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Friday, August 12, 2011
My Thoughts On Dr. Oz’s 6 Meal Plan
by Erika Nicole Kendall
When it comes to philosophies on food, there’s no shortage of people out there ready to share their thoughts on what you should be eating and when. I’m always a little careful with who’s philosophy I follow because you never know why they’re pushing what they’re pushing.. and the more popular they are, the more questionable their choices. At least, that’s how I see it.
On the Facebook fan page, someone asked for my thoughts on the “6 meal plan” offered up by Dr. Oz.. who I kinda have a little crush on, but who doesn’t? The details are pasted below:
Mini-meal #1: Protein
You can choose from a variety of food choices, but your first meal must be a protein. Healthy options include:
- Greek yogurt
- Lean meats
- Fish
- Nuts
- Beans
Mini-meal #2: Healthy Fats
Again, there is flexibility in the kind of healthy fat you can have, but keep the food in the same category. Options include:
- Canned salmon (which contains Omega-3s)
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- Olives
- Sunflower/pumpkin/flax seeds
Mini-meal #3: Whole Grains
- Whole-wheat bagel with low-fat cream cheese
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal
- Popcorn
- Whole-wheat bread, pasta or crackers
- Wild rice
Mini-meal #4: Fiber
- Grains and whole-grain products
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Beans, peas and other legumes
- Nuts and seeds
Mini-meal #5: Metabolism Booster
Salad with hot green peppers
Mini-meal #6: Healthy Sweets
Dark chocolate
To ensure that you experience at least SOME kind of weight loss, you’re encouraged to take at least 10,000 steps each day (counted by a pedometer), as well as taking a few vitamins. What are my thoughts?
Hmmm… I mean, to me, I think it’s almost too compartmentalized to be appropriate for every lifestyle. Someone who has to do a lot of business meetings for lunch might find it difficult to stick to a strictly whole-grain lunch. I think it’s an awesome challenge and would be valuable for anyone to jump on it, simply because getting used to having these things in your daily diet is a great thing to have. However… would someone get so frustrated by the limitations that they’d quit altogether? That’s an interesting question, to me.
The question of whether or not one could remain full off of an eating plan like this was posed to me.. and I’ve got to tell you.
YES!
I eat six times a day! I have a short breakfast, a quick brunch, lunch, a snack, dinner, then a last quick bite. I am never hungry. My tummy doesn’t even rumble any more because it knows that food is coming. Because my stomach doesn’t rumble anymore, I no longer eat (or overeat) based off of hunger. I’m no longer forced to stuff myself until that “hungry” feeling goes away.
So, in short… I don’t think the Six-Meal Plan is for beginners to the “healthier lifestyle” movement. I think it’s almost too radical and different to encourage long-lasting changes. I DO think the way it allows the dieter to really focus on specific food groups is an awesome way to get in the habit of making sure we’re getting the good stuff everyday. I love the six times a day eating schedule, and do recommend it for everyone.
What do you think? Opting to give the plan a try?
9 Comments
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts on my question to you. I think the meal plan would be perfect for people who are more discipline in weight loss journey than beginners. For example someone who loss 20 pounds and want to loss 10 more.
A newcomer like myself, I find the restriction to be too much but maybe down the line I’ll try it out.
—mstarenetta
Mstarenetta, You’re very welcome!
I definitely don’t recommend the plan for newcomers – I think it’d be a fast way to turn someone off to healthier eating. It’d be too much of a massive change. I DO think, however, that it helps one become better acquainted with highlighting and focusing on better nutrition… making sure you’re getting these things in on a regular basis.
If you’re a newcomer? DEFINITELY focus on the small victories. Gotta win the battles in order to beat the war.
Helena, that’s the exact point! On this plan, you’re eating a little bit of something every couple of hours, so your body doesn’t get the chance to really get hungry. It’s really the best bet.
—Erika
Love this site.
Dr.Oz ^ meal plan is good for me because I like to eat throughout the day. Since eating is frequentI feel full and don’t feel a need to go on a starvation induced binge.
—Helena Thornton
Hi there!
I have two simple questions about Dr. Oz’s meal plan, and as you have followed it and seem to like it, I thought I’d ask you. I hope it’s not a bother!
–What serving size/how many calories are you supposed to aim for for each of the mini-meals? I’ve tried looking for this information, but can’t seem to find it. For instance, what size is the whole wheat bagel that Dr Oz recommends for meal #3?
–Is this the entire day’s food? (I’m assuming it is, but you know what they say about assuming…)
Thanks!
—Eva
Eva, I’ve not followed this plan verbatim but I can attest to the fact that while it is strict, it is definitely beneficial. This is the entire day’s worth of food, and I think the average caloric intake is somewhere around 250cals a piece. That’s on average, though – you can borrow from an earlier meal if necessary.
It doesn’t seem like a lot of food but after your body gets used to real food, you will find yourself becoming full much quicker. Thanks for the question!
—Erika
I would like to know how MUCH of each item one should eat. Otherwise a person could eat an insufficient amount OR one could eat too much. Anyone who has ever dieted knows that portion control is very important.
Amelia
—Amelia
I just recently saw The Dr.Oz 6 meal plan segment. How did the meal plan work for you? Did anyone find out the quantities?
—Rachel Lloyd
I love Dr. Oz but you are right. I tried it and I felt a tiny bit restricted.
—JayDee
It seems more like a diet. I absolutely agree it can be a tool to eating more healthy foods from those groups. I don’t think a restrictive meal plan is helpful because it’s not realistic. Just my opinion.
—lynaya