In 2007, Dr. Alwin Lewis published "Why Weight Around?", a book that is the basis of the five bite diet that he promotes. Lewis' specialty is internal medicine, but his biography on the Slimming Station membership website that he maintains for the five bite program does not mention any nutrition education. He formulated the diet for weight-loss from his own experience, without providing supporting scientific evidence or peer-reviewed research on the safety or soundness of the five bite diet. Consult your physician before you attempt to lose weight with this or any diet.
The Plan
The diet focuses on portion control instead of calories. The main component is an eating plan that eliminates breakfast, then allows only five bites of food at lunch and dinner. You can consume unlimited quantities of calorie-free beverages. Water, unsweetened tea and club soda are your most likely choices for this menu.
Meals
The diet contains no calorie, fat, carbohydrate or protein restrictions. It has no suggested meals or recipes. One highly publicized example that Lewis provided for a five bite meal is the Snickers bar. He does suggest that dieters take a multivitamin daily on the program. He also recommends that one of your five-bite meals include protein.
The Promise
The five bite diet plan would help you lose 15 pounds or more a week, according to the Slimming Station website. Lewis guarantees it takes only three days for your body to adjust to reduced portions, according to Glamour.com. Weight loss from this diet also reduces body mass index, a measure of body fat. Dr. Lewis recommends a BMI goal of 18.5 for people who choose his diet plan. He also claims that once you reach your weight loss goal, you will not regain weight you lost during the diet.
Expert Insight
Writing in the "Burbank Leader," Joyce Randolph quotes dietitians Remi Hayashi and Nancy Neff, who say this is not a healthy way to lose weight. Neff points out it will be impossible to get enough nutrients on this diet, and notes that a healthy weight loss plan combines calorie reduction with a balanced diet, ideally with three daily meals. An analysis of this diet by hospital dietitian Khairunnisa Anjum likens the five bite diet to the grapefruit and cabbage soup fad diets. She says the weight you lose will be mostly water.
