The Scarsdale Diet is one of the oldest weight loss programs still followed by millions of dieters. The book The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet was first printed in 1978 and is still available today.
A cardiologist, Dr. Herman Tarnower, began promoting the Scarsdale diet in the 1950s with a small two-page handout for middle- and upper-class patients in New York. Tarnower originally began using the Quick Reference Guides for patients suffering from a medical condition and to manage the symptoms of congestive heart failure. The main goal was to speed up the process of having to explain nutrition and health issues to patients interested in achieving better health through weight loss. Tarnower believed that it was in their best interest to have a written plan for patients with certain health problems and that most doctors do not have the patience to explain every detail of the ways to better health through weight loss.
In the mid-1970s, Tarnower’s patients passed the pamphlet to their friends, who passed it on to their friends, and so on, until finally a friend suggested his pamphlet be turned into a full-length book. Samm Sinclair Baker was hired to write the book and its first edition hit bookshelves in 1978 and became one of the biggest bestsellers of the time. In the first 10 months, sales were so good that the book was printed 21 times in hardcover. The book was one of the best-selling books of 1979, ranking second behind Erma Bombect with over 642,000 copies sold. Although Tarnower was responsible for the basic Scarsdale diet, Baker suggested other diet plans be included, resulting in these four other plans also being included in the book, The Scarsdale Diet for Epicurean Tastes, The Scarsdale International Diet , “The Scarsdale Vegetarian Diet” and the Scarsdale Money Saver Diet”.
The Scarsdale Diet at a glance:
Dieters have the option of following the diet for seven or fortnights, with a two-week break alternating. The dieter must drink four glasses of water, diet soda, or tea each day; This allows the body to flush out waste products.
The dieter must stick to a strict schedule of three meals a day without snacking at all. You must stick to the grapefruit portion of the diet without substituting other fruits. The only condiments allowed are salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon, herbs, soy sauce, ketchup or mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
The Scarsdale Diet is designed for rapid weight loss and is not intended for long-term weight management, but with alternating one-week and two-week off diets, it can help maintain the dieter’s ideal weight.
Benefits of the Scarsdale Diet:
The Scarsdale Diet consists of low saturated fats combined with fruits and vegetables that help the dieter lose weight and reduce the risk of heart disease and other health risks associated with being overweight. Another factor is the lower risk of certain types of cancer in the presence of fruit, green vegetables and olive oil, which is why the Scarsdale Diet is still considered one of the healthiest diets around in over 20 years.
Although the Scarsdale Diet is still one of the most popular diets available today, rapid weight loss can cause certain nutritional deficiencies. For this reason, anyone deciding to embark on this diet or any other should consult their doctor or nutritionist for advice.
Thanks to Marley Martinerin
