Remember that this diet was developed in 1903 — over a century ago. We know a lot more about nutrition and diabetes now, and following this diet could be very dangerous to your health and promote disordered eating. The modern oatmeal diet consists of three phases, where you start with plain oatmeal in skim milk for one week. In the second phase, you can add fruit to the oatmeal in the morning and vegetables to the oatmeal in the afternoon. In the third and final phase, you can gradually return to your normal diet. Phase one of this diet is considered extreme and is not recommended. If you would like to use the oatmeal diet to lose weight, you should make sure you are having other healthy meals along with oatmeal and that you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This will ensure your body is reaping the benefits of oatmeal and will not put you at risk of other health issues while on the oatmeal diet.
Keep in mind a restrictive diet like the oatmeal diet is not sustainable for long-term weight loss. As soon as you return to eating the way you did before, you will gain the weight right back. [4] X Research source
Lower cholesterol levels Reduced blood pressure levels Boosting your immune system to fight off bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites Helping your body to remove waste A reduced risk of type 2 diabetes An improved sensitivity to insulin An increase in appetite-control hormones
To ensure your body is getting enough nutrients, consider eating oatmeal with fruit in the morning and then have a healthy lunch that consists of a protein (animal-based, like chicken or fish, or plant based, like tofu), a grain (quinoa, brown rice), and leafy green vegetables. You could then finish your day with a dinner of oatmeal with vegetables.
Consider steel cut oats, rather than rolled or instant oats. Though they will take longer to cook than rolled or instant oats, steel cut oats have a creamy texture that will make your bowls of oatmeal taste delicious and filling. Instant oat packages often have added sugar, so avoid these if possible. Choose skim milk over whole milk. Skim milk will provide creaminess for the oatmeal without adding too much fat. The milk will also help you maintain a healthy calcium level throughout the diet. You can also substitute the milk with egg whites and butter to vary the flavor, though the skim milk has more nutritional value. Buy fruits and green vegetables to put into the oatmeal. These could be berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries, and green vegetables like kale, broccoli, and spinach.
To prepare oatmeal in skim milk with steel cut oats, boil 1 cup skim milk and add ¼ cup oats. If you’re using rolled oats, boil 1 cup milk and add ½ cup oats. Let the oats cook for 20 – 30 minutes on simmer, stirring them occasionally. The longer the oats cook, the softer they will be. To prepare oatmeal with egg whites and butter, boil 1 cup water and add ¼ cup steel cut oats or ½ cup rolled oats. Let the oats cook for one hour and then add 250 grams of butter and 100 grams of egg whites (about ½ cup) once the oatmeal is done cooking. You can also add a dash of salt.
Add ¼ cup of berries like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries to your oatmeal in the morning to break up the monotony of plain oatmeal and to give your body some much needed natural sugars and fiber. You can then add ½ cup of steamed vegetables, like kale, spinach, or broccoli, to your oatmeal at night. This will provide nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and give you some variety for your dinner meal.
Cut out one oatmeal meal and replace it with one cup of broth, accompanied by steamed vegetables. The following day, replace one oatmeal meal with 1/2 cup of cooked chicken or beef and a small salad made of lettuce or spinach. Continue to replace one oatmeal meal with a 1/2 cup of solid foods like chicken, beef, potatoes, and one slice of bread for one week. After one week, you can reduce the oatmeal meal to once a day or once every other day.
Doing weekly exercise will ensure you will lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way while on the oatmeal diet. Don’t do anything too taxing or intense while on a very low-calorie diet.
Drinking water will help your body stay hydrated and ensure you are expelling any waste or toxins out of your body.
If you have any health issues and are concerned about your health while on the oatmeal diet, you should consider stopping the diet and check in with your doctor. Your doctor can then determine if it is medically safe for you to continue on the oatmeal diet.
