The Real Mayo Clinic Diet: Healthy Habits Spur Weight Loss

Monday, June 14, 2010

ROCHESTER, Minn. — 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.

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."

Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource is published monthly to help women enjoy healthier, more productive lives. Revenue from subscriptions is used to support medical research at Mayo Clinic. To subscribe, please call 800-876-8633, extension 9751, (toll-free) or visit Mayo Clinic's Online Bookstore.

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