The co-host of TLC's hit series, Freaky Eaters, reveals the ultimate diet plan to kick the junk-food habit in just four weeks- without the pain of withdrawal.
In March 2010, The Scripps Research Institute released a study showing how rats on a junk-food diet had just as difficult a time-if not more so-giving up excess fat and sugar as the rats who were struggling to recover from cocaine dependence. The results showed that certain foods actually alter the brain's chemistry, making our consumption of these foods less like an indulgence and more like an addiction.
Our brains require two key neurotransmitters to maintain proper mood and function, serotonin and dopamine. We get a rush of the two when we eat junk food, but the converse is also true: If we stop eating them cold turkey, we go through serotonin and dopamine withdrawal. This is what causes so many dieters to ultimately fail. In order to successfully lose weight, explains Dr. Mike Dow, dieters should be sensitive both to their emotional and physical needs. Dr. Dow, a psychologist who specializes in addictive behavior and eating disorders, introduces a four-week program for breaking the hold that food has over the body, mind, and spirit by gradually decreasing the amount of "bad" foods while increasing activities and foods that boost serotonin and dopamine levels. Sensible and uniquely effective, Diet Rehab eliminates the withdrawal pains of most diet plans, and provides the structure for a sustainable, healthy, and happy lifestyle.
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“Diet Rehab is a smart, innovative, science-based way to end the cravings that are stealing your life. It is filled with practical tips that will make a big difference almost immediately.”—Daniel G. Amen, M.D., author of The Amen Solution
“Dr. Mike’s plan will help you change the emotional eating and food addiction that are preventing you from having the body you’ve always wanted.” —Jackie Warner, author of This is Why You're Fat
“Dr. Mike Dow’s Diet Rehab is the best program out there for making meaningful, lost-lasting changes in treating your food addiction and changing your life.” —J.J. Virgin, cohost of TLC's Freaky Eaters and author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless
“In Diet Rehab, Dr. Mike Dow offers a simple plan that will help readers break free from the painful bondage of food cravings and restore balance to their lives.” —W. Michael Carragher III, D.O., Medical Director and founder of The Body Well, L.A.
“Dr. Mike does a brilliant job of exploring how our hormones and emotions are truly powerful in regard to food and weight—and most important, how we can take control of them!”—Keri Glassman, author of The O2 Diet
Dr. Mike Dow has studied with Dr. Harville Hendrix and been trained in the treatment of addiction at the Betty Ford Center's Professionals in Residence Program. He lives in Los Angeles. ANTONIA BLYTH is a health and beauty writer who works with such publications as US Weekly and Marie Claire UK.
This book has been a life changing for me. I had tried many diets in the past as many of them, always failing. This book has made me realize that dieting does not have to be a chore. It is a way of life, with the right amount of food and exercise, I have already lost 4 pounds with the first week of reading the book. It made it easy for me as many of my negative feelings turned into positive thinking as it informed me that it isn't my fault. I liked the diagrams which is easy to understand. I already order 8 books for my friends so they can all help to get motivated for the new year with me!
I've read countless diet books, and this one was the first one that actually addressed my problem. I've been on probably 25 or more diets and none of them have actually helped me to keep weight off. This one makes so much sense, and once I read all the stuff about brain chemistry, I feel optimistic. And it also didn't vilify me now that I know that the food I've eating actually affects my brain like drugs. I'm on day 4 and am feeling pretty good.
All of us can stay on a diet for a week or two, and many of us have "edited" our food intake to modify how we eat--I have, or else I'd be in real trouble. Fried food, ice cream, butter, milk, bread, these are some foods I've made infrequent in my diet. But like everybody else, I crave what isn't good for me and I "backslide" from time to time. And it's funny, I don't actually enjoy it after I've snacked on something naughty. It's great in the mouth but afterwards....I don't even feel so great. So what if there was a way to stop even wanting to eat, say, ice cream or bread and stay on a healthy course? Dr. Dow takes you on a month's journey to change habits, and it does take four to six weeks to reprogram anything we do habitually.
So what's in this book? The first section describes how food cravings and food chemically affect the brain, with examples how carbs, sugar, fats can work like Ecstasy (an illegal recreational drug.) The next section describes how to add serotonin (relaxation-production) or dopamine-enhancing (stimulant-craving) foods depending on your physiology. Some of us crave things that sedate us, some of us want things that stimulate. Knowing your own brain biochemistry can help you pick foods to feed the need, and avoid the craving. This is revolutionary to me--pick foods, not just because they are low carb, low glycemic, high fiber, low cholesterol, but to directly interact with the part of the brain that drives food "addiction" or cravings. In other words, it's not lack of willpower, it's a neurological drive that you can modify by eating what calms the brain down. Calorie counting is not part of this, either. You eat what is going to work for your biochemistry....
Then, the next part of the book teaches you to look for triggering situations (are you a stress eater? An emotional eater? What are the triggers that lead to eating the wrong foods? Fatigue? Dr. Dow teaches how to detect those triggering situations and what's more, what to do about them to cut them off at the pass (saving you from a binge...)
Finally, you learn how to detox and reprogram your diet to lead a healthier life, gradually and without undue annoyance. It's no wonder this book has gotten so much positive press. It's not about willpower, deprivation, scolding, cooking, non cooking, nutrition. It's about YOU, your life, your brain and your reaction to life's stresses past and present. And it lets you customize your diet to maximize the chances for success, and slowly reprogram yourself to achieve your goal and stay on it.
There are seven days of example menus, either "booster" or "peaceful" dinners, lunches, breakfasts, but the recipes are not laid out like recipes in cookbooks (not easy to read--but this isn't really a cookbook.)
There is also an appendix or two, one has who should NOT use this reprogramming plan (anorexics, those who are highly depressed, those with diabetes--you have to balance your foods via a diabetes diet, a drug user or alcoholic as your biochemistry is overwhelmed by substance abuse, and those who are just excessively thin (you could have had wasting from cancer treatment, for example, and need a higher calorie diet to prevent loss of body mass.)
I have the Kindle edition. The Table of Contents works fine, but the Index is not page numbered. However, I like the Kindle for books such as this, so I can overlook the inconvenience. But it is true that the print version is more usable, if you rely on an index for looking up information. That, and the format of the recipes is my only criticism, but it's not enough for me to deduct a star from my recommendation, which is --GREAT BOOK!Read more ›
This book constantly refers to print edition page numbers and there is no way to find those pages on a Kindle nor is there any way to jump to a reference. The content seems excellent. But for a how- to book, the cross reference problem makes it unusable on a kindle reader.
My doctor told me on my last visit that I am headed for diabetes and/or a heart attack. Sugar not only contributes to metabolic syndrome and diabetes, it causes inflammation that affects the liver and circulatory system as well. I joined a gym the second week of January and according to the body fat analysis I had 43% body at 135 pounds (five feet tall).
I have known for a long time that I need to get a handle on my eating, but my resolutions last about 12 hours... or less. The cravings for carbs and sweets are so powerful, I have feel out of control and desperate.
I have been working on the program in the book for about 5 weeks now and have lost 6 pounds so far. That doesn't sound like a lot but for the past six months I would spend 6 to 8 days to lose a couple of pounds then gain it all back over the weekend.
I have also lost inches from my waist, thighs and arms. I haven't actually implemented all of the "booster" foods and activities yet. I have been thinking about an iced sugar cookie from the mall food court for over 24 hours now, but at least I haven't hopped into the car and gone to get it. Hopefully as I continue with the program The obsessive thoughts will fade away.
This book really makes sense. I like how Dr. Mike not only helps you change food habits, but also gives you daily tasks to enhance your life and make it fuller. I'm going to give it a try. His philosophy for eating is based on research and facts, so I'm hoping for great results.
Great book gave insight to so many issues I have or have had. I definitely recommend this book. I started the program with my husband this week and am feeling great!!
This book finally shows you how to change you eating habits, the way you feel about food and enables you to finally lose the weight. Dr Mike understands the reasons why you make food choices and shows you how to gradually make changes and eat better. Must read for your good health.
