Developed by a reality TV power couple, the Dubrow Diet pairs intermittent fasting — an eating pattern that restricts food intake to a specific timeframe — with a low-carb diet.
The plan promises to help you lose weight, feel ageless, and transform your body and life from the inside out.
While some praise the plan’s effectiveness, others claim that it’s unoriginal, overly simplified, and too low in calories.
This article takes a closer look at the Dubrow Diet and whether it can help you lose weight.
BOTTOM LINE: The Dubrow Diet is a low-carb diet that uses intermittent fasting to promote weight loss. It emphasizes eating lean proteins, healthy fats, non-starchy vegetables, and fruits and may offer some benefits.
What is the Dubrow Diet?
The Dubrow Diet is a popular diet plan created by reality stars Terry and Heather Dubrow.
Dr. Terry Dubrow is a well-known plastic surgeon and co-host of the TV show Botched, while Heather Dubrow is a former cast member of the Real Housewives of Orange County.
The diet is outlined in a book that was published in 2018.
According to its creators, the plan can improve blood sugar control, increase energy levels, boost fat-burning, and slow signs of aging.
The low-carb diet involves practicing intermittent fasting and restricting your food intake to specific hours of the day.
It also lays out general guidelines for which foods and food groups to include to optimize your results.
SUMMARY
The Dubrow Diet is a diet plan based on a book published by Terry and Heather Dubrow. It’s a low-carb diet that involves intermittent fasting and sets guidelines for which foods you should eat.
First phase: Red Carpet Ready
They suggest people kickstart their weight loss by staying in this phase for 2 to 5 days, depending on how much weight you want to lose (2 for less than 10 pounds and 5 for more than 30 pounds). During this time, you’ll fast for 16 hours a day and confine your eating to 8 hours, following these dietary guidelines:
- 1 serving of dairy or dairy alternative on an approved list
- 2 to 3 servings of “above ground” vegetables on an approved list
- 1 serving of fruit on an approved list
- 1 serving of complex carbohydrates on an approved list
- 1 savory treat on an approved list
- 2 to 3 servings of 3 to 4 ounces of protein on an approved list
- 1 to 2 servings of fat on an approved list
- 1 serving of nuts or seeds on an approved list
Second phase: Summer Is Coming
The Dubrows say the plan works best if you stay in this phase until you reach your goal weight. However, you can choose your speed by fasting for 12 hours (losing .5 to 1.5 pounds per week), 14 hours (losing 1 to 2.5 pounds per week), or 16 hours a day (losing 2 to 4 pounds per week), and following these dietary guidelines:
- 2 to 3 servings of vegetables on an approved list
- 1 to 2 servings of fruit on an approved list
- 1 serving of complex carbohydrates on an approved list
- 1 savory treat on an approved list
- 1 alcoholic drink (1 to 2 for men) on an approved list
- 2 to 3 servings of 3 to 4 ounces of protein on an approved list
- 2 to 3 servings of fat on an approved list
- 1 serving of nuts or seeds on an approved list
- 1 serving of dairy or dairy alternative on an approved list
Third phase: Look Hot While Living Like a Human
The goal of the third and final phase is to help you maintain your goal weight so you would theoretically stick with it forever. The Dubrows suggest fasting for 12 hours a day 5 days a week and 16 hours a day 2 days a week. They don’t have specific food recommendations, but they say to return to previous phases if you start to see your weight creep back up.
Is the Dubrow Diet Healthy?
While there’s lots of research to show intermittent fasting can be good for you, and there’s nothing inherently unhealthy about the Dubrow Diet, it may be a bit complicated for the average person to stick with. Not only does it require you to change your eating schedule, you would have to photocopy pages of the book that have the lists of approved foods and carry it around in your purse. If you’re new to intermittent fasting and want to make sure you’re doing it correctly, the book does provide a good introduction and even includes tips for sticking to your plan while going on vacation. However, it may get a little stressful to follow it strictly.