Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding

Here's the biggest weight-loss secret in the world: The best way to drop pounds fast is to indulge in a delicious dessert.

Whoa! Careful, don't give yourself whiplash. It may sound crazy, but it's true. Studies show that the discipline you need to resist temptation comes from the brain, in an activity fueled by glucose-blood sugar. And glucose is exactly what you get from sweet, indulgent desserts. So by passing up dessert, you actually make it harder to stick to your diet—and that's why so many of us stay on course for weeks or months, then wake up one morning face down in a box of Ho-Hos.

If you eat dessert wisely—choosing treats that give you the satisfying tastes you crave without the ridiculous calorie counts that sometimes come with them—you could put yourself back on the road to rapid weight loss. So take a good look at the six desserts on this list, compliments of the New York Times–bestselling Eat This, Not That! book series. Then make the simple swaps we recommend to start stripping away pounds—fast!

#6: Worst Pie
Perkins Peanut Butter Silk Pie (1 slice)
960 calories
68 g fat (33 g saturated, 1 g trans)
47 g sugars

Pie is the quintessential American dessert, and that doesn't bode well for any of us. Still, how Perkins manages to cram nearly 1,000 calories and a day and a half worth of saturated fat into one slice is a mystery, but the combination of icing, whipped cream, and peanut butter cups doesn't help. Save yourself 570 calories and 23 grams of saturated fat by ordering their sundae instead.

Eat This Instead!
Ice Cream Sundae
390 calories
25 g fat (10 g saturated)
32 g sugars

DROP 15 POUNDS FOR SUMMER: You can lose a couple of inches fast—and without dieting.

#5: Worst Kids’ Dessert
Outback Steakhouse Spotted Dog Sundae
1,216 calories
94 g fat (58.5 g saturated)
89 g carbohydrates

A 2010 study found that empty calories comprise a whopping 40 percent of kids’ diets, and cutesy sounding desserts like this only fuel the problem. The sad part is that the average parent probably doesn't even realize how dangerous this dessert is. According to USDA recommendations, 20 grams is the absolute maximum amount of saturated fat a person should consume in one day. Think busy parents know that? Probably not, which means they probably wouldn't notice that this dessert has nearly three times that much! Shocking, and really irresponsible.

Eat This Instead!
Carrot Cake
448 calories
10.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
86 g carbohydrates

BONUS TIP: Even foods that sound perfectly healthy can be secretly laced with dangerous amounts of fat and sodium. To prove it, we've collected the absolutely shocking 20 Salads Worse Than a Whopper. Prepare to be blown away!

#4: Worst Fruit-Based Dessert
LongHorn Steakhouse Caramel Apple Goldrush
1,640 calories
71 g fat (25 g saturated)
237 g carbohydrates

One Caramel Apple Goldrush a day keeps the doctor in business. Sure, apples are flab-fighting foods, but apple-inspired desserts—think pie, cobbler, and this monstrosity—are just the opposite. What's really strange is that Longhorn makes it clear that some of its desserts—like the 2,180-calorie Chocolate Stampede—are meant to be split, but this isn't one of them. Apparently, the chain believes 1,640 calories is suitable for one belly. The truth is, none of Langhorn's desserts is fit for one person, so partner up with someone at the table and order your safest option, the Key Lime Pie. Split this dessert two ways and you'll take in only 315 calories.

Eat This Instead!
Key Lime Pie
630 calories
20 g fat (9 g saturated)
102 g carbohydrates

#3: Worst Cake
Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake
1,670 calories
49 g saturated fat
204 g carbohydrates

When a cake’s girth is so great that it can’t stand upright, it has a problem. This thing is six inches of fudge cake lined with chocolate cream, creating a fattening, sugar-bloated mammoth more calorie-dense than the Factory’s other 40-plus cheesecakes. Want proof of its potential damage to your body? Just pick it up. One slice weighs a pound and a half. Your best bet for nutritional salvation at Cheesecake Factory is to pair a scoop of ice cream with a bowl of strawberries. That will keep more than a thousand calories off your hips.

Eat This Instead!
Scoop Coffee Ice Cream with a Bowl of Strawberries
400 calories
13 g saturated fat
97 g carbohydrates

HEALTH SHOCKER: Beware—Mr. Salty is running loose at your local supermarket and in your favorite restaurants! Then promise to throw them all over your shoulder for good luck!

#2: Worst Shake
Baskin Robbins Fudge Brownie 31 Degrees Below (large, 24 ounces)
1,900 calories
80 g fat (39 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
1,350 mg sodium
225 g sugar (Eat This, Not That! translation: 56 spoonfuls worth!)

This is a 1.5 pints of ice cream, far more than you should ever consume in one sitting. That's especially true when the ice cream is blended with molten fudge and dense chunks of brownie. Eat this entire cup and you'll take in the sugar equivalent of 21 Reese Peanut Butter Cups and the Saturated Fat equivalent of nearly 60 Oreos. Gross!

Eat This Instead!
Two Scoops Premium Churned Light Aloha Brownie Ice Cream in a Cake Cone
325 calories
10 g fat (6 saturated)
21 g sugar

#1: Worst Sundae
Friendly’s Giant Crowd Pleaser
2,480 calories
118 g fat (64 g saturated)
233 g sugars

Attempting to scale this mountain range of ice cream might put your heart in peril. Okay, Friendly’s gets some leeway because the name itself implores you to share, but even a four-way split leaves everyone with three-quarters of a day’s saturated fat! That's double what you'd find in a McDonald’s Hot Fudge Sundae. That’s what happens when you dump a dozen scoops of ice cream into a crater-sized bowl and recklessly drizzle it with six different sugared toppings. So why tempt your taste buds? Choose an individual serving and guarantee your nutritional safety.

Eat This Instead!
Strawberry Shortcake Sundae
580 calories
27 g fat (16 g saturated)
63 g sugars

To all women who love to eat these desserts, be careful. To those who wanted to gain weight because you're tired of being slim and (weightless???), ENJOY these TREATS!