I recently read Doctor Oz’s diet book and though the jokes were terrible, it’s good advice. The whole thing nets out to the Core Diet plus a few special guests. Remember, the core diet says these six foods should be at the core of your diet:
- Beans, fish, and white poultry
- Fruits and vegetables
- Water
Oz’s special guests are:
- Whole grains
- Red chili pepper (especially with eggs in the morning)
- Yogurt
- Fermented foods (like pickles)
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- A handful of nuts
Dr. Oz says whole grains in the morning keep you full well into the afternoon. He especially likes steel cut oats, but any high-fibre cereal is good. He also likes chili pepper with eggs for the same reason. (I like those crushed hot chilies by Tutto Calabria.)
Yogurt and fermented foods contain probiotics, which are good for digestion. Honey and cinnamon are great regardless of reason. And a handful of nuts is his biggest recommendation. He says they contain 15% less calories than the label says and because it takes 25 minutes for your brain to register that you’ve actually eaten something, a handful of nuts is a great way to avoid hunger—especially before dinner.
So meal planning now breaks down like this:
Breakfast
- whole grains (like high-fibre cereal or steel cut oats)
- eggs with chili pepper
- yogurt with fruit
Snacks
- apple, carrot, yogurt, handful of nuts
Lunch / dinner
- chicken, fish, or lean red meats with vegetables
- bean soup, bean dip, bean salad
- cream puffs with cinnamon
Drink a bunch of water, exercise 30 minutes a day (walking is fine), and have sex as much as possible. Oh, and he says coffee is good.
P.S. If you don’t like cream puffs, try cinnamon on cereal or toast.