Dr. Oz’s Total 10 Rapid Weight Loss Plan: What You Need to Know

This eating plan is considered a fad diet. Fad diets often promote quick weight loss that is unsustainable and may severely restrict what you eat. They may be harmful and generally do not have long-lasting health benefits. Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major changes to how you eat.

In an episode of The Dr. Oz Show, the heart surgeon and television personality Dr. Oz introduced a diet that promised viewers it would help them lose 10 pounds in two weeks, all while fighting inflammation, detoxifying, and boosting their metabolisms at the same time.

The diet emphasizes whole foods over highly processed fare and includes healthy fats, quality proteins, and a small amount of complex carbohydrates.

A few aspects of the diet stand up to scrutiny and could aid weight and health goals, but some of its claims aren’t evidence-based.

How Does Dr. Oz’s Total 10 Rapid Weight Loss Plan Claim to Work?

Dr. Oz’s plan relies on eliminating simple carbohydrates, which often come in the form of white flour and sugar, to prompt fast weight loss.

The plan encourages you to snack on unlimited amounts of nonstarchy, low glycemic load produce to stay full, like celery, cucumber, tomatoes, asparagus, and more, as well as a handful of nuts or an apple.

The diet also involves making and drinking a “detoxifying” vegetable broth and taking a nightly bath of Epsom salts and baking soda, both of which Dr. Oz claims will rid your body of toxins and boost your metabolism.

He also recommends taking daily multivitamin and vitamin D supplements to support overall health.

What Can You Eat on Dr. Oz’s Plan?

According to Dr. Oz’s 10-day plan, you should not eat between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Mornings start with hot lemon water followed by coffee or green tea and a smoothie. In addition to veggies, you’re encouraged to snack on pickles, hummus, broth, or nuts when hungry.

Foods to Include

• Nonstarchy vegetables
• “Detoxifying” vegetable broth
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Low-fat Greek yogurt
• Quinoa
• Avocado
• Olive or coconut oil
• Nuts and nut butter
• Apples
• Smoothies with berries, bananas, flaxseed oil, and nondairy milk
• Hummus
• Pickles
• Green tea or coffee

Foods to Avoid

• Wheat and white flour
• White sugar
• Highly processed foods
• Dairy (except for Greek yogurt)
• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners

Potential Benefits of the Total 10 Rapid Weight Loss Plan

According to Dr. Oz’s show, the diet promises to:

• Speed up your metabolism, or “fat burning potential”
• Eliminate cravings for sugar and simple carbohydrates
• Help you lose weight rapidly

No research exists to support these specific claims or the overall efficacy of this diet.

When it comes to rapid weight loss — the main benefit the diet plan advertises — it gets a bit more complicated.

Potential Risks of Dr. Oz’s Plan

While the foods and meals listed in Dr. Oz’s diet plan are fairly balanced in terms of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, it does come with a few drawbacks:

• Lack of Scientific Evidence Most aspects of Dr. Oz’s plan aren’t supported by research. For instance, there’s no evidence to suggest that vegetable broth or baths with Epsom salts are particularly detoxifying.

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• Unsustainable Weight Loss Because the diet has strict rules about simple carbohydrates, following it can be challenging, meaning you’re likely to gain back any weight you lost while on the diet.

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• Potential for Disordered Eating Rigid diet plans that promise fast weight loss can increase feelings of dissatisfaction with your body and promote patterns of disordered eating, like restricting, bingeing, or purging.

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Is Dr. Oz’s Plan Right for You?

Dr. Oz’s diet plan could help you kick-start a weight loss program, but continuing that weight loss will take longer than 2 weeks and require a flexible and sustainable plan.

Keri Glassman, RD, a New York City-based celebrity nutritionist and founder of Nutritious Life, says science doesn’t support detox diets, and that intentionally detoxifying isn’t necessary if you don’t have any health problems.

If you’re considering trying the Dr. Oz plan or any other diet, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional for health advice specific to your situation.

The Takeaway

• Dr. Oz’s Total 10 Rapid Weight Loss Plan promises to help you lose a lot of weight in two weeks without counting calories.
• While the diet focuses on some healthy practices, like eating whole foods and vegetables, research doesn’t support its claims about detoxification.
• You might lose some weight on this diet plan, but it could be difficult to follow in the long term, making it unsustainable.