Peter Kaminsky’s new diet book puts the focus back on flavour

Surely there must be a better way to lose a few pounds than to constantly count calories and swear off all things tasty, right?

Peter Kaminsky, a 65-year-old food writer and author of Culinary Intelligence: The Art of Eating Healthy (and Really Well), is living proof that there are indeed other ways -- after all, what kind of a food writer would he be if he followed a diet of carrot sticks and egg whites?

In his new book, he reveals his unique approach to weight loss that not only allows you, but encourages you, to select delicious foods that contain the most "flavour per calorie," so you'll be satisfied with smaller portions.

Also see: Yogurt makes male mice more fertile — could the same be true for humans?

"I didn't want to write a finger-wagging book because I don't think that motivates people to eat well," Kaminsky tells the New York Times. "It's really not complicated. Many weight-loss systems are complicated -- a lot to remember, hard to follow."

The book was based on Kaminsky's personal experience with weight loss and how he was able to achieve a healthy, balanced and enjoyable diet without having to embark on an entirely new career. Back in 2007, Kaminsky's doctor informed him that his years of indulgent eating had left him on the verge of obesity and diabetes, and he needed to make a change.

"I cut out everything white right away," he says. "That meant that what used to be pasta dishes became lentil dishes or faro dishes. Of all the things I walked away from, I would say [French fries] were the toughest. But it no longer is."

Besides making sure to eat flavourful foods, his style of eating -- which helped him go from a dangerous 205 lbs to a lean 165 lbs, with a blood sugar level back in the normal range -- emphasizes thoughtful eating, taking the time to cook your own meals and selecting high-quality ingredients.

Also see: Evidence suggests zinc reduces cold duration

Some of his highly recommended foods include chickpeas, anchovies, yogurt, almonds and olive oil. He suggests incorporating high-fat foods like bacon, butter and sausage, into your diet in small doses, by using them as seasonings rather than the main attraction. And while many diets will discourage you from consuming fish, due to the fat content, Kaminsky disagrees.

"Those are things that will be flavourful and will satisfy you," he tells the New York Times. "I think a plate of charcuterie is fine. Fat is not the enemy."

His list of foods to avoid include sugar, white flour and potatoes, as well as all processed junk foods and "fast" foods. And when he says sugar, he doesn't just mean candy and cookies.

"I don't drink fruit juice, either," he says. "Fruit juice is sugar with no fibre to mediate its consumption. When people tell me they're going on a juice cleanse, they might as well tell me they're going on a root beer cleanse."

As any good diet should, Kaminsky's allows for indulgences in desserts and alcohol on occasion, and he'll often top off a nice meal with a small square of dark chocolate. "It's extremely satisfying," he says of the high cocoa-content variety. "It's a natural up. All I know is, it really works for me."

What types of diets have you tried? Does this sound like one that would work for you?

Watch the video below about how the timing of when you eat and exercise plays a role in losing weight.