It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.
Please note that the Ask Dr. Gourmet feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. For more specific questions about your individual health, please contact your doctor. About Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Ask Dr. Gourmet
Must I eat the meals in the order they are presented in The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan?
I was so delighted when I found [The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan] online. It is a wonderful thing to have a free service like this that really does take all the figuring out for us. So thank you.
I am just wondering how necessary is it to eat the meals on the days specified? Can I switch Monday's and Friday's breakfasts, for example? There are a few days when the same evening meal is had two days in a row and the same breakfast for 3 or 4 days in a row. Is it important to the effectiveness of the diet to follow the order in which they are presented in the meal plan?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
Thanks for your nice words about the Dr. Gourmet Web site.
The answer to your question is no. There is no medical or weight loss reason for the particular order of the menu plans. The software creates the menus based on your criteria and preferences. Beyond that, you can choose to eat particular recipes on any day you wish.
Generally speaking, the menus are designed to have you cook more complex meals on the weekends, often with the benefit of leftovers later in the week. You could certainly substitute leftovers for a day you are supposed to cook - and vice versa - so when the menu calls for having leftovers on Wednesday from a dinner dish you made on Tuesday it is perfectly fine to have that meal later in the week.
Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet
Just Tell Me What to Eat!
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