Food plays a major role in any fitness journey. When losing weight, in particular, you will come across a wide variety of diets and calorie-counting plans to help you along your journey. One such diet plan that has shown promising results for many is Dr. Nowzaradan's diet.
This simple calorie-restrictive diet plan is known to offer quick and effective results. Learn all about how you can follow this diet to attain your ideal physique.
Who Is Dr. Nowzaradan?
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Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, popularly known as Dr. Now by his patients, is an Iranian-American Houston-based general surgeon with over 20 years of experience.
Although he specializes in various types of surgeries, Dr. Now is famously known for weight-loss surgeries on people with morbid obesity.
On My 600 LB life, a reality show that follows the weight loss journey of morbidly obese people, he assists individuals to lose weight to a healthier scale before going under the knife.
He has published several peer-reviewed articles on obesity and is known for prescribing effective weight-loss diets to his patients.
What Is Dr. Nowzaradan's Diet?
Dr. Nowzaradan's diet plan is all about reducing calorie intake to a strict 1,200 calories a day - without eliminating any essential food groups, except sugar.
The diet plan aims to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to keep you healthy while also cutting down on calories. It is low in carbs and fat and high in protein, fiber, and vitamins.
The Dr. Now diet calls for eating plant-based proteins, keeping hydrated, and keeping track of your food habits. It helps you watch your weight while increasing your macronutrient intake.
The diet can seem to limit as 1200 calories are a far cry from the recommended daily calorie intake of 2000 calories. However, it is known to offer promising results, particularly to overweight individuals looking to drop stubborn pounds.
What Foods Can You Eat in Dr. Nowzaradan's Diet Plan?
Dr. Nowzaradan's diet plan includes something from every food group, so you can rest assured knowing that you'll be fueling your body with all the necessary nutrients.
Here's a glimpse into what you can eat if you're following the Dr. Nowzaradan diet.
For Breakfast:
* Beans or Greek yogurt (without any sugar or additives)
* Egg white
* Low-fat cottage cheese
* Oats or oatmeal
* Turkey sausage
* Whole-wheat toast
For Lunch and Dinner:
* Canned tuna
* Non-starchy veggies like carrots, broccoli, celery, green beans, and spinach
* Fried, broiled, or grilled poultry or other lean proteins like turkey breast, tofu, and fish
* Meat (not more than 3 ounces)
* Salads (without any dressing)
For Snacking:
* Greek yogurt (plain with no additives)
* Turkey or ham roll-up
* Low-sugar fruits like grapefruit, berries, and honeydew
What Foods Should You Avoid in Dr. Nowzaradan's Diet Plan?
Here's a list of foods that should be strictly avoided if you're following Dr. Nowzaradan's diet plan to lose weight:
* Bread, although you can eat 1 ounce of whole grain bread in the morning
* Beverages such as alcohol, energy drinks, juice, soda, and sports drinks
* Candied or dried fruits
* Cereals like muesli and granola
* Sweets like brownies, candies, chocolates, cookies, frozen yogurt, ice cream, honey, jams, jellies, and syrups
* Fats and oils like butter and olive oil
* High-calorie nuts and seeds like peanuts, pistachios, popcorn, and sunflower seeds
* Pasta
* Packaged foods like potato chips and crackers
* Potatoes (in any form)
* Rice (white and brown)
* Shakes and meal supplements
* Starchy veggies
* Sugar (including artificial sweeteners)
* Sugary fruits such as mangoes, watermelons, cantaloupe, figs, and bananas
The diet strictly avoids high-sugar, junk, and high-calorie foods as they're known to harm your weight loss goals as well as overall health in the long run.
What You Should Know Before Starting Dr. Nowzaradan Diet Plan
This diet works by limiting the calorie intake, forcing your body to burn accumulated fat to carry out regular body functions. This helps obese and overweight individuals lose weight quickly without putting their health in jeopardy.
However, if you want this diet to be a success, make sure you're eating no less than 1200 calories a day. Otherwise, your body will not get the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Since most of us are not used to eating just 1200 calories, you may feel hungry, especially during the initial stages. This is because eating a low-calorie diet can slow down your metabolic rate, which could lead you to burn fewer calories and also affect your hunger hormones.
When that happens, you can snack between meals (with only Dr. Now-recommended snacks) and drink more water.
Word To The Wise
Dr. Nowzaradan's diet works, but this restrictive crash diet is best suited for those about to go under the knife for bariatric surgery.
Losing weight before surgery can significantly reduce complications during and after the operation and prepares the patients to make changes to their lifestyle after the surgery.
If you're looking for a structured and sustainable way to lose weight over time, it's best to skip this one!
For those who're just looking to lose weight, going on such a strict calorie-restrictive diet could lead to health complications, including causing changes to the gut microbiome, which impacts your digestion and immune system. It could also lead to disordered eating patterns and nutrient deficiencies.
If you want to follow the Dr. Now diet, it's best done under the expert supervision of a physician or dietician.
Make sure to talk to your practitioner before you start this diet and limit your calorie intake. Otherwise, all you will experience is a short phase of rapid weight loss that won't hold its ground with the tide of time.
It's also important that you don't quit your diet once you drop a couple of pounds. Continue eating a well-balanced diet to maintain your ideal weight without compromising your health.
