Diet fads come and go, but registered dietitians and scientists believe that creating and adhering to healthy behaviors is a wise strategy that might help you lose weight in the long run.
The Mayo Clinic Diet, designed by weight reduction and nutrition specialists at the world-renowned clinic based on their research, is one of the most well-known plans that conform to this concept.
According to U.S. News & World Report’s annual poll, the Mayo Clinic Diet has regularly placed high among the top-rated diets for general health and weight reduction. In 2017, an improved second edition of The Mayo Clinic Diet, the book that outlines the diet, was released.
The Mayo Clinic Diet: What Is It and How Does It Work?
When compared to other popular commercial weight reduction plans on the market, the Mayo Clinic Diet seems to be less of a fad food (no juicing or fasting) and more of a diet and lifestyle change that attempts to help you exercise more and replace unhealthy eating habits with better ones. That might be why, in its 2020 rankings of 35 diets, U.S. News ranked it No. 5 in Best Diets Overall, No. 9 in Best Diets for Healthy Eating, and No. 2 in Best Diabetes Diets.
According to a September 2018 article published in Healthcare, because the Mayo Clinic diet does not include any major dietary restrictions or overemphasis on specific nutritional groups, following this eating plan is more likely to result in sustained long-term weight loss than more restrictive diets, such as the carnivore diet or the cabbage soup diet.
The Mayo Clinic Diet is broken into two sections: “Lose It!” and “Live It!” Each section has somewhat different recommendations. Phase 1 (Lose It!) is intended to kickstart the weight reduction process, while Phase 2 (Live It!) assists you in continuing and maintaining good behaviors.
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be responsible for throughout each stage of the plan.
Lose It! What’s Involved in Phase 1 of the Mayo Clinic Diet
Lose It! is intended to assist you in losing the 6 to 10 pounds (lbs) indicated on the book’s cover. According to Harvard Health Publishing, to lose 1 to 2 pounds each week, you must consume 500 to 1,000 fewer calories per day. This phase lasts two weeks and focuses on 15 behaviors, to add five good habits, break five bad habits, and adopt five more beneficial habits.
Eating while watching TV is an example of behavior you’ll learn to break, and exercising for at least 30 minutes each day is an example of a habit you’ll learn to add. (1)
Because it is meant to kick-start weight reduction and healthy habits, the Lose It! phase is more restricted than the Live It! phase.
What you can’t do when in the Lose It! stage:
- Drink alcohol
- While watching tv, eat
- Eat out
What you shouldn’t eat:
- Sugar that does not come naturally from fruit
- Foods that have been heavily processed, such as junk food and packaged snacks
- You have the following options:
- Begin a regular workout plan that lasts at least 30 minutes.
You can eat the following foods:
- You can eat as many vegetables and fruits as you like.
- Grain (whole)
- Dairy and lean protein
- Beneficial fats
According to Tracy Lockwood, RD, owner of private nutrition clinic Tracy Lockwood Nutrition in New York City, the possibility of having to cut your calorie consumption during this time may be a stumbling block for some individuals. If this occurs, she recommends gradually lowering your calorie intake over a longer period to minimize sluggishness or hunger. (Your daily calorie intake will be determined by your initial body weight and sex.)
Live It! What’s Involved in Phase 2 of the Mayo Clinic Diet
After you’ve learned to adopt better eating habits and become more active throughout the Lose It! phase, you can start planning a long-term strategy that you’ll be able to stick to. That’s what the Live It! phase is all about.
This phase does not require you to exclude any items from your diet, but rather focuses on eating in moderation. It uses the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid to offer a basic recommendation on serving sizes to help you fulfill your daily calorie objectives. (2) There is also advice on choosing healthy food choices, meal planning, and maintaining an exercise regimen.
If you follow the typical dietary standards of the United States Department of Agriculture, you’ll consume more of the following: (3)
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Grain (whole)
- Dairy and lean protein
And fewer of these:
- Sweets, limit your consumption to 75 calories per day.
How to Follow the Mayo Clinic Diet Guidelines
The eating plan may be followed by utilizing the book or subscribing for an online subscription to the Mayo Clinic Diet. A weekly online subscription costs $4, or $52 for a quarter, and includes additional features such as the Food and Fitness Journal, Habit Tracker, Fitness Planner, and Weight, Inch, and Nutrient Tracker. All of them are real-time monitoring systems that allow you to input information such as daily food consumption and activity to measure your development. Recipes and specific exercise regimens are also available via the membership’s resources.
During program enrollment, you may sign up for coaching via the online Mayo Clinic diet for an additional charge.
A 7-Day Mayo Clinic Diet Sample Menu
Rather than requiring stringent calorie tracking, as many popular diets do, the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid serves as a decision-making framework. Foods towards the bottom of the pyramid, such as vegetables and fruits, should account for the majority of your daily calories. The smaller the portion, the higher up the pyramid you go.
An example dinner based on the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid is shown below.
The fruit and vegetable servings indicated here are simply guidelines; on the Mayo Clinic Diet, these quantities are unrestricted. Also, keep in mind that your meal plan will need to be changed to the number of calories you want to consume each day.
Drink a calorie-free beverage with each meal, such as tea or water.
The first day
- Breakfast 1 ½ cup whole-grain cereal, 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, and 1 cup raspberries
- Lunch Salad with 2 cups arugula, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup cucumber, 1 cup beets, and 4 ounces (oz) shrimp, served with a whole-grain bun topped with 1 teaspoon (tsp) butter and 2 clementines
- 2 ½ oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1⁄3 cup cooked brown rice, and 2 cups sautéed bell peppers and carrots for dinner
- Snack A little apple
Day 2
- Breakfast 1 cup fat-free, reduced-calorie yogurt with 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 slice whole grain bread with ½ teaspoon nut butter
- Lunch 2 cups romaine lettuce, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 cup red bell pepper slices, 1 cup diced cucumbers, and 2 ½ oz grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 tablespoon (tbsp) olive oil and vinegar (or, for a less nutritious choice, Italian dressing), and 1 small banana
- Dinner 2 oz grilled salmon with lemon spritz over a bed of fresh baby spinach (2 cups), 1 whole-grain roll with up to 1 tsp butter, and ¾ cup berries
- Snack 3 tbsp hummus and 1 cup celery sticks
Day 3
- Breakfast 1 nonstick-pan-cooked egg, 1 slice whole-grain bread with up to 2 tsp trans-fat-free margarine spread, and 1 medium orange
- Lunch Roast beef sandwich (3 ounces lean roast beef on 1 small whole-grain bun with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onions), ½ cup carrot sticks, and 1 cup grapes
- Dinner Stir-fry with 4 oz. sautéed shrimp and 12 cup snap peas served over 1⁄3 cup cooked brown rice
- Snack A little apple
Day 4
- Breakfast 1 whole-grain bagel (3-inch diameter) topped with up to 3 tbsp fat-free cream cheese and 1 medium orange
- Lunch Smoked turkey sandwich on a 6-inch whole wheat wrap 3 ounces turkey, lettuce, tomato, onion, and salsa), 1 cup vinegar-sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, and 1 tiny apple
- Dinner 2 ounces grilled flank steak, ½ medium baked potato with up to 2 tablespoons sour cream or 1 tablespoon butter, 2⁄3 cup green beans, and 1 small pear
- Snack 1 cup carrot sticks + up to 3 tablespoons fat-free ranch dressing
Day 5
- Breakfast Fruit and yogurt parfait made with 1 cup reduced-calorie, fat-free yogurt, and 1 cup raspberries, 1 (3-inch diameter) whole-grain bagel with ½ teaspoon nut butter
- Lunch Chicken and vegetable wrap on a 6-inch whole-grain tortilla (with 2 ½ oz shredded cooked chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and 2 tsp mayonnaise), ½ cup carrot sticks, and 1 small nectarine
- Dinner 3 oz. pork tenderloin, 1 cup asparagus, 3 baby potatoes drizzled with olive oil, and 1 cup blueberries
- Snack 1 cup carrot sticks and 3 tablespoons hummus
Day 6
- Breakfast 4-inch whole-grain pancake topped with 2⁄3 cup blueberries and ½ tablespoon maple syrup, plus 1 cup skim or lowfat milk
- Lunch: Whole-grain bagel (3-inch diameter) topped with 1 ½ tbsp peanut butter and a sliced small banana, 1 cup low-fat yogurt, and 4 celery stalks
- Dinner: 1 medium orange and 1 open-faced turkey burger (2 ½ oz lean ground turkey patty with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a small whole-grain bread).
- Snack ½ cup celery sticks, 1 small apple sliced, and 2 ½ teaspoon peanut butter
Day 7
- Breakfast: 1 egg, ½ cup spinach, tomato slices, and 2 clementines on a whole-grain English muffin
- Lunch Turkey pita (½ whole-grain pitas packed with 4 oz deli turkey, lettuce, tomato, and onion, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar), 3 cups lettuce topped with ½ cup pomegranate (or berries), and 1 tsp olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste
- Dinner 3 oz grilled tilapia, 3 baby red potatoes with olive oil drizzle, 1 1⁄3 cup green beans, and 1 cup strawberries
- 15 cherries and ½ cup baby carrots as a snack
Is the Mayo Clinic Diet Helpful for Weight Loss and Other Health Benefits?
According to Natalie B. Allen, RD, clinical teacher of biomedical sciences at Missouri State University in Springfield, the only study on the Mayo Clinic Diet has been undertaken by the Mayo Clinic itself. As a consequence, she argues, since there is no third-party investigator for the plan, the related research findings may be skewed.
However, data from a study published in September 2014 in the Journal of the American Medical Association that evaluated various popular diets show that lowering fat and carb consumption may be useful for weight reduction. (4) The analysis also discovered data to support prescribing any diet that a person can and will adhere to for long-term weight reduction success.
According to Allen, the core ideas of the Mayo Clinic Diet indicate that it is simple to follow and may result in excellent outcomes. “They’re stressing the fundamentals, which is helpful,” adds Allen.
Mayo Clinic lifestyle modifications are further supported by data from The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR). Members of the NWCR who have lost weight and kept it off report consuming a low-calorie, low-fat diet and increasing their physical activity.
Another advantage, according to Lockwood, is that the diet satisfies fundamental nutrition demands. “We know that Americans don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables,” she adds, “and this diet does a great job of boosting productivity in our diets.” Participants are advised to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, which might provide health advantages beyond weight loss: According to Harvard, there is evidence that greater fruit and vegetable consumption is connected with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, certain forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal health, and aging-related eye disorders. (5)
Which People Should Try the Mayo Clinic Diet and Why?
The diet is realistic for many individuals who want to lose weight and improve their overall health since it focuses on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, being physically active, and developing healthy practices.
There are no severe limits, and the main concepts of the diet help you learn more about food planning, portion control, and changing harmful behaviors than most other fad diets. “It does an excellent job of assisting you in being intuitive and attentive to your food consumption,” adds Lockwood.
The Mayo Clinic Diet is also quite affordable to follow. On Amazon, you may purchase the digital version, which can be used independently. (At the time of release, the book was available for $14.99 on Amazon Kindle.) An online subscription will cost you the previously indicated monthly charge, but it is not required to follow the program.
If you don’t want to track calories or exclude whole food categories, the Mayo Clinic Diet may be right for you.
However, since the diet suggestions are generic, Allen suggests speaking with a medical practitioner who can assist lead you through the process of making these adjustments.
The majority of Lockwood’s Mayo Clinic Diet patients were driven to reduce weight due to another medical problem, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. She claims that with the assistance of a qualified dietitian, physician, or certified diabetes educator, the diet may be readily altered to meet the requirements of these patients (CDE).
Who Should Not Follow the Mayo Clinic Diet, and Why?
Not every eating plan or weight reduction technique is suitable for everyone, but experts believe there are no significant drawbacks to the Mayo Clinic Diet. There are no significant calorie restrictions, food category restrictions, or activity requirements, for example.
As an added advantage, with the assistance of a medical practitioner, the program may be modified to meet the requirements of various people.
Regardless, if you decide to attempt the diet, you will have to put in some effort; you and you alone will be responsible for putting the diet into action and measuring your success. The Mayo Clinic Diet gives guidance and lots of tools, but you must commit to going grocery shopping regularly for food that corresponds to the plan, spending the time to prep and prepare meals, and staying on track. This entails keeping detailed records and weighing oneself regularly.
Furthermore, if you have a history of body image difficulties or eating disorders, Allen advises avoiding this plan since the Lose It! phase may stimulate harmful associations with food.
Other Things to Think About Before Trying the Mayo Clinic Diet
It’s vital to realize that the Mayo Clinic Diet was created to help people lose weight in general. People who have a particular health concern or are unsure how to modify their diet to fit their lifestyle should consult with their healthcare staff. If you have diabetes, heart disease, or renal disease, for example, your nutritional needs will be somewhat different. As required, your doctor or a trained dietitian may assist you in making adjustments.
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