This diet was developed by Herman Tarnower in the 1970’s, but is very similar to The Zone Diet (to play on Shakespeare, “a diet by any other name still has no sweets…”). It is also sometimes referred to as the Scarsdale medical diet as Mr Tarnower is a doctor
The science is that you’re allowed a certain percentage of carbohydrates (43%), proteins (22.5%), and fats (22.5%) a day.
It’s got a strict menu, which you follow for seven days. So unlike The Zone, however, this is really a short-term deal, usually it is recommended as a 14 day diet. Which is good, because it’s not the most nutritious of menus. Here is a Scardsdale diet menu:

• Day 1

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 slice of protein bread and 1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: any amount of lean beef, chicken or fish, tomato salad, and coffee or tea
Dinner: broiled fish, tomato and lettuce salad, 1 slice of protein bread and grapefruit or melon

• Day 2

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 slice of protein bread and 1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: any amount of fruit salad and coffee
Dinner: hamburger (without bread) and all the cooked vegetables you desire

• Day 3

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 slice of protein bread and 1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: tuna salad and grapefruit or melon
Dinner: two lean pork chops, mixed green salad, and coffee

• Day 4

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 slice of protein bread and 1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: two eggs, cottage cheese, 3oz. squash, 1 slice of protein bread, coffee
Dinner: chicken (grilled or broiled, skin removed), spinach or green pepper, andcoffee

• Day 5

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 slice of protein bread and 1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: all the dry cheese you want, spinach and 1 toast
Dinner: broiled fish, cooked vegetables or green salad, and 1 toast

• Day 6

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, and1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: fruit salad (as much as you want), 1 slice of protein bread and1 coffee
Dinner: broiled chicken w/o skin, tomato and lettuce salad, 1 slice of protein bread, grapefruit or melon, coffee

• Day 7

Breakfast: coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 slice of protein bread and 1/2 grapefruit
Lunch: cold or hot chicken, tomato and lettuce salad, and grapefruit or melon, and coffee
Dinner: lean beef, mixed salad, and coffee

The Verdict: Well the food tastes good, is generally easy to prepare, and at least you don’t need a kitchen scale. If you are following the Scarsdale diet plan you will also find a lot of it in the restaurant menus so it’s realistic even for working women. You don’t feel that hungry, either, since you actually get a main meal and can sometimes eat all that you want—so it’s a better alternative to the Russian Airforce Diet. Protein bread is part of the diet – it can be easily made at home, or if you can’t find buy it in your area you may also substitute it with whole wheat or gluten bread.

Categories: Short term, high maintenance, regimented, body

Feedback: “I stayed on this diet for 2 weeks, lost 10 pounds, but gained 5 back when I stopped it. Generally it was easy, since I like chicken and salad anyway. But you just get sick of the menu after a while. I’d try it again, though, but I’d be more realistic about how much weight I’ll really lose.”