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Breaking Up with Sugar: Divorce the Diets, Drop the Pounds, and Live Your Best Life
nan
288 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2019
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530 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 11, 2020
Breaking Up with Sugar: Divorce the Diets, Drop the Pounds, and Live Your Best Life by Molly Carmel is a book I am unable to finish. I am halfway through and I think I have been punished enough. Because this is an audiobook, it feels like being preached at for hours and hours. We all know processed sugar is bad, processed flour is bad and if you are enjoying something, it probably is very bad. According to the author, during 66 days, you must weigh all your food and eat often, while avoiding any fun food. If you want to feel guilty about your diet and weight, this book is for you: Molly Carmel will pound it into your head that you are doing everything wrong. So I am quitting this book and will pour myself a smoothie, which is very bad for me.
February 10, 2020
This is a good book if you are on a beginning journey in giving up sugar (and grain flours). I started a sugar free diet a few years ago until I got sick and this book didn't give me anything new that I didn't already know. It's quite basic, I didn't really get a feel for the book at all. My other bug bear were the case studies. I'm all for them but here there's too many and they're too long. It's not a bad book but could've been better
January 10, 2020
Διαβάζω ενώ στο μεταξύ καταβροχθίζω τον τελευταίο κουραμπιέ (γιατί η φράση "τα μελομακάρονα που περίσεψαν" είναι γραμματικά και εννοιολογικά λανθασμένη). The irony...
Το βιβλίο τώρα. Ενδιαφέρον, λίγο αφοριστικό, λίγο επαναλαμβανόμενο, και ιδιαίτερα προς το τέλος, λίγο κουραστικό.
2.5/5
Το βιβλίο τώρα. Ενδιαφέρον, λίγο αφοριστικό, λίγο επαναλαμβανόμενο, και ιδιαίτερα προς το τέλος, λίγο κουραστικό.
2.5/5
January 23, 2023
Sad to say the tone and writing in this book did not work for me. I did want to give a fair review, so finished the entire book. I listened on Audible. The narrator (the author) was fine, and overall quite perky. I thought I was getting a fact based book about sugar addiction and how to drop sugar from your diet and control cravings. Instead, I found I was reading an infomercial for Molly's nutritional counseling practice, with a few studies, lots of encouraging words and understanding murmuring about why it isn't your fault that you are addicted to sugar.
Pros:
1. Listening to this book will convey to the reader that consuming sugar and flour is very addictive for some people. In order to break the addiction, all sugar and flour needs to be removed from the diet. Easier said than done, as the food industry has sugar hiding under multiple names and in most forms of processed foods. Consuming sugar lights up the brain's pleasure receptors in the same way that snorting cocaine does. If you are addicted to sugar, it is almost impossible to stop at just a handful of peanut m&Ms, cookies, ice-cream, etc. Even a small bite can trigger the need for more and more sugar. Interesting to keep in mind.
2. When buying processed food items in the store, don't buy anything that has flour or sugar in the first five ingredients.
Cons:
1. Seemingly around 1/3 of this book were "letters" that had been written to Molly about the writer's experience with breaking up with sugar under her guidance. Molly is a nutritional counselor who helps others break up with sugar, thus the book. These letter all extolled how wonderful Molly's services were for them and how the writer's lives were so much better due to their sessions with Molly. Eyeroll. Like a giant infomercial. They all sounded the same! Like the same person wrote or edited them. I'm very glad all of these folks had positive experiences with Molly, but if I had wanted to read reviews about her nutritional counseling services, I would look her up and read the reviews on her website.
2. Redundant, generic writing. Very generically encouraging. What do you do when a sugar craving hits? Be uncomfortable. Take a bath. Go for a run. Put your head under ice-water. Go for a walk. Not until the very end is it even mentioned that consuming more protein might help stave off cravings. I was looking for studies that showed what worked. Not a cheerleader saying "you can do it"
3. So much food reference to sugary foods, I found myself wanting sugary foods!! Yikes.
I have a MS in Nutritional Sciences, so perhaps know a bit too much about nutrition for a book like this to hold my interest. I have kids who are D1 collegiate athletes and nowhere in this book was anything about incorporating a sugar-free life into a highly athletic life to be found. I have references for other books about sugar addiction that I plan to read next. (Sugar Blues, The Case Against Sugar, Pure, White and Deadly: The new facts about the sugar you eat as a cause of heart disease, diabetes and other killers) for those interested.
Pros:
1. Listening to this book will convey to the reader that consuming sugar and flour is very addictive for some people. In order to break the addiction, all sugar and flour needs to be removed from the diet. Easier said than done, as the food industry has sugar hiding under multiple names and in most forms of processed foods. Consuming sugar lights up the brain's pleasure receptors in the same way that snorting cocaine does. If you are addicted to sugar, it is almost impossible to stop at just a handful of peanut m&Ms, cookies, ice-cream, etc. Even a small bite can trigger the need for more and more sugar. Interesting to keep in mind.
2. When buying processed food items in the store, don't buy anything that has flour or sugar in the first five ingredients.
Cons:
1. Seemingly around 1/3 of this book were "letters" that had been written to Molly about the writer's experience with breaking up with sugar under her guidance. Molly is a nutritional counselor who helps others break up with sugar, thus the book. These letter all extolled how wonderful Molly's services were for them and how the writer's lives were so much better due to their sessions with Molly. Eyeroll. Like a giant infomercial. They all sounded the same! Like the same person wrote or edited them. I'm very glad all of these folks had positive experiences with Molly, but if I had wanted to read reviews about her nutritional counseling services, I would look her up and read the reviews on her website.
2. Redundant, generic writing. Very generically encouraging. What do you do when a sugar craving hits? Be uncomfortable. Take a bath. Go for a run. Put your head under ice-water. Go for a walk. Not until the very end is it even mentioned that consuming more protein might help stave off cravings. I was looking for studies that showed what worked. Not a cheerleader saying "you can do it"
3. So much food reference to sugary foods, I found myself wanting sugary foods!! Yikes.
I have a MS in Nutritional Sciences, so perhaps know a bit too much about nutrition for a book like this to hold my interest. I have kids who are D1 collegiate athletes and nowhere in this book was anything about incorporating a sugar-free life into a highly athletic life to be found. I have references for other books about sugar addiction that I plan to read next. (Sugar Blues, The Case Against Sugar, Pure, White and Deadly: The new facts about the sugar you eat as a cause of heart disease, diabetes and other killers) for those interested.
February 6, 2020
This is an annoying, ridiculous, and simplistic book. Basically you are supposed to go on a no sugar, no grain diet for 66 days straight, while eating every four hours. It claims to be revolutionary but is so similar to other NSNG diets out there and doesn't seem to do anything to really help a person who wants sweets.
The worst part is how eye-rolling the writing style is. The author claims to have discovered something new and goes off on tangents about all sorts of things, mostly bragging about herself or people who have followed her diet. Is she a medical professional or nutritionist? No--she is a social worker! Take her advice with a big grain of salt.
It was disappointing to see her make claims that didn't represent the entire medical community, focusing on only a few studies and not giving a balance. She actually says that sugar can be classified as a medical addiction. Seriously? Then food itself is a medical addiction, right?
What about 50 years ago when plenty of people used sugar but didn't have the many health problems we have today? Well she excuses that away as being due to the whole grains used back then. Silly. She fails to address head-on legitimate uses of sugar or the history of it.
By the way, she defines sugar as anything (there's a list of 61), including sugar substitutes, honey, and fruits like raisins. Then in the middle of the book she says that if you have to eat sugar or grain make sure it's at least the fifth or later ingredient in the product list. Huh? What happened to her NSNG rules? So if you go on her diet you really are not going "sugar-free" because all those items she claims act exactly the same as sugar in your body. Of course that's not true, and she then allows you to have small amounts of sugar. It just doesn't make logical sense.
To have a social worker write a diet book is a mistake. There's little to support her methods other than stories from people. As you we all know anyone can make these claims. If you're really looking for a way to lower sugar intake or want true medical information on how to deal with eating too much sugar, don't look here.
The worst part is how eye-rolling the writing style is. The author claims to have discovered something new and goes off on tangents about all sorts of things, mostly bragging about herself or people who have followed her diet. Is she a medical professional or nutritionist? No--she is a social worker! Take her advice with a big grain of salt.
It was disappointing to see her make claims that didn't represent the entire medical community, focusing on only a few studies and not giving a balance. She actually says that sugar can be classified as a medical addiction. Seriously? Then food itself is a medical addiction, right?
What about 50 years ago when plenty of people used sugar but didn't have the many health problems we have today? Well she excuses that away as being due to the whole grains used back then. Silly. She fails to address head-on legitimate uses of sugar or the history of it.
By the way, she defines sugar as anything (there's a list of 61), including sugar substitutes, honey, and fruits like raisins. Then in the middle of the book she says that if you have to eat sugar or grain make sure it's at least the fifth or later ingredient in the product list. Huh? What happened to her NSNG rules? So if you go on her diet you really are not going "sugar-free" because all those items she claims act exactly the same as sugar in your body. Of course that's not true, and she then allows you to have small amounts of sugar. It just doesn't make logical sense.
To have a social worker write a diet book is a mistake. There's little to support her methods other than stories from people. As you we all know anyone can make these claims. If you're really looking for a way to lower sugar intake or want true medical information on how to deal with eating too much sugar, don't look here.
January 24, 2020
How can anybody review and rate a book about nutrition and diet? Seriously, some people will say this is horrible while others say it's life changing. A LOT of the book is motivation and is short a little on examples and instruction on executing the changes. That doesn't mean this book is bad because it's the cold hard truth about sugar in the modern diet and how it's causing us horrible medical problems and dietary failures. It's time for a change and this book makes this very clear. I'm the kind of person who learns from examples though and I'd love some more examples of eating healthy on the Sugar Divorce. I know how to make it though the 66-day change but I'm gonna need a little more variety in the long run. Regardless, I'm in!
October 13, 2021
3.5 stars
I'm giving it a go. 66 days of no sugar and no grain flour. We'll see how it works out.
I like the idea of the diet. The science makes sense to me. My problems with the book are mostly because the book is written almost exclusively for people who want to lose weight. As an average size male with diabetes, my need to lose my addiction to sugar comes from a different place entirely and so, many of the "vows" aren't valid for me. Almost every story and example in the book (and there are a LOT of them) is about someone who has been yo-yo dieting their whole life and wants a way out. Rarely does she mention people like myself.
I'm giving it a go. 66 days of no sugar and no grain flour. We'll see how it works out.
I like the idea of the diet. The science makes sense to me. My problems with the book are mostly because the book is written almost exclusively for people who want to lose weight. As an average size male with diabetes, my need to lose my addiction to sugar comes from a different place entirely and so, many of the "vows" aren't valid for me. Almost every story and example in the book (and there are a LOT of them) is about someone who has been yo-yo dieting their whole life and wants a way out. Rarely does she mention people like myself.
June 11, 2020
Disclaimer that I am not the intended audience for this book. I was able to identify this fact even one chapter into the book but it became much clearer throughout this book.
That said, I do appreciate the approach in this book. By treating sugar as both an addiction and a toxic relationship, the book offers a new approach to food. I had thought about my relationship to food but never about being in a relationship with food. It’s a clever idea and a perfect analogy. I don’t think I learned almost anything in the first half of the book. It could have been condensed down into something much shorter as it was mostly a build up to the actual actions in the second half. If anything, it felt like a sales pitch for itself.
While the stories of all the people were supposed to be inspiring (I think), I found them repetitive and boring. I ended up skipping over a lot of them by the end of the book. Let me save you the trouble of reading them because they are all the same.
“I have struggled with my weight/binging/health and nothing seemed to work. I had tried everything. Then I met molly and broke up with sugar. Life is more vibrant and wonder. Not only have I lost weight, I also feel much better and don’t regret it”. That’s really it. They felt like those “customer reviews” that websites publish to get you to buy their product. If it’s convincing for you, great, but I found them useless.
Despite these flaws, the idea is interesting and Molly is so encouraging that if you suspect that you have a bad relationship with food (even if you are convinced it’s not sugar) this book is worth a shot. If you find after some of the self evaluations that it’s just not for you then by all means move on to something else.
That said, I do appreciate the approach in this book. By treating sugar as both an addiction and a toxic relationship, the book offers a new approach to food. I had thought about my relationship to food but never about being in a relationship with food. It’s a clever idea and a perfect analogy. I don’t think I learned almost anything in the first half of the book. It could have been condensed down into something much shorter as it was mostly a build up to the actual actions in the second half. If anything, it felt like a sales pitch for itself.
While the stories of all the people were supposed to be inspiring (I think), I found them repetitive and boring. I ended up skipping over a lot of them by the end of the book. Let me save you the trouble of reading them because they are all the same.
“I have struggled with my weight/binging/health and nothing seemed to work. I had tried everything. Then I met molly and broke up with sugar. Life is more vibrant and wonder. Not only have I lost weight, I also feel much better and don’t regret it”. That’s really it. They felt like those “customer reviews” that websites publish to get you to buy their product. If it’s convincing for you, great, but I found them useless.
Despite these flaws, the idea is interesting and Molly is so encouraging that if you suspect that you have a bad relationship with food (even if you are convinced it’s not sugar) this book is worth a shot. If you find after some of the self evaluations that it’s just not for you then by all means move on to something else.
June 16, 2022
This book changed my life. I had a sneaking suspicion that quitting sugar would be a good idea. When I cut out artificial sweeteners to reduce migraines I noticed a resulting reduction in sugar cravings and lost a couple of unwanted pounds without trying. I started doing some research and stumbled across Molly’s book. Molly provided everything I needed to move further by cutting out all added sugar, added sweeteners including natural ones like stevia, and grain flour. She provides the science, guidance, tools, and lots of encouragement. However, I do think there could be more recipes, or actual recipes. What is provided is more like “combine this pre-made food with this other pre-made food”. I would love to see Molly partner with someone on a cookbook. Nothing complicated but something more than Ezekiel bread and peanut butter. For one thing, it is really hard to find recipes that speak to this specific way of eating since it isn’t exactly paleo, keto, Whole30, etc… though all have similarities and those resources can be inspiring.
I started out morbidly obese with chronic pain due to migraines and orthopedic issues. 20 months and 70 dropped pounds later and I am comfortably at a normal weight. Migraines are rare and chronic pain is manageable without medication - just regular exercise and stretching. I don’t miss sugar and I definitely don’t miss the pain. I’ve survived two birthdays now without cake! I started my own recipe and meal blog with very easy accessible recipes and meal ideas here: https://wordpress.com/view/nosugarlib...
Molly has a podcast I like listening to. I highly recommend following her. She is down to earth, welcoming, and warm.
I started out morbidly obese with chronic pain due to migraines and orthopedic issues. 20 months and 70 dropped pounds later and I am comfortably at a normal weight. Migraines are rare and chronic pain is manageable without medication - just regular exercise and stretching. I don’t miss sugar and I definitely don’t miss the pain. I’ve survived two birthdays now without cake! I started my own recipe and meal blog with very easy accessible recipes and meal ideas here: https://wordpress.com/view/nosugarlib...
Molly has a podcast I like listening to. I highly recommend following her. She is down to earth, welcoming, and warm.
November 2, 2021
This book is so good I am now reading it twice complete with highlighters and post it notes. I am absolutely determined to give up sugar and flour and improve my physical and mental health. This book makes SO much sense, quite honestly anyone who reads and dismisses it needs to question their fairly probable sugar addiction and then consider the very real fact that they are endangering their physical and mental health by allowing sugar to literally consume them. And I speak as a person who has spent 20 years in its grip and 20 in complete denial over it, trying every fad diet, hating myself, wallowing in chocolate at the slightest upset. It’s nothing short of self abuse. Please, give this book a chance!
November update - I have now read this book twice and also downloaded the audio version. In late October I went on holiday and got into the holiday spirit with a small amount of chocolate- wow was I ill. Never again. This book has completely opened my eyes to the way humans should best be eating for the very best mental and physical health ; no sugar or flour products.
November update - I have now read this book twice and also downloaded the audio version. In late October I went on holiday and got into the holiday spirit with a small amount of chocolate- wow was I ill. Never again. This book has completely opened my eyes to the way humans should best be eating for the very best mental and physical health ; no sugar or flour products.
August 19, 2021
I rated this book as 5 stars because I never felt so much love coming out of an author of a self-help book.
Molly is genuine in helping me realize that I am in a very damaging relationship with Sugar and Flour. I knew the danger for decades. Alas, it takes a paradigm shift to ACTUALLY quit Sugar and Flour.
This book did just that. It shifted my paradigm in thinking that Sugar and Flour as feel-good food into seeing them for what they really are: SWEET POISONS!
I like Molly's writing style. She is candid and funny. Furthermore, she has a sound background as a behavioral therapist. Therefore whatever she wrote is supported by scientific journals.
Because of this book, I am committed to making 2021 the year I quit Sugar and Flour.
Molly is genuine in helping me realize that I am in a very damaging relationship with Sugar and Flour. I knew the danger for decades. Alas, it takes a paradigm shift to ACTUALLY quit Sugar and Flour.
This book did just that. It shifted my paradigm in thinking that Sugar and Flour as feel-good food into seeing them for what they really are: SWEET POISONS!
I like Molly's writing style. She is candid and funny. Furthermore, she has a sound background as a behavioral therapist. Therefore whatever she wrote is supported by scientific journals.
Because of this book, I am committed to making 2021 the year I quit Sugar and Flour.
July 3, 2020
Chapters 8 and 9 were my favorites. I am not going to go totally off sugar, and never intended to. It has been really helpful for me to look at my relationship with sugar and the control that it sometimes has in my life. I really appreciated the loving, yet passionate tone of the book and the real, measurable tools it gives to look at sugars effects. I have wanted to stop numbing with food and eating a lot at night, and so for me, this book brought a lot of support and empowerment.
November 15, 2022
I don’t agree with diets, not anymore.
You wanna lose weight? Eat less, stay in a caloric deficit.
When I’ve picked up this book I did it only because I wanna see the true effect that sugar has on my body. To learn more about it.
One morning I woke up late and I didn’t had the time for my daily cup of mega sugary coffee and I threw such a fit that I am still ashamed of myself for it. I couldn’t stop the anger.
So, a change must be made.
This book is super bushy, I really enjoyed it!
It had many examples of experiences and foods to eat and it was comprehensive.
Truly the best one in the field.
You wanna lose weight? Eat less, stay in a caloric deficit.
When I’ve picked up this book I did it only because I wanna see the true effect that sugar has on my body. To learn more about it.
One morning I woke up late and I didn’t had the time for my daily cup of mega sugary coffee and I threw such a fit that I am still ashamed of myself for it. I couldn’t stop the anger.
So, a change must be made.
This book is super bushy, I really enjoyed it!
It had many examples of experiences and foods to eat and it was comprehensive.
Truly the best one in the field.
February 24, 2023
It’s taken me nearly a year to finish this and I’ve realized it’s not because I’m not serious about reducing my sugar intake, but because it’s just really not helpful. In one chapter she asks you to vow to never eat sugar (and flour!) again but yet in another chapter writes - and I quote here - “Periods of heavy restriction…make us more vulnerable to cravings and urges to overeat.”
If nothing it’s a good reminder to consult someone trained in this field, like a Registered Dietitian.
If nothing it’s a good reminder to consult someone trained in this field, like a Registered Dietitian.
October 26, 2020
Це ледь чи не перша книга про здорове харчування, яку я прочитала. Бо, здавалося б, і так усе зрозуміло: їж корисне, уникай шкідливого — й буде тобі щастя. Хоча насправді причина такого мого ігнору подібної літератури полягала в тому, що я ніколи не мала проблем із зайвою масою тіла. Поки не подорослішала настільки, що почала підозрювати: проблеми все-таки можуть з’явитися))) Тож ліпше підготуватися до війни заздалегідь, ніж потім хапатися за соломинку, чи не так?)))
Вибір упав на Моллі Кармел, тому що, по-перше, це одна з книг, над якими я працюю, а по-друге, мені зімпонував її підхід до викладу матеріалу. Тут дійсно багато науки — бо ж як інакше переконати сучасного читача в об’єктивності інформації й надійності її джерел? Однак подана ця інформація дуже дохідливо й навіть дотепно: цукор у книзі порівнюється з колишнім партнером, токсичні стосунки з яким роблять вас нещасними. То навіщо вони взагалі? Потрібно попрощатися з таким "коханим" і зажити здоровим і щасливим життям.
Розповідаючи про свої стосунки з цукром (а авторка з дитинства мала неабиякі проблеми з масою тіла), Моллі Кармел щиро розказує про всі невдачі, які раз по раз твердили їй: нічого в тебе не вийде, навіть не сподівайся! Проте жінка не здавалася. Вона була настільки цілеспрямованою, що зрештою знайшла причину своїх проблем і змогла її усунути. Ну, ви вже здогадалися: це цукор. Його нині можна зустріти практично скрізь і в усьому. Навіть у звичайному борошні. Тому й радить авторка їсти хліб не зі звичайного, а з цільнозерновеого борошна. І не просто радить, а дохідливо обґрунтовує, чому й навіщо. А ще наводить історії своїх пацієнтів (бо наразі має клініку, в якій допомагає важковаговикам позбутися важкості) й ділиться цілою купою цікавезних корисних рецептів! Оцей розділ мені сподобався найбільше!
Вибір упав на Моллі Кармел, тому що, по-перше, це одна з книг, над якими я працюю, а по-друге, мені зімпонував її підхід до викладу матеріалу. Тут дійсно багато науки — бо ж як інакше переконати сучасного читача в об’єктивності інформації й надійності її джерел? Однак подана ця інформація дуже дохідливо й навіть дотепно: цукор у книзі порівнюється з колишнім партнером, токсичні стосунки з яким роблять вас нещасними. То навіщо вони взагалі? Потрібно попрощатися з таким "коханим" і зажити здоровим і щасливим життям.
Розповідаючи про свої стосунки з цукром (а авторка з дитинства мала неабиякі проблеми з масою тіла), Моллі Кармел щиро розказує про всі невдачі, які раз по раз твердили їй: нічого в тебе не вийде, навіть не сподівайся! Проте жінка не здавалася. Вона була настільки цілеспрямованою, що зрештою знайшла причину своїх проблем і змогла її усунути. Ну, ви вже здогадалися: це цукор. Його нині можна зустріти практично скрізь і в усьому. Навіть у звичайному борошні. Тому й радить авторка їсти хліб не зі звичайного, а з цільнозерновеого борошна. І не просто радить, а дохідливо обґрунтовує, чому й навіщо. А ще наводить історії своїх пацієнтів (бо наразі має клініку, в якій допомагає важковаговикам позбутися важкості) й ділиться цілою купою цікавезних корисних рецептів! Оцей розділ мені сподобався найбільше!
June 14, 2020
Finally somebody who gets it!!!! Somebody who has lived, conquered and triumphant against the abusive SUGAR! This book helped me see not just the head knowledge that sugar is the problem, but the tools to conquer the Psychology of kicking sugar to the curb.
July 19, 2020
I like that Molly is a therapist and uses many techniques from addictions counselling that I use with my clients. It’s a good structure and good foundation for making change to your long term eating habits.
May 28, 2020
Lost 20 pounds!
January 29, 2021
I loved Molly's approach to Sugar and Flour. As someone who (I can now fully admit) is addicted to Sugar, she gave a good solid plan focused on behavioral approaches rather than a "diet".
August 29, 2021
Maybe a 2.5. There is a lot of attention to the behavioral/cognitive issues with food addiction in this book. Since I want to just decrease sugar in my diet, I felt like I was listening for the gems. Also, “see pdf” on an audiobook is not helpful, a link would be preferable.
I liked the science behind behaviors and discussion of dopamine response to sugar, but there is a lot of redundancy in this book.
I liked the science behind behaviors and discussion of dopamine response to sugar, but there is a lot of redundancy in this book.
February 17, 2025
Feels very punitive to follow this regime however a lot of sense
May 4, 2022
I did like this book and it had some insightful information. Although I am not completely ready to let go of sugar and flour yet. My only challenge was the letters from people who follow the program. Lots of I am the best and What I can do for you. Some of the information is in other books but what makes this different is the affirmations and the mental awareness a person needs to achieve their goals.
January 6, 2023
I started reading this book over the summer and had a hard time getting thru it. I def agree with her about sugar and flour is an addiction just as much as drugs or caffeine. And I did try cutting out sugar but I def did not get thru 66 days. I am not giving it a 3 because I found it too hard to give up sugar entirely. I gave it a 3 because comparatively to other books, I felt like it coulda been shorter and sweeter lol. I did however like the stories of others she added in.
November 19, 2024
I was intrigued by how a book could be both anti-sugar and anti-diet culture, but this book sorta pulls it off.
I am incapable of being moderate about sugar intake, so the times when I have been/felt healthiest have been when I cut it out altogether. However, that is VERY difficult to do. This book does a great job of addressing all the reasons why it’s so difficult to cut back/down on sugar, without getting into a ton of pseudoscience. The author addresses the coping skills so many of us don’t have, and how to hone those skills to avoid turning to sugar to soothe ourselves.
The book uses a “relationship with food” “abusive relationship/loving relationship” analogy/framework, which mostly works well. Although I’m not as sugar-addicted as a lot of the people quoted in this book, I still learned a lot and it gave me a lot of food for thought (pardon the pun).
Second reading: I decided to review this book because it is birthday cake season in my house, and I always end up feeling worse after eating too much cake. This time I noticed so many great insights that I did not hear the first time. So much so that I immediately read it AGAIN after finishing it a second time. I think it’s just a great, measured approach to a healthy relationship with food. I am not ever going to give up flour (sorry, Molly!), but I do like her approach.
Fourth reading: this book has become a guiding light for me during food-heavy seasons (currently Thanksgiving/Christmas). I just love the analogy she uses for a healthy relationship with food and I think it helps me stay true to my own values around food.
I am incapable of being moderate about sugar intake, so the times when I have been/felt healthiest have been when I cut it out altogether. However, that is VERY difficult to do. This book does a great job of addressing all the reasons why it’s so difficult to cut back/down on sugar, without getting into a ton of pseudoscience. The author addresses the coping skills so many of us don’t have, and how to hone those skills to avoid turning to sugar to soothe ourselves.
The book uses a “relationship with food” “abusive relationship/loving relationship” analogy/framework, which mostly works well. Although I’m not as sugar-addicted as a lot of the people quoted in this book, I still learned a lot and it gave me a lot of food for thought (pardon the pun).
Second reading: I decided to review this book because it is birthday cake season in my house, and I always end up feeling worse after eating too much cake. This time I noticed so many great insights that I did not hear the first time. So much so that I immediately read it AGAIN after finishing it a second time. I think it’s just a great, measured approach to a healthy relationship with food. I am not ever going to give up flour (sorry, Molly!), but I do like her approach.
Fourth reading: this book has become a guiding light for me during food-heavy seasons (currently Thanksgiving/Christmas). I just love the analogy she uses for a healthy relationship with food and I think it helps me stay true to my own values around food.
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March 19, 2022 By what is noted on health shows and media reports, one of the most insidious items we can consume is excess sugar. Our obsession with sugary foods has reached an all-time high. In Molly Carmel’s book BREAKING UP WITH SUGAR, she looks at life without sugar.
Sugar is everywhere, but you can live without sugar, and still be happy with what you eat. Carmel is not simply writing a book from research alone. She has seen the worst of what sweets can do, once tipping the scale at 325 pounds.
She thought sugar was the solution at one time during her life, but it truly was the problem. She tried one diet after another, none working. She often weighed more than when the diet began. It was when sugar was limited, that the pounds came off and stayed off.
In her book she asks readers to reduce sugar consumption, and also talks about opting out of flour as well. She offers a sixty-six day routine where you stick to foods without these two ingredients, promising there will be a difference in your life, health wise, and on the scales.
The book features confessions from several people, telling their own story about breaking up with sugar. It should serve as inspiration for anyone hoping to shirk sugar. It may seem like climbing a steep mountain for some, but Molly Carmel gives us the incentive to succeed. With lots of recipes as well, the book is a sweet treat, minus the massive sugar overload.
Sugar is everywhere, but you can live without sugar, and still be happy with what you eat. Carmel is not simply writing a book from research alone. She has seen the worst of what sweets can do, once tipping the scale at 325 pounds.
She thought sugar was the solution at one time during her life, but it truly was the problem. She tried one diet after another, none working. She often weighed more than when the diet began. It was when sugar was limited, that the pounds came off and stayed off.
In her book she asks readers to reduce sugar consumption, and also talks about opting out of flour as well. She offers a sixty-six day routine where you stick to foods without these two ingredients, promising there will be a difference in your life, health wise, and on the scales.
The book features confessions from several people, telling their own story about breaking up with sugar. It should serve as inspiration for anyone hoping to shirk sugar. It may seem like climbing a steep mountain for some, but Molly Carmel gives us the incentive to succeed. With lots of recipes as well, the book is a sweet treat, minus the massive sugar overload.
March 27, 2020
Breaking up with Sugar is an interesting book if you are on a beginning journey in giving up sugar and flour, though only if it's listed as the first four ingredients! Complicated right?
There are a number of case studies and the author talks for a long time of her own long battle with sugar. The plan is over 66 days, chosen so it becomes a habit. It is recommended that you eat every 3-4 1/2 hours and become a planner. It explains that not all carbs are equal and that you should be calorie conscious not calorie counting.
It gives suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack, which is generally broken into protein, fat, carbs, veggies. Appendix B at 79% of the way through the book then provides more detail on actual recipes. It mentions Ezekiel bread or wraps but this is not something I have come across in the British shops.
Whilst it's an interesting book, it does go on rather to long with the case studies and the recipes have no pictures nor are they laid out well enough to follow. I guess overall this sounds much like a low carb diet where the emphasis is on eating protein and goods fats, but with loads of case studies.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.
There are a number of case studies and the author talks for a long time of her own long battle with sugar. The plan is over 66 days, chosen so it becomes a habit. It is recommended that you eat every 3-4 1/2 hours and become a planner. It explains that not all carbs are equal and that you should be calorie conscious not calorie counting.
It gives suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack, which is generally broken into protein, fat, carbs, veggies. Appendix B at 79% of the way through the book then provides more detail on actual recipes. It mentions Ezekiel bread or wraps but this is not something I have come across in the British shops.
Whilst it's an interesting book, it does go on rather to long with the case studies and the recipes have no pictures nor are they laid out well enough to follow. I guess overall this sounds much like a low carb diet where the emphasis is on eating protein and goods fats, but with loads of case studies.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.
May 9, 2022
Audiobook: This book should have been titled “And then I met Molly” as it is often said in the book. Molly Carmel is the author and has lived the life of breaking up with sugar. Her audience is more geared towards the people who have yo-yo dieter their whole life but still have no control over their food addiction. Because I have such a sweet tooth, I thought maybe I’d get some helpful hints along the way. Although much of it didn’t pertain to my life, it was a thoughtful recount of her experiences along with her clients.
March 26, 2022
Found this book at the Dollar Tree while shopping for other things. The author speaks of sugar with a capital S and is very redundant. It did speak to the feeling I get when I sometimes stress eat a sugary item and once started, cannot stop, but the target audience is more someone who binges on sugar every single day. It made me glad I did not have that problem, and made me more aware of when I am adding sugar to my diet. For $1, it was a slightly interesting book.
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January 16, 2022I guess I get where this author is coming from, the language is very social work based. It is definitely coming from an addiction perspective, ridding sugar—in all forms—from one’s life. I am not sure how sustainable it would be for me long term, but a lot of it made sense.
February 16, 2020
I read this one in tandem with “The Case Against Sugar,” they make a pretty good tag team!
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