The Carb Reset: Store Less Fat, Burn the Rest, and Harness the Power of Carbs to Lose Weight

by Harley Pasternak M.Sc.

“An easy-to-follow plan that delivers results.”—Gwyneth Paltrow
“You don’t have to suffer or starve yourself anymore in the name of healthy eating!”—Rob Lowe
“Genius . . . takes all the confusion out of your nutritional choices.”—Jeff Goldblum

Rethink healthy eating, weight loss, and weight management with this revolutionary, science-based guide to resetting your relationship with carbs and fat, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Body Reset Diet and trainer to the stars.

Harley Pasternak has worked with the biggest stars in Hollywood, whipping celebrities into shape for roles and the red carpet. His secret to helping these A-listers may seem counterintuitive, but the proof is in the fasting, detoxes, and carb-avoidance don’t work. Losing weight and looking sculpted require a specific proportion of all macronutrients, including the much-maligned and vilified carbohydrate. Yes, you read that Lean and healthy people really do eat pasta!

The Carb Reset expertly cuts through the noise of toxic diet culture to help reset your relationship to the foods you love but have perhaps been avoiding. Pasternak details why bread, pasta, rice, and fruit should be a part of every healthy meal. He lays out the right combination and quantity of nutrients that speed fat loss, reduce fat storage, and improve your hormonal balance. The secret is quite literally in your hands, thanks to Pasternak’s ingenious and easy-to-remember PATH a Palm of carbohydrates, All the vegetables, a Thumb of fat, and a Hand of protein.

The Carb Reset also includes
• clear explanations of the proven science around how and why your body stores and burns fat
• 50 quick-cook recipes, most of which require as little as five minutes of preparation
• two weeks of meal plans with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free swaps and an “add a treat a week” strategy to work in your favorite dessert or snack

With The Carb Reset you’ll have all the tools you need to take control of your health and reshape your approach to eating well for life.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Cooking

240 pages, Hardcover

Published August 19, 2025

Reviews

[Mahad · Rating 4 out of 5]

About half of the book was fluff, below average for most self help books, I'd say.

There was some valuable content like the portioning of different food types, and the recipes in the end.

Could have been an email + a small recipe book.

[Sarah Schlacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justice for carbs!!!! Breaking the stigma that carbs are evil and I’m here for it

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first heard about this book while listening to health podcasts where the author was being interviewed. He comes across as personable and sincere and that definitely carried over into his book.

Overall, I appreciated the simplicity of his message of not demonizing carbs, but here are a few thoughts I kept turning over in my head. I wondered who the target audience was. While the content felt like a thoughtful start and it was well-organized, it seemed largely geared towards individuals who are already in decent health, as he prepped them for upcoming tv/movie roles. He dropped a lot of famous names early on.

But this didn't feel like the whole picture for one main reason. For the average person navigating multiple health challenges, fat loss usually involves pulling several different levers, not just one or two. The road to optimal wellness isn't one-size-fits-all.

I've noticed from reading other health related books, that some authors present their approach as the way, rather than a way. This book had that tone because he left little room for other perspectives and took many opportunities to point that out.

Personally, I'd love to hear a conversation between this author and others like Ben Bikman or Jason Fung. They each bring a different framework to the table and I think that discussion would be incredibly enlightening for readers trying to figure out what works best for their own bodies.....we are all so different.

So 2 or 3 stars is the question. For those dealing with more complex metabolic issues, additional strategies may be necessary. For me, this was two stars, but I added a star for what this could be for those needing a starting point.

[Calvin Cheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you can't have flexibility in what you eat and eat what you love, there is no pathway to achieving healthy weight loss."

That statement pretty much summarizes the core message of this book. No food is off-limits, one simply has to control one's portion sizes.

The first quarter of the book is about addressing all of the mistakes people have made in following weight-loss programs and fad diets; the second quarter is all about the author's PATH approach to counting portion sizes (a Palm of carbohydrates, All the vegetables, a Thumb of fat, and a Hand of protein); and the last half is a recipe book showcasing meals that follow the PATH approach.

Overall, a very quick and easy read with some interesting points about some of the science in the foods we consume, and the PATH approach seems like a very simple approach to look at portion control, though one should probably do some more research and look at the author's citations to verify his claims.

I personally didn't care for the recipe book, but it's helpful to see how he breaks down individual foods and categorizes them according to his PATH approach.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the author's message. I appreciated his simple approach to food and clarifying how to categorize things. It really resonated with me, especially the not denying, but not over indulging.

[Sharen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical and easy to follow. Common sense approach for food thus making it more sustainable.

[Asbah Rahman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the author repeating the same things over and over every chapter. got very repetitive and boring

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book that takes a balanced and flexible approach to incorporating more nutrient-dense foods into one’s diet, while still keeping all foods on the table!

[Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every so often I will read a book about dieting and get motivated again to try to lose weight. The one and only time I succeeded was with an expensive diet of supplements, and since returning to regular food, I’ve gained back all of that weight. Aside from diets like that, most dieting advice is the same – eat what you want, but with balance and restraint. The book stresses that you don’t have to give up carbs, but instead should eat with portion control and the right amounts of each food type. So yes, you can eat carbs, but make sure they’re whole grain. I appreciated the easy way of remembering how much of each food type you should eat in each meal, which is based on your hand – a palm of carbs, all the vegetables, a thumb of fat, and a hand of protein. I also appreciated the food lists and recipes included at the end of this short book.