Dr. Nowzaradan Diet: Does It Really Work For Weight Loss?

If you’ve watched TLC’s reality show “My 600-lb Life”, you would probably be familiar with Dr. Nowzaradan– also known as Dr. Now, a bariatric surgeon. The series follows the lives of heavy weight patients over the course of one year. Patients typically begin their journey weighing at least 600 pounds, striving to lose weight by adhering to the Dr. Nowzaradan diet plan to qualify for weight loss surgery.

As viewers watch these patients follow a highly restrictive diet, it raises the question of whether this approach truly works for weight loss. Here’s all you need to know about the diet.

Key Takeaways

• Dr Now’s diet plan focuses on consuming only foods that are high in protein and fiber and low in carbohydrates and fats. Additionally, it has a calorie restriction of 1,200 calories a day.
• The three aspects to follow on this diet, are F.A.T (Frequency, Amount, and Type).
• Doing this diet can help you to lose weight, build life-long healthy habits, and reduce post-op complications after bariatric surgery.
• You are not allowed to eat any sugars or snacks on this diet. There is also a comprehensive list of foods to avoid in this article.
• The main risks of this diet would be sustainability, nutrient deficiency, psychological impact, and a slowed metabolism.

What Is It?

The Dr Nowzaradan diet plan is a 1,200-calorie diet that emphasizes consuming food high in protein and fiber but low in carbohydrates and fats. In the show, the goal is for patients to undergo bariatric surgery to help them lose weight and lead healthier lives. This diet is designed to support preoperative weight loss before surgery begins.

You may also like: Why Low-Carb Pasta is Good for Your Health and 3 Tasty Low-Carb Pasta Recipes

How To Follow The Dr. Nowzaradan Diet

According to the book, ‘The Scale Does Not Lie, People Do’, Dr. Now explains that in order to lose weight and maintain it in the long term, it is important to practice proper dietary habits. The three factors that dictate daily calorie needs is the acronym F.A.T (Frequency, Amount, Type):

• Frequency: The basic healthy eating frequency consists of eating two to three meals a day and no snacking.
• Amount: Dr. Now recommends limiting calorie intake to 1,200 calories per day and paying attention to proper portion sizes.
• Type: According to Dr. Now, the type of food that we should be eating is high in protein and high in fiber but low in carbohydrates and fats.

If you decide to follow the diet, here are the basic rules you need to follow. But before you commit, you probably want to know the benefits. We’ll discuss these in the next section.

Benefits Of The Dr Nowzaradan Diet

One of the main benefits of this diet is obviously, weight loss! Despite being one of the most restrictive diets, it serves as an effective way to lose weight quickly. Aside from this, below are some other supposed benefits of being on this diet.

Builds Life-Long Habits

A big part of this diet is meant to encourage people to develop healthy eating habits in the long term. The idea is really to be more mindful about the food that you are putting in your body.

In the show, this diet encourages the participants to make healthier decisions and not waste their daily calorie intake. With such a restricted amount, would you still want to drink a can of Coke that comes up to 139 calories?

Reduces Post-Operative Complications

If you are planning to undergo bariatric surgery, your surgeon would most likely recommend you get started on a low-calorie diet similar to this. The primary reason is to shrink the size of the liver so that the surgery would be easier to perform.

When the liver is shrunken, it gives the surgeon better access to your stomach to make the necessary incisions. At the same time, it will help reduce post-operative complications such as bleeding and improve recovery rate [1], [2].

How quickly will I lose weight on 1200 calories a day?

“You can expect a weight loss of around 1-2 pounds per week. This is an estimate, as your individual calorie needs for weight loss can vary based on your weight, physical activity level, and health status. To lose weight, you need to be consuming at least 500 calories less per day than your maintenance calorie level, which can vary from person to person [3].“ — Melissa Mitri, MS RD

What Foods to Eat

Following Dr. Now’s diet plan means having to eat foods that are high in protein and fiber but low in carbohydrates and fat. So what exactly should you eat?

Below is a list of foods that you are allowed to eat while on the diet.

List of foods that are allowed:

• Water or flavored water
• Coffee (regular, decaffeinated)
• Tea (black, green, flavored or unsweetened)
• Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, okra, bell pepper, etc.)
• Meat (lean cuts of pork, lamb, beef)
• Poultry (chicken, turkey breast, ham)
• Fish and shellfish (cod, tuna, tilapia, salmon, crab meat, shrimps, scallops, shrimps, lobster, etc.)
• Fruits (except high-calorie fruits)
• Nuts and seeds (chia seeds, flax seeds)

What Foods to Avoid

Now that you’re familiar with the recommended foods, it’s equally important to know which foods to avoid to prevent weight gain. In Dr. Nowzaradan’s book, he provides a comprehensive list of high-calorie foods that should be avoided while following the diet.

Below is the full list of high-calorie foods that you should not consume.

List of high-calorie foods to avoid:

• Sugar (except calorie-free artificial or natural sweeteners such as stevia, sucralose, etc.)
• Chocolate
• Candy, sugar and flour confectionery (cakes, cookies, donuts, ice cream)
• Crackers
• Potato chips
• Fried foods (fast food, fried meats)
• Sweetened fruit or frozen yogurt
• Peanuts (peanut butter), almonds, cashews, pistachios and sunflower seeds
• White rice and white bread
• Pasta and noodles
• Cereals, oatmeal, grits
• Fruit juices
• Soda or sugary drinks, sports drinks or energy drinks
• Higher-calorie fruits (watermelon, cantaloupe, banana)
• Meal supplements or shakes with excessive carbohydrates and sugars
• Honey, syrup, or molasses

The 3-Day Dr. Now Diet Meal Plan

Here is a sample 3-day meal plan for the Dr. Now Diet. Each meal ranges from 400-600 calories, depending on your daily meal frequency.

Day 1

Breakfast:

• 1 serving of spinach omelette made with 2 whole eggs and 1 cup of cooked spinach

Lunch:

• Baked fish (4 oz)
• Small bowl of fresh mixed salad with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar

Dinner:

• Grilled chicken breast (about 4-6 oz)
• Steamed broccoli, lightly seasoned with spices (1 cup)

Day 2

Breakfast:

• 1 serving of tomato omelette made with 2 whole eggs and 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes

Lunch:

• Bowl of chicken soup

Dinner:

• Turkey breast slices (about 4-6 oz, grilled or roasted)
• Spinach yogurt salad

Day 3

Breakfast:

• 2 boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs 
• 3 oz of fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 cup of fat-free yogurt

Lunch:

• Lean beef or chicken (about 4-6 oz, grilled or baked)
• Steamed cauliflower or Brussels sprouts (1 cup)

Dinner:

• Stuffed cabbage with 4 oz fat-free ground meat

See also: 7-Day Weight Loss Low-Carb Diet To Achieve Your Dream Body

Risks of This Diet

While following Dr Now’s diet plan may be effective for short-term weight loss, there are inarguably a number of risks involved which are:

1. Sustainability: Perhaps one of the most distinct risks is its lack of sustainability. With it being extremely restrictive, it is highly likely that you would not be able to follow through it in the long term. It may also lead to weight gain once a normal eating pattern is resumed.
2. Nutrient Deficiencies: Even if you are consuming nutrient-dense foods, you may not be getting the adequate amount of vitamins and minerals that you need on this diet. 
3. Psychological Impact: The extreme calorie restriction may also cause you to feel psychological stress and mood swings, affecting your mental health. You may even develop an unhealthy relationship with food.
4. Slowed Metabolism: If you do manage to keep up with this diet, it can slow your metabolism over time as your body adjusts to it. This would affect weight loss long-term and make it hard to keep the weight off.

Is a 1200-calorie diet healthy? 

“While a 1200-calorie can produce faster weight loss, this amount is typically not sustainable for most people. Research shows going this low can also increase the risk of negative side effects such as fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, increased hunger, dizziness, gallstones, and more. And because it’s challenging to stick to and can slow your metabolism, there is a high chance of weight regain over time [4], [5].“ — Melissa Mitri, MS RD

With this said, we want to remind our readers that we do not recommend this diet to anyone and everyone. It is a highly restrictive diet that is not sustainable long-term.

Instead, you should strive to consume a healthy, balanced diet based on your body’s requirements (daily calorie needs). In addition to this, it’s also important to incorporate exercise. If you are looking to lose weight, combining exercise and diet speeds up the process.

For an easy and effective workout, check out the JustFit app! JustFit offers a diverse range of workouts from in bed workouts, pilates to full body HIIT routines. Get started today for free.

Summary

As you begin your weight loss journey, it is important to remember that consistency is key. Focus on making sustainable lifestyle changes rather than following crash diets for rapid weight loss.

After all, slow and steady wins the race!

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