Post updated March 2021
Are you wondering how to lose 20 pounds and whether or not you should go on the Dr Bernstein diet? If you have tried everything but nothing seems to work then you might have considered going on the Bernstein diet. Read my Berstein Diet Review for a little more information.
Here are some things you should know before you decide the Dr Bernstein diet is the right diet for you. Yes, you will definitely lose weight on the drbdiet, anywhere from 16 -20 pounds in your first month. Weight loss will begin to slow down further into the program. There is no doubt that you should watch what you are eating if you want to lose weight.
Dr Bernstein Diet Clinic
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The Dr Bernstein Diet Clinic is a medically surpervised weight loss clinic with locations throughout Canada.
Doctor Bernstein
The Dr Bernstein diet was created by Dr. Stanley K. Bernstein, MD a General Practitioner and an experienced physician in the field of Bariatrics that has been practicing for over 40 years. Bariatrics is the medical management of obesity and weight loss.
According to the Dr Bernstein website, “His interest in the condition of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) led him to develop a method of controlling hunger through the introduction of vitamins, minerals and proper diet that proved effective in reducing cravings. He also joined the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, an organization devoted to educating physicians in methods of treating obesity.”
Dr Bernstein Diet Meal Plan
The Dr Bernstein diet is based on eating three meals a day, with food selections based on a list of “allowed” foods, with a limited amount of carbohydrates at each meal. The Dr Bernstein diet is a low glycemic and low inflammatory diet that helps people lose weight.
There are many healthy foods that are not allowed in the diet plan. That’s because while they are good for you, they are not so good for weight loss. Once you’ve lost the weight and completed the will want to return to some of these foods, in order to stay healthy and happy.
What do you eat on the Bernstein diet?
The Bernstein diet is approximately 30 grams of net carbs per day. It is a low carb, highesh protein and low-fat diet. There are no extra fats allowed on the diet, only what occurs naturally in the protein.
On the Dr Berstein diet, you will be eating low carb, low inflammation foods. And no oils of any kind are allowed on the diet. They also suggest not drinking coffee as this can elevate your blood sugar levels. You will likely be hungry on the Dr Bernstein diet with the calories restricted so drastically. I would recommend having the fiber one cereal for breakfast as it will help keep you regular. You may want to look into an alternative brand though as I am not a fan of the artificial sweetener.
Dr Bernstein Diet Food List
Dr Bernstein Food List – Foods Not Allowed:
Coffee: Patients are instructed to limit their intake of caffein as according to the Dr Bernstein clinic, coffee stimulates insulin production. This may cause blood sugars to move in to cells, creating more fat storage. It may also cause blood sugar drops that stimulate hunger.
Sugar and Carbohydrates are eliminated or drastically reduced. Your digestive system changes carbohydrates into glucose (blood sugar). Your body uses sugar for energy for your cells, tissues and organs but it can also excess amounts can be stored as fat. During the Dr Bernstein diet, you carbohyrdate intake will be greatly restricted so the body is triggered to go to its fat stores for energy.
Dairy contains saturated fat and sugar that are counter productive to weight loss. Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and it can interfere with weight loss. Many people also have sensitivity to lactose that may cause bloating, diarrhea, gas and nausea.
- no butter or margarine
- no popcorn
- no ketchup
- no sugar
- no yogurt
- no bread, cereal or pasta
- no bananas
- no grapes
- no pineapple
- no cherries
- no honeydew
- no mangos
- no pears
- no legumes
- no starchy vegetables (no acorn squash, carrots, eggplant, leeks, peas, pumpkins, avocados, potatoes, rice, you get the idea)
- no alcohol
Dr Bernstein Food List – Foods Allowed:
There are four food categories allowed on the Dr Bernstein Diet that include protein, vegetables, fruit and bread substitutes. You may have two servings from each of the food categories per day.
- 2 servings of non-starchy vegetables (only ones on the list)
- 2 servings of fruit (only ones on the list)
- 2 servings of protein
- 2 servings of bread substitutes (there is a list of some bread substitutes you can have such as 1 plain breadstick, 1/2 carbwise bagel, 1/4 fiber one cereal, there are some gluten-free options,etc.)
Protein allowed on Dr Bernstein Diet
2 Servings of 3 1/2 oz Protein Per Day that include:
Lean meats such as chicken breasts (skins removed), lean beef, moose, pork tenderloin, turkey breast, etc. Limit processed meats such as deli slices, smoked chicken, and turkey. You are also allowed fish and seafood such as crab meat, lobster, salmon, scallops, shrimp, swordfish, tuna, and whitefish. Egg whites (6), fat free kraft cheese slices (3 slices)
Vegetables allowed on Dr Bernstein Diet
2 servings per day up to 8oz raw weight include:
Asparagus, artichokes, beet greens, fennel, lettuce, mushrooms, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, cucumbers, rapini, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans onions, peppers, red radishes
They do recommend eating real food but do also sell some protein shakes and bars as alternatives if you are out on the road. You are allowed some treats on the Dr Bernstein Diet but sadly it’s only sugar-free Jello. It is also recommended to drink a lot of water on the Bernstein Diet as this will help speed up fat loss.
Bread Substitutes allowed on Dr Bernstein Diet
2 servings per day that include:
Breadsticks (1 stick), Dempster’s Bakery Thins Tortillas (1/2 tortilla is one serving), Breton Bites Original (7 crackers is one serving), Grissol melta Toast (2 slices is one serving), Mary’s Organic Crackers (4 crackers is one serving), 1/4 fiber one cereal
Fruit Allowed on Dr Bernstein Diet
2 Servings per day plus 1 cup of no sugar added Jell-o. Fresh fruit only, no canned or dry fruit. All fruit sizes are small to medium.
Apple, apricots (3-4), blueberries (5oz is one serving), 1/4 Cantelope, 1/2 grapefruit, 1 kiwi, 1 nectarine, 1 medium orange, peach, raspberries (5oz), strawberries (5oz), tangerine, 8 oz watermelon (without rind)
Liquids on Dr Bernstein Diet
It is recommended to drink a minimum of 8 glasses or 2 liters per day. In addition to water, you can also drink herbal tea, mineral water, soda water, sugar free and caffeine free soft drinks, and decaffeinated coffee (1 per day). Alcohol on the Dr Bernstein diet is not permitted.
Dr Bernstein Diet Daily Visits and Dr Bernstein Diet Injections
You will have to visit the clinic for your daily weigh-in. You need to keep track of your daily food on a diet planner that is provided from the clinic. This diet planner will be checked daily at your visits.
After your weigh-in, you meet with a nurse who reviews what you ate the day before, to basically make sure you are on track. Your urine is also checked daily for ketones so if you cheat on your dr Bernstein meal plan, they will know! They know if you cheated by the ketone levels in your urine. The ketone levels indicate if you are in fat-burning mode.
After your urine is checked, you will then receive your Dr Bernstein diet vitamin B weight loss injections that are a combination of vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 injections. You get to choose where you would like your injection such as your buttocks, thighs, or stomach area. The appointments are relatively short as long as there isn’t a line of people ahead of you.
Dr Bernstein Diet Plan Cost 2020
The cost of the Dr Bernstein Diet program is approximately $1030 for 8 weeks. Example. a 50lb weight loss goal will cost between $2,575-$3,600 (based on 16-20lbs per month for a total of 2.5-3.5 months of treatment.) Make sure to check the clinic for the most up to day prices.
Dr Bernstein Diet Pros and Cons
Dr Bernstein Diet Cons
- The biggest con of the Dr Bernstein Diet is the cost. It isn’t cheap but if you have tried everything then it just may be worth the fee associated with the diet.
- The daily visits are a bit inconvenient as well but they are set in place to keep you on track and of course for your daily vitamin injections.
- Extremely low calories so you may feel restricted.
- Difficult to go out and enjoy a dinner with friends.
Dr Bernstein Diet Pros
- The pros of the Dr Bernstein diet is that it’s fairly easy to follow.
- You have specific list of foods to add to your daily meal plan so it requires very little guess work.
- You will lose weight on the Dr Bernstein diet as calories are extremely low and carbohydrates are drastically reduces.
- The diet will help to normalize your blood sugar.
Common Dr Bernstein Diet Questions:
Do B12 injections help you lose weight?
Although there’s no solid evidence that vitamin B-12 injections aid weight loss, I personally found that it made a difference and aided in the weight loss.
How does vitamin b12 help with weight loss:
Vitamin B12 for weight loss works because of its ability to boost the metabolism and provide lasting energy. Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble B complex vitamin found naturally in a variety of foods, including meat, fish and dairy products.
Does Vitamin B12 increase the metabolism?
According to Healthline, “Although research in humans is still very limited, some studies suggest that vitamin B12 could affect body fat and metabolism. One review concluded that vitamin B12 plays a key role in fat metabolism, noting that a deficiency could be linked to increased fat accumulation and obesity.”
How does the Dr Bernstein Diet work?
You are put on a meal plan that is low calorie, low carb. moderate protein and low fat. You are supposed to visit the clinic for daily weigh-ins and urine checks. During your visit, you will receive a B vitamin injection that consists of a combination of B6 and B12 vitamins that help to enhance your weight loss.
How many calories do you eat on Dr Bernstein?
They don’t state how many calories you eat per day on their meal plan but after calculating the calories myself, it works out to be approximately 850-900 calories per day which is an extremely low-calorie diet.
How fast can you lose weight on Dr Bernstein?
They indicate that you can lose up to 20 lbs per month. It depends on the person but I personally lost 20lbs in one month on the program.
Is Dr Bernstein tax deductible?
I don’t believe there are any tax deductibles (I would contact an accountant) to write off but this service may be covered by your personal health insurance.
Does the Dr Bernstein Diet Work For Me?
Yes, the Dr Bernstein Diet worked for me. I lost 20 pounds in 30 days. I have tried to maintain the diet and generally watch what I eat but living on 900 calories is impossible. While on the Dr Bernstein Diet I had a lot of energy and I suspect that is due to the vitamin injections.
I did notice on the Dr Bernstein Diet that I was losing more hair in the shower. This is common on low-calorie diets.
Dr Bernstein Diet Locations
Most recently a lot of Dr Bernstein clinic locations have closed. Due to COVID, locations may not be open. Contact the location by telephone.
Dr. Bernstein Diet Clinic in Ontario
- Etobicoke: 170 North Queen St.
- Mississauga: 4557 Hurontario St.
- Erin Mills: 6465 Millcreek Drive
- Oakville: 300 North Service Rd. West
- Burlington: 2000 Appleby Line
- Hunt Club Rd. 2430 Bank Street Hunt Club.
- Yonge-Eglinton Centre. 2300 Yonge Street
- Elgin Mills. 10 John Birchall Road.
- First Canadian Place. 77 Adelaide St.
- Oshawa. 1414 King St.
- Brampton North. 20 Gillingham Drive.
- Kanata. 420 Hazeldean Rd.
- Pickering. 1899 Brock Road.
Should You Try the Dr Bernstein Diet?
Going on the Dr Bernstein diet is definitely a personal choice and I completely understand how frustrating it can be when you have tried everything and the weight simply will not budge. You will lose weight on the Bernstein Diet but also keep in mind what will happen after you are no longer on the Bernstein diet.
They do have a maintenance plan and package, to help guide you into introducing more foods into your diet but that is an extra fee. The Bernstein Diet program is fairly expensive but if cost is not an issue then it may be worth a try.
Have you tried the Bernstein diet? I would love to hear your thoughts and your own Dr Bernstein diet reviews.
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9 comments
I have tried the Dr. Bernstein diet but that was a few years ago. I definitely lost weight 208 lbs down to 125 lbs. I have gained back approx. 30 lbs since then..I am now 67 years old and have gone through menopause etc. What I found was apart from being very expensive it worked for me and the accountability was very instrumental in contributing to my success.
Yes, the Bernstein diet does work if you stick to it. Congratulations on your weight loss – that is a big success. It really is super expensive.
Whatever you do DO NOT PAY THE DEPOSIT!!! I went to the DR. Bernstein in Langley,BC I was told I was to do the orientation to get the full picture of what this diet was. I had to put a $279.00 Deposit down and if I choose not to go through with this I would get a full payment back onto my visa, they said normally there is a $50 fee to ensure that you show up for the appointment but she waived that and it was on my paper work. I went for the orientation it took all of 15 min because I was in there by myself I choose to hold off before making my decision ( not without a lot of pressure from staff to sign up ) I wanted to make sure for the money they were asking about 300.00 or higher per week, that included 3-5 shots a week obviously they want the 5 shots per week and a doctor will follow you along with weigh ins. I choose not to go this route mainly because of the expense, they will try to tell you that the shots can only be done through them but after a lot of research I found that it was a whole lot of bogus!!! They are ripping people off you can stay monitored at any weight loss company maybe not a doctor but go see your family physician. The shots are really a bunch of vitamins and you can get close to what you need at any vitamin store if you need to. Going to weight watchers you will get the same results but spend well over less than half the amount of money DO NOT LET THEM TALK YOU INTO THIS. The biggest reason why I am posting this is I went back to them a few days later and said I am not going to do the diet through them to refund my CC. I got home later that day and looked at my statement only to realize they kept $50.00 and even though I was told it was waived. I called them and showed the girls my paper work and they kept on insisting that it was a different charge that I verbally agreed to with the lady who did my intake, I told them I would have never agreed to the 50.00 fee because I had no idea what this diet was all about and would not pay for something without knowing the details. Nope they would not do it still. I called a head office and spoke with a lady who assured me she would take all the info and my scanned paper work to her boss and get back to me…That was in April I never heard anything back from them. The story was they have to pay for the intake but why should I have to pay for that and especially when i was told it was waived and not having all the info about this diet so I had no choice but to take the orientation. They lied and once they had my money refused to give it all back once they realized I was not taking the diet through them.
I am so sorry you had to go through this.
I have done the bernstein diet, and yes it is expensive but definitely worth it. O have recommended it to other people and I back it 100%.
Yes, it does work but it is very expensive.
I have been a patient on and off with the Bernstein Clinic since 2012. I am hypothyroid, have arthritis and am post menopausal. I am extremely active and curl, ski, and play golf. This is the ONLY diet that works for me. However, it is difficult not to gain some of your weight back over time as my metabolism slows. When my weight starts creeping up by ten pounds I go back and visit them. Although expensive, I feel sooo much healthier when I am on the diet and for months afterwards. For me, it is worth every cent.
Once I am in ketosis, I feel energized and am not hungry. I have to be careful to remember to eat. The diet is anti inflammation which means my knees and hips hurt less and I can bump up my exercise routine.
Hi Jane, thanks for your feedback. The diet does work…..I agree. The only downside is, of course, the cost and once someone decides to stop the program and not slowly adding in other foods. It has helped me with inflammation as well.
I went through Bernstein diet, and Yes I lost 25 lbs in 2 months becasue my weight wasn’t very away from the optimum weight. But after I stopped unfortunately I gained back around 11 lbs since the diet was very strict and I used to miss a lot of events because of the food restriction. Also, some of the nurses in the branch I used to weren’t very helpful interms of mental support.
Anyways I would reccomend it to lose a lot of weight very fast and if you are gonna be able to stay within the optimum weight for your body. And of course if you are okay with the expenses.
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