Just what does "My 600-Lb. Life" resident physician Dr. Now tell patients to eat?
Could Penny still have her wontons? Keep watching
for how Dr. Now shrunk America's biggest eaters with his tiny little diet plan.
"I cannot function without wontons. They're not the best thing for me…"
When it comes to Dr. Now's clients, it's never one-size-fits-all. And Dr. Now's famous diet
plans are customized for every patient so they're as effective as possible. Even so,
each regimen follows roughly the same blueprint,
starting with a max of about 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day — and sometimes even less.
This teaches patients to limit caloric intake, which will be key following their surgery.
"Eating just makes everything better."
As Dr. Now explains on his website, the most commonly performed weight-loss surgeries are
the Lap Band System and the Vertical Sleeve. Both are featured on the show,
and both aim to address the feeling of fullness, and therefore limit the amount of calories it's
possible to eat. But patients still have to put in the effort after their surgeries.
Decreasing the stomach's overall size is helpful, but it only does so much.
It's the healthy eating and lifestyle habits that really keep the weight off.
Generally, meals are low-carb and low-fat but high in protein. And, of course, it's no surprise that
sugary snacks and sodas are completely off limits. Distractify even published the actual diet that
the late fan favorite, L.B. Bonner, was given during his stint on Season 6. The plan typically
relies on whole foods and very small portions. Well, much smaller than the patients had been used
to. Meals would likely involve something like egg whites or oatmeal for breakfast, and lean protein
for lunch and dinner. Snacks are limited to turkey or ham roll-ups or plain, sugar-free Greek yogurt.
"Man! That sounds nasty."
"Oh, it'll be good. It's healthy."
"Usually if it's healthy it's not good."
Considering how they had been eating, it's a tough meal plan to swallow. But
when the clients work, the plan works. As Season 3's Amber Rachdi told Starcasm,
"I still go to the gym 3 days a week. I'm working
on myself ... I'm trying to live my life the best way I know how."
"A year ago, I'm not sure I believed my life would ever get any better.
A year ago, I didn't have hope."
After a decade on the air, many fans of the show have wondered whether Dr. Now's plan could
work for them, too. But as Healthline noted, it's only meant for the most extreme cases
and shouldn't be attempted outside of a doctor's care. And we can see why.
The diet involves eating up to three meals a day, at about 400-600 calories each.
With zero snacks, no sugar, and a boost in protein and fiber intake overall.
It's clear that this is an extremely restrictive diet. And it isn't something anyone should try
as a long-term option. Dr. Now explicitly prescribes it to patients who need to lose a
lot of weight quickly. As registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade explained to U.S. News,
"Following a restrictive diet like this long term can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies
as well as lead to disordered eating patterns. This is a medically supervised
weight loss plan and should not be attempted by individuals on their own
without guidance of a physician and dietitian."
But while his success in his field has made him a celebrity,
Dr. Now isn't your typical reality star. He once posted to Instagram,
"I am fortunate to do what I love, and it brings me joy to see all the
fans and messages sharing how much the show positively impacts so many people."
"She can either wake up and get her act together, or she won't be doing the program."
Still, the journey isn't always an easy one for his patients.
Dr. Now acknowledged that sometimes he has to put his foot down, explaining to People,
"It's a daily challenge to work with some patients that can be self-destructive. My
job is not to get aggravated but to find a way to motivate them to work hard to get to their goals.
There are times where I think it's necessary for some tough love, and I have to be stern with them,
so I show some of my concern and frustration."
Dr. Now does everything he can to help even the most desperate of cases hit their
goals, and truly change their lives.
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