Physical activity is critical to weight management.11 The more you move, the more calories your body burns. This helps create a “calorie deficit,” which means that you may be eating less calories than your body is burning. [12]
Deliberately cutting calories can undoubtedly help you lose weight — at least in the short term. Unfortunately, you usually have to put up with one very unpleasant side-effect: hunger.
Fortunately, science shows that some ways of eating can do both — without the need for superhuman willpower, which is often a limited resource.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson typically scoffs down sushi—lots of it and often coated with calorie-bomb sauces—or pancakes for his Sunday cheat dinner as a reward for downing egg whites and skinless chicken breasts the rest of the week. After cheating, he’s carbed-up, recharged, and ready to eat clean until the next Sunday.
Meal planning can help keep you on track, pelo matter what your nutrition goal is. Prepping and planning doesn’t have to be time-intensive and complicated. A few simple steps, including basic meal constructs, making a shopping list, shopping strategically, and methodically preparing food ahead of time, are what make meal planning a helpful tool to keep you energized, meet your nutrition goals, reduce food waste, and save money.
But losing weight in a healthy way is often not that simple. You don’t always lose the expected amount of weight despite the “right” calorie deficit.
Most people can lose weight on almost any diet plan that restricts calories — at least in the short term. The goal of the Mayo Clinic Diet is to help you keep weight off permanently by making smarter food choices, learning how to manage setbacks and changing your lifestyle.
What are the risks? Could the weight-loss program harm your health? Are the recommendations safe for you, especially if you have a health condition or take medications?
While you may lose water weight quickly, fat loss takes longer, and developing sustainable weight loss may take longer than you’d like.
Creating a relaxing sleep environment by keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet Avoiding screens, like watching TV or using electronic devices, before bedtime Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga
We are all emotional human beings with cravings and specific likes and dislikes. Our way of eating should match those patterns if we hope to have long-term success.
These are important questions when deciding what dietary pattern to follow. A carnivore, omnivore, and vegan can co-exist in the same home with enough planning and determination. But blending opposing approaches means more work for the home cook.
Sometimes, this involves reducing the number of calories consumed each day. Other times, this involves eliminating certain types of food from each meal, which may include:
The weight loss guide Mayo Clinic Diet is based on the latest behavior-change science, which will help you find your inner motivation to lose weight, set achievable goals and learn to handle setbacks.