Mayo Clinic releases official diet plan

Over the years, a number of diets claimed to be from Mayo Clinic. But never before has Mayo Clinic released an official diet plan -- until now. The June issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource covers why The Mayo Clinic Diet was created and how it differs from other diet plans.

“We provide the general principles that can help people lose weight and maintain weight loss”

Mayo Clinic introduced the diet earlier this year. "We have the research and the clinical expertise needed to design a program that's effective, healthy, practical, enjoyable and sustainable long term," explains Donald Hensrud, M.D., medical editor-in-chief of The Mayo Clinic Diet.

Unlike many other diets, The Mayo Clinic Diet doesn't have a lot of rules and set menus. Instead, it offers a two-phase approach. The first phase is named "Lose It!" and is a two-week jump-start program where dieters are encouraged to break habits and add new ones. They can expect to lose an average of 6 to 10 pounds during the "Lose It!" phase. Examples include eating a healthy breakfast, exercising 30 minutes or more daily and not eating in front of the television.

The second phase is called "Live It!" In this phase, dieters transition to a permanent lifestyle program. "We offer the tools they need to lose 1 to 2 additional pounds per week and keep it off even after they reach their goal," says Dr. Hensrud. One tool is the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, which encourages eating large amounts of nutritious, low-energy-dense foods such as vegetables and fruits.

The Mayo Clinic Diet is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The diet is meant to be individualized and customized. "We provide the general principles that can help people lose weight and maintain weight loss," says Dr. Hensrud. "We think it's more likely to help most people manage their weight and enjoy their life as they do it."

SOURCE Mayo Clinic