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mbg Supplement Editor

By Morgan Chamberlain

mbg Supplement Editor

Morgan Chamberlain is a supplement editor at mindbodygreen. She graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science degree in magazine journalism and a minor in nutrition.

Image by Ivan Gener / mbg creative

August 5, 2023

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When it comes to nutrition and movement, there are many exciting activities and foods we can begin to incorporate into our daily lives. And who’s better at revamping habits and routines than experts from the Mayo Clinic? These expert-recommended and research backed tips aren’t about discipline or depravation. They’re accessible lifestyle changes that help you feel your best.

First things first: I’ll let Donald D. Hensrud, M.D., M.S., medical director for the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, explain what the Mayo Clinic Diet is, exactly. 

“It’s not only about weight and it’s not really a diet—it’s a lifestyle change program that emphasizes healthy weight management and healthy eating,” says Hensrud. “It’s about health and beneficial lifestyle habits.”

Even if you’re already familiar with the Mayo Clinic Diet, you may not have heard that it recently underwent a pretty massive upgrade and now includes a variety of meal plans to accommodate a range of dietary patterns (including Mediterranean, vegetarian, higher protein, and keto). This variety of meal plans is just one way that the Mayo Clinic Diet recognizes fad, one-size-fits-all approaches to healthy body composition aren’t realistic or practical. 

As Hensrud noted, the name “Mayo Clinic Diet” can be deceiving—this isn’t a “diet” but rather a new outlook on health and well-being. The program’s mission is to introduce healthy habits that will create sustainable change and inspire healthy body composition and long-term well-being.

The thing is this: Sticking to new habits is hard, and breaking old ones can be even tougher. “In general, we like to talk to people about making baby steps and building on them,” says Hensrud. This goes for all goals (health, career, etc.)—it’s important not to overwhelm yourself from the start.

Nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author JJ Virgin, CNS, BCHN, said it best in her recent mbg article: “Well-being doesn’t happen overnight. When you tackle everything at once, you’re most likely going to get burned out and ditch the entire process.” (Read Virgin’s tips for creating a personalized wellness routine that’s actually sustainable here.)

“One of the mistakes people make is they are too rigid in their approach to changing their diet,” notes Hensrud. “They go ‘on’ a diet, which means they’re gonna go ‘off’ a diet.” When you’re trying to facilitate long-term change, this mindset simply doesn’t work.

Jennifer Welper, wellness executive chef at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program and author of Cook Smart, Eat Well, likes to promote sustainability and consistency to make healthy cooking (and eating) more effective. “Truly, it’s just about creating the environment for you to be successful,” she says. 

Besides good ambiance and abundance of samples, shopping local via farmers markets comes with some health benefits. “I think farmers markets are wonderful,” says Hensrud. “‘It’s locally grown food. It’s fresh, so it has more nutrients and tastes better. It supports the local economy. It gives people new ideas when they have new foods,” he adds.

Visit your local farmers market or sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture program (aka CSA) to get delicious, fresh produce in your region. 

“Eating well and managing weight doesn’t have to be drudgery,” notes Hensrud. “‘It can and should be a very enjoyable way to live.”

Spring is a time of renewal, and there’s no reason that energy shouldn’t transfer to your healthy habits! Try incorporating these tips to promote healthy body composition and enhance your overall well-being.