Book SummaryHow Not to Diet, by Michael Greger

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of How Not to Diet

It’s common knowledge that excess body weight contributes to a variety of health problems that reduce life expectancy: increased blood pressure; raised levels of cholesterol and [restricted term]; and reduced immunity against debilitating diseases such as dementia, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Unfortunately, many people struggle to maintain a healthy weight and protect themselves from these health risks. This is due in large part to the amount of conflicting advice about what type of diet we should follow to stay in shape.

(Shortform note: Globally, 13% of adults are obese, while 39% of adults and 20% of children and adolescents are overweight. Research confirms that obese individuals are more likely to suffer from health problems that lead to premature death. Statistics from 2017...

How Not to Diet Summary Part #1: What Causes Weight Gain?

Before you can lose weight or maintain your current weight, you first need to understand the factors that lead to unintentional weight gain. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions about how to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

People often blame various factors for unintentional weight gain, such as a sedentary lifestyle, insufficient motivation to stick to a healthy routine, low metabolism, or “fat genes.” However, according to Greger’s research, there’s only one factor that determines whether you put on weight: your calorie intake—the number of calories you consume and what form they take.

(Shortform note: While Greger’s explanation for weight gain may appear reductive to some, research confirms that it really is that simple. John Walker (The Hacker’s Diet) explains that your body needs energy—measured in calories—to function. If you eat the exact number of calories your body needs to function, you do not gain weight—even if your diet consists of foods high in fat and sugar. However, maintaining a healthy...

How Not to Diet Summary Part #2: Why a Plant-Based Diet Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight

Now that you understand why you crave high-calorie foods and how eating processed foods and animal products contributes to weight gain, let’s discuss why adopting a plant-based diet is the healthiest and most effective way to maintain a healthy weight.

A plant-based diet includes whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. It excludes processed foods and animal-derived products such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Because it omits foods that are calorie-dense (high in fat, sugar or salt, and starch), it’s naturally high in nutritional value and low in calories. This means that you can eat as much of these foods as you want without having to restrict portion sizes—which makes this diet both healthy and easy to stick to.

(Shortform note: While nutritionists validate Greger’s claim that a plant-based diet is low enough in calories that you don’t have to restrict portion sizes, they do warn that it could lead to nutritional deficiencies and major health problems. This is because plant-based...

How Not to Diet Summary Part #3: How to Lose Weight on a Plant-Based Diet

Now that you understand why eating plant-based foods helps maintain a healthy weight, let’s discuss how to adapt this diet to accelerate weight loss. Greger suggests four dietary changes to achieve this:

1. Consume most of your calories early in the day.
2. Eat 30 grams of fiber each day.
3. Start every meal with water or foods with high water content.
4. Add anti-inflammatory ingredients to your food.

Let’s explore each of these four methods in detail.

Dietary Change #1: Consume Most of Your Calories Early in the Day

Aim to eat your largest meal in the morning, and your smallest meal in the evening. Greger explains that the amount of time and effort your body spends digesting food decreases during the day. This means that you burn more calories digesting food in the morning than you do in the evening. Therefore, eating more food earlier in the day reduces the overall number of calories your body stores as fat throughout the day.

Example: Consuming Food Early Decreases the Number of Calories Your Body Stores

Since metabolic rates hinge on multiple factors, Greger doesn’t define exactly how many more calories you burn in the morning. However, we’ll...

Shortform Exercise: Plan Your Weight Loss Diet

Greger argues that adopting a plant-based diet helps to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. In this exercise, consider how you might implement his advice.

Consider what you eat. Recall Greger’s explanation of what causes weight gain—processed foods and animal products—and list anything in your regular diet that might lead to unintentional weight gain. (For example, maybe you eat candy, white bread, or ham.)