The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet: The Lifelong Solution to Yo-Yo Dieting (Signet)

They explain that carbohydrate addicts most commonly crave popcorn, breads, bagels, rice, pasta, potatoes, ice cream, chocolate, pie, cookies, crackers, cake, fruit and fruit juice, potato chips, and pretzels. A questionnaire at the beginning of the book determines if you're indeed a carbohydrate addict, and if so, to what extent. (For those readers whose quiz doesn't indicate addiction, but who are bothered by their food cravings, the authors recommend a doctor's visit for an explanation.) The book includes a diet plan with dozens of easy recipes, a chart of the carbohydrate content of many common foods, and lists of binge triggers to watch for. The most appealing part of the diet--and one reason that it wins raves from its followers--is its once-a-day reward meal, which allows you to eat anything you want. The authors also offer helpful tips for incorporating the diet away from home, such as at parties and restaurants.

Product Description
Filled with sound advice and effective strategies, a guide to putting the individual in charge of eating and weight--for life--includes recipes and menu plans from leading professionals in the field of carbohydrate addiction. Reissue.

1. Eat only protein and fat for Breakfast and Lunch. No bread, fruit, milk, fruit juice, etc. Vegetables, certainly, but try to avoid carrots and broccoli amongst a few others.

2. For dinner, eat whatever you feel like, including dessert, but do so in a 1 hour time interval.

3. No snacking, but black coffee and diet sodas are allowed.

It does seem very Atkins-esque based on the premise that controlling blood insulin levels are key to weight control. In the end, I think a more main stream approach may go further for a true stick-to-it life-long plan. Is carbohydrate addiction real or is it a marketing ploy? I'm getting a little skeptical of some of the books endorsed by Oprah.

Why not go back to a modern diabetic diet that utilizes glycemic indexes to control blood sugar levels and the type of carbohydrates we eat. Simply limit refined flours (found in most breads, cookies and crackers with the exception of pita or stoneground wheat), potatoes and white rice. Try lower glycemic alternatives like brown rice, dairy products including low-fat ice cream, popcorn and pasta. Vegetables and fruit should always be considered "free foods" with no limitations. And yes, exercise!


If you fit the type, it works - this is how   January 4, 2000
152 out of 152 found this review helpful

I didn't see the Oprah show but I used this book in 95. I had been sticking to a low-low-low fat diet at the time and was gaining about 2 pounds a year. The test in the book classified me as a light-to-moderate carbohydrate addict, but the people in the book had so much in common with me that I think I was more addicted than that. Anyway, sticking with the book, I completely eliminated all starch and sugar from EVERY meal and ALL snacks, except for the reward dinner, where I would eat whatever I wanted (pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, chinese food). During the day I would eat lots of fatty, greasy burgers and bacon and eggs. To my amazement I lost 29 pounds in 5 1/2 months. It was not difficult to keep it off, either. I ended up "easing up" on the diet after this time, but kept the general idea of avoiding carbohydrates except for dinner. The weight stayed off. I never had to worry about fats again. And I felt very healthy and pleased. TAKE THE TEST in the book - the authors themselves stress that if you are not specifically a carbo addict, this diet won't work for you. Also, this diet is VERY VERY DIFFERENT from a general low-carbohydrate diet so don't listen to those who say it's all the same. I hope this helps somebody reading it.


THE MOST UPLIFTING THING I COULD HAVE EVER DONE FOR MY SELF   November 19, 1999
145 out of 148 found this review helpful

Well, for starters, when I started the Carbohydrate Addict Diet, I was 25 pounds overweight after 1 year of marriage, which affected me really bad. I was moody, I did not feel good about myself and I knew I could do something about it but just did not have the energy anymore to try. I'm 32 now, but back in the day when I was 20 I had gained weight up to 180 pounds. At 21, I started a diet, started working out and within a year-and-a-half I went down to about 130. Within ten years I gained and lost about fifteen to twenty pounds, but I could never seem to find something that would help me control or help discipline my eating. Eventually I would give up and gain weight, then I'd get frustrated and lose it, and then it turned out to be back and forth for the last ten years. About three years ago, it seemed that I did have it controlled. When I met my husband,I was 145 and felt pretty good, couldn't complain, but as soon as we got married I was too comfortable and gained 25 pounds. I was at the end of my rope with this weight gain and was at home on my day off from work, watching Oprah and there were the Doctors talking about this great diet and how a person didn't even have to deprive themselves. I was thinking "no way", but I did have a positive feeling about this. So, it was about a week a later when I bought the book out of determination and know I feel that it is one of the best things I have ever bought myself. It gave me so much insight about MY body and why I would get these uncontrollable cravings, why I snacked a lot, why I couldn't keep the weight off and why I was going back and forth. I knew that since I was getting older that it was becoming even harder to keep off the weight or at least I thought(I needed something to blame for the weight gain). I started the diet on November 1 and saw the weight coming off as soon as the next day. I could not believe it--exactly what the doctors said would happened, happened. And, because of the reward meal and don't even feel like I'm depriving myself of anything, I actually feel a lot freer about eating and I have more of a positive attitude, plus more energy. It is amazing. Its like I was let out of a prison of some sort, a diet prison. As of today, Nov. 19, I have lost 7 pounds, I couldn't even lose 1 pound within the last year. I'm so glad I have this opportunty to share my experience and encourage others to try this diet if they feel that this is your story also.


The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet   December 19, 1999
135 out of 147 found this review helpful

I think this book is great! I am definitely sensitive to carbohydrates and find myself literally falling asleep after a meal of junk food. I followed the plan for seven weeks and lost 6 pounds. The seventh week I actually gained a pound. Consequently, I became discouraged and fell off the plan. Right away, I found myself feeling tired, depressed, and my mood swings were phenomenol! I checked out a support website for carb addicts and I'm going to try again using some of the tips suggested. Also, my blood pressure was better and my PVC's almost became nonexistant. In reading some other reviews, I noticed one that stated only losing 5 lbs. in 5 weeks--this is supposed to work this way, slowly. And another review said that they couldn't eat just meat and select veggies--not one mention of the all important Reward Meal. Obviously, they either didn't read the whole book, or didn't put into practice the Reward Meal. Without the Reward Meal this plan would be unliveable, but with it it's possible to make this a very balanced and nondeprivational diet--INCLUDING LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES, and whatever else one might feel is necessary to make this a very, VERY HEALTHY way of eating! Thanks!