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I am often asked which diet is the best diet to lose weight – is it the keto diet, the Atkins diet, the Paleo diet, the South Beach diet or the alternate-day fasting diet? My first thought is to answer “Dr. Ngozi diet” but then I stop myself and respond – “the best diet is the one that you can maintain for a lifetime”.  The issue is that most of the fad diets will have you lose weight, but when you stop, you tend to gain the weight back with a little bit more.  When I suggested to my husband, I should have the Dr. Ngozi diet, he chuckled and asked what my qualifications were?  I have to admit, I am not a dietitian however, my experience is based on being a physician for over 20 years. It is based on my readings over the years. It is based on how I have been able to manage my weight over the years.  

There are definitely some good programs around where I have seen good results. Anytime I see someone who has lost weight or is maintaining their weight, I often ask what they are doing. Weight Watchers so far has proven to have great benefits and most people who stick with the program are able to maintain their weight loss. The other positive programs are those that are chronic disease prevention programs for example the diabetic prevention program.

I have decided to share the Dr. Ngozi Diet Plan. I know for most, the goal is weight loss, but I tend to focus on weight maintenance and when you start making some of the changes that I recommend, you will lose weight. Like most diet plan, I do have a disclaimer – If you have a medical condition, you may want to consult with your physician. The other disclaimer is that there are no guarantees. I call my plan a 10-Part Program and I will share the first five now and will share the last 5 on a later blog.

Number one:  For those of you who have signed up to be part of the family, it starts with the first challenge of the 30 Day Alive & Healthy Challenge – Look at yourself in front of the mirror, naked and profess that you love yourself. It is so important to love the person in front of the mirror regardless of the weight. I believe you should look at yourself every day and proclaim that you are wonderfully made. Once you do this, you start to become mindful of what you are putting into your beautiful body.

Number two: Invest in a scale.  Mine stays in my bathroom. As an earlier blog suggested – the scale should be your best friend and not your enemy. You have to know where you are. I look at my scale every morning to see where I am. I have a 5 pound range where I like my weight to be. If it is towards the lower side, I might eat dessert that day. If it is towards the higher side, most likely it will only be three meals a day without snacks. It is too hard to look at the scale in 6 months and be 10 pounds heavier. That does not happen if you are looking at the scale regularly.

Number three: Water needs to be your go to drink. We often think food is where the calories are but drinks have calories. Soda (or Pop), alcohol, lemonade, punch have what is called empty calories. There is no nutritional value. Although juice may sound good, you do not want it to be your only source of liquid. Also, you want to be mindful of all the extras (creamers, sugar, honey) that are put in tea and coffee. Those calories add up.

Number four: Skip the late night meals. If you need to eat something after 7:00 PM, make it light. It does not have to be a full meal.

Number five: You need to get enough sleep. People are always surprised when I tell them that lack of sleep makes it difficult to lose weight or even maintain your weight.

I would love to hear your feedback.

FYI: June 8 is Family Health & Fitness Day USA. There are Parks and Recreations Centers all over the country. Take advantage of all that they have to offer. Just google Parks and Recreation Center near you. The prices for their programs tend to be low cost and sometimes free.