Mayo Clinic Plan

The Mayo Clinic Plan is a diet based on the clinic’s healthy weight pyramid. The Mayo Clinic is one of the most credible health resources and this plan should not be confused with the fad diet.

The Mayo Clinic Plan book is available from Amazon, or see the official Mayo Clinic online program.

What About the Mayo Clinic Fad Diet?

For many years now, people have been using a crash/fad diet often referred to as the “Mayo Clinic Diet” – despite the diet having no connection or endorsement with the Mayo Clinic. This crash diet was very low-calorie, and nutritionally unbalanced. It bears no resemblance to the official Mayo Clinic Plan.

Food Guidelines

The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid emphasizes fruit and vegetables – which are allowed to be eaten in unlimited quantities. Other carbohydrates, such as grains, play a lesser role in the pyramid.

The diet is one of the most healthful and natural diets to be found. Consuming ample amount of vegetables will not only provide a nutritionally-rich diet – but will also lead to satiation – hopefully leading to a desire to eat less sugary and fatty foods.

Recommended Foods

Those following this diet can expect to eat the following foods:

Oatmeal, whole-grain bread, brown rice, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, eggs, tuna, halibut, salmon, peanut butter, almonds, legumes, bananas, berries, pineapple, grapes, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, spinach, avocado, olive oil, cinnamon.

Sample Meal Plan

A sample meal might include:

• Pancakes with syrup and strawberries
• Dilled Pasta Salad with Spring Vegetables
• Rosemary Lemon Chicken
• Fresh Apricots

Here’s a 3 day sample meal plan for the non-diabetic version.

Exercise Recommendations

Physical activity is an important component of The Official Mayo Clinic Diet and any way that you can increase your daily activity level is encouraged such as cleaning the house, shopping, and gardening.

This will help to increase your calorie expenditure and burn fat. However, structured exercise such as walking, cycling and swimming are also regarded as important with 30 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise recommended on most days of the week.

Brisk walking and gardening that involves constant motion can be substituted for aerobic exercise so long as they increase your heart and breathing rate.

Costs and Expenses

The Mayo Clinic Diet book retails for $25.99.

Lunch
Tuna salad sandwich made with 1/2 cup water-packed tuna, 1 tablespoon low-calorie mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, chopped celery as desired, leaf lettuce and 2 slices whole-grain toast
2 cups raw baby carrots, jicama and bell pepper strips
1 medium apple
Water

Dinner
Cod with lemon and capers
3/4 cup steamed green beans
1/2 cup sliced beets
Salad made with 1 cup Romain, Boston, butterhead or leaf lettuce, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, a splash of balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 nectarine
Sparkling water with lemon

Snack (any time)
1 small pear

Nutrient Analysis

Mayo Clinic Diet Online

The Mayo Clinic recently developed a more consumer-friendly plan based on their research. It is a full online based program that creates meal plans, and offers numerous support options.

By Mizpah Matus B.Hlth.Sc(Hons)

References:
• Smith, A. M., Lopez-Jimenez, F., McMahon, M. M., Thomas, R. J., Wellik, M. A., Jensen, M. D., Hensrud, D. D. (2005, April). Action on obesity: report of a mayo clinic national summit. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 80, No. 4, pp. 527-532). Elsevier. link
• Hensrud, D. (2001). Dietary Treatment and Long‐Term Weight Loss and Maintenance in Type 2 Diabetes. Obesity Research, 9(S11), 348S-353S. link
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20048466

Last Reviewed: June 4, 2018