Weighing in at 468 pounds, Susan Blech decided to make another attempt at losing a significant amount of weight. This time, it worked. Her memoir, Confessions of a Carb Queen, is a refreshingly honest recollection of her weight loss, in which she selflessly shares the good, the bad, and the ugly (and the incredibly embarrassing) elements of her journey.

While the book starts at a point of despair and with a “before” picture, I could not help but immediately turn to the end of the book, where I was incredibly pleased to see the “after.” Many people who consider themselves weight loss success stories have penned books describing what worked for them, but Blech’s writing stands apart because it allows you to experience the trials and tribulations of weight loss at her side, rather than being the recipient of a preachy tone suggesting that if she can do it, so can you.

Much time is dedicated to the late-night (and not-so-late-night) binges, comprised of her repeated sampling of menu item after menu item at fast food chains. While perhaps all of us have lied about what we eat from time to time, her consistent deception will likely weigh heavily upon even the most unsympathetic reader. I found myself secretly wishing that someone would discover her secret just to alleviate some of the shame that Blech associated with her overindulgences.

A decision to put her entire life on hold and to check into a renowned weight loss clinic in a new city marked the beginning of her success story, and I would imagine the clinic will forever be a safe haven for her to retreat to. While the book does not offer (or even push for) a specific weight loss plan, Blech does offer plenty of healthy habits that can be effortlessly incorporated into a healthy lifestyle. Since some of the suggestions are so basic, readers might actually miss some of the “advice” if they are not consciously looking for it.

Most appealing about this book is that it offers no quick fix for weight loss, nor does it suggest that merely committing to making a change will be the master cure. Even when Blech found the plan that worked for her, she continued to experience (and generously share) the disappointments that everyone has to contend with regardless of their weight.

Confessions of a Carb Queen is a great read and one that I enjoyed even more than a sugar-filled, high-carb, decadent dessert.