What diet?

I can't believe how little is known about Dr Cohen's diet. It is such a healthy and logical way to lose weight. Healthy because it is monitored and specifically designed for each individual through blood tests and regular clinic visits. It aims to balance out your Human Growth Hormone, Insulin and Serotonin levels. Originally, Doctor Cohen designed this diet to help his infertile patients.

About Dr Cohen:

Dr R Cohen MD. F.C.O.G. (Wits) S.A. started his medical career in South Africa in the field of Cardiology, and later specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (particularly infertility). He led the internationally recognised Wits Medical School's first Test-Tube Program (in vitro fertilization) for four years and brought happiness to many infertile couples by giving them the joy of becoming parents.

While conducting this work Dr Cohen encountered the impact of obesity and its related problems. This led him to undertake over three years of international research into nutrition and obesity and has resulted in his world-famous 'Cohen Diet' with thousands of successful clients from all over the world, many of whom are well-known celebrities. For several years Dr Cohen was involved in preparing international candidates for the 'Miss Universe' beauty pageant. Cohen clinics are spread over Australia, Asia, Europe and South Africa and he is currently promoting the weight loss diet successfully in the USA. Dr Cohen personally assesses each client and oversees their healthy eating plan.

See more: http://www.cohens.com.au/our_program/dr_cohen_obesity_research.htm

The diet is logical to me because it is a low calorie diet that requires you to weigh everything that you eat, but at the same time the diet requires you to not do any strenuous exercise throughout the weight loss part of the diet. The food allowance is prescribed so specifically that you cannot drastically increase your calorie output, because naturally, you will feel hungry and want more food that has not been calculated. This is one MAJORLY crucial rule!

Dr Cohen's website describes:

Dr Cohen's Program is a rapid fat and weight loss diet. It helps clients rapidly reduce their fat in a safe and healthy way. It is not a kilojoules-based diet, nor a high protein diet. The weight loss diet is actually a balanced eating plan. No expensive or exotic foods are needed, only the food already in most people's kitchens. All types of food on the program can be eaten, including various types of red/white meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. No tonics or pills are involved - the food itself becomes the 'medicine', and food quantities and combinations are critical to the weight loss diet. Each client follows a diet precisely calibrated to meet their body's needs, to lose fat quickly and increase their general wellness.

How many people have you known that have wanted to lose weight and have decided to drastically reduce their calories while at the same time increase their calorie expenditure by exercising more? How long do they last before the diet goes out the window and a big binge fest defeats them? Pizza, chocolate, ice cream - give me ANYTHING but another carrot stick!!! I can relate.

Well, the logic behind Dr Cohen's technique of dieting in ley terms is to lose the weight through diet only, get your hormones and weight under control, then introduce exercise back into your lifestyle. Exercise is very important for overall body health! But who feels like exercising when they're so big that their joints ache from any exercise activities they try anyway? Let alone the fact that you don't fit into any sports gear!

So what was I able to eat? A very common question.

The Cohen's diet has me eating 3 set meals per day that include a protein and vegetables. These specific proteins and vegetables must be weighed out according to my "prescribed" meal allowance weights. Additional to this, I have set amounts of specific crackers and fruits that I can eat as snacks or with my meals. I can use a set amount of dried herbs and spices for seasoning. I can use most vinegars sparingly. I can use specific sweeteners sparingly if I choose. I can have a small amount of low fat mayonnaise. I can use fresh herbs and spices - however they must be weighed within my vegetable allowance. And most importantly - I must drink 2.5 - 3 litres of water per day. One big glass first thing in the morning, and regular sipping throughout the rest of the day. I can also drink up to 1 litre of diet soda per day (caffeine free), but this is additional to my water intake.

My breakfast would be a choice from:

1 Egg + weighed vegetables
Mozzarella Cheese + weighed vegetables (I often used a cracker allowance to have cheese & tomato crackers)
or
Yoghurt & Fruit from fruit allowance.

Lunch and dinner were usually:

Weighed chicken & weighed vegetables
or
Weighed Beef Steak & weighed vegetables

I also had the choice of Veal, Kangaroo Meat and a small variety of White Fish and other seafood - including prawns - but they were not commonly used on my specific diet due to my tastes and the ease of steak & chicken to prepare and also to store in weighed portions.

There was to be 5 hours between any protein intake - ie. minimum 5 hours between meals. And I had to wait 2.5hours between any cracker intake. So if I had crackers with my breakfast, I could not have another until 2.5 hours after my breakfast. The timing is important. Something to do with blood sugar levels and how long the body takes to process protein.

Sound as clear as mud?

All I can say is, it works! Its a pain to weigh everything out and to only be able to eat specific foods from a list - but I would not have changed the past 3 months for anything! I feel FANTASTIC!

Dr Cohen's diet is very specific to each individual. I have people ask me if I can pass on the details of this expensive diet plan to them because they just want to try it out without getting the blood tests and paying the money. It doesn't work like that. The amounts of food and ratio of protein to vegetables set out for me will not work for someone else. In fact, it could be dangerous. Dr Cohen's knowledge of the hormones that cause obesity is amazing. His diet has not been able to be replicated. As much as it seems like a good idea to try out my diet plan - because seriously, how much different could it be for you? It would be reckless of me to hand over my "prescription" for anyone else to try. No-one seems to be able to see well out of my prescription glasses - they are specific to my needs. That is the same concept as this diet. That is why I have been so successful.

Thank you Dr Cohen! I can't wait until I go back to uni in a few years and really learn about the human body and nutrition. It fascinates me.