As developed by doctor Tarnower in 1978

In the 1978 original publication of “The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet”, Doctor Herman Tarnower & Samm Sinclaire Baker mention: ‘a good diet must be palatable, safe, satisfying and uncomplicated.’

Scarsdale Diet Rules

However, in order to see good results, when starting the Scarsdale Diet, you should follow some basic rules, as the authors outlined:

1. Eat exactly what is assigned. Don’t substitute!
2. Don’t drink any alcoholic beverages.
3. Between meals you can eat only carrots and celery, but you may have as much as you wish.
4. The only beverages allowed are regular or decaffeinated coffee, black tea, soda water (with lemon if desired), and diet colas or tonic. You may drink as often as you wish.
5. Prepare all salads without oil, mayonnaise, or other rich dressing. Use only lemon and vinegar.
6. Eat vegetables without butter, margarine or other fat, lemon may be used.
7. All meat should be very lean, remove all visible fat before eating. Remove skin and fat from chicken and turkey before eating.
8. It is not necessary to eat everything listed, but don’t substitute or add. Indicated combinations should be observed.
9. Never overload your stomach. When you feel full, STOP!
10. Don’t stay on the Diet more than fourteen days.

You can use the below table to keep track of your weight loss progress

The Scarsdale Medical 14-Day Diet

for an adapted vegetarian-pescatarian version, check out this article.

Breakfast Every Day

• 1/2 grapefruit – if not available, use fruits in season;
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted, no spread added;
• Coffee/tea (no sugar, cream, milk).

MONDAY

Lunch:

• Assorted cold cuts (your choice – lean meats, chicken, turkey, tongue, lean beef);
• Tomatoes – sliced, grilled, or stewed;
• Coffee/tea/soda water or diet tonic.

Dinner:

• Fish or shellfish, any kind;
• Combination salad, as many greens and vegetables as you wish;
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted;
• Grapefruit – if not available, use fruits in season;
• Coffee/tea.

TUESDAY

Lunch:

• Fruit salad, any combination of fruits as much as you want;
• Coffee/tea.

Dinner:

• Plenty of grilled, lean hamburger;
• Tomatoes, lettuce, celery, olives, Brussels sprouts, or cucumber;
• Coffee/tea.

WEDNESDAY

Lunch:

• Tuna fish or salmon salad (oil drained off), with lemon and vinegar dressing;
• Grapefruit, or melon, or fruit in season;
• Coffee/tea.

Dinner:

• Sliced roast lamb, all visible fat removed;
• Salad or lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, celery;
• Coffee/tea.

THURSDAY

Lunch:

• Two eggs, any style (no fat used in cooking);
• Low-fat cottage cheese;
• Courgettes, or string beans, or sliced or stewed tomatoes;
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted;
• Coffee/tea.

Dinner:

• Roast, grilled, or barbecued chicken, all you want – (skin and visible fat removed before eating);
• Plenty of spinach, green peppers, string beans;
• Coffee/tea.

FRIDAY

Lunch:

• Assorted cheese slices;
• Spinach, all you want;
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted;
• Coffee/tea.

Dinner:

• Fish or shellfish;
• Combination salad, any and as much fresh vegetables as desired, including cold, diced cooked vegetables, if you prefer;
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted;
• Coffee/tea.

SATURDAY

Lunch:

• Fruit salad, as much as you want;
• Coffee/tea.

Dinner:

• Roast turkey or chicken;
• Salad of tomatoes and lettuce;
• Grapefruit, or fruit in season;
• Coffee/tea.

SUNDAY

Lunch:

• Cold or hot turkey or chicken;
• Tomatoes, carrots, cooked cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower;
• Grapefruit, or fruit in season;
• Coffee/tea.

Dinner

• Plenty of grilled steak, all visible fat removed before eating; any cut of steak you wish – sirloin, fillet, rump, etc;
• Salad of lettuce, cucumber, celery, tomatoes (sliced, or cooked);
• Brussels sprouts;
• Coffee/tea.

Substitute lunch:

If you wish, you may substitute the following lunch for any lunch, any day, on the Scarsdale Medical Diet:

• 1/2 cup low-fat cheese or cottage cheese, mixed with 1 tablespoon of low-fat sour cream
• sliced fruit, all you want;
• 6 halves of walnuts or Brazils, whole or chopped, and mixed with the above sprinkled over the fruit;
• Coffee/tea/no-sugar diet tonic or cola.

Second Week of Scarsdale Medical Diet

Repeat all menus of the first week. It is simple as that. If after fourteen days, you will still need to lose weight, switch to keep-Trim Eating for two weeks and only after those two weeks, you can start the Scarsdale Medical Diet again. The aim is to develop good lifetime eating habits.

Success!