The Mayo Clinic Diet Menu

Use The Mayo Clinic Diet For A Quick Fix!

  My mother was a chronic dieter. I grew up in a house that was always in the midst of one diet or another as she struggled to get back down to the size 3 that she'd worn before my birth. She was always chasing after the latest quick-fix diet to take off quick pounds, and inevitably putting them back on within weeks of losing the weight.
 
There was always a diet plan tacked to our refrigerator door. It may have been the cabbage soup diet, the Mayo Clinic diet, the Scarsdale diet, the Banana diet -- she was an equal opportunity dieter. Over the years, though, she did build up an arsenal of quick-I-need-to-fit-into-that-black-dress-next-weekend diets.

This is one that invariably worked, and that she found fairly easy to follow. Over the years, it has been referred to as the 'Mayo Clinic Diet'. The Mayo Clinic states that this diet did not originate there, and is not recommended by them for weight loss.
 
Remember: the key is in following the diet EXACTLY. It should not be used for more than 12 days at a time, and if you intend to follow it for any length of time, consult your physician to make sure that it contains all the nutrients that you need.
 
Daily Menu:

BREAKFAST:
1/2 grapefruit or 8oz unsweetened juice.
2 Eggs
2 Strips of bacon
Black coffee or tea, no sugar
 
LUNCH:

1/2 grapefruit
Salad and or raw veggies (any dressing, {not low fat or fat free})
Meat (any kind, cooked any way)
 
DINNER:

1/2 grapefruit
Meat (as above)
Green or Red Vegetables
Black coffee or tea, no sugar
 
BEDTIME:

8oz Tomato juice or skim milk
 
Eat as much as you want of the allowed foods at each meal, but you MUST eat the grapefruit with each meal. If you like, you can substitute an 8 oz glass of grapefruit juice for the 1/2 grapefruit
 
Do Not Eat:

White onions, potatoes, celery, peas, cereal, carrots, corn, starchy vegetables, bread, noodles, rice, potato chips, pretzels or fruit or diet dressing.
 
Eat All You Want at Meals of:

Red onions, bell peppers, radishes, broccoli, cucumbers, green onions, leaf spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, chili (no beans) mayonnaise, any cheese, hot dogs, cole slaw, regular salad dressing, green vegetables, 1 tsp. nuts, dill or bread and butter pickles.
 
You Can Drink:

 8- 8 ounce glasses of water daily. Limit caffeinated beverages to one per meal. If you drink soda, drink only diet soda.
 
While this diet is not recommended for long term use, it has shown dramatic results in people who need to lose weight quickly for any reason. If you intend to lose more than 8-10 pounds, it's suggested that instead, you speak to your physician or a nutritionist to help you establish a healthy, life-long eating plan that can be adjusted as you lose weight. Do not use this diet if you are under the care of a physician for any chronic illness unless you consult the doctor first.