The Dr. Oz Diet

The Oz diet was developed by Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz and is designed around healthy eating rather than eating simply to lose weight. Weight loss is basically the by-product of a healthy diet according Dr. Oz who was born in Turkey. Dr. Oz is the Vice Chairperson of Surgery, a professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia and is the director and founder of the Complementary Medicine program at New York's Presbyterian Medical Center. He has authored more than 350 publications and holds several patents.

The Diet Basics

The plan focuses on disease prevention and overall health rather than specifically on weight loss. Dr. Oz believes that a person's waistline is an important indication of underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease. His plan does not promise astounding weight loss like some other diets, but following his eating plan an individual will lose weight. The Dr. Oz diet includes lots of fiber and protein which contributes to a feeling of fullness and therefore suppressing the appetite. Unrefined carbohydrates, like whole wheat pastas and brown rice causes the body to burn fat rather than store it. Trans-fats should be completely eliminated from the diet since they can cause an increase in the size of the belly.

Implementing the Plan

A person who wants to go on the Dr. Oz Diet should stop eating before feeling "full" or "stuffed." Dr. Oz measures the feeling of fullness on a scale of 1 to 10 and suggests stopping at about 6. The diet includes three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as well as two snacks daily. The following is a summary of some of the requirements of the diet.

Foods containing trans-fats and refined carbohydrates like rice and white sugar should be discarded. Include vegetables that are colorful; these vegetables are high in antioxidants. Eat 9 handfuls of fruit and vegetables daily. If fats are to be consumed, they should be healthy fats like avocados or olive oil. As with most diet plans, this one also suggests drinking 8 to 12 glasses of water daily. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise should be done daily.

Also From Dr. Oz

Dr. Oz has created a Detox "green" drink and has for some time lauded the benefits of the acai (pronounced ah-sah-ee) berry for body detoxification, creating a stronger immune system and weight loss. Dr. Oz recommends including such foods as blueberries, broccoli to lower the risk of cancer, tomatoes as they contain the antioxidant lycopene, green or white tea and a glass of red wine daily to impede cell aging.