USA TODAY International Edition
The 10 most popular diet books of the past decade
We’ve rounded up top weight- loss titles from USA TODAY’s Best- Selling Books list.
Ah, January, the time of year when diet books populate bestseller lists as many of us resolve to eat better in order to lose weight. But this year we are not just wanting to shed the holiday pounds, we’re targeting our pandemic pounds, too. Since the COVID- 19 pandemic started, many Americans have put on what is known as the Quarantine 15. ● On Jan. 4, U. S. News & World Report released its annual ranking of best overall diets and the Mediterranean diet topped the list for the fourth year in a row. But according to USA TODAY’s Best- Selling Books list, the Mediterranean diet, which guides people to eat plenty of plants and foods that are low on “bad” cholesterol, does not even crack the Top 10. ● So which diet books are Americans turning to? We looked back at the 10 most popular weight loss and diet books of the last decade, according to USA TODAY’s Best- Selling Books list:
1. “The Whole30: The 30- Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom,” by Melissa Hartwig, Dallas Hartwig. There is no counting calories or weighing food. Instead, dieters are given a restricted, primarily protein- filled diet where foods are slowly reintroduced over time.
2. “The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor’s Plan Designed for Rapid Results,” by Mike Moreno. Another diet that restricts what you eat by eliminating sugar, grains, fruit and dairy in order to speed up one’s metabolism.
3. “10- Day Green Smoothie Cleanse: Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 10 Days!,” by J. J. Smith. The diet is designed to “jump- start” weight loss through green smoothies made from supernutrients found in leafy greens and fruits.
4. “Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health,” by William Davis. Davis proposes that by eliminating wheat from our diets we can prevent fat storage, bulges and reverse health problems.
5. “Eat To Live: The Amazing Nutrient- Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Revised Edition,” by Joel Fuhrman. The diet claims that a high ratio of nutrients to calories in the food you eat can make you lose weight because the more nutrient- dense food you eat, the less you crave fats, sweets and high- calorie food.
6. “The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners: Your Essential Guide to Living the Keto Lifestyle,” by Amy Ramos. The ketogenic diet is the latest diet to make a big splash. The book explains what a ketogenic diet is ( hint: low- carb, high- fat) and offers a meal plan that includes recipes.
7. “The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in ‘ Healthy’ Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain,” by Steven R. Gundry. According to Gundry, it is not merely gluten that is the enemy but all varieties of plant- based proteins called lectins that are the real culprits. And they are found not only in grains but in a variety of gluten- free foods.
8. “The 20/ 20 Diet: Turn Your Weight Loss Vision Into Reality,” by Phil McGraw. The psychologist
and television personality identifies several reasons many diets fail while offering several solutions, including having dieters begin by eating 20 key foods.
9. “The Dukan Diet: 2 Steps to Lose the Weight, 2 Steps to Keep It Off Forever,” by Pierre Dukan. The four- phase diet rejects calorie counting and weighing food while encouraging adherents to eat unlimited amounts of allowable foods such as lean protein, eggs and select vegetables.
10. “The 4- Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat- Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman,” by Timothy Ferriss. While promising more than just weight loss in its title, this diet book features simple meals, a restricted diet and allowing for a weekly cheat day.