Making the Most of the Mayo Clinic Diet

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By: Brandi Goodman

Dozens of diets fill our news feeds like an all-you-can-eat buffet. The choices make us question which weight loss programs are the best for us. The best answer is different for everyone, depending on their goals, health concerns, and ability to follow through with the meal plans provided.

If you trust one of the most respected health entities in the world, the Mayo Clinic diet is one option that requires a closer look.

Is the Mayo Clinic diet a strategy or a diet?

The Mayo Clinic diet is more of a strategy to help you achieve long-term success. Diets are typically followed for a certain duration and then end. The Mayo Clinic hopes its plan will last a lifetime, helping you curb your cravings, learn healthy eating habits and portion control, lose weight, and improve your overall health.

What is the background of the Mayo Clinic diet?

Dietitians and medical professionals at the Mayo Clinic developed this diet to help people achieve sustainable weight loss and overall well-being. It utilizes scientific research to encourage behavior modification, including eating healthy and increasing physical activity. The goal is to help people unlearn unhealthy habits and focus on making healthier changes going forward.

What is the Mayo Clinic diet supposed to do?

The Mayo Clinic diet is intended to help people shed and keep weight off. It focuses on healthy habits that are sustainable long-term rather than a quick-fix solution. The goal is to get people to enjoy more vegetables and fruit, whole grains, and lean proteins, emphasizing watching portion sizes. It also discourages the consumption of unhealthy fats, added sugars, and processed ingredients.

Why does the Mayo Clinic diet work?

Many fad diets have unrealistic expectations and force you to eat small amounts of food. They are not sustainable over a long period. The Mayo Clinic diet works because it doesn’t force you to count calories or follow unrealistic expectations. You can snack on all the fruits and veggies you want. It simply requests that you make lifestyle changes for the better.

Is the Mayo Clinic diet popular?

The Mayo Clinic is a trusted and respected medical name, making this diet a popular choice for many. The Mayo Clinic Diet Members Community, a private Facebook group, has over 24,000 members. You can join it for advice and guidance when you’re just starting and receive positive feedback and encouragement from others who have been part of the program. It’s also a great place to find new recipes and snack ideas.

What are the pros and cons of the Mayo Clinic diet?

There are many advantages to the Mayo Clinic diet, including:

• A medically-backed initiative to encourage healthier living
• A focus on heart-healthy foods that are ideal for preventing heart disease
• An increase in vitamins and minerals due to heightened fruit and vegetable consumption
• A sustainable way to achieve weight loss and maintain weight after that
• A balanced diet that encourages you to eat more whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits

This diet is not restrictive, which may result in slower weight loss, but it offers a safer, more sustainable approach. While it may not be as trendy as popular diets like Keto, it’s still widely used by thousands of people.

There is a cost to following the plan, as you can either purchase the book for all the essential information or opt for a monthly or annual online subscription. The monthly subscription, priced at $49.99, includes a free ebook, coaching, a mobile app, a tracker, and more. Although some may find the cost steep, the tracking features and added incentives could be worth it if you're committed to changing your eating habits. Alternatively, joining the Facebook group and learning to track independently can help you succeed without the subscription.

Are there phases to the Mayo Clinic diet?

This diet includes two phases. The “lose it” phase and the “live it” phase work together to ensure the program's success.

Lose it phase

The lose-it phase only lasts two weeks and helps you jump-start your diet plan. You can expect to lose between 6 and 10 pounds during this time. It encourages you to begin five healthy habits, unlearn five unhealthy habits, and try five bonus habits if possible. You can also return to this phase at any time if you feel you need to refocus or have noticed weight gain at some point during the live-it phase.

Five healthy habits to begin:

• Eat a healthy breakfast daily
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Eat more whole grains
• Consume only healthy fats
• Exercise for 30 minutes per day

Five unhealthy habits to avoid:

• Eating sugar
• Snacking on anything except vegetables and fruits
• Eating lots of dairy and meat
• Eating while watching television
• Eating out

Five additional habits to try:

• Keep a food diary
• Keep an exercise diary
• Exercise for at least one hour per day
• Eat only unprocessed or minimally processed foods
• Set a daily goal

The additional habits are unnecessary but can help you be more successful. Try them out when you’re ready and see how much more they help you maintain consistency. It may take some time before working your way up to a full hour of exercise each day, and that’s okay. Do it at your own pace until you feel comfortable with it for the best results.

Live it phase

The live-it phase lasts for the rest of your life. You should continue the healthy habits you learned during the lose-it phase, but occasionally, breaking some “rules” is okay. The goal is to live your life as healthily as possible while indulging in treats occasionally. You can still enjoy items from all food groups, though you should follow the Mayo Clinic healthy weight pyramid. The biggest section includes fruits and vegetables, which you can consume to your heart’s content. The majority of your foods should be in this category. Next comes carbohydrates, including whole grains such as brown rice, wheat bread, oats, etc. Follow that with a small amount of lean protein and dairy, an even smaller amount of healthy fat, and leave some room for sweets.

Add healthy habits to your daily routine

Whether beginning a new diet or adding in exercise, finding ways to make healthy changes to your daily routine is a massive help for your overall well-being. Add all the healthy habits you can for even more improvement, from drinking more water to receiving routine chiropractic care and more. The Joint Chiropractic is your partner in health. We encourage you to lead a life as healthy as possible for ultimate wellness, which means finding a diet that works for you.

The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.