Weight loss expert Dr Michael Mosley is known for his no-nonsense approach to dieting. And while many of the plans he created are strict they can get good results if you follow them.
But speaking before his death earlier this year he had some very specific advice for those wanting to lose weight quickly but safely. He said people should avoid three key food groups if they really wanted to lose weight.
The expert left behind a legacy of healthy advice for people, including help for those with health conditions such as diabetes and those wanting simply to lose weight. He had a range of diets to his name including The Fast 800, 5:2, The Way of Life and The Fast 800 Keto.
But his advice on avoiding three food groups was rooted in the principles of the Keto diet. This plan triggers your body into a fat-burning state helping boost weight loss.
And while he agreed that “cutting right down” is key to shedding pounds, the doctor previously told ITV’s This Morning that cutting calories isn’t always the best route to steady weight loss. He said a better way is to cut sugar, starchy carbs, and processed meats which can revolutionise your metabolism.
He said: “Cut right down on sugar, sugary treats, drinks and desserts. That includes most breakfast cereals, which are usually full of sugar, as well as most commercial smoothies.”
Unlike many other weight loss plans that advocate cutting out fats, he recommends reducing or limiting starchy carbohydrates. He said white bread, pasta, potatoes and white rice were the main offenders contributing to many people’s weight gain.
The weight loss expert added: “Switch instead to whole grains including bulgur (cracked wheat), whole rye, wholegrain barley, wild rice and buckwheat. Brown rice is okay.”
Dr Mosley recommended adding legumes like lentils, kidney beans, and chickpeas as “healthy and filling” alternatives to stodgy carbs. He pointed out that this swap is not only waistline-friendly but also a good move to cut the cost of the weekly shop.
The doctor said there was no need to count calories every day but encouraged people to track them just two days a week during fasting periods, with a limit of 500 calories on those days For the remaining days he advised a Mediterranean-style diet to avoid sugar-laden foods, starchy carbohydrates, and processed meats.
Speaking on the show he said: “That means more olive oil and nuts, as well as plenty of eggs, full-fat yoghurt, oily fish and vegetables. Make sure you fill up on protein and veg on your fasting days. Protein is very satiating and you can eat a lot of vegetables for very few calories.”
He has also issued a warning on his website Fast800, advising people to avoid ultra-processed meats and generally processed foods, which are often “packed with sugar, fat, and salt, as well as chemical flavourings and preservatives.”
The doctor’s website tells would-be dieters this includes: “Chicken nuggets, burgers, chips, pizzas, hotdogs, pre-packaged meals, mass-produced ice-cream, sweets, crisps, energy bars, bakery goods, biscuits, margarine and pretty well anything that says ‘instant’– i.e. instant noodles, soups and desserts.”
He warned these foods are designed to set off the reward circuits in our brains, “so once we start eating them we find it really hard to stop”. The health expert continued to stand by his Fast 5:2 Diet as a sure-fire way to get slim saying at the time: “Today we have more hard evidence than ever that the 5:2 is one of the best ways to get slim and stay slim – as well as reduce your risk of illness.”