What is the Mayr Method Diet and Is It Right for You?

Erin Coleman, B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman, B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

mayr method

If you're trying to drop weight, you may have heard about the Mayr Method diet but are wondering if this type of weight loss plan is safe and effective.

There are A LOT of fad diets and it can be hard to tell what's real or what's just a gimmick.

We’ve discovered the proven path to help you lose weight and get healthy while balancing your busy life and helping your family live healthier too.

Still, there's a lot of information (and misinformation) out there, so we want to try and help educate you on everything.

Knowing more about the Mayr Method diet and if it's right for you can help you meet health, fitness, and weight loss goals!

Here's what you need to know.

What is the Mayr Method Diet?

The Mayr Method diet plan, also known as Viva Mayr Diet, is based on the Mayr Cure, which was created by Austrian physician Franz Xaver Mayr, MD, 100 years ago.

Some celebrities, including Rebel Wilson, have effectively lost weight while following the Mayr Method plan.

This type of weight loss diet includes four key components:

  • Nutrition and gut health
  • Exercise
  • Medicine
  • Awareness

It's based on the belief that people poison their digestive systems with typical eating patterns and foods.

The Mayr Method plan combines traditional therapies with complementary medicine to treat health problems, if they exist, and use exercise plus proper nutrition to improve mental awareness.

Mayr Method diet creators tout a flatter stomach, more energy, and glowing skin.

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What Should I Expect When Following the Mayr Method Diet?

When following the Mayr Method diet for weight loss, you focus on improving gut and overall health and wellness.

Plan to make the following changes when following Mayr Method eating plans:

Nutrition and Gut Health

Use the following nutritional guidelines when following the Mayr Method for weight loss:

  • Begin the program with sugar and caffeine detox
  • Stop snacking
  • Reduce your intake of dairy foods
  • Reduce your consumption of gluten-containing foods, including wheat, barley, and rye food products
  • Chew foods for a longer period of time (chew each bite of food 40-60 times)
  • Eat high-alkaline whole foods like fruits, vegetables, tofu, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fish
  • Avoid highly processed foods
  • Focus on mindfulness while eating

The bottom line is you'll eat mainly healthy, whole foods when following the Mayr Method diet and eat fewer calories overall.

Exercise

There's more to the Mayr Method weight loss plan than simply changing up your dietary habits.

You'll exercise regularly, up to six days per week, in addition to eating healthy foods.

Combine cardiovascular workouts with resistance training to achieve optimal results.

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Medicine

Getting the right medical treatment for chronic disease risk factors can significantly reduce your chance of developing a debilitating condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.

See your doctor regularly to properly control your blood pressure, cholesterol, or triglycerides with medical treatment when necessary in addition to making healthy lifestyle changes.

If your doctor recommends you take medicines for chronic diseases, you may be able to reduce your dosage or eliminate the need for medications altogether as you begin losing weight.

Awareness

Each time you eat food, focus on the task at hand to avoid being distracted and eating too many calories overall.

Common distractions can include playing with your phone, watching television, reading, and talking on the phone or with friends.

Is the Mayr Method Diet Safe and Effective?

As long as you don't severely restrict calories or foods when following the Mayr Method diet, this way of eating can be safe and effective.

Here are the keys to the diet:

Eat Alkaline Foods

Many whole, minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, are naturally more alkaline, which is why eating alkaline foods when choosing the Mayr Method diet is a good idea.

However, you don't have to only eat alkaline foods because if you're in good health, your body can properly manage pH levels on its own.

Chew Each Bite of Food 40-60 Times

Chewing each bite of food 40-60 times is tedious and time-consuming, and not realistic in every situation.

However, this strategy might help you eat slower and consume fewer calories overall, which is beneficial when you're trying to achieve your goal weight.

Nix Sugar and Caffeine

Eliminating sugar is an excellent healthy eating strategy, but reducing caffeine when you're used to drinking coffee or tea can drain your energy.

In fact, studies show that caffeine can increase your metabolism, aid in weight loss, and reduce body mass index (BMI) and body fat.

Avoid caffeinated sodas, however, as they contain added sugar that can contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Avoid Snacks

Avoiding snacks is one way to reduce your overall calorie intake for weight loss, as long as you don't overindulge at mealtime.

However, you don't have to skip snacks entirely to effectively drop weight.

In fact, not eating snacks can lead to between-meal fatigue or overindulging at mealtime in some instances.

Eat a small meal or snack every few hours or so.

Reduce Dairy Foods

Reducing your intake of dairy foods, as recommended by creators of the Mayr Method diet plan, isn't necessary to shed excess weight.

In fact, low-fat dairy foods like Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, and low-fat milk offer you high-quality protein, calcium, and vitamin D your body needs to function properly.

Studies show that eating calcium-rich dairy foods appears to enhance weight loss and improve body composition in women trying to lose weight.

So, nixing dairy foods isn't necessary but if you prefer to avoid them, choose calcium-fortified plant milks or yogurts instead.

Avoid Gluten

Avoiding foods with gluten isn't necessary for weight loss either, though you should avoid wheat, barley, and rye products if you have Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Steer clear of highly processed gluten-containing products, however, such as white bread.

Practice Mindfulness

Using mindfulness, as recommended by creators of the Mayr Method diet, is often an effective weight loss solution.

While you don't have to chew your food a certain number of times to consume fewer calories, eating slowly is a good weight loss strategy.

So is not being distracted while eating.

Are There Better Ways to Get Similar Benefits?

If the Mayr Method diet seems too restrictive and you'd prefer a meal plan you can stick with long-term, consider joining the Fit Mother Project FM30X.

When following this type of well-balanced, healthy lifestyle plan for weight loss, expect to:

Eat a Variety of Healthy Foods

The Fit Mother Project plan is well-balanced, meaning you'll eat a wide variety of nutritious foods like:

  • Fruits
  • Non-starchy vegetables
  • Starchy vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Peas, beans, lentils, and other legumes
  • Fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, and other protein foods
  • Avocados, olives, olive oil, and other heart-healthy fats

Of course, if you prefer to follow a special type of diet, such as a vegetarian, vegan, or pescetarian meal plan, you can adapt FMP menus to match your personalized needs and preferences.

Receive Custom Meal Plans

With the Fit Mother Project, you receive custom meal plans based on your lifestyle, health, and weight management goals.

As a rule, you will fill half of each plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth of your plate with fiber-rich starches, and the remaining one-fourth of your plate with nutritious protein foods.

When losing weight using Fit Mother Project meal plans, you don't have to worry about nutritional deficiencies or fatigue.

In fact, your energy levels can drastically increase when choosing well-balanced weight loss plans.

Get Motivational Support

Staying motivated for weight loss is often half the battle, as your emotions can get in the way of achieving your ideal weight.

As a member of the Fit Mother Project, you receive newsletters and email motivational support from health experts, to increase your chance of staying on track with weight loss and healthy eating plans.

You also have access to private FMP social media groups, including motivational support from fit moms just like you.

If you suffer from chronic stress, anxiety, or depression that affects eating patterns and your calorie intake, see a doctor about possible mental health treatments that can relax you or boost your mood and motivation level during weight loss.

Gain Fat-Burning Workouts

Changing up your diet isn't the only necessary part of getting and staying healthy and lean.

Regular exercise is crucial for achieving your goal weight and maintaining it for life.

With the Fit Mother Project, you have access to a wide variety of fat-burning workouts specifically designed with busy women's needs in mind.

If you make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, you can optimize the results of healthy eating changes.

Additionally, try to stay moving throughout the entire day — not just during workouts.

Aim to complete at least 45 minutes of daily activities that keep your body in motion, such as house chores, outdoor yard work, grocery shopping, cooking, or walking the dog.

Have Access to Healthy Recipes

Knowing how to prepare nutritious foods that taste delicious is important for long-term weight loss maintenance and chronic disease reduction.

With Fit Mother Project plans you receive healthy, well-balanced, delicious recipes your entire family will love!

FMP recipes are loaded with protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals so you won't feel deprived or tired during your weight loss journey.

Take Dietary Supplements

The importance of taking dietary supplements during weight loss is two-fold.

Supplements can reduce your risk of vitamin, mineral, and other nutritional deficiencies and maximize energy levels.

Some weight loss supplements for women, such as protein bars, protein shakes, and fiber supplements, help boost satiety making it easier to eat fewer calories for weight loss.

Receive Health and Nutrition Education

Sometimes simply knowing more about nutrition and fitness, and how to ensure you ingest the right essential nutrients for your body, is one of the best ways to drop weight, stay healthy, and lower your risk of developing a chronic disease.

The Fit Mother Project offers nutrition education and email support from medical experts, and weekly newsletters to keep you up-to-date on ways to optimize the nutritional content of your diet, achieve your goal weight, and stay healthy for life.

Set Goals

Setting goals is one of the best ways to reach the bodyweight you desire.

Studies show that goal setting leads to greater long-term weight loss compared with not setting goals.

Choose goals for weekly weigh-ins, waist circumference, minutes of exercise completed, hours of sleep, and nutrition goals.

Aim to lose about 1-2 pounds weekly to drop weight at a safe, effective rate and achieve a goal weight you can maintain for life.

Set goals to avoid sugary drinks, sweets, highly processed foods, fried foods, refined grains, alcoholic drinks, and many fast foods.

You might allow yourself a cheat day every now and then but eliminate junk food as much as possible.

Self-Monitor

Self-monitor health and fitness parameters to keep track of weight loss progress throughout your journey.

Record your food intake, minutes exercised, hours of sleep, body weight, and more in a journal to keep yourself accountable for reaching the goals you set for yourself.

Studies show that daily weigh-ins are more effective for weight loss than weighing in less frequently.

Listen to Your Body

Whether you're following the Mayr Method diet or the Fit Mother Project eating plan, it's important to listen to your body when it comes to nutrition, fitness, sleep, and overall health and wellness.

If you feel hungry, eat a healthy snack or meal and stop eating when you feel full.

Your body might crave foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, or protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, eggs, or tofu when it needs more of these essential nutrients.

Is the Mayr Method Diet Right for You?

While Rebel Wilson and other celebrities have touted success while following Mayr Method meal plans, the diet isn't for everybody.

If it's too restrictive for your taste, know you have additional, well-balanced options.

Many of the principals used in the Mayr Method plan, such as eating whole foods, reducing added sugar, getting regular exercise, and using mindfulness while eating, are components worth adopting regardless of your body weight and fitness goals.

Want to get started with a proven health and fitness plan that's not too restrictive? Try the free Fit Mom 3-Day Weight Loss Jumpstart today!

Erin Coleman
B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

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*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on the Mayr Method.

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