Everyone knows (or at least should know) that there is no magic pill for weight loss. However, this reality does little to prevent the publication of a steady stream of weight-loss books, many of which reach and remain on bestseller lists. Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet is no exception to this trend, but, surprisingly, it is actually an interesting and informative read.

Although it is too early for me to personally attest to the success rate of this diet plan, I did enjoy the book for two reasons. First, the plan is a simple one: if you eliminate flour and sugar from your diet, you will lose weight. This is the common thread that runs through each of the book’s nineteen chapters (twenty-five if you include the recipe sections). Dr. Gott tells readers the plan will require the elimination of sugar and flour, then explains why the plan will require the elimination of sugar and flour, and then concludes by reminding readers that they will need to eliminate sugar and flour to lose weight. Gott espouses the message in many forms, but consistently returns to the same mantra: no flour, no sugar.

Aside from the appeal of the plan’s directness and simplicity, Dr. Gott’s explanation of the science behind the plan is just as inviting. While I do believe that dieters should be aware of the science behind any plan they are considering, what I appreciated was that this component of the book, just like the diet itself, was direct and to the point. Dr. Gott presents just enough information to illustrate that the plan is rooted in science but recognizes the fact that most people who pick up this book are doing so because they want to lose weight, not because they want to earn a degree in science or nutrition.

This book has a user-friendly tone, and, in addition to clear prose, includes questions and comments from diet followers to illustrate the plan’s growing popularity and high rate of success. By the midpoint of the book, readers will easily predict the answers to questions posed as well as the thought process Dr. Gott will use to reach his conclusion. If the food choice contains flour or sugar, then it should be avoided at all costs. If the food choice does not contain flour or sugar, then it can be consumed in moderation and enjoyed.

I would imagine that this plan, like the many others that have come before it, will work as long as the guidelines are followed. The real challenge here is whether dieters will be willing to adopt a sugar-free and flour-free lifestyle as a trade-off for a shrinking frame. The appeal of this book, however, is that the rules are so precise that if you do not lose weight, you will immediately know whether the fault lies with you or with the plan itself. So, committed dieters should work to adopt a new mantra: no flour, no sugar, no problem, and see just how clear the results become.