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.

Need To Lose Weight Fast For A Special Occasion?

If you have just a little weight to lose, and want to take it off fast (say, so you can fit into those great pants for your cousin's wedding), there are a number of diets that you can use. Most of these wouldn't be recommended for long-term weight loss, as they substantially restrict your intake of some essential nutrients, so using them habitually may not be healthy. But if you're normal diet is healthy, and you just want a quick boost to drop 8-10 pounds quickly, or to kick off a new diet with a bang, the Cabbage Soup Diet actually works. The cabbage soup diet has been around for nearly 30 years. It's based on the notion that your body actually uses more calories to digest cabbage than the amount that it derives from cabbage. It's a so-called 'negative calorie diet', and includes many foods that, like cabbage, are high in fiber and very low in calories. The base of the cabbage soup diet is - what else? Cabbage soup. There are several recipes for cabbage soup available. Essentially, the soup is made with onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, celery and spices to taste. You'll be eating the soup every day - as much of it as you want. In addition, there is a seven day routine of foods to supplement the cabbage soup. Day One: All the fruit you want (except bananas) along with all the soup that you want. No caffeinated beverages or sodas. Drink only water, tea and cranberry juice. Day Two: Eat all the vegetables that you want, but avoid dried beans, peas and corn. Eat veggies raw, fresh or cooked. No fats, no sauces, no butter. At dinner, you may have one baked potato with butter - and of course, all the cabbage soup that you want! Day Three: Eat all the fruits and veggies that you want from day two and day three - but NO baked potato. Day Four: Bananas and skim milk - yes, all the skim milk you want, plus up to eight bananas, along with -- you guessed it, all the cabbage soup you want. Day Five: Eat ten to twenty ounces of beef (or skinless chicken, or broiled fish). Drink at least 10 glasses of water, and eat up to six fresh tomatoes. (if you substitute for the beef today, you may not tomorrow) Day Six: Eat all the beef, vegetables and cabbage soup that you want. No baked potato. Lots of leafy green vegetables. Day Seven: You can have all the unsweetened fruit juices, brown rice, and vegetables that you want - and at least one bowl of soup. That's it. Remember - this diet is NOT recommended for long term weight loss, or long term use. It doesn't contain enough complex carbohydrates to be healthy for longer than a few days. But if you just need a jump-start or a quick fix, it's a good way to pick up the pace for a week.