The Scarsdale Diet is a rigid plan that promises quick results. It has enjoyed varying degrees of popularity since it was introduced by Dr. Herman Tarnower in his book, "The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet," in 1978. The book is still in print in 2010, but the weight loss plan is not recommended for all dieters. It is very low calorie and is short in some nutrients, but on a short term basis, it can help you drop considerable weight quickly.
Premise
Before his death, Dr. Tarnower said that the original Scarsdale Diet was a pamphlet of dietary instructions for his overweight heart patients. The instructions were strict and his list of permissible foods was stringent to help his patients quickly drop the weight that was putting stress on their hearts. Eventually, he turned the pamphlet into his successful book. The premise of the diet is the same today as it was then: it is not meant to be a lifetime nutrition plan for weight control, according to the website Diet.com. It is a short, rapid weight loss program.
Protocol
Two 14-day phases provide the structure of the Scarsdale Diet. The first, called the "Diet Phase," is a series of very low calorie and low carbohydrate meal plans. The second, called the "Keep Trim Phase," introduces a few new allowable foods. According to the Scarsdale Diet website, you are permitted snacks of carrots and celery and some food substitutions in the prescribed meals during the Diet Phase. Diet.com indicates that the calorie range is between 650 and 1,000 a day and the protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio is 43 percent, 22.5 percent and 34.5 percent respectively. You should follow the diet for 28 days -- two weeks each per phase -- then take two weeks off. Do not maintain the diet consistently for any more than four weeks. You must also drink at least four glasses of water, tea or coffee a day to flush waste from your body.
Pros
The website DietSpace.com notes that this diet is very easy to follow because all meals are determined for you -- all you have to do is prepare them. There is very little choice or decision-making involved. If you follow the meal plans to the letter, you will most likely lose significant weight during the month you are on the diet. While the foods you can eat are limited, in most cases the portions are not, so you can eat until you are full.
Cons
The diet does not offer adequate sources of iron, calcium or riboflavin, according to DietSpace.com. If you are reasonably active, restricting your calories to under 1,000 a day is not healthy, even if only for a month. This diet was designed for heart patients, not athletes. Because it is so stringent, during the two-week hiatus that you are off the diet, you can expect to regain some of your weight. Diet.com notes that the restricted meals require a great deal of willpower to stick with, even for only a short period of time.
Recommendations
The Scarsdale Diet website suggests cooking with ample herbs, seasoning and spices to enliven the strict meals. Talk to your doctor before starting it so she can evaluate any impact it might have on your past or present health issues.
Member Comments