How A Chef Managed To Lose 100 Pounds On The 'Pizza Diet'

A lot of people are scramble to find the best possible way to lose a large amount of weight quickly during summer.

It's at this point of the year when you begin to regret Christmas, Easter, all those takeaways and the days you said: "I'll go to the gym next week."

However, a quick Google usually tells you that you can't get a six pack in a week, and that you have to eat meals that resemble rabbit food, which is followed by a quick 'fuck it' and a look on Domino's to continue as you are.

Pasquale Cozzolino is living proof though that you can eat nothing but pizza and still lose weight.

The 38-year-old Italian is a chef at NYC's PizzArte, and used to weigh 370-pounds before he engaged in the pizza diet, which helped him shift 100 pounds and shed 12 clothes sizes in just one year.

He aimed to lose weight when he was told he could be at risk of a heart attack, and so ate a full margherita pie for lunch every day.

Obviously that doesn't seem like your average low calorie, low carb diet, but real Neapolitan-style pizzas aren't the type that are laced with oil, grease and have too many toppings.

The dough is made from simply water, flour, yeast and salt, and the toppings are fresh tomato a thin layer of mozzarella cheese and basil, the new York Post reports.

He did cut out delights like sweets and fizzy drinks, but he's having a pizza every day, so it's not all bad.

"It lets you feel satisfied, and because it's only 540 to 570 calories, it's a perfect and fast solution for a lunch or dinner," the chef said, who also took up kickboxing classes two or three times a week.

"It helps you to stay away from junk food. When you eat a pizza, you don't need anything else."

"I'm ecstatic. I changed my face. I have much more energy. My digestion is beautiful. I don't have anymore ulcers. My back and knees don't hurt anymore."

However, before his transformation and free pass to eat pizza everyday, he was in serious trouble.

"I'd eat 10 or 12 [Oreos]. One time I even ate the whole box. It was like a drug for me," he said. "I had knee problems, back problems, three ulcers in the stomach.

"[The doctor] said, 'You need to lose weight or you will have a heart attack'."

Cozzolino now has a book out called The Pizza Diet, in which he gives tips on how to do the same.

Topics: Weight Loss, Diet, Pizza

Mark McGowan

Mark is a journalist at LADbible, who joined in 2015 after a year as a freelance writer. In the past he blogged for independent football fan channel Redmen TV, after graduating from Staffordshire University with degrees in journalism and English literature. He has worked on campaigns such as UOKM8? and IIOC.