Mayo Clinic diet — a lifestyle program for successful weight loss and improved health.
If you're overweight, you've likely tried many diet and weight-loss plans, from the low-carb diet to the low-fat approach. You might have even tried the Mayo Clinic diet — or what you thought was the Mayo Clinic diet.
But whatever the method, you may not have had much success and are still trying to lose weight. That's not surprising. Most people who diet find weight loss a never-ending roller coaster ride.
That's where Mayo Clinic's weight management program can help you. This approach to weight loss isn't like most diets. It's a lifestyle program that can improve your health and help you maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime.
Not just another diet
Mayo Clinic's approach to weight loss is based on Mayo Clinic research and clinical experience. It recognizes that successful, long-term weight management needs to focus on more than the food you eat and the pounds you lose. It needs to focus on your overall health.
The eating plan has a simple goal — to help you adopt a long-term lifestyle that allows you to achieve and maintain a weight that's healthy for you. The Mayo Clinic weight management program can be summarized in four essential components.
3. Set action goals.
Goal setting provides focus and the path to achieve a healthy lifestyle. With a clear goal, you can readily turn your thoughts into action.
When setting goals, focus on specific activities rather than pounds lost. For example, you might decrease the number of servings of high-fat foods in your diet and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Or you might begin walking or jogging a specific number of miles each week. You might start keeping a daily food and activity diary. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable and realistic so that you're able to reach them.
Set weekly or monthly goals, and then track your progress. At the end of the time, gauge your success by how well you've stuck to your plan rather than on how many pounds you may have lost, which of course is the ultimate goal.
4. Get started and stay motivated.
Motivation is the final essential component of Mayo Clinic's weight management program. It's natural to encounter mental roadblocks and resistance when you undertake a major lifestyle change. Once you're ready to get started, here are some strategies to help bolster and sustain your motivation:
- Emphasize the positives. Focus on the good things about losing weight — such as more energy and improved health — and not what you consider the negatives. If you have a setback, don't dwell on it. Put it behind you and move forward toward your goal.
- Prioritize. Don't set yourself up for failure by trying to lose weight while distracted by other concerns.
- Steer clear of dietary gimmicks. Over-the-counter pills and special food combinations aren't the answer to long-term weight control. You want to incorporate healthy behaviors into your lifestyle, not rely on gimmicks.
- Seek out support. Don't feel you have to go it alone. Exercising with a friend or family member, for example, can help keep you motivated.
- Remind yourself you're not looking for a quick fix. Healthy weight loss is slow and steady weight loss that occurs over time. Remind yourself that quick weight loss is usually followed by weight regain a short time later.
Achieving a healthy weight takes continuous effort — or more correctly, good planning and consistency — but the rewards are clear: better health and more enjoyment from life. Over time, these steps will become a sustainable healthy lifestyle based on proper nutrition and increased physical activity. You'll feel better immediately and reduce your health risks. More importantly, this change in lifestyle can be an enjoyable way for you to live.
The benefits of relaxation techniques
With so many things to do, relaxation techniques may take a back seat in your life. But that means you may miss out on the health benefits of relaxation.
Practicing relaxation techniques can improve how you physically respond to stress by:
- Slowing your heart rate
- Lowering blood pressure
- Slowing your breathing rate
- Reducing the need for oxygen
- Increasing blood flow to major muscles
- Reducing muscle tension
You may also gain these overall health and lifestyle benefits from relaxation techniques:
- Fewer physical symptoms, such as headaches and back pain
- Fewer emotional responses, such as anger and frustration
- More energy
- Improved concentration
- Greater ability to handle problems
- More efficiency in daily activities
Relaxation techniques take practice
As you learn relaxation techniques, you'll become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment your muscles start to tense. This can prevent stress from spiraling out of control.
Remember that relaxation techniques are skills. And as with any skill, your ability to relax improves with practice. Be patient with yourself. Stay motivated to reduce the negative impact of stress on your body and to experience a greater sense of calm in your life.
And bear in mind that some people, especially those with significant psychological problems and a history of abuse, may experience feelings of emotional discomfort during relaxation exercises. Although this is rare, if you experience emotional discomfort during relaxation exercises, stop what you're doing and consider talking to your health care professional.
Last Updated: 06/27/2008
