For years, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research has had fad diets attached to its name, but in 2009 the foundation published its own diet program based on healthy living and scientific research about weight loss. The diet is published as a book that explains the plan in detail. You can also buy a cookbook and a journal to track your progress.
Method
The Mayo Clinic Diet focuses on making lifestyle changes that are conducive to weight loss and consists of two phases. In the first, called the "Lose It" phase, dieters experience rapid weight loss and can shed up to 10 lbs. in two weeks. The first phase includes instructions to start five new healthy habits, break five bad habits and adopt five new bonus habits. In the second phase, called "Live It," dieters switch to slow and steady weight loss, losing up to 2 lbs. a week.
The Mayo Clinic Pyramid
The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid forms the basis for all food decisions made on the diet. Dieters should choose foods from the base of the pyramid first, which means consuming unlimited quantities of vegetables and fruits throughout the day. Moving up the pyramid, dieters can choose four to eight servings of carbohydrates daily, focusing on whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, quinoa and rye. The diet pyramid recommends three to seven servings of lean protein or low-fat dairy and three to five servings of fats, focusing mainly on polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as those in vegetable oils and nuts. Dieters are allowed up to 75 calories' worth of sweets each day.
Physical Activity
A circular symbol representing physical activity sits at the center of the Mayo Clinic Pyramid, emphasizing exercise as an important part of this weight-loss plan. The Mayo Clinic Diet recommends including at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity into your day, every single day, to reap the most benefits from the plan. The plan offers no specific recommendation for the type of exercise, simply any activity of moderate intensity, such as jogging, aerobic exercise or dancing.
Considerations
The Mayo Clinic Diet is not a fad diet designed for quick weight loss. If you go on this diet, you need to be serious about changing unhealthy habits to make it a success. Fortunately, because the program focuses on enjoying food while changing your lifestyle and developing a new way of eating, you won't feel deprived or hungry.
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