The Dr. Oz Diet

As you probably already know, Dr. Oz has hit the mainstream and shows no sign of fading away anytime soon. Like many other people and things introduced to the world by Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Oz may actually stand apart from the rest. Many people think that he is on to something with the Dr. Oz Diet. Maybe he is. Here's what you need to know.

Who is Dr. Oz?

First of all, Dr. Mehmet Oz is actually a doctor. Graduating Harvard, he received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is also a professor and Vice Chairman of Surgery at Columbia University in New York City. Additionally, he serves as Medical Director of the Integrated Medicine Center. Before being popularized in the mainstream by his appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", Dr. Oz was already well-known for his "You" series of books.

Knowing a little more about Dr. Oz may make it easier for you to take his diet as legitimate rather than just a recent fad. The Dr. Oz Diet doesn't focus on weight loss like so many fad diets theses days but overall health and even disease prevention. Weight loss is often a simple side effect of the Dr. Oz Diet. But still, the main focus is not on the scale but on the circumference of your waist.

What about Waist Size?

So, according to Dr. Oz, what is the ideal waist size? For a 30-year-old male it's about 35 inches and for a female of the same age, about 32 ½ inches. Wondering why Dr. Oz puts so much emphasis on waist size rather than weight alone? It's simple. Studies have shown that excess weight around the abdomen can lead to many risk factors and eventual diseases including but not limited to diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

How about a Healthy Lifestyle

Another principle focus of the Dr. Oz Diet is a healthy lifestyle, which can help in every aspect, not just losing weight and becoming more comfortable with your body. Healthy lifestyle habits include focus on fitness, nutrition, and even a healthy mind. Dr. Oz employs the ideas of mind over matter to a degree.

It's important to remember that the Dr. Oz Diet isn't a quick fix like many of the dangerous fad diets out there now. You won't lose 10 pounds in a week or fit into those skinny jeans right away (you eventually might!) This diet is about learning how the body works and making the right choices to nurture it. The main goal is to bring your body to its optimal performance capacity which will ultimately lead to better health and the loss of excess weight.

Key Strategies of the Diet

The Dr. Oz Diet employs a few key strategies that will ensure its effectiveness. Obviously, if these guidelines aren't followed, dieters will have little success in achieving both an overall healthier body and smaller waist size. However, even employing a few of these simple changes may improve your health to a degree.

1. Start by measuring your waist size. This will allow for a reference point on progress.

2. Walk at least 30 minutes every day, no matter what.

3. Get a friend - your buddy will support you and it will be fun.

4. Throw away junk food and restock your kitchen with healthy alternatives.

5. Reduce the amount of calories you eat by just 100 each day.

6. Don't bother counting carbs or calories.

7. Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are full.

8. Reduce your portions - use smaller plates.

9. Drink a glass of water or two before a meal to help fill your stomach - this will help you eat less.

10. Measure fruits and vegetables by the handful - and eat at least 9 handfuls a day.

11. Have at least one ounce of nuts each day (that's about a small handful.)

12. Have fish like mahi mahi, flounder, or salmon at least 3 times a week.

13. Avoid white foods like simple sugar and enriched wheat flour.

14. Avoid trans fat and saturated fat like nobody's business.

15. Take a good multivitamin with folate, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids (the latter is ideal if you don't eat fish regularly.)

So, How Effective is the Diet?

The Dr. Oz Diet clearly marks the doctor's medical expertise and knowledge. The underlying principles of the diet focus heavily on the workings of the body, not just what you eat. Dr. Oz examines the way the brain, hormones, genetics, muscles, and stomach use all affect the way the body uses and stores its fuel.

Having a full understanding of what the Dr. Oz Diet is all about is the first step in how effective it can really be. The diet isn't too strict and can be incorporated into just about anyone's lifestyle. Just remember, because this is a healthy and methodical approach to improving the way your body works and losing excess weight in the long run, patience is a virtue. You will not see results overnight but you will begin to look and feel better by sticking to this plan.