Dr Michael Mosley often shares his weight loss tips with slimmers online as well as on television. He is the creator of The Fast 800 – a diet plan that helps people lose weight quickly.
The Fast 800 diet is comprised of three different pathways, The Very Fast 800, The 5:2 Diet, and The Way of Life.
The former is the best for “rapid weight loss”, according to Dr Mosley, and involves eating only 800 calories per day for 12 weeks.
The foods Dr Mosley recommended people eat on this diet are Mediterranean ingredients.
These include plenty of plenty of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, and healthy fats, as well as fish, poultry, beans, eggs, moderate portions of dairy products, and a limited intake of red meat.
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As well as being “the most effective diet” for weight loss, the Mediterranean diet has also been proved to boost people’s mood.
The different coloured fruits and vegetables will give slimmers the chance of getting the wide variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients the body needs – for both physical and mental health.
Dr Mosley said: “While prescribed medication and counselling can be helpful, research now shows that our diet can also play a key role in managing stress and sleeplessness.
“The link lies in our gut – two to three kilograms of microbes live in the digestive system, and amongst other things, they produce neurotransmitters.
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“These chemicals convey messages from the gut, through the nervous system to the brain – impacting our mood and anxiety levels.
“Eighty percent of our serotonin – the happy hormone – is produced in the gut.”
The doctor added: “Not only this, their high fibre content is a great way to boost your microbiome – the trillions of microbes that live in your large intestine – which are so important for your health and, as studies now recognise, your mental wellbeing.”
Foods that are high in fibre also allow dieters to feel fuller for longer, leading to weight loss.
When following The Very Fast 800, Dr Mosley advised swapping white carbs for wholegrains, such as brown bread, brown pasta, and brown rice.
He also recommended drizzling food in olive oil, which is again good for both the gut and the brain.
The doctor said: “Olive oil, common within the Mediterranean diet helps reduce gut inflammation.
“Try it as salad dressing or drizzled over some cooked vegetables for a double whammy and it makes all that Mediterranean inspired veg, beans and lentils taste even better.”
The doctor explained that “fertiliser foods” are also good for the brain, saying: “It is possible to correlate a healthy diet with a healthy mind.
“Prebiotic foods form the foundation of a psychobiotic diet – a vegetable and fibre rich one that’s good for your brain, keeps your mood up and anxiety levels at bay.
“They act as the ‘fertiliser’ for the good bacteria and encourage them to proliferate and, in time, counter the effects of more harmful bacteria.
“Leeks, onions and garlic are all prebiotics.”