Psychologist and professor Seth Roberts has spent years analyzing why most diets don't work. A maverick with a curious mind, and a yen for self-experimentation, he started by asking a simple question most experts haven't tackled: What makes us feel hungry in the first place? After scouring the scientific literature and tirelessly testing various theories and practices, Roberts hit upon a simple, effective strategy for controlling the body's internal "set point"- that is, the thermostat that controls weight gain or loss. The solution was counterintuitive: By taking two daily servings of either extra-light olive oil or plain sugar water, he took control of his appetite, with astonishing results. Roberts lost thirty-five pounds in only three months, and he has kept it off for five years. Since then, others have replicated these results, and formal clinical trials will soon be under way. With the publication of this unique and groundbreaking book, Seth Roberts's program will be available to anyone who wants to lose weight-a little or a lot-and keep it off. The Shangri-La Dietincludes specific instructions for tailoring the program for individual needs and goals, as well as expert tips, variations, success stories, and an illuminating explanation of how Roberts devised the diet and why it works so well. A diet program simple enough for anyone to try, The Shangri-La Diethas the potential to radically change the way we think about weight loss-and deliver remarkably easy, sustainable results.

Seth Roberts, Ph.D., is a tenured professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. He serves on the editorial advisory board of the scientific journal Nutrition, and has published dozens of scientific articles on topics that include health, nutrition, and weight control. Articles about his work have appeared in The New York Times, Harper's, and such major scientific journals as Science and Behavioral and Brain Sciences. His second book, The Science of One, will be published by the Penguin Press in 2008.