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Famed Mayo Clinic Releases Diet Book

LOS ANGELES - The famed Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is known for superior health care… and now, for the first time ever… it's put its name on a diet book.

"The Mayo Clinic Diet" is on the New York Times 'Best Sellers' list… so lots of people are buying it. But how does it work?

The diet has a "lose it" phase and a "live it" phase.

The "lose it" phase is a two week jump start phase to change bad habits and adopt good ones. The diet claims participants will lose between six to ten pounds in this period by adopting five new habits:

Habit No. 1: Eat a healthful breakfast.

Habit No. 2: Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit each day.

Habit No. 3: Eat whole grains

Habit No. 4: Eat healthful fats, such as olive oil, avocado and nuts.

Habit No. 5: Walk or exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

Now - for the five habits they want you to break... and the first one is tough!

Habit No. 1: No TV while eating - and you can only watch as much TV as the time you've spent exercising.

Habit No. 2: No sugar – only what's found naturally in fruits and no alcohol.

Habit No. 3: No snacks, except for fruits and veggies.

Habit No. 4: Moderate meat and low fat dairy.

Habit No. 5: No restaurants unless the meal fits your plan.

After the first phase of this program, it eases up and includes the Mayo Clinic healthy weight pyramid – which is about eating more fruits and vegetables and less sweets. The goal – everything in moderation.

For more information on the diet plan, visit 'The Mayo Clinic Diet' Web site.

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