DUBROW DIET & WEIGHT LOSS: The facts
- Nutrition
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INTRODUCING THE DUBROW DIET
The Dubrow diet is the brainchild of Terry and Heather Dubrow, two reality stars.
Terry Dubrow is a popular plastic surgeon and co-host of Botched, a TV show, while Heather Dubrow is a former cast member of the Real Housewives of Orange County.
The Dubrow diet came on board in 2018.
The creators of this diet claim that it can increase energy levels, enhance the burning of fat, improve control of blood sugar, as well as slow aging.
Dubrow diet is a low-carb diet which involves doing intermittent fasting and regulating food intake to specific hours of the day.
It also states the general guidelines for which food groups and foods to include to boost your results.
FOLLOWING THE DUBROW DIET
The Dubrow diet is split into three phases that vary by meal schedule.
The first phase of the Dubrow diet is known as Red carpet Steady. This phase involves a 16-hour fast and restriction of food intake to eight hours per day during a refueling period. This type of intermittent fasting is quite common and known as the 16/8 method.
The Red Carpet Steady Phase should be continued for 2-5 days at the start of the plan. It is believed to help reset hunger cues to kick-start the diet on the right foot.
This phase of the Dubrow diet is the most restrictive. It promotes the intake of dairy products, healthy fats, lean proteins, fruits, non-starchy vegetables, seeds, complex carbs, and nuts.
Summer is coming – it is the second phase of the Dubrow diet. You should follow this until you achieve your weight goal.
Just like the initial phase, the first phase involves periods of fasting – mostly 12-16 hours depending on how quickly you’d like to reach your goals.
Summer is coming phase also sets regulations for the kind of food groups you should eat, as well as the quantity.
Although you may have no need to count macronutrients or calories, the plan encourages the intake of specific food groups.
Foods that may be eaten during the second phase include:
- A serving of complex carbs
- A serving of seeds or nuts
- 1-2 servings of fruit
- A serving of dairy
- Healthy fats – 2-3 servings
- Lean protein: 2-3 servings
- Non-starchy vegetables: 2-3 servings
Once you’ve attained your desired weight, you may begin the final phase of the diet for prolonged weight maintenance. This phase is called Look Hot While Living Like a Human.
The rules of this phase are the same as the second phase. However, fasting is restricted to 16 hours twice per week and doing a 12-hour fast for the remaining five days.
Occasional cheat days are allowed during the second and third phases of the Dubrow Diet. On these cheat days, you’re free to eat your favorite foods, but moderately.
DOES THE DUBROW DIET ENHANCE WEIGHT LOSS?
Healthy eating, consumption of whole foods, and minimal use of processed foods or ingredients are the selling points of the Dubrow Diet.
Most foods that are listed on the Dubrow Diet plan are foods that contain important nutrients, such as fiber (1).
The Dubrow diet is also a low-carb diet, which can boost your metabolism and reduce belly fat and hunger (2, 3, 4).
Also, the plan encourages intermittent fasting, which aids weight loss (5, 6).
A certain review showed that the effect of intermittent fasting on weight loss may be compared to that of cutting calories, noting that 3-12 weeks of intermittent fasting could cause you to lose up to 8% of your total body weight (5).
Also, research has shown that intermittent fasting can cause a temporary boost in your body’s metabolic rate, which can cause you to burn more calories during the day (7).
OTHER HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE DUBROW DIET
Apart from its effects on weight loss, the Dubrow diet also has other health benefits. These include:
- Anti-inflammatory actions: Research has shown that intermittent fasting can reduce some markers of inflammation. The reduction of these inflammatory markers protects against chronic diseases (8, 9, 10, 11).
- Improves cardiovascular health: Low-carb diets and intermittent fasting reduces triglyceride and cholesterol levels, which improves cardiovascular health (12, 13).
- Normalizes blood sugar levels: Studies have shown that cutting down on your intake of carbs can reduce your blood sugar levels and boost your body’s sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells of your pancreas and helps with efficient control of your blood sugar (14, 15).
- Improved brain health. Although most research has been animal-based, there are indications that intermittent fasting may improve cognitive function and slow aging of
the brain (16, 17).
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE DUBROW DIET?
The Dubrow diet has many benefits, no doubt about that, but it does have some disadvantages as well.
Critics allege that the diet plan is basically a recycling of well-known concepts like intermittent fasting. There’s basically nothing new about it.
Also, the Dubrow diet plan lays emphasis on weight loss and slowing aging signs as the key to looking your best rather than improving your overall health.
The diet also offers general recommendations on the quantity of food you should eat and how much you should eat.
While healthy and flexible eaters may be encouraged by this, others may not find it funny, as it offers very little guidance.
Also worth noting is the fact that the Dubrow diet is a low-carb plan depending on the type of foods that you include in the diet and the quantity you choose to eat throughout the day.
Although reducing calories can boost weight loss, eating very little can distort your metabolism and cause side effects like weakness, fatigue, lack of focus, and mood changes (18).
Also, while intermittent fasting may be safe, it may be inappropriate for people with some certain health conditions, such as low blood pressure, or type 1 diabetes.
Nursing or pregnant women are not eligible to fast. This is very important.
It is also important to note that women have very high sensitivity to calorie restriction, and studies have shown that its effects on fertility may be negative (19).
Women may, therefore, need to use a modified version and fast intermittently a few days a week instead of daily, as specified on the Dubrow diet.
WHAT FOODS SHOULD YOU INCLUDE ON YOUR DUBROW DIET PLAN?
Foods that should be included in the Dubrow diet plan include lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.
You can include the following foods as part of your Dubrow diet plan:
- Non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, etc.
- Lean proteins such as turkey or chicken, seafood, tempeh, pork, or tofu.
- Dairies such as cheese, milk, and yogurt.
- Healthy fats like avocados, avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil.
- Beverages like tea, unsweetened coffee, and water.
- Complex carbs like lentils, beans, oats, sweet potatoes, barley, chickpeas, buckwheat, and quinoa.
- Fruits like apples, cherries, melons, berries, bananas, apricots, peaches, etc.
- Seeds & nuts such as walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and pistachios.
You may tale white wine, red wine, or other low-sugar alcoholic drinks only during the second and third phases of the diet.
However, it is important that you limit your intake to one drink daily and take only one serving of fruit on days that you take alcohol.
FOODS TO BE AVOIDED
You should avoid refined grains, processed foods, high-fat meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and refined oils.
THE SUMMARY
The Dubrow diet is one with a low-fat content that is used alongside intermittent fasting to boost weight loss.
No research has been done on this diet, but the basic pattern of the diet may enhance weight loss and also cause a general improvement in the dieter’s overall health.
However, you should also remember that this diet recycles some well-known concepts, and is mainly focused on physical appearance. It is best that you enjoy a variety of whole foods while adopting an eating schedule that suits your style.
Tonika Bruce, MSN, RN, MBA. is an accomplished nurse leader, published author, and personal development expert passionate about advancing healthcare management and quality patient outcomes.
She taps into the years of experience in healthcare management to produce credible and easy-to-understand health and leadership content. Her exceptional work has been featured in reputable publications, including Forbes, Recruiter, Inc, and the Color of Wellness magazine.
