The Dubrow diet was developed by a husband-wife duo “Terry and Heather Dubrow.” The power couple is famous for their reality TV shows, with Heather starring on The Real Housewives of Orange County and Terry, a plastic surgeon, appearing in Botched.
The Dubrow diet Plan made its first appearance in 2018 in their book titled, The Dubrow Diet: Interval Eating to Lose Weight and Feel Ageless. It combines intermittent fasting with a low-carb diet. According to them, the Dubrow diet can infuse energy, reduce weight, make you feel ageless, and make your lifestyle healthier.
How Does the Dubrow Diet Work?
The Dubrow diet not only dictates what to eat, but it also outlines when you should be eating. Since it also includes aspects of intermittent fasting, the diet advises taking an extended break from eating, which is called the fasting cycle. On the other hand, the duration for which you can eat is called the feeding window.
The diet is divided into three phases, as given below:
1. Red Carpet Ready
Initially, an individual on the Dubrow diet should follow a 16:8 schedule, wherein, you fast for 16 hours and have an 8-hour feeding window. This phase helps with resetting hunger cues and lasts for 2 to 5 days.
2. Summer Is Coming
In the next phase of the diet, you could opt for a 12, 14, 16, or 18-hour fast as per the individual’s preference. This phase also allows individuals to indulge in an occasional cheat meal or cheat day.
When it comes to eating, the Dubrows are not into counting macros and calories. However, they do recommend eating 2-3 portions of proteins, 2-3 servings of healthy fats, 1 serving of nuts and seeds, 1 serving of dairy, 2-3 servings of non-starchy vegetables, 1-2 servings of fruits, and 1 serving of complex carbs daily. It encourages low-carb foods but does not eliminate whole foods.
3. Look Hot While Living Like a Human
The final phase is the maintenance phase where the individual has to fast for 16 hours for two days in a week and 12-hour fasts for the remaining 5 days.
Benefits of the Dubrow Diet Plan
The following are the possible benefits of the Dubrow diet plan:
1. Weight Loss
The diet encourages the follower to consume healthy, whole foods that are minimally processed. These foods are often nutritionally dense and contain nutrients like fiber, which can enhance satiety levels(1). At the same time, a low-carb diet is said to boost metabolism and reduce cravings, hunger, and belly fat.
Further, intermittent fasting puts a cap on the daily calories consumed. Studies have discovered that intermittent fasting for 3-12 weeks could cause weight loss of nearly 8% of the body weight. Similarly, another research also pointed out how intermittent fasting can temporarily enhance metabolism, which means burning more calories.
2. Decreased Inflammation
Oxidative stress can release free radicals, which aggravate the condition for chronic diseases and speed up the aging process. This is because these free radicals react with protein, DNA, and other vital molecules to damage them. Studies indicate that intermittent fasting can not only protect the body from oxidative stress but also resist it and fight the inflammation markers(2).
3. Improved Heart Health
Low-carb diets and intermittent fasting are both said to have a positive impact on heart health. Consumption of carbohydrates such as fructose is one of the greatest culprits for raising triglyceride levels. The Dubrow diet plan can bring down cholesterol and triglyceride levels and related inflammatory markers.
[Read: Improve Heart Health with Psyllium Husk]
4. Stabilized Blood Sugar
Studies highlight how cutting carbs from your diet could lower blood sugar levels, as the body becomes more insulin sensitive and regulates and stabilizes blood sugar concentrations. Similarly, intermittent fasting benefits insulin resistance.
[Read: Fruits That Can Control Blood Sugar]
5. Boosts Cellular Repair
Intermittent fasting induces autophagy, which initiates the cellular waste removal and repair process. As a result, it can not only promote agelessness but also boost brain function(3), cognitive functions, and slow down the onset of age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s.
How to Follow the Dubrow Diet
Foods to Eat
Here is a Dubrow diet food list for what you must include in your meals:
- Proteins: Lean meats, fish, eggs, poultry, red meat, protein powders, and tofu
- Vegetables: “Above the ground” vegetables, garlic, onions, and green leafy vegetables
- Fruits: apples, berries, pineapple, cherries, lemon, peach, and pears
- Fats: Avocado, olives, ghee, tallow, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, and almond oil
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachio, sunflower, pumpkin, hemp, flaxseeds
- Dairy: Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, coconut milk
- Grains and Legumes: Quinoa, oats, chickpeas, lentils, bulgur, barley, hummus, beans, chickpeas
Foods to Avoid
Avoid the following food items while on a Dubrow Diet:
- Bakery goods like cakes, muffins, pies, etc.
- Breakfast cereals
- White bread and white pasta
- Processed and refined snacks
- Sugary beverages and desserts
Meal Plan
Here is a meal plan to get you started:
Breakfast (10 am)
- Green tea
- Warm water with a squeeze of lime
- Black coffee
Lunch (12:30 pm)
- Grilled chicken salad dressed in olive oil and honey
- Pan-seared salmon on a bed of quinoa or zucchini noodles
- Sprouted lentils with chopped tomatoes and onions sprinkled with feta cheese
[Read: What is an Okinawa Diet?]
Dinner (5:30 pm)
- Lean cut steak with steamed broccoli
- Chickpea, apple, and walnut salad tossed in olive oil
- Minced chicken patty wrapped in lettuce
Snack (between 10 am to 6 pm)
- Turkey bacon or turkey jerky
- Deli meat cold cuts with carrots
- Nuts and berries
- Cottage cheese
- Boiled sweet potatoes
You can also try out some Dubrow diet recipes, and incorporate the same in your meal plan.
Potential Downsides
The Dubrow diet plan, while sounds good on paper, may have some holes in it:
- It is an extremely low-calorie diet with restrictions on eating patterns, which not only causes a deficit in the caloric requirements but also brings down energy levels and mood.
- Given that the diet offers room for cheat meals and cheat days, it can derail the Dubrow diet plan, causing the individual to partake in “yo-yo” dieting.
- The Dubrow diet heavily focuses on physical appearances than health, which can cause irreparable damage to one’s body image. Terms like “bikini body” and “red carpet ready,” which make recurring appearances in the diet, could trigger under-nourishing. Hence, those having a history of eating disorders must stay away from it.
Takeaway
The Dubrow diet plan combines a low-carb diet with the intermittent fasting approach to aid and promote weight loss. While there is no specific research on the Dubrow diet, per se, inferences can be made from the contributions of the individual diets.
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FAQs
1. Can I indulge in occasional cheat meals while on the Dubrow diet?
Yes. After the 2-5 boot camp to reset your hunger cues, you can treat yourself to a cheat meal, albeit in moderation.
2. How Much Weight Can I Lose With the Dubrow Diet?
As per the Dubrows, test individuals lost an average of 800 grams (1.8 pounds) per week. However, depending on your body’s response to the diet, you could lose anything between 200 grams to 1 kilogram per week.
3. What Are the Benefits of the Dubrow Diet?
In addition to weight loss, the Dubrow Diet can also help with the decrease in inflammation, improved heart health, stabilized blood sugar levels, and improved brain health.
