Instead of requiring strict calorie counting like many popular diets, the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid acts as a guideline for decision-making. Your larger portions should come from foods at the bottom of the pyramid, like vegetables and fruits. The higher up you go on the pyramid, the smaller the portion should be. (5)
Below is a sample menu based on the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid.
Note that the fruit and veggie servings listed here are only suggestions — these portions are unlimited on the Mayo Clinic Diet. Also, note that your specific meal plan will need to be adjusted to however many calories you’re aiming for daily.
For each of your meals, enjoy a calorie-free beverage, such as tea or water.
Day 1
Breakfast 1 ½ cup whole-grain cereal paired with 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt and 1 cup of raspberries
Lunch Large salad with 2 cups arugula, 1 cup of carrots, 1 cup of cucumber, 1 cup of beets, and 4 ounces (oz) shrimp, paired with a whole-grain roll with 1 teaspoon (tsp) of butter, and 2 clementines
Dinner Stir-fry with 2 ½ oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1⁄3 cup cooked brown rice, and 2 cups sautéed bell peppers and carrots
Snack A small apple
Day 2
Breakfast 1 cup reduced-calorie, fat-free yogurt with 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 slice of whole grain toast with 1 ½ tsp nut butter
Lunch Large salad with 2 cups romaine, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 cup of red bell pepper slices, 1 cup diced cucumbers, and 2 ½ oz grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of olive oil and vinegar (or a less healthy option, Italian dressing), and 1 small banana
Dinner 2 oz grilled salmon with lemon spritz served on a bed of raw baby spinach (2 cups), 1 whole-grain roll with up to 1 tsp of butter, and ¾ cup of berries
Snack 1 cup celery sticks and 3 tbsp hummus
Day 3
Breakfast 1 egg cooked in a nonstick pan, 1 slice of whole-grain toast with up to 2 tsp of trans-fat-free margarine spread, and 1 medium orange
Lunch Roast beef sandwich (3 oz of lean roast beef on 1 small whole-grain roll, with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onions), ½ cup of carrot sticks, and 1 cup of grapes
Dinner Stir-fry with 4 oz sautéed shrimp and 1 ½ cups snap peas, over 1⁄3 cup cooked brown rice
Snack A small apple
Day 4
Breakfast 1 whole-grain bagel (3-inch diameter) with up to 3 tbsp of fat-free cream cheese, and 1 medium-sized orange
Lunch Smoked turkey wrap on a 6-inch whole wheat wrap (3 ounces turkey, with lettuce, tomato, onion and salsa), 1 cup of sliced cucumbers and tomatoes in vinegar, and 1 small apple
Dinner 2 oz of broiled flank steak, ½ medium baked potato with up to 2 tbsp sour cream, or 1 tsp of butter, 2⁄3 cup of green beans, and 1 small pear
Snack 1 cup carrot sticks with up to 3 tbsp of fat-free ranch dressing
Day 5
Breakfast Fruit and yogurt parfait with 1 cup reduced-calorie, fat-free yogurt and 1 cup raspberries, 1 (3-inch diameter) whole-grain bagel with 1 ½ tsp of nut butter
Lunch Chicken and veggie wrap in a 6-inch whole-grain tortilla (with 2 ½ oz shredded, cooked chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and 2 tsp of mayonnaise), ½ cup carrot sticks, and 1 small nectarine
Dinner 3 oz of pork tenderloin, 1 cup of asparagus, 3 baby potatoes drizzled with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and 1 cup of blueberries
Snack 1 cup of carrot sticks and 3 tbsp hummus
Day 6
Breakfast Whole-grain pancake (4-inch diameter) topped with ¾ cup of blueberries and 1 ½ tbsp of maple syrup, plus 1 cup of skim or low-fat milk
Lunch Whole-grain bagel (3-inch diameter) topped with 1 ½ tbsp of peanut butter and a sliced small banana, 1 cup of reduced-calorie, fat-free yogurt, and 4 celery stalks
Dinner Open-faced turkey burger (2 ½ oz of lean ground turkey patty with lettuce, tomato, and onion on ½ a small whole-grain bun) and 1 medium orange
Snack ½ cup celery sticks, slices from 1 small apple, and 2 ½ tsp of peanut butter
Day 7
Breakfast Whole-grain English muffin topped with 1 egg, ½ cup spinach, and tomato slices, and 2 clementines
Lunch Turkey pita (½ of a 6-inch diameter whole-grain pita filled with 4 oz deli turkey, lettuce, tomato, and onion, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar), 3 cups of lettuce topped with ½ cup of pomegranate (or berries), and 1 tsp of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste
Dinner 3 oz of broiled tilapia, 3 baby red potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, 1 1⁄3 cups green beans, and 1 cup of strawberries
Snack 15 cherries and ½ cup baby carrots
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