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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.
What can I eat on my 2 off days??? Help!
This my 1st day 9/1/08 i am very exicted i need to drop 20lbs. Do I have to drink skin milk at night???? Can I skip it. Also for breakfast can i just eat egg whites? Thanks so much.
Has anyone used the skim milk from the bedtime snack for their morning coffee. I really want to follow this exactly, but don’t feel the need for the milk in the evening, but would love it for my coffee! What do you think?
Supermom, wow 12 lbs.! That is what is making me excited to start. All these great results!
Super Mom, you have given me all the motivation I need to make this diet work. I too have a treadmill and am using it each day. I will read your comments daily to keep me on track. I hope my loss is as successful as yours. Well done. You have such will power!
good luck supermom keep posting. do you have anymore ideas on food to eat? i’m going to try the chicken salad and fajita beef, thanks for the idea.
I started the Mayo Clinic diet 8/21/’08 and today is my 11th day and I have lost 12lbs. as of today and I am thrilled. My need was and is my health. My family doctor approved my trying this diet if I am careful to have at least 1 to 2 hours before and after I take my b/pressure medicine each morning,because sometimes the grapefruit juice can interfere with the medicine’s potency, but so far so good. No problems and I pray there will not be, so that I may continue to lose and improve my health. I also walk on our treadmill 5 days a week,sometimes 6 days for 40 to 50 min. and plan to keep increasing the time and distance,but I am having to go slower that usual, only 2.8-3.0 because of an inflamed sciatic nerve. I am encouraging some friends to try this diet. It works! My favorite meal so far has been a Fajita Beef or Chicken salad, using Picate? Salsa as the dressing. I even put tomatoes and red onions in the salad. Hmmmmmmmmmm Good! Very filling. I purchase the frozen Fajita pre-cooked brand meat.
I am starting this on Sept. 1st. I am excited to start. I need to lose about 30 lbs. Best of luck to everyone and I will keep you posted.
My first post didn’t get posted. Hope this works!
Hey all! I also am going to start on Sept. 1. I need to lose about 30 lbs. I lost 35 last year on Atkins and now am slowly gaining. I want this weight off finally and think I can do this. Best to everyone. Let’s keep checking in!!
pjs-I think salt and pepper are okay (unless you have sodium issues) and it says to keep caffeinated drinks (tea) to 2 cups. I bet if you have decaffeinated teas it would be fine. BUT I haven’t even started yet so maybe someone else will say differently
Have been on the diet for 12 days and have lost 7 pounds. Looking forward to tomorrow. Question: I know you can’t have yellow squash, but what about Zucchini squash? It’s green. Also, does the cheese have to be low fat or regular? And my blood pressure meds say “no grapefruit”-what’s my alternative? I have been drinking orange juice.
Hi all, i hope you don’t mind me joining you!? I am starting on 1st September. I currently weigh 224lbs and want to get down to 147lbs so 73lbs to go! Hope it works!!! All these comments have really given me incouragement, i can’t wait to start now! :0)
I heard this diet really works. I weigh 223 pounds and plan to start on 09-01-08.
After reading everyones comments, I feel really good about starting this diet…which is today 08/25/08.. But I do have some questions if anyone knows the answers… What are we allowed to drink? I’m sure water out the yang, but tea?, diet sodas?, what? I figured out the answer to the cheese.ah no…Califlower.ah no..
It says to stay away from the white vegetables..
What about salt & pepper, or seasoning?? What to do?? I’m a spicy girl, I spice everything…
Help me somebody…I’ll check back daily for answers, & I’m sure after 12 days of this, I’m gonna be announcing my big loss! Thanx!
Please see the attached link for the diet I am referring to. I changed midway to the diet above (but I still eat cheese) and have seen way more results. http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/m/mayoclinicdiet.htm
Does anyone know if you can have nuts on this diet? What about non-dairy creamer for your coffee?
We all already know this is a fad diet, but the fact of the matter is,that doesn’t mean that it doesnt work because it does work. In fact it works very well. I am male 5’9 went on the diet weighing 200 pounds, just followed the diet exactly and did very, very little exercise at all, and within 3 months i weighed in at 155, so I lost 45 pounds in 3 months on this diet with relatively no exercise. It is very hard to stick with for about the first week, but if you can make it through that first week, it will become habit and you will begin to lose weight without really even trying… Just tough it out that first week and the habit and motivation will take care of itself.
This diet works great, I tried it about 5 years ago..I dropped about 25 pounds. Anyone who thinks this doesn’t work when sticking to it has issues. It’s just like the Atkins but no juice involved…this is pretty much no sugar no starches..you have to lose weight. Then add some walking or some type of excercising it increases the weight loss.
This is my last day of my first cycle (started 8/11) and I am happy to report that I lost 10 lbs!
I followed the instructions for this diet and worked out (cardio/30 mins) every other day. I NEVER cheated this whole 12 days. Trust me, there was/is sooo much temptation around!
Since I started this diet, I have a good amount of energy and never feel hungry between meals.
People tell me that my skin is glowing, which is a first for me =) I fit in my clothes better, my husband even said he could tell it was working!
What I found REALLY helpful it using a diet/exercise log.
I go off tomorrow, but more than likely I’ll go back on Monday. I have about 10-15 lbs still that I’d like to lose.
I am PROOF that this diet works!
yes u can have cheese any kind
I started the diet aug,11 and I have lost 8 pounds.It worked with me before and it’s working now.I continue until I lose 20 pounds ,then I will excercise to keep it off.
Val, would you be able to post the new version? I’ve never seen it. We have been sticking to the above diet and this is our 3rd day. I would think that you wouldn’t be able to eat cheese at all until your 2 days off. Tanya, what a great result. Keep us updated.
hello I started 8/7/08 and so far I lost 6.5 pounds. good luck everyone.
I have been on this diet for 4 days and am a bit worried that I have been doing it wrong. Has anybody lost weight using the newer version that includes chili and hotdogs? Also, does anybody know if it is okay to eat brocolli and cheese for supper instead of just a plain veggie.
I heard about this from a friend. I’ve talked to a few people, and most are skeptical. I’m going to give it a go. I’ll update on my progress after the first cycle.
Hi, I am pleased that I have come across this site. My husband and I have started today 21.08.08. We have just had our lunch, feel full and am looking forward to losing weight like so many of you on this site. Keep reporting to the forum as it gives us motivation knowing what we have to look forward to.
What can i sub for the2 eggs for breakfast? i dont eat eggs and wanna start tomorrow.
Thanks
Any good recipes anyone wants to share?
Lets start sharing recipes
Big Mac
2 large portabella mushroom caps grilled
season hamburger meat with garlic, sea salt, onion powder and whatever ingredients you like and cook it the way you like.
Add cook hamburger between the mushrooms,add lettuce, tomatoe, red onions and dressing of your choice
Anyone else care to share a recipe
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to share my experience with all of you. I have done this diet in early 07 and it really does work! althought, I had to stop in early April 07 because I found out that I was pregnant. I gained 34 lbs total and lost 25 immediately following delivery. I had the baby in Decemeber and now that he is more independent and learning to walk I can acutally find time to do something for myself. I just started today and hope to reach my goal of my pre pregnancy weight and more since I was already dieting before the baby. This diet is awesome because you literally get rapid results! After 5 Days you should loose 5 lbs and that’s enough motivation to keep you going. I think its hard for dieters to stick to plans where it takes longer to see results.
Hi all,
Today is Monday, August 18…I’m planning a trip back home and hope to lose my last 10lbs before then…which is Labor Day weekend…I hope this help. I’ll report back.
is fried chicken allowed?