DR. NICOLE M. AVENA is the mother of a six-year-old daughter; a research neuroscientist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City; an expert in the fields of nutrition, diet, and addiction; and the co-author ofWhy Diets Fail-Science Explains How to End Cravings, Lose Weight, and Get Healthy. She received a PhD in neuroscience and psychology from Princeton University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at The Rockefeller University in New York City. Her research has been featured inShape, Men's Health, Glamour, Details, Women's Health, Prevention, Oxygen,andFitness,and she regularly appears on television, including The Dr. Oz Show, the Hallmark Channel, and Good Day NY. She makes public speaking appearances throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Avena has written extensively on topics related to food, addiction, obesity, and eating disorders, and she writes theFood Junkieblog forPsychology Today.