Omnitrition Diet Plan: Energy-Zapping Or Effective?

The Omni Diet is a six-week plan that claims to boost health and offer quick weight loss. It involves eating whole, unprocessed foods, regular exercise, and other healthy behaviours. The diet recommends eating 70% plant-based foods and 30% protein-based foods, with an emphasis on lean meats. While the diet may lead to weight loss, it is important to note that it is very restrictive and may be difficult to follow in the long term. Some people may find that it makes them tired due to the limited food choices and strict rules.

What is the Omnitrition diet?

The Omni Diet is a six-week plan that claims to boost health and offer quick weight loss. The diet was developed by nurse Tana Amen, who struggled with chronic health issues and battled thyroid cancer at the age of 23.

The Omni Diet focuses on eating 70% plant-based foods and 30% protein, mostly from lean meats. The diet recommends both plant-based foods and protein foods to spur weight loss, boost energy, and prevent disease. While it emphasizes healthy eating patterns and exercise, most experts recommend a slower rate of weight loss for long-term success.

The diet consists of three phases, with the first two being the most restrictive. Phase 1 involves transitioning off the Standard American Diet and following a list of permitted foods, while avoiding forbidden items such as dairy, gluten, sugar, and grains. Phase 2 introduces unprocessed desserts and daily walks, gradually increasing to a full-body workout. Phase 3 allows for more flexibility, where followers can stray from the diet as long as they follow it 90% of the time.

The Omni Diet encourages the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods, including non-starchy vegetables, lean meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils. It eliminates dairy, gluten, sugar, soy, corn, potatoes, and artificial sweeteners. While it promises quick weight loss and improved health, critics argue that it is overly restrictive and may be challenging to follow long-term.

What foods are included/excluded?

The Omni Diet is a 6-week weight loss program that consists of three phases. It is a highly restrictive diet that focuses on eating 70% plant foods and 30% protein, mostly from lean meats.

Foods to Include

• Non-starchy vegetables: arugula, artichokes, asparagus, avocado, beets, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, chicory, collard greens, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, garlic, jicama, kale, and lettuce, mushrooms, onions, radishes, spinach, sprouts, squash, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.
• Meat, poultry, and fish: lean, organic, grass-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free varieties (e.g. skinless chicken and turkey; lean beef, bison, lamb, and pork; and wild fish and shellfish like clams, halibut, herring, mackerel, mussels, salmon, scallops, shrimp, tilapia, trout, and tuna)
• Eggs: cage-free, omega-3 eggs (yolks and whites permitted)
• Fats and oils: plant-based oils like almond, coconut, grapeseed, macadamia nut, and olive oils (must be organic, cold-pressed, and unrefined)
• Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds: all types are permitted, including their butters
• Flours: non-grain flours made of nuts and seeds (e.g. almond flour)
• Herbs and spices: all kinds are permitted, can be fresh or dried
• Sweeteners: only stevia extract is permitted in small amounts
• Beverages: water, green tea, and unsweetened plant milks like almond, coconut, hemp, and rice milk
• "Omni NutriPower" foods: cacao powder and nibs (must be 100% pure, "Dutch processed," and unroasted), coconut and its products (water, milk, meat, butter, oil), goji berries and powder, macadamia nuts and its products (oil, butter), pomegranate (whole and powdered form), and wheatgrass
• Fruit: choose fresh or frozen berries most often (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries), other fruits are allowed occasionally (e.g. apples, apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, cherries, dragonfruit, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, lychee, lime, mangoes, melons, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, pomegranates, and watermelon)
• Non-gluten grains: brown rice, sprouted Ezekiel bread, pseudocereals (amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa), steel-cut oats, and tortillas
• Plant protein: all beans and lentils must be dried, soaked overnight, and cooked before eating (not permitted in the first two phases)

Foods to Avoid

• Carbohydrates: all simple carbs (e.g. breakfast cereals, instant oatmeal, most breads, and white flour, sugar, pasta, and rice), and grains (e.g. barley, corn, rye, and wheat)
• Animal protein: pork, ham, commercially raised beef and poultry, farm-raised fish, and all processed meats (e.g. bacon, luncheon meats, pepperoni, and sausage)
• Plant protein: soy-based foods (milk, protein bars, protein powder, oils, and byproducts, etc.)
• Dairy: all dairy products should be avoided (butter, cheese, cream, ice cream, milk, and yogurt)—however, ghee is permitted
• Corn-based products: high fructose corn syrup, corn oil, popcorn, cornstarch, and corn chips
• Processed food: baked goods (e.g. croissants, donuts, and muffins), cakes and cupcakes, candy, chips (potato, veggie, and nacho), cookies, fast food, frozen dinners, nutrition bars, and sugar-free foods and candies
• Sweeteners: all processed sugar (brown and white sugar, agave, and processed maple syrup), artificial sweeteners (e.g. aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose), jams, jellies, and marmalades
• Beverages: all types of juice (even 100% juice), energy drinks, lemonade, fruit punch, and regular and diet sodas
• Condiments: any that contain restricted ingredients (e.g. barbecue sauce, ketchup, and soy sauce)
• Genetically-modified (GMO) foods: all GMO foods should be avoided

What are the pros and cons?

Pros:

The Omni Diet encourages a high consumption of healthy foods, especially vegetables, that provide plenty of nutrients and fibre. It is relatively simple to follow, with hard and fast rules: focus on produce and lean protein. It promotes physical activity and provides exercise guidelines throughout the six-week programme, which is a component that many diet plans leave out. It also teaches you to make healthy food decisions by forcing you to avoid processed foods.

Cons:

Switching to the Omni Diet may feel like a significant leap from your regular diet, particularly if dairy, grains, and packaged foods are currently staples. It may interfere with your social and family life, as it requires you to cut out many foods that are integral to the typical American diet. It is also expensive, as it encourages the purchase of grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, eggs, and all-organic ingredients. It may also be unsustainable, as diets with a specific start and end date can lead to a yo-yo effect. Finally, it cuts out food groups unnecessarily, which may lead to nutrient deficiencies.

How does it compare to the Omni Diet?

The Omni Diet is a six-week plan that claims to boost health and offer quick weight loss. It is a combination of plant-based diets and high-protein plans. The diet recommends eating 70% plant-based foods and 30% protein-based foods, with an emphasis on lean meats. The Omni Diet is divided into three phases, with the first two being the most restrictive. The diet eliminates dairy, gluten, grains, sugar, starchy vegetables, beans, lentils, and all premade foods and desserts. It encourages the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods and regular exercise.

On the other hand, Omnitrition offers multiple weight management products and does not seem to follow a specific diet plan. It provides original homeopathic drops with Vitamin B12 and complete liquid nutrition for the whole family. While the Omni Diet is a restrictive diet that eliminates certain food groups, Omnitrition does not appear to have the same level of restrictions. The Omni Diet is also expensive due to the recommended organic foods and supplements, while Omnitrition does not mention any specific food items or supplements.

In summary, the Omni Diet is a structured plan with specific guidelines and restrictions, while Omnitrition offers weight management products without a defined diet plan. The Omni Diet focuses on a combination of plant-based and protein-based foods, while Omnitrition does not provide details on the types of foods or the ratio of macronutrients recommended.

Does it work?

The Omni Diet is a six-week plan that claims to boost health and offer quick weight loss. It is not to be confused with the Omnitrition Diet, which are two separate programs with very different protocols.

The diet was developed by nurse Tana Amen, who struggled with chronic health issues and battled thyroid cancer at the age of 23. The Omni Diet is a combination of plant-based diets and high-protein plans. It recommends eating mostly plant foods (70%) and lean protein (30%). The diet promises to restore energy levels, reverse symptoms of chronic disease, and help you lose 12 pounds in as little as 2 weeks.

The diet consists of three phases. Phase 1 and 2 are highly restrictive, while Phase 3 allows the gradual reintroduction of foods. During the first phase, you can only eat foods that are allowed on the diet and must avoid all forbidden foods. You are limited to a 1/2-cup serving of fruit per day and must drink a meal-replacement smoothie. Protein should be consumed every 3-4 hours and make up 30% of your diet. You should also drink plenty of water and visit a sauna twice a week.

Phase 2 is similar to Phase 1, but you are allowed to eat unprocessed desserts without added sugar or white flour. You will also add a 30-minute daily walk and work up to a full-body workout.

Phase 3 allows you to stray from the diet as long as you follow it 90% of the time. You can eat foods that are not on the approved list, but it is generally discouraged. Alcohol is also allowed but discouraged. This phase is two weeks long but should ideally be followed indefinitely.

The Omni Diet has received criticism for being restrictive, expensive, and inaccessible. It also promotes disordered eating behaviours and has a diet-centric approach. However, it has been praised for encouraging a holistic approach to health, including regular exercise, stress management techniques, and healthy cooking tips.

Overall, the Omni Diet may help you lose weight, especially if you stick to it long-term. However, the rapid weight loss promised is most likely due to losing water weight rather than fat. While the diet has some positive aspects, there are other healthy and more sustainable diets available.

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