Ribalta Executive Chef 100-lb Weight Loss Credited to the Pizza Diet --- Here's How To Do It

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A Ribalta chef discovered the pizza diet that helped him shed almost 100 pounds.

One might think that consuming pizza is not ideal for those who wanted to lose weight. However, the story of Pasquale Cozzolino will make you change your mind.

Fox News reported that Cozzolino was a native of Naples, Italy. He moved to New York in 2011 to work at PizzArte. The 6-foot-6-inch chef only weighs 254 pounds when he arrived in the Big Apple. However, not long after, he packed extra pounds that have gone out of control.

He made efforts to familiarize the city's restaurants and turn to comfort foods when stressed. "I'd eat 10 or 12 [Oreos]," Cozollino told New York Post. "One time I even ate the whole box. It was like a drug for me." He added that he also drunk two or three cans of soda every day.

In just less than a year or so, his weight ballooned. In early 2012, his weight has gone up to 370 pounds. He started wearing pants with a 48-inch waistline.

He shared that, when he visited Italy, the people hardly recognized him. It was a tough experience. He felt bad mentally and physically.

Following his weight gain, he experienced knee problems, back problems and ulcers. However, his wake up call was in June 2015 when his doctor told him that he needs to lose weight or he will suffer a heart attack.

Cozzolino has a family and he realizes that he needs to get back to his old self. He calculated his BMI and decided to consume fewer than 2,700 calories a day. He also avoided sweets and soda.

The Ribalta pizzeria chef also cuts his calorie intake. He only eats half of his usual portions and focuses on a Mediterranean diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

For his lunch, he consumed an entire pizza Margherita. He explained that his Neapolitan-style pies were not similar to the typical New York slices.

The dough is made from water, flour, yeast and salt. He uses a fresh tomato sauce, a thin layer of mozzarella cheese and basil for the toppings. The dough ferments for 36 hours, which eats away much of the natural sugars and leaves a healthier more complex carbs that are easier to digest. It also keeps one full. His delicious pizza does not include any butter or lard in its ingredients.

"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," Cozzolino said.

After three months, he lost 40 pounds. He sticks to his diet and shed another 54 pounds. Cozzolino now weighs 276 pounds and he is still planning to lose another 22 pounds to reach his 254 pounds target.