The Dr. Jo Diet

Background

Dr. Jo’s No Big Deal Diet is written by registered dietitian, Joanne Lichten PhD, RD, who has been called America’s On-The-Go Health Guru. For more than 25 years Lichten has helped thousands of patients to get their weight under control.

The Dr. Jo Diet introduces dieters to seven skills for successful weight loss. She says that it really is “No Big Deal” to lose weight, gain control of your appetite and maintain your ideal weight for life once you learn these seven skills.

The Dr. Jo Diet Basics

Through her many years of clinical practice and research Dr. Jo  discovered three important facts involved in the ability to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

1. Knowledge alone is not enough to bring healthy changes.
2. There is no one perfect diet.
3. Willpower is not necessary to lose weight.

She says that the people who are able to lose weight and keep it off don’t have any more willpower. Rather they control their weight by practicing these seven specific skills:

1. No more excuses
2. Treat yourself right
3. Make your own rules
4. No more deprivation
5. Accelerate your metabolism
6. Ask yourself why
7. Keep your focus

Dieters are advised to track their food intake in a journal, to always eat breakfast and to consume the appropriate amount of calories daily.

Dr. Jo states that there is no diet that is perfect for everyone but there is at least one way of losing weight that that is perfect for you. As such you are encouraged to set your own rules when it comes to creating a healthy eating plan that suits your lifestyle, weight loss goals and personality.

Recommended Foods

Fruit, vegetables, chicken breast, fish, lean beef, lean pork, cheese, eggs, low fat milk, black beans, bread, oatmeal, baked potatoes, baked chips, frozen yogurt, sugar-free cocoa.

Sample Dr. Jo Diet  Meal Plan

Breakfast Bagel with low fat cream cheese Coffee with skim milk

Morning Snack 1 apple

Lunch Chicken breast Large green salad

Afternoon Snack Baked corn chips with salsa

Dinner Grilled lean beef Steamed vegetables Baked potato

Dessert 1 cup sugar-free hot chocolate

Exercise Recommendations

Dr. Jo encourages exercise as a way to promote weight loss and boost confidence. You should find a physical activity that you enjoy and make a habit of exercising on a regular basis.

A combination of strength training and cardiovascular exercise is advised and to maintain motivation you might consider hiring a personal trainer, using an exercise DVD and keeping an exercise diary.

Costs and Expenses

Dr. Jo’s No Big Deal Diet: Seven Skills for Successful Weight Loss retails at $14.95.

Click here to purchase the book at a discounted price.

Pros

• Written by a registered dietitian.
• Encourages eating breakfast, which has been linked to reduced calorie intake later in the day.
• Good for dieters who believe they don’t have enough willpower to lose weight.
• Helps translate knowledge about weight loss into practical actions.
• Customized approach to suit the many different types of eaters.
• The Dr. Jo Diet includes tips for dealing with emotional eating.
• Keeping a food journal has been associated with successful weight loss.

Cons

• Requires calorie monitoring.
• Does not include a meal plan.
• Does not provide adequate education regarding nutrition.
• Does not provide any particularly new information.

Conclusions

Dr. Jo’s No Big Deal Diet introduces dieters to seven factors involved in successful weight loss that dispel the myth that you need to have strong willpower in order to lose weight.

The Dr. Jo Diet encourages a healthy lifestyle approach to managing your weight that is based on finding ways to incorporate positive habits into your daily routines that will naturally allow you to reduce your intake of calories and boost your metabolism.