Book excerpt: Why do most diets fail? Why do so many people who initially lose weight quickly pack it all back on—and then some? It’s simple, really. Dieting, a.k.a. denying yourself certain favorite foods, is just too hard for anyone to do for any length of time. And how long could you deny yourself pizza? But what if you didn’t have to say “no”? Chef Pasquale Cozzolino of Naples, Italy, did just that and lost nearly 100 pounds. When his doctor warned him to lose weight or risk early death, Chef Cozzolino knew he had to find a diet plan he could stick with, one that would allow him to eat the food he grew up on and loved in his native country—pizza! So, he consulted nutritionists, immersed himself in the science of weight loss, and developed the Pizza Diet: Eat a hearty breakfast every morning, enjoy a 12-inch Neapolitan pizza for lunch every day, and finish off with a light yet satisfying meal of fresh vegetables and lean protein for dinner. The results? You will quickly reduce your daily calories without ever feeling deprived.