The beloved bariatric surgeon of "My 600-lb Life" fame, Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, revealed secrets to patients' weight-loss success. And it boils down to making three anti-obesity food swaps and developing three new habits. The reality TV doctor concurs with reality television health guru Kenya Crooks. The WEtv trainer of "From Hot to Not" taught Mama June to trade junk food for healthier foods and she lost 300 pounds after gastric bypass and plastic surgery.
Dr. Now's number one weight-loss food swap
Dr. Now promises you will lose weight, even hundreds of pounds like Sean Milliken of "My 600-lb Life" in one simple food swap.
So what's the magic bullet to weight-loss? Eat protein, don't eat carbs (or greatly limit them). And that includes carbohydrates in vegetables and fruit, says the bariatric surgery expert. Empty carbs and starchy foods add calories without nutrients and burn off quickly without curbing hunger. Kenya Crooks taught reality TV stars Mama June and Honey Boo Boo to add protein and swap bad carbs for better ones.
Dr. Now preaches fiber for weight-loss
Hand-in-glove with protein is fiber for weight-loss, says the doctor of "My 600-lb Life." Protein sustains you and prevents mindless snacking while fiber (which doesn't digest) flushes fat. The best of both worlds is a vegan plant-based protein alternative.
Swap whey and soy protein powders for a pea powder in breakfast shakes. Pea powder delivers more protein, fewer calories and many grams of fiber. June Shannon had to learn to give up Little Debbie cakes and increase her protein intake to go "From Not to Hot." Dr. Now calls for 60 grams a day which uses up the calorie budget unless it's lowfat protein like Greek yogurt.
Dr. Now says swap fats for fatty acids
Fats have been the traditional enemy of weight-loss, but Dr. Now explains that fatty acids are vital. Choose foods with high MUFAs (monounsatured fatty acids), little saturated fat and no transfat. Fatty acids build healthy brown adipose tissue and burn dangerous white fat. This becomes stored fat and is what causes obesity.
Mama June is trying to help Honey Boo Boo reduce her fat intake too. Good sources of fatty acids, protein and fiber are beans, nuts, seeds, fish (cod, salmon and tuna), and chicken breast.
For weight-loss, stop, drop and move
The new habits of weight-loss are to stop overeating and drop the portion sizes. "Eat This, Not That" says that even "healthy" foods must be eaten in moderation. Honey Boo Boo and Mama June think and talk about food all the time. After gastric bypass surgery and plastic surgery (skin removal and tummy tuck) June's stomach is one-fifth its original size so she can't indulge. The last part of the equation is to move around more than you did. You don't have to run a marathon: just increase activity level. This was the hardest part for Mama June and many "My 600-lb Life" patients. But as Chad Dean proved, it pays off.
