What do you think?
Rate this book
I Quit Sugar: Your Complete 8-Week Detox Program and Cookbook
A New York Times bestseller, I Quit Sugar is week-by-week guide to quitting sugarto lose weight; boost energy; and improve your looks, mood, and overall health, with 108 sugarfree recipes.
Sarah Wilson thought of herself as a relatively healthy eater. She didn't realize how much sugar was hidden in her diet, or how much it was affecting her well-being. When she learned that her sugar consumption could be the source of a lifetime of mood swings, fluctuating weight, sleep problems, and thyroid disease, she knew she had to make a change.
What started as an experiment to eliminate sugar--both the obvious and the hidden kinds--soon became a way of life, and now Sarah shows you how you can quit sugar too:
* follow a flexible and very doable 8-week plan
* overcome cravings
* make food you're excited to eat with these 108 recipes for detox meals, savory snacks, and sweet treats from Sarah Wilson and contributors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Curtis Stone, Dr. Robert Lustig (The Fat Chance Cookbook), Sarma Melngailis (Raw Food/ Real World),Joe "the Juicer" Cross, and Angela Liddon (Oh She Glows)
I Quit Sugar makes it easy to kick the habit for good, lose weight, and feel better than ever before. When you are nourished with delicious meals and treats, you won't miss the sugar for an instant.
"When I quit sugar I found wellness and the kind of energy and sparkle I had as a kid. I don't believe in diets or in making eating miserable. This plan and the recipes are designed for lasting wellness." -- Sarah Wilson
Sarah Wilson thought of herself as a relatively healthy eater. She didn't realize how much sugar was hidden in her diet, or how much it was affecting her well-being. When she learned that her sugar consumption could be the source of a lifetime of mood swings, fluctuating weight, sleep problems, and thyroid disease, she knew she had to make a change.
What started as an experiment to eliminate sugar--both the obvious and the hidden kinds--soon became a way of life, and now Sarah shows you how you can quit sugar too:
* follow a flexible and very doable 8-week plan
* overcome cravings
* make food you're excited to eat with these 108 recipes for detox meals, savory snacks, and sweet treats from Sarah Wilson and contributors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Curtis Stone, Dr. Robert Lustig (The Fat Chance Cookbook), Sarma Melngailis (Raw Food/ Real World),Joe "the Juicer" Cross, and Angela Liddon (Oh She Glows)
I Quit Sugar makes it easy to kick the habit for good, lose weight, and feel better than ever before. When you are nourished with delicious meals and treats, you won't miss the sugar for an instant.
"When I quit sugar I found wellness and the kind of energy and sparkle I had as a kid. I don't believe in diets or in making eating miserable. This plan and the recipes are designed for lasting wellness." -- Sarah Wilson
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2012
1,010 people are currently reading
5,724 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
June 3, 2016
I was very surprised when I searched this book on ŷ to find that there are nine books by this author on this topic. Really?! While this "8-week detox program & cookbook" is long on the lovely (retro-looking pages, gorgeous food pictures, cute doodles, and tons of fun pictures of the author, who is thin, pretty and stylish), I found it to be short on the program & cookbook aspects. For starters, there wasn't much of a program but rather some facts, affirmations/encouragements and tips each week ( for example: order extra calamari for dessert or brush your teeth when you feel hungry). Many of the "recipes" were things like a poached egg or an egg wrapped in bacon, kale chips, cooked nuts, apples sprinkled with cinnamon and cheese...more like ideas than actual recipes.
The author states in the beginning of the book that she ate very healthy but for her daily intake of three pieces of fruit, honey and 1.2 oz (seriously?! Is there a scale involved?) of dark chocolate. She said she lost 9 lbs from the program. I agree with others that that is not relatable for the average person. Though I subscribe to a whole food diet and very rarely eat processed food, I think it would be a challenge to feed myself or my family with this plan. Also, anyone who doesn't like coconut should walk away.
The author states in the beginning of the book that she ate very healthy but for her daily intake of three pieces of fruit, honey and 1.2 oz (seriously?! Is there a scale involved?) of dark chocolate. She said she lost 9 lbs from the program. I agree with others that that is not relatable for the average person. Though I subscribe to a whole food diet and very rarely eat processed food, I think it would be a challenge to feed myself or my family with this plan. Also, anyone who doesn't like coconut should walk away.
June 20, 2014
Hello, hipster cookbook.
I picked this cookbook up because I agree that "our modern food system is set up around sugar, and seductively so" (from introduction). I hoped to get some good ideas, recipes and further motivation to cut out the sugar from my day to day eating.
Here were some of the problems I had with this book:
First off, I really couldn't relate to this girl. Prior to cutting out sugar, she only consumed maybe 25 teaspoons of sugar. Good for her but way to make me already feel isolated. This is how she describes her sugar-y diet: "I was eating three pieces of fruit a day, a handful of dried fruit, a teaspoon or two of honey in my tea, a small (1.2 oz.) bar of dark chocolate after lunch and, after dinner, honey drizzled on yogurt, or dessert (if I was out)." Maybe it's just me, but I found this pretentious.
Secondly, her recipes and ideas are not for the 'everyman'. Chia and Quinoa parfait breakfast? Warm Sprouted Pea Hash (ingredients include: sprouted legumes, liquid aminos, chopped anchovies, crumbled feta, avocado chunks, chia seeds...)? I can't feed my family on Endive Sardine Boats.
To me, this cookbook is too unrealistic. I recommend The 21-Day Sugar Detox Cookbook by Diane Sanfilippo or look for 100 Days of Real Food by Lisa Leake, coming out in August.
I picked this cookbook up because I agree that "our modern food system is set up around sugar, and seductively so" (from introduction). I hoped to get some good ideas, recipes and further motivation to cut out the sugar from my day to day eating.
Here were some of the problems I had with this book:
First off, I really couldn't relate to this girl. Prior to cutting out sugar, she only consumed maybe 25 teaspoons of sugar. Good for her but way to make me already feel isolated. This is how she describes her sugar-y diet: "I was eating three pieces of fruit a day, a handful of dried fruit, a teaspoon or two of honey in my tea, a small (1.2 oz.) bar of dark chocolate after lunch and, after dinner, honey drizzled on yogurt, or dessert (if I was out)." Maybe it's just me, but I found this pretentious.
Secondly, her recipes and ideas are not for the 'everyman'. Chia and Quinoa parfait breakfast? Warm Sprouted Pea Hash (ingredients include: sprouted legumes, liquid aminos, chopped anchovies, crumbled feta, avocado chunks, chia seeds...)? I can't feed my family on Endive Sardine Boats.
To me, this cookbook is too unrealistic. I recommend The 21-Day Sugar Detox Cookbook by Diane Sanfilippo or look for 100 Days of Real Food by Lisa Leake, coming out in August.
April 5, 2017
I wish I'd read some reviews of this one before borrowing it from the library. At least it didn't cost me anything but time. Yes, most of us could benefit from consuming less sugar in our diets, but I found little value in this book. She basically replaces sugars with fats, at one point telling readers to order calamari for dessert and later getting a hamburger with cheese and bacon, hold the bun, to cleanse herself after indulging in something containing sugar. In her opinion, most fruits are to be avoided as well. Later in her vague program, she discusses how to deal with the constipation the reader is likely to be suffering at this point. Gee, a diet lacking in whole grains and fruits and full of meats and dairy might leave one constipated? What a surprise! LOL Okay, full disclosure, I'm vegan. I also don't think apples are evil. Yes, fruits are higher than most vegetables in sugar and calories, but there's a lot of good nutritional value there (antioxidants, vitamins, fiber). I am definitely not her target audience.
Who should not bother with this one? Anyone who is vegetarian, vegan or doesn't LOVE coconut - she suggests eating coconut oil straight from the jar by the spoonful. Ew. Anyone who thinks using a bit of fruit to sweeten rather than buying a bag of dextrose powder might want to skip this as well.
If you're looking for a way to cut sugar and add more whole foods to your diet, you might want to check out Dr John McDougall's The Healthiest Diet on the Planet or any of his other books or How Not to Die by Michael Greger. There you'll find lots of whole grains along with plenty of fruits and veggies... and no problems with constipation.
Who should not bother with this one? Anyone who is vegetarian, vegan or doesn't LOVE coconut - she suggests eating coconut oil straight from the jar by the spoonful. Ew. Anyone who thinks using a bit of fruit to sweeten rather than buying a bag of dextrose powder might want to skip this as well.
If you're looking for a way to cut sugar and add more whole foods to your diet, you might want to check out Dr John McDougall's The Healthiest Diet on the Planet or any of his other books or How Not to Die by Michael Greger. There you'll find lots of whole grains along with plenty of fruits and veggies... and no problems with constipation.
August 9, 2017
I absolutely loved this book! Sugar and sweets are my biggest problem and this book really encouraged me to change my nutrition. The book has beautiful photos, great recipes, so many handy advices and tips. I strongly recommend it.
May 15, 2014
About the Book:
Sarah Wilson thought of herself as a relatively healthy eater. She didn't realize how much sugar was hidden in her diet, or how much it was affecting her well-being. When she learned that her sugar consumption could be the source of a lifetime of mood swings, fluctuating weight, sleep problems, and thyroid disease, she knew she had to make a change.
What started as an experiment to eliminate sugar--both the obvious and the hidden kinds--soon became a way of life, and now Sarah shows you how you can quit sugar too:
* follow a flexible and very doable 8-week plan
* overcome cravings
* make food you're excited to eat with these 108 recipes for detox meals, savory snacks, and sweet treats from Sarah Wilson and contributors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Curtis Stone, Dr. Robert Lustig (The Fat Chance Cookbook), Sarma Melngailis (Raw Food/ Real World), Joe "the Juicer" Cross, and Angela Liddon (Oh She Glows)
My Review:
I love sugar! But it is the ever present devil on my shoulder. I have had really bad things begin to happen to my body after continuing to eat the way I always have, along with the fact I was getting older. I have arthritis in my back and hip, as a result when I eat anything containing sugar my joints become so badly inflamed that they are stiff and very painful. It didn't take me long to realize that there was a connection. So I was off on my trek to find out how I will be able to work this idea of no sugar into my already active lifestyle, because lets face it, its not easy let alone affordable.
When I found this book I had already given up sugar, but I was so very interested in the "detox" part of the program mainly because it is very hard not to give into those cravings because giving in will wreck the whole process. The author shows you how much hidden sugars or even foods we wouldn't count as sugar are in fact full of sugar, even if it is "fruit" sugar. Sugar is in alot of everyday foods that you would consider safe. she also shows you how to get the sugar out of your system based on an 8 week detox program. Along with some yummy recipes to aid you in your journey.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the Blogging for Books Blogger review program.
Sarah Wilson thought of herself as a relatively healthy eater. She didn't realize how much sugar was hidden in her diet, or how much it was affecting her well-being. When she learned that her sugar consumption could be the source of a lifetime of mood swings, fluctuating weight, sleep problems, and thyroid disease, she knew she had to make a change.
What started as an experiment to eliminate sugar--both the obvious and the hidden kinds--soon became a way of life, and now Sarah shows you how you can quit sugar too:
* follow a flexible and very doable 8-week plan
* overcome cravings
* make food you're excited to eat with these 108 recipes for detox meals, savory snacks, and sweet treats from Sarah Wilson and contributors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Curtis Stone, Dr. Robert Lustig (The Fat Chance Cookbook), Sarma Melngailis (Raw Food/ Real World), Joe "the Juicer" Cross, and Angela Liddon (Oh She Glows)
My Review:
I love sugar! But it is the ever present devil on my shoulder. I have had really bad things begin to happen to my body after continuing to eat the way I always have, along with the fact I was getting older. I have arthritis in my back and hip, as a result when I eat anything containing sugar my joints become so badly inflamed that they are stiff and very painful. It didn't take me long to realize that there was a connection. So I was off on my trek to find out how I will be able to work this idea of no sugar into my already active lifestyle, because lets face it, its not easy let alone affordable.
When I found this book I had already given up sugar, but I was so very interested in the "detox" part of the program mainly because it is very hard not to give into those cravings because giving in will wreck the whole process. The author shows you how much hidden sugars or even foods we wouldn't count as sugar are in fact full of sugar, even if it is "fruit" sugar. Sugar is in alot of everyday foods that you would consider safe. she also shows you how to get the sugar out of your system based on an 8 week detox program. Along with some yummy recipes to aid you in your journey.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the Blogging for Books Blogger review program.
August 30, 2021
Not a relatable, realistic book� her examples of not being militant about no sugar - she doesn’t reject a restaurant burger with *ketchup* already on it and sometimes allows herself high sugar vegetables like carrots & beets. I guess I just aspire to “hide between the healthy sugars� as she puts it - fruit, honey in tea, a few squares of chocolate.
I recommend the recipes to people who love trendy ingredients like: gluten-free “ancient� grains (quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth), chia seeds, sprouted legumes, pumpkin seeds, almond meal, quirky things on toast, spirulina. Relies heavily on alternative sweeteners stevia and brown rice syrup, all kinds of coconut. Not very vegetarian friendly. But there’s a section about including children in the quitting sugar experiment, lol. There’s also a lot of sugar related math. :/
I recommend the recipes to people who love trendy ingredients like: gluten-free “ancient� grains (quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth), chia seeds, sprouted legumes, pumpkin seeds, almond meal, quirky things on toast, spirulina. Relies heavily on alternative sweeteners stevia and brown rice syrup, all kinds of coconut. Not very vegetarian friendly. But there’s a section about including children in the quitting sugar experiment, lol. There’s also a lot of sugar related math. :/
February 14, 2021
I'm sorry but this is not scientifically sound despite some of the reviews saying so. It's actually really dangerous for most people to follow this diet. There is a small fraction of the population that may do okay on this diet, but talking about our eating habits from the hunter/gatherer days doesn't so easily transfer to the biology of our bodies today. It's much more complicated than that.
I'm also really nervous that people will listen to her saying to push through their withdrawals even when they get bad, and have an actual emergency. And getting into a sauna to help? And eating eggs, bacon, and drinking coconut oil, and limiting all fructose down to only 6g, including fruit and dairy? Those who use the Keto diet are careful to say you can't do this for a prolonged amount of time, but this diet is supposed to be a permanent change.
She also doesn't discuss how to get certain essential vitamins and minerals without fruit. Yes, many are in vegetables too, but maybe you should explain how to get those?
Sure, we need to eat more whole foods and watch our fructose, so that was a helpful little pep talk, and I may implement some of the recipes into our rotation, but again, I'm so nervous for people to try what is suggested in this book without a doctor's interference. I'm not an expert by any means, but I know enough about the body through my own health issues to know this is just another dangerous fad diet (have you noticed how ALL fad diet books now start off by denouncing fad diets? lol.)
Especially do not use this diet if you are diabetic, have any digestive diseases/syndromes, or suffer from disorders of the immune system. Also, do not use this diet to try to help you with your mental health or to try to cure your children's ADHD, despite the author's advice. Don't try this with children at all, actually.
This program is also nearly impossible for those with certain food allergies, intolerances, and those who choose a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.
The author tries to dispute the moderation argument, but it still stands. We need moderation, variety, and yes, less processed and more whole foods.
I'm also really nervous that people will listen to her saying to push through their withdrawals even when they get bad, and have an actual emergency. And getting into a sauna to help? And eating eggs, bacon, and drinking coconut oil, and limiting all fructose down to only 6g, including fruit and dairy? Those who use the Keto diet are careful to say you can't do this for a prolonged amount of time, but this diet is supposed to be a permanent change.
She also doesn't discuss how to get certain essential vitamins and minerals without fruit. Yes, many are in vegetables too, but maybe you should explain how to get those?
Sure, we need to eat more whole foods and watch our fructose, so that was a helpful little pep talk, and I may implement some of the recipes into our rotation, but again, I'm so nervous for people to try what is suggested in this book without a doctor's interference. I'm not an expert by any means, but I know enough about the body through my own health issues to know this is just another dangerous fad diet (have you noticed how ALL fad diet books now start off by denouncing fad diets? lol.)
Especially do not use this diet if you are diabetic, have any digestive diseases/syndromes, or suffer from disorders of the immune system. Also, do not use this diet to try to help you with your mental health or to try to cure your children's ADHD, despite the author's advice. Don't try this with children at all, actually.
This program is also nearly impossible for those with certain food allergies, intolerances, and those who choose a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.
The author tries to dispute the moderation argument, but it still stands. We need moderation, variety, and yes, less processed and more whole foods.
July 16, 2015
There were things I liked and disliked about this. For the $25 price tag (paperback, U.S.) I expected more. I also ended up having to buy the 21 day sugar detox and following that instead, because this one was too vague, costing me more money.
I'll start with the good:
- great recipes and ideas for making a freezer stash and staples
-beautiful layout and photographs and typography
-easy and fast to read
- friendly tone and good tips on what kind of mental attitude is needed to follow this lifestyle and encouragement if you slip up
- after the 8 week program, she tells you how to add sugar back in and also reiterates that she is not "all or nothing". Rather, now her body is more adjusted to sweetness and knowing her limits so she can have a lapse and still recover.
The not so good (for me anyway)
-I was expecting a more concrete and clear explanation of what to eat and not eat during the plan. I was very confused. So week 3 you are suppose to go cold turkey. Ok great! She lists foods to avoid. But then directly after she starts talking about how to read labels and distinguish between fructose and glucose. This is fine but she says brown rice syrup is ok. Wait I thought we weren't adding in this sweetener until week 6 or 7??? I thought we were reading the week three cold turkey section?? Now I'm confused.
- lots of calculations on how to tell how much sugar percentage is in foods and dairy is even more confusing. Made my head hurt. But then she goes on to say that she doesn't count or calculate sugar in her diet. So do I need this stuff or not?
- it doesn't tell you what to do with carbs like bread. At all.
A note: her website has more concise articles and explanations about carbs and answers the above questions, but I was hoping this book would have all that explained already
In conclusion: rent from the library or get the 21 day sugar detox
I'll start with the good:
- great recipes and ideas for making a freezer stash and staples
-beautiful layout and photographs and typography
-easy and fast to read
- friendly tone and good tips on what kind of mental attitude is needed to follow this lifestyle and encouragement if you slip up
- after the 8 week program, she tells you how to add sugar back in and also reiterates that she is not "all or nothing". Rather, now her body is more adjusted to sweetness and knowing her limits so she can have a lapse and still recover.
The not so good (for me anyway)
-I was expecting a more concrete and clear explanation of what to eat and not eat during the plan. I was very confused. So week 3 you are suppose to go cold turkey. Ok great! She lists foods to avoid. But then directly after she starts talking about how to read labels and distinguish between fructose and glucose. This is fine but she says brown rice syrup is ok. Wait I thought we weren't adding in this sweetener until week 6 or 7??? I thought we were reading the week three cold turkey section?? Now I'm confused.
- lots of calculations on how to tell how much sugar percentage is in foods and dairy is even more confusing. Made my head hurt. But then she goes on to say that she doesn't count or calculate sugar in her diet. So do I need this stuff or not?
- it doesn't tell you what to do with carbs like bread. At all.
A note: her website has more concise articles and explanations about carbs and answers the above questions, but I was hoping this book would have all that explained already
In conclusion: rent from the library or get the 21 day sugar detox
June 28, 2020
I'm glad I read this, because it's motivational in a way that is helpful. But it is FULL of Paleo-babble with absolutely zero citations. Also it recommends manufactured glucose syrup etc over whole foods like maple and honey. Modeling our diet after some imagined prehistoric ancestor means assuming that, at some ideal point of the past, humans everywhere all had the exact same diet, and that our physiological evolution stopped at that point. But while the idea of 'detox' and the demonization of certain fruits are annoying, the problems with sugar are sufficiently documented elsewhere, so the principle behind the book stands. The plan of action and recipes here are great, and I definitely want to try several of the plant based recipes.
July 2, 2016
On some level, the rating I gave this book feels unfair since I never really had any intentions of completely quitting sugar. I simply want to lower my sugar consumption. I also did not like that to quit sugar somehow also meant giving up gluten here. It's not that they were synonymous in the book, but I just felt this big bread-shaped hole in the world that I did not appreciate.
I had no issues with the organization or information in the book, although I wanted to see more research to back up some of the claims. I see what the author is trying to do here, and this may be a great read for some people. It's just not for me.
I had no issues with the organization or information in the book, although I wanted to see more research to back up some of the claims. I see what the author is trying to do here, and this may be a great read for some people. It's just not for me.
March 14, 2015
This is a pretty book, but I didn't find it very relatable. I didn't think there were very many practical tips, although I do think cutting out sugar completely for 8 weeks in order to get cravings under control was a good idea. I found a couple recipes I might try, but a lot of them called for a lot of stevia and brown rice syrup, which kind of defeats the purpose, in my opinion. I really vacillated between two and three stars, but I went with three just because it was a lovely book to look at.
September 13, 2017
Yep, 4 stars for a cookbook might be a little strange, but I did "really like it"! Just some things that I hadn't considered, definitely some inspiration too. Am I actually going to quit sugar? No. But, it was neat to read about someone else who has. There are some recipes that I would try, should try, but...
Read
February 18, 2021Very pretty book. Not terribly helpful though.
January 14, 2019
I'm not actually planning on quitting sugar, but I'm interested in eating less sugar and wanted to see some of the suggestions and recipes. Overall, this looks doable, and most of the recipes look straightforward, though likely you will need to buy some things you do not already own. I am confused by the recommendation of brown rice syrup, however, which as far as I can tell from research from actual scientists is still sugar and not considered any healthier than white sugar, honey, agave, etc. She also recommends Stevia, which apparently looks better than sugar but "not enough research has been done" so...who knows?
May 25, 2020
Some good recipe ideas for incorporating into your eating but not really for full meals. A big beef I have with this book is the graphics, the wide variety of fonts used, the little doodles, and then really nice photos of Sarah and of food - is it rustic? is it scrapbooky? is it artistic? is it urban chic? The visual theme of the book is all over the place. It was good to challenge my thinking on how much hidden sugar I'm taking in, but like many other reviewers said, most of the food recommendations are more vague ideas than meal recipes. Not worth the purchase.
May 26, 2020
I love the layout of this book. She has a fun style. I think these recipes are slightly more accessible than her I Quit Sugar Cookbook but as with many cookbooks there are only a few recipes that I am inspired to try.
April 14, 2022
Probably not sustainable in the long run (really restrictive esp if you are not much of a cook), but really inspiring. I almost quit sugar. Instead my awareness is raised.
And i purchased all three of the books in this series to keep pretty on my shelves.
And i purchased all three of the books in this series to keep pretty on my shelves.
March 22, 2019
Good- I would read again. I’m excited to try the recipes.
January 23, 2021
“This is because back when we were cave people, sugar was both highly valuable (as instant energy for chasing wildebeests) and extremely rare (a berry here and there). �
Human’s body is built to eat seasonally and locally grown food... Not bananas all year round from the other part of the world.
The author explains why sugar / fructose is bad for humans. Fructose is just as addictive as cocaine. Fructose impacting negatively brain’s health. Excess of fructose in the body becomes fat... After reading this book I am convinced that I will be quitting fructose for good. On the other hand, I disagree that rice syrup or stevia is better for the human body than any other sweetener so I will be sweetening my teas with licorice root, or stevia herb (dried leaves) if I am still experiencing a need/craving for sweetness. Right now I am enjoying bitter flavors. After all it's a great book. Eye-opener. Love her “no waste� mindset.
I will be improvising with some of her recipes to make them vegan friendly.
Human’s body is built to eat seasonally and locally grown food... Not bananas all year round from the other part of the world.
The author explains why sugar / fructose is bad for humans. Fructose is just as addictive as cocaine. Fructose impacting negatively brain’s health. Excess of fructose in the body becomes fat... After reading this book I am convinced that I will be quitting fructose for good. On the other hand, I disagree that rice syrup or stevia is better for the human body than any other sweetener so I will be sweetening my teas with licorice root, or stevia herb (dried leaves) if I am still experiencing a need/craving for sweetness. Right now I am enjoying bitter flavors. After all it's a great book. Eye-opener. Love her “no waste� mindset.
I will be improvising with some of her recipes to make them vegan friendly.
May 4, 2014
I am pretty much the last person on the planet that would normally buy this book. I have a serious love for all things sweet. I certainly qualify as addicted, and because I'm pretty healthy otherwise, I've never really considered checking my sweet tooth. But after experiencing months of unexplained tiredness (probably because I'm a mom to two very energetic little boys!), I decided to give this book a go and see if changing up my diet could give me more energy.
Firstly, the book is gorgeous. The layout and photography are beautifully done and you can tell that a lot of effort and thought went into making it perfect. As for the content, I'm not quite as sold. Giving up sugar in totality for 8 weeks (including fruit) warrants a pretty strong argument in my opinion, and I just didn't get that. Yes, there's obvious good points, but not enough to convince me into giving up things that I love, and would even consider healthy, for 8 weeks just to reset my taste for sugar and then to closely monitor and watch my sugar intake from there on. Being that obsessive about any kind of eating habit just doesn't fit well into my lifestyle. I also would have liked to see more descriptions along with the recipes. Again, if you are trying to get me to do a complete 180 from my current eating habits, I'm going to need some reassurance that this new savory breakfast item is going to be pretty fabulous before I decide to spend the time and effort to make it.
Wilson has definitely inspired me to watch more closely for obvious sugars that I'm not really craving, and what effect those have on my energy level, and this books makes some very valid and useful points, but I will not be quitting sugar in totality any time soon.
Firstly, the book is gorgeous. The layout and photography are beautifully done and you can tell that a lot of effort and thought went into making it perfect. As for the content, I'm not quite as sold. Giving up sugar in totality for 8 weeks (including fruit) warrants a pretty strong argument in my opinion, and I just didn't get that. Yes, there's obvious good points, but not enough to convince me into giving up things that I love, and would even consider healthy, for 8 weeks just to reset my taste for sugar and then to closely monitor and watch my sugar intake from there on. Being that obsessive about any kind of eating habit just doesn't fit well into my lifestyle. I also would have liked to see more descriptions along with the recipes. Again, if you are trying to get me to do a complete 180 from my current eating habits, I'm going to need some reassurance that this new savory breakfast item is going to be pretty fabulous before I decide to spend the time and effort to make it.
Wilson has definitely inspired me to watch more closely for obvious sugars that I'm not really craving, and what effect those have on my energy level, and this books makes some very valid and useful points, but I will not be quitting sugar in totality any time soon.
May 25, 2016
I was looking for a book that would help to lower our kids' carb intake, as we have gone ultra low-carb and have started making adjustments to the kids diet. I think this is a good place to start, limiting some sugars and ingredient but still keeping some grains for the kids.
The book was ok - very superficial, it is all based on her experiences and not a lot of science. The recipes look ok - there were a few things I would make for the kids. But I also read this as an ebook, and I do not like looking at recipe books in that format. So I might have to take a look at the physical book to see if there are more recipes I might try.
*edit*. I've been thinking about this book, and the truth is I wouldn't seek out paper version. The recipes really didn't get me excited, and I don't know that it is worth going back for. I said before that this book is superficial, and it is just that - looks good on the surface.
The book was ok - very superficial, it is all based on her experiences and not a lot of science. The recipes look ok - there were a few things I would make for the kids. But I also read this as an ebook, and I do not like looking at recipe books in that format. So I might have to take a look at the physical book to see if there are more recipes I might try.
*edit*. I've been thinking about this book, and the truth is I wouldn't seek out paper version. The recipes really didn't get me excited, and I don't know that it is worth going back for. I said before that this book is superficial, and it is just that - looks good on the surface.
September 2, 2021
This was definitely not what I thought it was and also not very helpful. It is a plan to quit sugar, sort of... Because you just kind of replace it with stevia (which I would recommend looking into before just going for it; personally I stay away from it). There was also lots of coconut everything - flakes, oil, water, etc. A few other things the book recommends which I either don't eat or try to limit are butter, ham, beef, bacon, cheese, etc. I didn't like any of the recipes or didn't want to buy special flours or other ingredients that I know I wouldn't use often. I would not recommend this book. However, I would recommend her other book - First We Make The Beast Beautiful - but it's an entirely different topic.
September 4, 2015
I've been having a lot of problems with sugar addiction lately. I think it's because I cut back on the amount of fruit I was eating, I was just craving sweets all the time. This was a new experience for me as I've never had a huge sweet tooth. I picked this up looking for some helpful guidelines. Basically, you need to quit cold turkey, including fruit. Then you can ease back in to making more sensible choices. As someone who works out a lot, I'm not sure I'm ready to give up fruit yet and I'm not a big dairy eater but I'm going to give the rest of it a go. There are some really great looking recipes in here. Can't wait to try some of them.
April 14, 2015
Just to be clear, I'm not planning on giving up sugar. What I am interested in, though, is decreasing my sugar consumption over time, and this book has a lot of great ideas for doing so. Recipes, snack ideas, mind games when you're craving something sweet, and lots more to help you make some positive changes. There's also a ton of recipes for really weird food, if you're into that (I'm not). Anyway, I appreciated the creative ideas and the cheerleading found in this book! It's going back to the library now.
February 16, 2015
I really don't think I could quit sugar completely but this book certainly opened my eyes to how many teaspoons I'm shovelling into my body! There are many beautiful alternative recipes that I have tried and loved. It definitely helped me cut down my sugar intake. It was also set out really well with lovely photos of the food and other things.
January 27, 2019
I wasn't really expecting much, but this was below even that. Very repetitive and seemed to be split up into the "8-Week Program" completely unecessarily. I could at least say it was a nice cookbook but the recipes were obvious and uncreative. Like a lot of self-help books, this was a blog-post's worth of content stretched out into an entire book for the sake of sales. Really disappointing.
August 17, 2020
I didn’t really relate to Sarah Wilson as in her life before giving up sugar she didn’t consume much anyway. I would have liked to read success stories of people that drank loads of Coca Cola or ate cakes and cookies in vast portions and see them tackle a sugar detox program. I feel this book is targeted more to people that have already embraced ‘clean� eating and want to experiment even more.
November 15, 2021
Ne že bych se asi naplno vrhla do života bez cukru, je to ale pěkně udělaná knížka se zajímavými tipy a určitě motivuje k dodržení alespoň některých z nich, které nijak zásadně neomezí, ale možná trochu zlepší stravovací návyky :).
October 7, 2016
My wife and I enjoyed the simplicity of this book. If you can overlook Sarah's charming photos(she's a pretty Aussie - we know) and study the principles. By taking action, your life will transform for the better! Thank you Sarah Wilson.
April 1, 2021
The plan is simple and can be effective, but I have not done it yet. I will soon. The plan is engaging and got my interest throughout the 200 pages when she discussed the plan. The rest of the 200 pages gives out recipes, which look good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.