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Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic Diet continues to cause considerable confusion. This is not an “official” Mayo Clinic Diet. The Mayo Clinic health center (based in Rochester, USA) categorically states that it had never endorsed any diet plan until December 2005, when it was announced that the official Mayo Clinic Plan was available via the Internet.
The clinic does however provide a number of guidelines for healthy eating – including the new Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid (aka Mayo Clinic Food Pyramid).
What is the unofficial “Mayo Clinic Diet”?
What was supposedly the Mayo Clinic Diet is a fad or crash diet. It is based around grapefruit, lots of salad and protein, and little carbohydrates. Weight loss was supposed to be in the region of 50-55 pounds in 10 weeks.
Mayo Clinic Diet – Meal Plan
This is a copy of the fad diet – and it IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Representives from the Mayo Clinic have disavowed this diet. From the Medical Edge Newsletter July 2005:
“Versions of a Mayo Clinic Diet have been circulating for decades. Most push grapefruit, eggs, cabbage soup or meat and promise dramatic weight loss. None of these diets is associated with or has been endorsed by Mayo Clinic.”
12 days on – 2 days off
| Breakfast 1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened) 2 Eggs (any style) 2 Slices Bacon |
| Lunch 1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened) Meat (any style, any amount) Salad (any kind of dressing) |
| Dinner 1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened) Meat (any style, any amount) (fish may be substituted for meat) Vegetables (any green, yellow, or red vegetables cooked in butter or any seasoning) |
| Bed Time Snack 1 glass tomato juice or 1 glass Skim milk |
Vegetables Allowed
Red onions, green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas.
Vegetables to Avoid
White onions, potatoes, celery.
Find other high protein meal ideas here.
Instructions
- At any meal you may eat until you are full – until you can’t eat any more.
- Don’t eliminate anything from the diet, especially don’t skip bacon at breakfast or omit salads. It is the combination of foods that burn fat.
- The grapefruit is important because it acts as a catalyst that starts the burning process.
- Cut down on caffeine – it affects the insulin balance that hinders the burning process. Try to limit to 1 cup per meal at mealtime.
- Don’t eat between meals. If you eat the combination of food suggested you will not be hungry.
- Note that the diet completely eliminates sugar and starches, which are lipids and form fat. Fat doesn’t form fat; it helps burn it. You can fry food in butter and use butter generously on vegetables.
- Do not eat desserts, bread, and white vegetables or sweet potatoes. You may double or triple helpings of meat, salad, or vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed. The more you eat of the proper combination of food, the more you lose.
See Also
The Mayo Client has just released their Official Diet developed by their own staff.
The Mayo Clinic Plan
MayoClinic.com – Health information from the Official Mayo Clinic.
MayoClinic.org – Official site of the actual Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minneapolis, USA.
Fad Diets – Article about Fad or Crash Diets.
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Hi, I just started the diet today!!!! yeah me !!!! I need to lose 50lbs at least so I’ll check back in 12 days see how it is going. Does anybody know if we can drink lots of water in this diet?!??!?! Thanks Much!!!!!!!!!
i hope
Hello, everyone!
I just wanted to let you know that I started the diet this past Monday, June 16th. I had just been to the doctor for my annual exam and was weighed–whew! On Friday, June 20th, I went back to the doctor’s office. I LOST SEVEN POUNDS!!!!! Now my whole family wants to do it. It works–stick to it. You may be tempted from time to time, but just remember–every other weekend you can eat your heart out–within reason. I can’t wait until this weekend to reward myself with some grits, sweet potatos, and fried corn!!!! But I won’t overdo it…I would have come too far! Stay encouraged!
i am also a vegetarian and was wondering whether to eat fake meats and quorn or just to leave the diet without any meat?
I am planning on starting Monday. Reading everyones comments have helped me to believe that this diet can work. I hope it works for me. I will let you know in 2 weeks
This seems to be a truncated version of the original (circa 1975 or so). During the week you could have veal, steak (as much as you wanted), but no carbs. You could tell how long you were on it because you would lose around a pound a day. I lost 30 lbs in 30 days, not recommended. Do 2 weeks, stabilize, then repeat, if neccessary. However, keep your driver’s license handy because you wont remember your name at the end of a month, and, don’t deviate because of severe gastric problems. The best way to come off of it is to taper gradually, and replace the weight with exercise and a realistic diet. Otherwise the weight will come back quickly. Remember good health is the reward. Good luck, and dont go crazy.
Today is 6/18/2008..Quick question: Can low fat or fat free yogurt be substituted for the skim milk for the bed time snack?
I also started the diet on 6-9-08, and have lost a total of 10 pounds.I had a baby in November and since then the pounds have kept creeping up. I walk at least once a day and try to jog part of the way. I never am hungry and actually some of the days I only eat twice. It is hard though because I work the night shift and we all eat to stay awake at work. And now I have had to quit this habit. To all of you who are wondering if it works it does. And to those who ate grapefriut juice so do I! Slam it like a shot, and chug water, and you wont even taste it. Good luck.
i just started the diet today. i am hoping all the great things i am reading will work for me as well
This diet is the basically the same as Southbeach Phase 1. It has a more complete list of what you can and cannot do so you should check there for more details.
What the heck is a “meat chops in a bread crumps”?
The answer is no, because I’m guessing a bread crump has bread but I’d still like to know what that is exactly.
I’m gonna start 2morro I’ll b bacc in 12 days with results I weigh about 140…but I’m kinda tall 4 my age so I’m hoping to lose about 20 – 25 lbs…well see…it worked 4 my parents…
I am starting the diet 6/16/08, tomorrow. I know my body responds to these sort of diets so I know it will come off fast. Giving up my coke will be the hardest! Will update later.
I have a few friends who have done this diet and been successful. However, I am a vegetarian which presents a major problem for this menu. I keep hearing that it is eating more proteins and eliminating most carbs that make this diet successful. Does anyone know if I use “fake meat” substitutes if it will still work? (Smart Bacon @ breakfast and other meat substitues at other meals)
I started the diet right after i gave birth to my daughter and have not only lost the weight that I gained from being pregnante but have lost an additional 15 pounds in the past 34 days. In total I have lost 54 pounds and I feel Great. And To answer MIKE’S question yes you may drink more then 4oz of grapefruit juice.
any kind of meat, means i can continoue with my meat chops in a bread crumps?
Hello everyone, I began on May 9th and for my first 5 days I lost 7 pounds! This week I am going to begin working out 3 days a week. I’ve noticed that in following this diet I am never hungry! Just wanted to encourage everyone to keep on it, I think this is going to be perfect for getting me to a point where I can comfortably exercise and begin to follow a plan with more variety. So GOOD LUCK to everyone!
I started the diet on 6-9-08. I have lost 8 pounds so far! I hope we all continue to lose. Good luck everyone! I’ll check back on 6-20-08!
Im just starting and i wanted to know can i drink more that 4oz of grapefruit juice????
I lost 7stone on this diet if it does not work see your GP you are ill.
Vegetables (any green, yellow, or red vegetables cooked in butter or any seasoning). GREENS are fine.
can you substitute greens for vegetable
I made something awesome to eat today.
You need bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper. I bought the stalks of romaine lettuce so I could make lettuce wraps with any king of meat salad. Well this time a made a Bacon, lettuce, and tomato BUT with no BREAD!!!! Take your slice of tomato, mayo, cheese, mustard, and bacon, put it on half of the lettuce stalk (that you pull off) season to taste, fold together and VIOLA!!! EXCELENTE>>>>>>>
I started on 5/12/08 and I have lost 13 lbs so far. After my first 12 days I went to Florida for the weekend so I took 4 days off. BAD decision!!!! I gained back 6 lbs. But this next 12 days Ive lost that 6 plus 3 more. AS LONG AS THE #’S GO DOWN!!!!
I have kind of eliminated the Juice, Got sick of it.I’m pretty much just eating meat, salad, veggies, and Cheese. If you think about it, it sounds just like the Atkins plan except for the juice.
I have never tried this diet before, but I have heard about it. I no its a fad diet but, I wont to lose 40 more pounds.I have lost a total of 80 pounds already but it took me a while. I wont to lose these 40 before the winter so hope this work. I am starting the diet 6/5/2008. I will leave another message in 10 days to let everyone no how I am doing. I have alot of the messages and they are all inspiring me to try it. Congrats to all that have lost weigh.
june 5 hi this is my first time on this diet i hope it works for me. Do i diet 12 days and then 2 off? what happens if you dont take the 2 days off? Help!!!!!!!!!!!please may son comes home june 30 from boot camp and i want to lose a few lbs.
I tried this diet about a year ago with co-workers. It’s good to do it with someone when you can. That way you each have someone to encourge you. This diet does work!! It was hardest the first 3wks. I too looked forward to my days off,but afterwhile you don’t even want all the crap you used to eat. I’m back at it again, but mostly on my own. Also, here were some things on the diet I did not eat and I still lost a considerable amount of weight. I really started seeing the weight drop when I did some exercise (moderate and I do mean moderate).
i started this diet may12 and lost 17 pounds i like this diet ill check in in a couple days
I started on Monday 6/2/08. I notice that the plan says 4 oz. I’ve been drinking 8 oz. Instead of regular bacon (don’t eat pork & beef), I’ve ate a small piece of turkey saugage on both days. Is that defeating the purpose??? I brought turkey bacon & will eat that starting in the morning. Other than that, I look forward to seeing the results after 12 days.
We are starting the diet today 6/3/08. My gynecologist helped me understand how my obesity is hindering my life. My husband is joining me for support as well as needing to drop 20 lbs. too.