The TV chef, 51, devised his own low-carbohydrate diet regime and claims it helped him shed an impressive 11 stone
Tom Kerridge swears by one little-known weight loss plan, claiming it helped him shed an impressive 11 stone. The TV chef, 51, dubbed his regime the ‘dopamine diet’, specifically focusing on foods that trigger happiness.
“Over three years, I lost eleven stone and devised my own low-carb diet regime built around ingredients that are known to trigger the release of dopamine, the ‘happy hormone’ in your brain,” Tom previously wrote on his website. He continued: “If you’re struggling with your weight and need to shift unhealthy pounds, this approach makes it easy, and is guaranteed to make you feel happier in the process.”
As Tom suggests, ‘dopamine’ is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain that can activate feelings of pleasure, motivation, and focus. Individuals with low dopamine levels may experience fatigue, lack of motivation, or even memory issues.
Cleveland Clinic stresses that dopamine plays an integral role in various other bodily functions, too. Not only can it assist in removing sodium and urine from the body, but it can also sometimes help lower blood pressure.
Although eating food in general is thought to increase dopamine, Tom has outlined several ‘dopamine heroes’ – products considered to have a special effect on the chemical while slashing appetite. His guide especially focuses on increasing the consumption of proteins like chicken, beef, and turkey. This comes amidst growing evidence that amino acids in meat may help increase dopamine production while curbing snack cravings.
Unsurprisingly, fruit and vegetables also make his list, alongside the following:
- Good quality meat, like chicken, beef and turkey
- Double cream
- Yoghurt
- Chocolate
On the flipside, Tom recommends ditching both alcohol and starchy carbohydrates. Writing online, he added: “These are recipes that don’t feel like diet food and can be shared with friends and family. It worked for me and it can work for you.”
Amidst Tom’s success with this strategy, countless forms of the dopamine diet have taken shape on social media. Yet nutritionist Kerry Torrens has urged dieters to be aware of a few potential problems.
Most notably, the expert said that swapping carbohydrates for more protein isn’t always a good thing. In fact, cutting them out completely would make it tricky to achieve a balanced, nutritionally-dense diet.
Moreover, she added that what foods make us happy is sometimes subjective. She told BBC Good Food: “The motivation to eat certain foods is complex and influenced by many different factors including our genes, psychology, environment and culture.
“So, although increasing the protein contribution of your diet may improve appetite and fullness, it may not be enough to reduce your carb and fat intakes, especially if you are exposed to highly palatable foods.
Source: Mirror
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