New York chef says eating pizza helped him lose over 100 pounds
NEW YORK (WPVI) -- Pizza is one of America's favorite foods and now one chef says that eating that saucy, cheesy slice can actually help you slim down.
It's called the pizza diet and New York City chef Pasquale Cozzolino says he cracked the code.
Cozzolino moved to the United States from Italy 4 years ago and his weight - on a 6'6" frame - soared to more than 370 pounds.
He says he was so uncomfortable he couldn't play with his son at the park and his doctor warned of a heart attack.
Cozzolino started by cutting out sweets and fizzy drinks and began exercising.
He also ate a simple 12-inch margherita pizza pie for lunch every day.
Cozzolino says his key to shedding over 100 pounds in 7 months was eating his beloved pizza.
"My pizza is something that comes from the Meditteranean diet," he says. "So I can build a diet that makes me happy and doesn't give me the opportunity to give up.
His homemade pizza has less than 600 calories and his ingredients are all natural and just the basics - flour, sauce, cheese and basil.
