Everything You Need To Know About The Dr. Nowzaradan Diet

“My 600-lb. Life” is one of the most compelling shows on the TLC network. It gives you a peek into the lives of people who have been clinically diagnosed as morbidly obese. The reality TV show will take you on a journey to follow the lives of select individuals as they try to reclaim their health. One of the central characters on the show is Dr. Younan Nowzaradan who performs the weight-loss surgeries on the morbidly obese patients.

When you are overweight, the usual recommendation to achieve healthy weight loss is a combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet. For those who are morbidly obese, diet and exercise are no longer enough.

Their excessive weight makes it difficult to move let alone exercise. The risk of breaking a bone, tearing a muscle, or getting a heart attack is great because of the intense pressure on the body, its tissues, and organs. In some cases, the person has to lose enough body weight before undertaking an exercise program.

This is where Dr. Nowzaradan comes in.

Dr. Younan Nowzaradan Bio

unhappy plate

“My 600-Lb Life” resident doctor Dr. Younan Nowzaradan is a general and vascular surgeon. He practices medicine in Houston, Texas and is widely-renowned for his skills in performing weight loss surgeries.

Dr. Nowzaradan offers the following weight loss procedures:

  • Roux-en Y Gastric Bypass
  • Lap Band System
  • Gastric Sleeve
  • Revision Surgery

In addition to weight loss surgery, Dr. Nowzaradan also develops exercise plans and designs diet menus for his patients. Getting weight loss surgery is a short-term fix for the morbidly obese.

Dr. Nowzaradan prefers a long-term solution to the obesity problem. Even if the surgery is successful, the patient should exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet in order to maintain a healthy body weight.

Dr. Nowzaradan is also a bestselling author. He wrote the book “Last Chance To Live” which chronicles more than 40-years of experience treating morbidly obese patients.

How Does Dr. Nowzaradan’s 1,000-Calorie Bariatic Diet Look Like?

Dr. Nowzaradan’s diet includes the 3 basic macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein, and fat – but recommends using their healthier options and within restricted quantities

Grains

  • Value – Carbohydrates for energy and fiber
  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – 6 to 7 ounces daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – 5 to 6 ounces daily
  • Sample Serving – One cup of breakfast cereal, one slice of bread, one-half cup of cooked rice, one-half cup of pasta.
  • Best Sources – Whole grain bread, buckwheat, brown rice, oatmeal, amaranth, spelt products, quinoa, and wild rice.
  • Special Instructions – At least 3 servings from whole grains; make sure product does include whole grains.

Dairy

jug pouring milk into glass
  • Value – Calcium, Vitamin D, and Carbohydrates
  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – 3 cups daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – 3 cups daily
  • Sample Serving – One cup of yogurt, one cup of milk, one-and-a-half ounces of cheese.
  • Best Sources – Milk, yogurt, cheese, and sour cream.
  • Special Instructions – Choose low fat or no fat dairy; alternative choices are sardines, tofu, and calcium-fortified products.

Protein

  • Value – Amino Acids
  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – 6 to 8 ounces daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – 4 to 6 ounces daily
  • Sample Serving – One serving could be one-half ounce as per USDA or 2 ounces at most.
  • Best Sources – Poultry, seafood, meat, nuts, seeds, and dry beans.
  • Special Instructions – Be wary of eating too much red meat which contains a high amount of saturated fats; fatty fish contains healthy Essential Fatty Acids or Omega-3s.

Fats And Oils

  • Value – Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and Vitamin E.
  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – 9 tsp. daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – 7 tsp. daily
  • Sample Serving – One teaspoon
  • Best Sources – Olive oil, flaxseed, nuts, fatty fish, safflower oil, and peanut oil.
  • Special Instructions – Make sure to consume EFAs from fatty fish and nuts to reduce the bad effects of saturated fats from red meat.

Fruits And Vegetables

  • Value – Antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and bioflavonoids.
  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – 5 to 9 servings daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – 5 to 9 servings daily
  • Sample Serving – Two cups of dark green and low starch vegetable like broccoli, one-half cup of a starchy vegetable like potatoes. For fruits, one serving is a medium sized fruit or a half cup of berries.
  • Best Sources – Starchy vegetables, green leafy vegetables, beans, apples, oranges, bananas, potatoes, and peaches.
  • Special Instructions – Some types of fruits and vegetables have a high calorie count so keep track of consumption.

Fibre

  • Value – Maintain healthy digestion, removal of waste products, and to reduce cholesterol levels.
  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – 25 to 35 grams daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – 20 to 25 grams daily
  • Sample Serving – Read the label and take note of the product’s fiber content.
  • Best Sources – Whole grains, vegetables, and whole fruits.

Salt

  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – Less than 2,300mg daily
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – Less than 2,300mg daily
  • Sample Serving – 1 dash of salt has 155mg of sodium.
  • Best Sources – Salt, canned vegetables, processed and prepared foods.

Sugar

  • Recommended Quantity (Men) – None
  • Recommended Quantity (Women) – None
  • Sample Serving – 1 tsp.
  • Best Sources – All types of sugar, pastries, candies, molasses, and honey.
  • Special Instructions – Some types of fruits and vegetables have a high calorie count so keep track of consumption.
teaspoon of sugar

How Does Dr. Nowzaradan’s 1,200-Calorie Bariatic Diet Look Like?

Although Dr. Nowzaradan has not published his 1,200-calorie Bariatic Diet, a meal plan may look like this:

Meal 1 – Breakfast

  • ½ cup Oatmeal
  • Berries
  • Nuts

Calories – 301

Meal 2 – Morning Snack

  • ½ Cottage Cheese
  • Pear

Calories – 149

Meal 3 – Lunch

  • Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Calories – 305

Meal 4 – Afternoon Snack

  • ½ cup Carrot Sticks
  • Hard Boiled Egg
  • 4 pcs. Whole Wheat Crackers

Calories – 145

Meal 5 – Dinner

  • Shrimp Tacos

Calories – 298

Total Calories – 1,198