Articles: Weight Loss

The Mayo Clinic Diet has been the cause of confusion over the last few years. This is because some people thought the Mayo Clinic Diet Plan was actually a fad diet that involved grapefruit, salad, protein, and very little carbohydrates. However, this is actually not true, and the Mayo Clinic Health Center has not endorsed any specific diet. Instead, in December 2005, the Mayo Clinic announced a plan with guidelines for living a healthy lifestyle. They also developed the Mayo Clinic Food Pyramid to help explain this Mayo Clinic Plan.


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The Mayo Clinic Food Pyramid

The Mayo Clinic Food Pyramid contains five levels. Foods found at the base of the pyramid should be consumed more than the foods found at the top of the pyramid. The pyramid recommends the following on a daily basis:

* Fruits and Vegetables can be consumed on an unlimited basis, and should have a minimum of 4 servings daily
* Carbohydrates: 4 to 8 servings daily
* Protein/Dairy: 3 to 7 servings daily
* Fats: 3 to 5 servings daily
* Sweets: Up to 75 calories per day can be consumed

The pyramid not only describes the amount of servings a person should consume of each food group each day, it also endorses daily physical activity. Following this pyramid can help a person safely lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.


The Mayo Clinic Plan is a Lifestyle

The Mayo Clinic plan is a lifestyle that can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The best part about this plan is that it is not a traditional "diet." Instead of focusing on just the food you eat, or the amount of weight you can lose, the Mayo Clinic Plan looks at the big picture. It recognizes that long term weight management needs to focus on a person's overall health. This is why the plan is actually a lifestyle instead of a diet.

The Mayo Clinic Plan not only focuses on healthy eating habits and physical activity, it also focuses on motivation and setting goals. This is where most other diets fall short, and the Mayo Clinic Plan succeeds. Losing weight can be a challenging process, so it is very important to have self motivation. The Mayo Clinic plan suggests putting your focus towards the positive aspects of losing weight instead of the negatives. It's amazing how much this one concept can make or break a person. When you do encounter a setback, you should learn from it and move on.

There is no point in dwelling on it. Instead, shift your focus to how much more energy you have after adopting a healthy lifestyle; or how your health has improved. The Mayo Clinic Plan also suggests finding support. Being surrounded by your friends and family can help offer great motivation. And, finally the Mayo Clinic reminds us not to look for a quick fix. Losing weight and having the ability to keep it off is a slow process. However, it is worth the wait, because once you adapt that healthy lifestyle- it's for life.

The Mayo Clinic Plan also emphasizes the importance of setting attainable goals. Goals are great motivators; however it is extremely important to make sure you set goals that are within reach. The Mayo Clinic explains that you should focus on very specific goals as opposed to how many pounds you lose. For example, you can make a goal that you will increase your fruit intake on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

You can also make it your goal to attend an aerobics class every Tuesday in the month of November. Write down your goals and commit to them. You will receive a burst feeling of accomplishment every time you complete a goal.

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