The Mayo Clinic Diet is a weight-loss program that encourages you to make lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy weight for the rest of your life. The Mayo Clinic developed the diet in response to a nonauthorized product being sold under its name. The Mayo Clinic's 1,200-calorie diet plan is modeled on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide pyramid.
How the Diet Works
The Mayo Clinic Diet has two phases. The first phase is the rapid weight-loss phase. During the first two weeks of the diet, expect to lose 6 to 10 lbs. This phase requires you to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, increase your exercise and record what you eat in a food diary. The second phase of the plan levels weight loss at 1 to 2 lbs. per week and builds off the first phase of the program of promoting lifelong healthy habits.
Eating Plan
The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid is the basis of the Mayo Clinic eating plan and core of the program. It displays foods from six food groups in a triangle. Foods you should eat more of are at the base of the pyramid, and the summit shows foods you should eat less often. Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of the 1,200-calorie diet. You must eat at least three servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables per day. You are also allowed four to eight servings of carbohydrates and three to seven servings of protein and dairy foods. Healthy fats and sweets are close to the apex and are limited to three to five daily servings and 75 calories, respectively.
Sample Menu
A one-day sample menu for breakfast includes 1 small banana, 1/2 cup of bran cereal, 1 cup of fat-free milk and a cup of herbal tea. For lunch, eat a 4-oz. turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread topped with tomatoes, lettuce and 1 tbsp. of low-fat mayonnaise. Add 2 cups of raw baby carrots, jicama and bell pepper strips and 1 small apple to round out your lunch menu. At dinnertime, have 2 oz. of broiled beef tenderloin, 2/3 cups of steamed green beans, 3 baby potatoes with 1 tsp. of low-fat butter, 2 cups of salad mix with 2 tbsp. of fat-free salad dressing and 1/3 cup lemon sherbet for dessert. Drink plenty of water and eat a pear or other fruit equivalent for between-meal snacks.
Comparison to USDA's MyPyramid
The 1,200-calorie menu for the USDA's food pyramid limits servings of fruits to 1 cup and vegetables to 1 1/2 cups. It also separates meat and meat substitutes from dairy; you may have 3 oz. of protein and 2 cups of milk products. There is no carbohydrates group, only grains. MyPyramid recommends 4 oz. of grains with at least 2 oz. of whole grains daily. Discretionary calories from sugar should be limited. Healthy fats are limited to 4 tsp. daily.
Warning
Just like any other diet plan, the Mayo Clinic 1,200-calorie diet requires physical activity. Begin with 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week and then gradually increase to 60 and 90 minutes to lose weight. Consult your doctor and dietitian before you begin a new diet and exercise program.
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