Wouldn't it be great to feel good about eating normally and not agonize over experts' conflicting advice on sugar, fat, and carbs? Davis, with an extensive background in public health and epidemiology, debunks common myths about what one thinks is true: restrictive diets, calorie counting, extreme exercise, fat-burning foods, meal timing, superfoods and potions, supplements and pills, and ideal weight charts. Instead, the book confirms what one knows is true: whole foods, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, movement, and enough sleep constitute a healthy lifestyle.

One can maintain an ideal weight with a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Diet soda does not control weight, and exercise, low fat, no carb, and gluten-free diets do not cause weight loss. Also, sugar is not "poison." Restrictive diets induce unhealthy guilt and don't work. Davis contrasts scientific studies against observational ones and deconstructs bogus fads. "What to Do" lists at the end of each chapter, along with "Myth or Truth?" sidebars, guide toward an achievable lifestyle, backed up by scientific information that empowers and removes guilt from eating.

Davis covers fascinating summaries of bizarre weight-loss fads in the last two centuries, from over-masticating to vibrating machines to drinking poison (still imbibed today). Some common myth busters are surprising. For example, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day, and intermittent fasting, magic potions, and extreme exercise proliferate primarily due to doctors' financial interests. In an easy-to-read style with intuitive logic, Davis cites sympathetic case studies that deemphasize pounds and inches and emphasize a sustainable long-term eating plan. No "magic bullet" diet doctor, Davis helps people achieve body-positive and guilt-free eating by finding the best eating patterns for their health. Readers learn to recognize misguided ideas and practices that hinder the quest to lose weight in this science-backed breath of fresh air.

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