: less than 3 percent.) Primarily, that's because of our processed food intake and our overall body fat."
While sugar occurs naturally in foods like fruit, dairy, and vegetables, that's not what anyone needs to worry about. Going on a zero sugar diet really means taking the processed sugars out of your diet. There're everywhere, from the bread in your sandwhich to the jarred pasta sauce on your shelf. Sugar sneaks up in unexpected places (salad dressing) and escalates to toxic levels in unexpected places like fruit yogurt. And of course, it's there in all the obvious places, both food (candies, cookies, crackers, etc.) and beverages (sodas, sports drinks, juices, etc.) alike.
Living without hidden sugars is really a commitment to ending your consumption of processed foods...and a lot of restaurant dining, too. The only way to be safe is to know what you're eating by making it yourself. In the not-too-distant future, food labels will be more explicit about added sugars (vs. natural ones), but for now, it's all on you.
Not to be dismayed, but in the Zero Sugar Diet book, there is an entire page of names that added sugars go under, from the obvious corn syrup to (what?) isomaltulose and other unpronouceables. Often in the list of ingredients in packaged food, more than one type of sugar is listed as well. What the book offers is a 14-day diet (recipes provided), but this really struck me as a "man's menu" of items. The author is the former editor of Men's Health and also penned all those Eat This, Not That books.
There are restaurant suggestions, acceptable packaged food suggestions, a basic exercise plan, and more. Perhaps the most useful takeaway that I got from the book is that replacing sugar with fiber is the best way to be satiated. So in looking for low sugar products, a good rule of thumb is that the fiber content should be higher than the sugar.
Overall, however, it comes down to putting in the basic work yourself: carefully shopping and preparing most of your own meals. And when you do dine out, being prepared ahead of time with acceptable choices. It's a system that can work, but it's not for the lazy.
Bottom line on this is that for 14 days you don't eat anything with added sugar while all your meals & snacks contain fiber and lean protein. Then after that you don't purchase packaged foods with more sugar than fiber.
That's not that complicated, although it does mean finding new products to replace many of the ones I usually buy, and it's significantly more realistic for me than a diet that ditches nearly all carbs (keto). However, I need to significantly reduce the amount of sugar I eat (and give up my much beloved Coca-Cola), so I'll give it a try. Losing weight would be nice too!
2/4/18: FYI update: It's working. We started following this on 4/1/17. First two weeks we followed the plan exactly and lost a bit of weight (which I'd already been working on for a year), continuing to follow the general idea most days (barring occasional holidays, celebrations, or just wanting a cookie once a month). I'm at my lowest weight in several years, losing 14.4 pounds (and a pants size) over the last 10 months and back in a healthy BMI range - but more importantly my fasting blood glucose level (tested Jan 2018) was down 48 points over my Feb 2017 test, and down 26 points from my Feb 2016 test. All my other blood numbers that had been in bad ranges have improved too.
Downside, the book says the diet could eliminate the sugar cravings - well, not significantly for me. There are still many many days when I crave a Coke, but it is easier to resist . And now it's Girl Scout Cookie season, so I'll just have to try to avoid the grocery store on the weekends for a month!
This gets three stars from me only because this diet is common sense and will work. Anyone who eats no added sugar and makes sure to eat a balanced diet including plenty of fiber will be healthier for it. However, the style of the book feels gimmicky and extremely repetitive. I also found a bit of conflicting advice. I read this for free from my library...I would not go out of my way to buy this book.
The Zero Sugar Diet was not anything new in the terms of "how to". You pretty much just don't eat added sugar, fruit is ok b/c of the fiber, etc.
Where I really enjoyed the book was the bodily function aspects of sugar. How it behaves in your body, how other hormones and bodily processes are affected. This aspect of the book provided me more motivation to continue to stick with it. I also liked the information on how artificial sweeteners are just as bad for you.
I've been no sugar/artificial sweetener (except for two cheat days - PMS!) for a few weeks and my skin is clearer, I do have more energy, and my stomach isn't bloated. So I am going to continue on this path.
One thing I DID notice was that on my two cheat days, my face broke out horribly and my stomach was bloated again (though that can be the result of PMS as well). But within a day of going back to sugar/sweetener-free, the inflammation in my skin settled down quite a bit.
A good chunk of the book is recipes (which is how I finished so quickly! LOL). I got something out of a handful of them... but many of them contain foods I'm not fond of (tofu for example) or items I've never tried (quinoa for example). I think I will give some of the new foods a try, but overall, I think I'm just going to end up finding my own receipts utilizing foods I enjoy.
All in all, it was a good book, but a lot of it you can find on the internet also.
I don't know why I keep reading diet books. I guess I'm foolishly looking for some magic words. This one, as do most, has a shit ton of science and tells you how awful sugar is for you and how the food and drug industries conspire against us. Um, yeah, I know. It's why I'm reading the book. 🙄
So skip the first 2/3 and get to the good stuff. There is some really good information and tips that I found useful here and will be implementing. It has, at the very least, given me a bit of motivation to restart my health journey so that's certainly something.
Not a bad book and Zinzenko writes well. Just skip to the practical good stuff.
Now excuse me while I go make some oatmeal - unsweetened, of course!
This book had some interesting facts and ideas about sugar. If you don't enjoy tofu and other 'healthy' foods the recipes won't be helpful. It also has a chapter on doing workouts. The author writes, 'If you are overweight and don't exercise regularly, the One-Minute-in-the-Morning Energizer is custom made for you.' Being an overweight person, in her 50's trying to loose weight, I have to disagree with me doing squats or anything that involves jumping, or doing push-ups. I know better than to try those things. So that's when I became uninterested in trying to follow his recommendations. I'm sure there are people who will benefit from reading this book but it's not for everyone.
Has some good tips, but recommends eating a lot of soy and sleeping only 6-7 hours a night. I'll follow the tips to cut sugar and increase fiber, but the plan is not worth following in its entirety.
This works!! I do not know if I was simply ready to give up sugar or the success was in the book. I prepared and planned my own meals from the allowed list of foods. It was not hard and I was a sugar eater. I have always been a sparkling water and bottled water drinker, soft drinks only on occasion. Please read the book all the way through. I did not use any of the recipes but ate all the things I loved from the list. To forego the sugar for 14 days I allowed myself Fritos and hotdogs because I normally do not eat those foods, but they were on the list. I lost weight and found that once you kill the sugar monster you are never hungry or crave it. You can actually feel the belly fat breaking up. I ate all the other foods and contimued to lose weight. I love this book. I am a creative cook and always look for ways to have what I want but making healthier choices. You are going to be quite surprised if you decide to do the 14 days. After the 14 days you may have a sugary treat or two but you will be amazed when you find it too sweet and I have found its okay if I choose not to eat all the junk. Non GMO popcorn with sea salt and sour dough pretzels were a great help. Eat until satisfied it says. Can you imagine? I think just by reading that I felt at ease and didn't total pig out. The chapter on diseases will hit you in the face. Makes sense.
I always seem to find the latest information on how to live a healthier lifestyle and needed guidance on how to kick my sugar addiction. A lot of surprising information that I found in regards to the added sugars in a lot of our foods. The diet: I expected a little more in depth information, or I should say an easier format to decipher how to follow it. Possibly it's different in the printed version as this was the kindle version so it was a little harder to navigate. The basic concept is just eating clean, there is a lot of confusing information on what has added sugars and having to navigate that so basically eating clean is the best way to go. Eating clean: non-packaged food items, basic proteins, veggies and fruits prepared at home is best. Also found it a little tedious and annoying in the first few chapters where the author constantly talks about the many other books he wrote and has published, it was a bit distracting as I wanted to concentrate on the concepts of this book not what other books he has.
Very interesting book, perhaps could have used some editing, as it dragged in places and repeated the same information many times. On the positive side, I liked the 14-day plan to cut added sugar and artificial sweeteners from my diet, and I am currently on day three of the diet. I like the recipes and especially the lists of products that do not contain added sugar. The downside of this plan is it takes twice as long to grocery shop, because I have to study every label! It is incredible how much sugar is in our food, and I think artificial sweeteners are just as harmful. If nothing else, I hope to overcome my addiction to diet soft drinks! Recommended.
The author put a ton of nutritional and scientific research into this book. I have read another book on the same subject, zero sugar (added sugar - the bad sugar) dieting, in the past. Both were similar. This book not only focuses on the bad sugars that AMERICANS are over eating, but also the science behind fiber and the effects it has on what you eat, and when you eat it. This book delivers so many helpful recipes, with brands you can trust. It also includes exercises to help with your energy levels. Great read! I recommend this book to EVERYONE. We all need to eat more healthy.
I gave this 5 stars because I believe in the message he is trying to spread. The book, however, got a little boring after awhile. Suggestion: once you get the gist of what he is teaching you and are on board with his health advice, then just switch to skimming and looking at more interesting things like food lists and recipes and start skipping or quickly skimming the more meaty paragraph stuff.
I don't know where I heard about this book, but decided to get it from the library and see what it was all about. In a world in which low-carb is now king, this philosophy avoids all added sugars and focuses on increasing the amount of fiber, which promotes gut health and curbs cravings. This is a way of eating that seems balanced and non-extreme, which I appreciate.
This plan is easy to follow with plenty of food choices yet not strange food that is hard to find. I like the information given that explains the effects of sugar. This was an eye opener...no wonder people struggle with weight loss!
Wow. Super fast read. This tells you not only how to cut sugar from your diet but also gives you details on what sugar does in your body, how much sugar is in foods and the science behind all of it. Highly motivating!
I liked how sensible this book was. It refers to added sugars as opposed to getting rid of anything that has sugar, including certain fruits. He points out that the sugar in all kinds of fruit is balanced by the fiber. Not only is the amount of sugar important, but the amount of fiber is the key in everything you eat.
Wow this book is life changing. I’ve implanted the zero sugar diet and seen my body change and how. Yes it is differcult and shocking once you understand what has added sugar but this book really offers you so much from meals to day to day planning. A it’s read for anyone who wants to live a healthy life and look great.
Not very well written, but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks, ADM, (okay, he never mentioned that company in the book), for making sure that added sugar is in everything we eat. It is strange to think that 40 years ago most people wouldn't be overweight in America because the food was different then. I won't follow his diet exactly, but I liked learning about all the food that has added sugar. Basically, um, everything. I know I'll be looking at labels more carefully. Heck, even the A1 steak sauce I ate with the awesome tuna steak last night is something I shouldn't eat. So my rational brain will be reading labels more carefully and understanding why I crave certain foods. I've never been a chocolate craver--I'm more of a salty carb fan, but now I know why. All those added sugars make things delicious. As addictive as crack cocaine, which makes me cringe. I don't want to fall victim to that crap.