Dr. Oz's Fastest Way to Lose 10 Pounds

Dr. Oz, the heart surgeon and television personality, has become known in the media as a guru on health and complementary medicine. His Two-Week Rapid Weight Loss Plan is designed to help you lose 10 pounds quickly while at the same time fighting inflammation, detoxifying your body and boosting your metabolism. Though not all of Dr. Oz's claims about the diet are backed by scientific evidence, the plan emphasizes healthy foods and eating habits that are likely to help you shed pounds and improve your health. Consult your physician before starting a weight-loss program.

Dr. Oz's strategy, also referred to as the Total 10 Rapid Weight Loss Plan, includes eating lots of vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and a small amount of healthy grains and Greek yogurt. With the exception of a few fruits, you will eliminate all simple carbohydrates, along with all forms of wheat, white sugar, artificial sweeteners and alcohol. The plan also includes detoxifying broth and taking a nightly detox bath, both of which are intended to rid your body of toxins and boost your metabolism. You do not need to count calories on this diet, and you should not feel hungry while on the plan because you are encouraged to eat every few hours.

Start off each day drinking hot lemon water, and then make yourself a breakfast smoothie of fruit, almond milk, flaxseed and protein powder. The rest of the day you will consume 6 ounces of chicken, turkey or fish, 1/2 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of 2-percent plain Greek yogurt, moderate amounts of olive oil and avocado, and unlimited amounts of low-glycemic vegetables -- ones that have a minimal effect on your blood sugar levels. This includes asparagus, broccoli, celery, beans, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, leafy greens and other fibrous veggies.

Between meals, you can stave off hunger by snacking on hummus, pickles, a small handful of nuts or the detoxifying broth. Recipes for Dr. Oz's breakfast smoothie and detox broth can be found on his website, DoctorOz.com. The plan originally required eliminating caffeine from your diet, with the exception of green tea, but the updated version allows for a cup of coffee per day.

In addition to the eating plan, Dr. Oz recommends taking a probiotic supplement and a multivitamin every day. Soak in a bath of Epsom salts and baking soda every night, and avoid eating between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. This plan will force you to depend on whole, unprocessed foods to fill your belly instead of convenient packaged foods that are often full of unhealthy ingredients. In addition, it aims to prevent mindless nighttime snacking, which can make you pack on the pounds.

While Dr. Oz does promote the importance of exercise for weight loss, during the two-week weight loss regime, he recommends that you do not exercise. To help you keep on track, weigh yourself every morning and allow yourself one indulgence per week.

Several elements of Dr. Oz's plan, such as eating more veggies and cutting processed food, are good for your health and your waistline. As long as you don't overindulge on some of the higher-calorie foods allowed on the diet, such as avocados and nuts, the diet is relatively low in calories, and this should help you lose weight.

But there is no scientific evidence that the plan will readjust your hormones or detoxify your body, as Dr. Oz claims. According to registered dietitian Keri Glassman, getting rid of toxins is unnecessary if you are healthy, and she reports that science has not yet proved the effectiveness of detox diets. Dr. Oz's plan may help you jump-start your weight loss in two weeks, but sustained lifestyle change will be necessary to continue and maintain your weight loss.