In a world where fad diets are all the rage and people jump at the newest get-skinny-quick schemes, the "Mayo Clinic Diet" is nothing new. Having been around for nearly thirty years, this diet has several variances, but touts the same promise: to lose a lot of weight fast. Its name is also deceiving. It was neither created nor endorsed by the Mayo Clinic.

Each variation of the plan follows the same plan. Dieters are encouraged to eat as much poultry and beef as they please. Some variations require that the dieter eat numerous amounts of grapefruit; others, eggs. One variation warns that dieters should not skip the portions of bacon. In all of the variations, dieters are promised to lose up to 56 pounds in the period of two months.

As with all fad diets, the "Mayo Clinic Diet" promotes rapid weight loss by eating as much of an item as the dieter pleases, the most popular instance being grapefruit. It isn't a permanent means of weight loss, nor is it healthy. Most promoters of the diet even warn that it isn't safe to practice for more than a period of two months at a time.

The "Mayo Clinic Diet" does not teach a dieter how to practice moderation. It perpetuates the problems of unhealthy eating and will not help the dieter control his or her weight problems. Additionally, the "Mayo Clinic Diet" offering the temptation to "eat until you're satisfied" and not count calories should be a warning label.

The only way to permanently and successfully lose weight is to practice moderation. Following the trend of fad diets may not only cause you to gain all of the weight you've lost back (and sometimes more), it can have lasting affects on your health. Rapid weight loss, and subsequent gain, can be bad for your heart. It can also lead to other irreversible health problems.

As with all diets, you should consult with your doctor before beginning. It is almost guaranteed that this is not a diet your physician will advocate. The Mayo Clinic's name may be attached to this diet, but even they do not recommend practicing this unhealthy means of losing weight.

About the author:

Melissa Williams is a wife and mother of a beautiful baby boy. She is an avid scrapbooker, card maker, crocheter, and all around creative person. She lives in Michigan, and aspires to start her own business selling handmade cards and scrapbooking services. Melissa is an author on Writing . Com ( http://www.Writing.Com/ ).