Below is the basic Scarsdale Diet Plan.
How the Scarsdale program works:
Dieters follow the Scarsdale Medical Diet (SMD) strictly for two weeks, and during which fast weight loss is promised (7 – 15 pounds).
After the two weeks, you switch to Keep Trim Eating for two weeks, where you plan your own menus for two weeks, with a list of additional foods permitted, and higher calories.
After two weeks on Keep-Trim, you are back on the Scarsdale Medical Diet for another two weeks of strict low calorie eating, followed with another two weeks of Keep Trim. This cycle is repeated until your goal is reached.
And as we jump in, here are some Scarsdale menu ideas to get your diet started:
The Original Scarsdale Medical Diet Plan
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day One
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
Assorted cold cuts with tomatoes (sliced, broiled or stewed) and coffee or tea
Dinner:
As much broiled fish or shellfish as you like along with a slice of protein bread, unlimited salad and a grapefruit
©Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day Two
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
As much fruit salad as you like with coffee or tea
Dinner:
As much lean, broiled hamburger as you like along with unlimited tomatoes, celery, cucumbers or brussels sprouts.
©Patricia Ferreira Santos/Shutterstock.com
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day Three
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
As much tuna salad as you like with a grapefruit and coffee or tea
Dinner:
As much broiled lean pork as you like along with unlimited green salad and coffee or tea
©StompingGirl/Shutterstock.com
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day Four
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
Two eggs any style, cottage cheese, string beans or tomatoes, and a slice of protein bread with coffee or tea
Dinner:
As much broiled, barbecued or roast chicken (with skin removed) as you like along with unlimited green beans, spinach or green peppers and coffee or tea.
©Marian Weyo/Shutterstock.com
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day Five
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
Assorted low fat cheese slices, unlimited amounts of spinach, and a slice of protein bread with coffee or tea
Dinner:
As much broiled fish or shellfish as you like along with unlimited salad, and a slice of protein bread with coffee or tea
©yogi994/Shutterstock.com
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day Six
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
As much fruit salad as you like with coffee or tea
Dinner:
As much broiled or roast turkey or chicken as you like with unlimited salad of tomatoes and lettuce, and a grapefruit with coffee or tea
©nelea33/Shutterstock.com
Scarsdale Diet Menu Day Seven
Breakfast:
Coffee or tea with sugar substitute and a half of a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread
Lunch:
Cold or hot chicken or turkey, tomatoes, carrots, cooked cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower and a grapefruit or melon along with coffee or tea
Dinner:
Plenty of broiled (grilled) steak, all visible fat removed before eating along with a salad of lettuce, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes and Brussels sprouts with coffee or tea
©Baraa Halkoum/Shutterstock.com
Second Week of Scarsdale Medical Diet
Repeat all menus of the first week.
If after fourteen days, if you still need to lose weight, dieters switch to Keep-Trim Eating for two weeks, (before going back on the regular Scardale Medical Diet).
Scarsdale Medical Diet Basic Rules
- Eat exactly what is assigned.
- Don't drink any alcoholic beverages.
- Between meals you eat only carrots and celery, but you may have as much as you wish. (You may snack on low sodium vegetable broth).
- The only beverages allowed are regular or decaffeinated coffee, black; tea; club soda (with lemon, if desired); and diet sodas (and sugar free drinks) in all flavors (and water). You may drink as often as you wish (and as your body dictates).
- Prepare all salads without oil, mayonnaise, or other rich dressings. Use only lemon and vinegar, or the vinaigrette or mustard dressing(see recipe link). Experiment with fat-free salad dressings during the Keep Trim weeks.
- Eat vegetables (Avoid corn, peas, potatoes, lentils and any beans, except green or waxed.) without butter, margarine, or other fat; lemon may be used. (I can't believe its not butter can be used in moderation. Non-stick cooking spray may be used in moderation.)
- 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. Indicated combinations should be observed. The Scarsdale Diet calorie totals are between 850 and 1000 a day during the SMD and between 1000 and 1200 during Keep Trim.
- Never overload your stomach. When you feel full, stop eating.
- Don't stay on the Diet more than fourteen days.
Non-stick vegetable spray, cocktail sauce, herbs, seasonings, spices, grated onion, minced parsley, ketchup (sugar free & low carb okay), chili sauce & mustard are all permitted within moderation.
No PowerBars, Protein Bars, or Meal Replacement Bars or Shakes are permitted on the SMD or Keep Trim Program.
Artificial Sweeteners (Splenda, Equal, Sweet & Low, etc ) are permitted.
Scarsdale Medical Diet Portion Sizes
Where no portion is indicated, you can eat as much as you like. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.
Estimate “Proper Portions” with these comparisons:
- meat/poultry/fish portions – the size and thickness of your palm
- 1 oz hard cheese – length & width of your thumb
- medium fruit – the size of your fist = 4-6oz.
- .5 cup veggie or pasta – one cupped hand
- 1 cup raw spinach or tossed salad – two cupped hands
Scarsdale Medical Diet Substitute Lunch
- 4 oz. lowfat cottage cheese
- 1 T. low-fat sour cream
- Sliced fruit, all you want
- 3 whole walnuts or pecans
- Coffee/tea/no-sugar diet soda of any flavor
Protein Bread:
If protein bread is not available, you may substitute whole wheat bread (100% whole wheat or stone ground), or multi-grain high fiber bread.
Fruit Notes:
- It is recommended that you always eat fruits that are fresh.
- If fresh is unavailable to you, use frozen,
- If frozen is unavailable, then canned – but only packed in their own juices and not syrup.
** Choice of Fruit for Breakfast Every Day:
Grapefruit may be replaced any day by any of the following fruits in season: 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple or 1/2 mango or 1/2 papaya or 1/2 cantaloupe or a generous slice of honeydew, casaba or other available melon.
Vegetables not permitted on the Scarsdale Diet:
Avocados, corn, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes/yams lentils and any beans (baked beans, lentils, dry white beans, red kidney beans, lima beans, chick peas, black-eyed peas, etc;) except green or waxed or soybeans (which are permitted in the Vegetarian diet)
After two weeks on the Scarsdale Diet, dieters switch to the “holding pattern” for the next 2 weeks – the Keep-Trim Program.
The Keep-Trim (KT) Diet follows the same principles as the 2 week SMD. It is low-fat, low carbohydrate, but not as specific.