Living Touch

The Scarsdale Medical Diet is a closely monitored regime over a two-week period under medical supervision. Weight loss is achieved by limiting consumption to about 1,000 calories a day, composed of 43% protein, 34,5% carbohydrates, and 22,5% fats. Oils, butters, and other fats are eliminated which encourages the body to metabolize existing stores of fat. It does not allow sugar or alcohol. The Scarsdale Medical Diet was developed by cardiologist Dr. Herman Tarnower who had been prescribing a two-week crash diet for his patients for many years before he published the book „The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet“ in 1978. Many believe that it was Dr. Tarnower’s murder in 1980 that made the book a bestseller and keeps it popular today.

The Scarsdale Medical Diet Basic Rules

• Eat exactly what is assigned. Don’t substitute.
• Don’t drink any alcoholic beverages.
• The only beverages allowed are regular or decaffeinated black coffee, tea, club soda (if desired, with lemon), and diet sodas in all flavors. You may drink as often as you wish.
• Between meals you eat only carrots and celery, but you may have as much as you wish.
• Prepare all salads without oil, mayonnaise, or other rich dressings. Use only lemon and vinegar.
• Eat vegetables without butter, margarine, or other fat. Lemon may be used.
• All meat should be very lean. Remove all visible fat before eating. Remove skin and fat from chicken and turkey before eating.
• It is not necessary to eat everything listed, but don’t substitute or add.

The Scarsdale Medical Diet Practical Use

The Scarsdale Medical Diet demands strict obedience for two weeks and promises an average 7 to 15 pounds weight loss during that period. During the following two weeks, we are free to determine our food intake within certain parameters and food choices. The nex two weeks, week five and week six, we are required to return to the Scarsdale Medical Diet, again followed by two weeks of self-controlled diet and then again back to the Scarsdale Medical Diet. We should follow this process of two weeks on and two weeks off until our goal is achieved. In order to maintain the desired weight, we are then instructed to follow the „Lifetime Keep-Slim Program“.

For the two-week duration of the diet, breakfast consists of half a grapefruit and a piece of dry wheat toast. Monday lunch would be assorted cold cuts from lean meat and sliced, boiled or stewed tomatoes, Monday dinner would be fish or shellfish, a combination salad of any greens or vegetables, one slice of protein bread toasted and grapefruit. Tuesday lunch is fruit salad, and dinner broiled lean hamburger, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, 4 olives (or less) and cucumbers. Like this, every day of the week has a prescribed meal which is then repeated for the second week.

The Scarsdale Medical Diet Criticism

The Scarsdale Diet does not specify the size of portions, so a hungry person could conceivably consume up to 1,600 calories per day and fail to lose much weight. Also, some of Dr. Tarnower’s preferences have been critized, like cold cuts which are low in nutrient, or saturated fats over polyunsaturated oils. At best, the Scarsdale Medical Diet is only a temporary solution to weight control.