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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.
can you have fried chicken? I was just curious,since the diet states any amount of meat any kind.
This diet is amazing. Over the years, after having each of my children Ive done it and its worked. You have to follow the rules EXACTLY. And make sure on your days off you dont go crazy. My problem is the grapefruit juice. I hate it!!! If it were not for the grapefruit juice and eggs and bacon every morning I could stay on it forever!!
UNDER S FOOT TALL AND PUSHING 200 POUNDS–STARTING IN THE MORNING–WILL COME BACK IN 2 WEEKS–HOPEFULLY WEIGHUNG A LOT LESS
Here I go! I’m starting this diet on Monday Aug. 18 and I need to lose at least 40 lbs. Wish me luck and good luck to all of you.
My boyfriend and i are going on this diet starting monday (8-18-08). We can’t wait. So excited!!!!! Hope we do just as well as everyone else. Keep you posted!
answers to some of the questions
no mushrooms, no cheese, no extra bacon.
I started this diet about 4 days ago and ive allready lost 6 pounds.
Im not even excersizing, thats how great this diet is.
For my 2 days off, which is also my birthday, i am going to eat my one true love.
CEREAL!
i cant wait, i think that the no grain is bullcrap.
oh well, you win some you lose some.
I’ve just found out about this diet, if we follow what is on the diet strictly, that means no cheese right?
Caroline…………………. lets do this together.. we are about the same in weight.
I started the diet today 08-12-08 and will post results weekly on tuesday.
I am Obese and want to lose totally 50 lbs total.
oh one more question?
Can we have portabella mushrooms they are not white????
Hi Everyone
Is SPLENDA or EQUAL allowed on this Diet????????
It says your allowed diet soda that is caffeine free isnt there a sugar substatute in the diet soda???
What do you eat on your 2 days off?
i WAS ON THIS DIET ONE YEAR AGO. i LOST 57 POUNDS IN FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS. I FOUND IT EASY TO STICK TO.
I’VE GAINED ABOUT 16 POUNDS BECAUSE i WAS OUT OF WORK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WENT BACK ON THE DIET TODAY. I’M NOW WORKING AGAIN,SO I KNOW IT WILL BE EASY. WISH ME LUCK. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE!!
its working mid week of the second week from 139 to 133
Hi, My name is Rechelle…I live in Baton Rouge, LA….I hope to lose 50lbs by December…..I have tried several diets before but I had a hard time sticking to the diet. Wish me luck…..I will follow-up in 12 days……
the grape juice does not matter. It has to be UNSWEETEND. That all. The sugar labeled in the bottled is natural sugar from the fruit itself. its not artificial.
I will start the diet and report back to inform you on the staus of it, question though I went to buy the juice and it says no sugars added then in the nutritional facts it says 29 grams of sugar,so is the juice good or not??
I started the diet on 8/4/08. I will check back to report, no one has answered if its ok to have ruby grapefruit!! Then when you buy the juice the nutritional facts say 29g of sugar even though it says no sugar added! So is juice not a good idea? Thanks!!
My brother and neice is on this diet, and both lost 18+ lbs. I am going to start 8/6/08 I want to lose 70lbs by Sept 30, my daughters 19th birthday. That would be the best present I could ever give her. I have health issues and really need to lose the weight. My husband is a fittness buff and I should have jumped on that band wagon years ago. I am the only heavy person in the house. So here I go. Good luck to you all.
I started the mayo diet on 8-04-08. my goal is to lost 85 lb by december 2008. I am a little scare but i going to make it.
i am 225 lbs.
luck to very one we are going to make it….
also I will tell you how it goes….
been on diet 5 days and im not as hungry and i have lost 3 pounds. yay!!!! 7 days left.
me and my wife are starting this diet on 8-4-08 is corn not allowed on this diet.
I started the diet on the 21st of July. It is better to start on a Monday, that way, you can have your two free days on Saturday and Sunday. I weighted more than I have in years, 136.5, 56 yrs. old and 5’2″. Pleople say, you don’t need to lose weight! All mine is around my waist. I struggle between size 10, 12, and getting up to a size 14!!! As of today, I have lost 3 lbs. For me, that’s great, to KEEP it off. I’m not hungry! Want to get to 124 lbs. Wish me luck!
I guess I will have to check back because I need to factor in the whole water weight thing from PMS BUT….normally I am about five pounds heavier right now durning this time AND I AM NOT so guess its working again…
Hey has anybody experienced burning sensation in middle of your tummy? I cant wait to eat what I want tomorrow SMILE
I want to start on August 4 2008 ….Im going to try and I will tell you how it goes…My goal is 40 pounds ….
Hello,
I did this diet about 10 years ago and it work. think I lost about 30 lbs in 8 weeks. I for sure lost a lot the first two weeks. Im going to start the diet tomorrow..
Today is 8/1/08 and this is day 1 for me. I gained 75lbs during pregnancy due 2 being on complete bedrest. my son is 14months and the weight is still here. Wish me luck!
I am starting this diet Monday, Aug 4. My goal is to lose 40 lbs. I cant wait to see what my results are after my first 12 days!
Today is 7/31/08. I started on 07/28/08 and have lost 4 pounds. I will keep going at least until Sept. 3rd and see what happens.
this diet does work,I lost 24 pounds doing about 5 yrs ago.I have been exercising but I have a thyroid problem so it’s hard for me to lose weight.I will start 8-4-08.I’ll let you know what happens.
No fruit, because no sugar