David Zinczenko - Zero Sugar Cookbook

This book proposes a program of diet and exercise recommendations for the reader to follow. However, you should consult a qualified medical professional (and, if you are pregnant, your ob/gyn) before starting this or any other fitness program. Please seek your doctors advice before making any decisions that affect your health or extreme changes in your diet, particularly if you suffer from any medical condition or have any symptom that may require treatment. As with any diet or exercise program, if at any time you experience any discomfort, stop immediately and consult your physician.

Copyright 2018 by David Zinczenko

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

B ALLANTINE and the H OUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

Portions of this book previously appeared in Eat This, Not That!

ISBN9781984817334

Ebook ISBN9781984817341

randomhousebooks.com

Book design by Andy Turnbull, adapted for ebook

Photography by Waterbury Publications

Cover design: Andy Turnbull

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This book is dedicated to anyone who thought they couldnt live without added sugarsand are now living the sweet life, free of them. May these irresistibly delicious recipes keep every American well, and well fed, in the battle against obesity.

Want to know the real power of any diet plan?

Its so simple. Ive been at the forefront of the weight-loss fight for more than twenty years and I can tell you, without question, there are many ways to lose weight but there is only one way to make that weight loss permanent.

Think about every diet youor anybody elsehas tried. Diets work. Even the craziest ones (there is no Whale Blubber Diet, but I bet if you lived in Alaska and ate 1,200 calories of whale blubber a day and nothing else, youd lose weightthough I dont know how healthy youd be). Calorie restriction has been shown again and again to work for weight loss. And that means all kinds of calorie restriction. Im not here to pass judgment on all the diet plans out there. But I can tell you this: I have been boots-on-the-ground for healthy weight loss for decades and research may evolve, new ideas may emerge, tastes may change, but when it comes to any diet or eating plan, to be successful, you have to have one crucial element.

Good food? Well, yes.

Results backed by science? Yes, that, too.

Motivation? Of course.

Okay, maybe you need more than one element, but I can say that the Zero Sugar Diet has all of these things going for it. But we need to add one more.

Its easy to forget about it because dieters are so focused on the food, the science, the motivation. In the past twenty years, Ive spoken with thousands of people who are serious about changing their lifestyles for the better, losing weight, and eating with intelligence. Theyve been on many different diet plans and most of them have lost impressive amounts of weight on each of them. Even the diet plans Ive created over the yearsThe Abs Diet, eighteen editions of Eat This, Not That!, The Super Metabolism Diet, The Zero Belly Diet, and now The Zero Sugar Dietare all effective and literally have resulted in people losing more than a million total pounds.

But every single one of them requires something that pushes beyond the food, the science, and the motivation for long-term, permanent success: sustainability.

Lets make it fridge-worthy (or maybe meme-worthy, or whatever will help you remember the sentiment):

You can lose the weight if you stick to the plan. But can you stick to the plan after you lose the weight?

The Zero Sugar Diet was a phenomenal success, but it was designed as a fourteen-day plan. Will it work after those fourteen days? Of course! Itll work as a long-term lifestyle and I encourage it. And thats why were here. I spoke with so many of those Zero Sugar dieters on our test panel and after the book went on sale, and as successful as they had been, as good as they felt, as healthy as theyd become, they all had one common request. And I consider that request to be a synonym for sustainability: IDEAS.

"I lost 10 pounds and have a flatter tummy!"

LISA GARDNER, ELGIN, SC

The Zero Sugar Diet, thankfully, includes zero whale blubber. It includes a fantastic roster of healthy, whole foods that can be combined in dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to make each meal delicious and satisfying. And that, friends, is why were here for the Zero Sugar Cookbook. You wanted to succeed on the Zero Sugar Diet, you have succeeded, and now you want to live a healthier lifestyle according to the simple Zero Sugar guidelines. What do you need? Ideas!

So here they are in one book: dozens of recipes that capture the essence of the Zero Sugar Dieteliminating added or hidden sugars from the foods we eat (particularly processed or prepared foods)while giving you what you really want: delicious, healthy options for meals and snacks throughout your day.

What do I want for breakfast tomorrow? Heres an idea (see ).

I could use some snack suggestions. Here are some more (see ).

I want to plan dinners for the week and Im out of ideas. Try these (see ). Ideas drive any healthy lifestyle, and the Zero Sugar Cookbook has hundreds of ideas that can be mixed and matched and played with to form even more ideas.

I see the Roasted Carrots recipe on . I love it, but what if I combine it with(insert your great idea here)?

The TurkeySweet Potato Breakfast Hash on is amazing. I can have it for dinner! Yes, you can.

Ooo, I really like the Muffin-Tin Meal on . Finally something that keeps me on track that I can serve to the whole family.

See? Ideas.

Thats what I want you to keep in mind as you read this book. Its something to lean on, especially when your brain is luring you toward less-healthy foods. Quite simply, you dont need them. The recipes in this book arent just healthy, theyre stunningly delicious and satisfying. Youll see in the coming chapters exactly why theyre so amazing (hint: fewer added sugars and more flavor and nutrition, for starters), but for now, take this to heart: You can dive into the Zero Sugar Diet, or continue embracing it, and never run out of meal and snack ideas. Thats why I created this book. Ideas for sustainability. Success insurance. Or maybe just another weapon in the fight against temptation.