Top 6: Mayo Clinic Diet

Weight loss and fostering a healthier lifestyle are intertwined on the Mayo Clinic diet. The approach involves the recalibration of eating habits by replacing unhealthy ones with beneficial choices, guided by the Mayo Clinic's distinctive food pyramid. This pyramid places a strong emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which generally have low caloric density. This characteristic allows individuals to consume more food while ingesting fewer calories.

Consider this comparison: You could consume roughly the same amount of calories by choosing between one-quarter of a Snickers bar or approximately 2 cups of broccoli.

Until recently, individuals primarily relied on three editions of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" book and the Mayo Clinic diet website as their main guides through its two phases. However, in the past year, the Mayo Clinic diet introduced its online program, which offers additional features such as new options, tracking, habit optimization, and group support.

Dr. Donald Hensrud, an associate professor of nutrition and preventive medicine at Mayo Clinic and the editor of "The Mayo Clinic Diet," emphasizes that "the fundamental premises behind the diet have not changed, nor should they, as we believe the rationale and evidence supporting it are solid." According to him, the modifications are related to how the Mayo Clinic diet is presented to and utilized by participants. The introduction of a new online program with interactive features is aimed at assisting individuals in using the dietary program more effectively.

• Family friendly. Family members can easily all eat the meals together with little or no modification. And the food options are healthy and balanced enough for all ages.

• Budget friendly. Foods for this diet are easy to find at a typical grocery and don’t require expensive or specialty food items.

• Vegan or vegetarian friendly. Recipes can be easily modified for a vegan or vegetarian diet.

• Gluten-free friendly. Recipes can be easily modified and still follow a gluten-free diet.

• Halal friendly. Recipes can be easily modified and still follow the diet.

• Kosher friendly. Recipes can be easily modified and still follow the diet.

• Low-carb. This diet recommends lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.

• Low-fat. The diet encourages a moderate consumption of healthy fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from olive oil, and discourages unhealthy fats, such saturated fats from fried and processed foods. Less than about 30% of total calories come from fat.

• "Lose it!" The first two weeks of the program focuses on lifestyle habits that contribute to your weight, specifically adopting 10 healthy habits and breaking five unhealthy habits. You don't count calories, and you can snack all you want on fruits and vegetables. The Mayo Clinic diet states you can potentially lose up to 6 to 10 pounds during this phase.

• "Live it!" In this phase, you'll learn about making smart food choices, portion sizes, meal prepping, physical activity, exercise and committing to healthy habits for life. Since you're developing a pattern of healthy eating to follow for life, no food group is completely off-limits.

"Lose it!"

"Live it!"

Short-Term Weight Loss

• In general, eating more foods with low-caloric density has been shown to promote weight loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• In a 2008 pilot program that evaluated 53 Mayo Clinic employees with obesity who followed "Lose it!" for two weeks, the average weight loss was 8 pounds.

• In one study, nearly 100 women who were overweight or had obesity participated in a 14-week trial. The group following a low-caloric-density diet like the Mayo Clinic diet reported fewer cravings, showed greater weight loss and had a higher reduction in fat mass (1).
  

Long-Term Weight Loss

• One review that investigated dietary energy density and long-term weight management concluded that low-energy-density diets are effective at increasing satiety while reducing energy intake. It noted that when reducing the amount of calories in food but keeping the overall food weight the same, it’s “feasible to consume less energy and (feel) more full, and achieve a healthy body weight (2).”
  

Weight Maintenance and Management

What Costs Are Related to the Diet?

• 12-month plan. $19.99 per month ($4.61 per week).

• 6-month plan. $29.99 per month ($6.92 per week).

• 3-month plan. $39.99 per month ($9.23 per week).

• Monthly plan. $49.99 per month ($11.54 per week).
  

• Because the diet is customized to you, it gives you financial wiggle room by making dinner from whatever produce is on sale, for example.

• You can also try frozen vegetables, or buy extra produce and when it is on sale and freeze it yourself for future meals.

• The plan includes practical at-home, equipment-free workouts. You can also try out fitness apps and online programs, some of which are offered at no cost.