Dr. Perricone’s three-day diet
Dr. Christopher’s three-day cleansing program
Bubba’s three-day diet
Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) dietOriginsThe Cleveland Clinic diet development is attrib-
uted to the Cleveland Clinic located in Cleveland,
Ohio. However, there is no official record of the
diet’s use in the facility. In fact, the origins of the diet
have become somewhat of an urban legend. Many
variations of the diet and stories of its development
can be found posted by anonymous sources on Web
sites and blogs. It is possible that the diet became
associated with the Cleveland Clinic because the clinic
does publish specialized cookbooks and nutrition
guides for persons with kidney disorders or diabetes.
There are no books or privately published ver-
sions of the Cleveland Clinic diet in print, which
makes it difficult to date this diet let alone trace it
back to its original source. Although some accounts
maintain that the Cleveland Clinic diet first began to
circulate around 1985, the Oregon Health and Science
University’s disclaimer about this diet states that an
early form of it called the University of Oregon Med-
ical School diet has been passed around the Pacific
Northwest since 1975. The Cleveland Clinic diet has
been attributed to the cardiology departments of var-
ious hospitals and medical centers. Supposedly these
facilities have overweight patients scheduled for heart
surgery use the diet to help them lose weight before the
operation.DescriptionMost versions of the Cleveland Clinic diet begin
with the claim that the dieter will lose weight by means
of a chemical breakdown. In fact, weight loss on this
diet results from simplecalorie restriction; the diet
allows between 600 and 1,100 calories per day.Basic three-day diet plan
Day One:
Breakfast: Black coffee, water, or tea; half of a grape-
fruit or pink grapefruit juice; and one slice of toast
with 1 or 2 tbl of peanut butter
Lunch: Black coffee, water, or tea; 1/2 cup of water-
packed tuna; and one slice of dry toast
Dinner: Black coffee, water, or tea; 3 oz lean meat; 1
cup green beans; 1 cup beets; 1 cup vanilla ice cream;
and one small apple
Day Two:
Breakfast: Black coffee, water, or tea; one egg, any
style; one banana (some versions say 1/2 banana);
and one slice of dry toast
Lunch: Black coffee, water, or tea; 1 cup of cottage
cheese; and five saltine crackers
Dinner: Black coffee, water, or tea; two hot dogs; 1/2
cup carrots; 1 cup broccoli (or cabbage); one banana
(some versions say 1/2 banana); and 1/2 cup vanilla
ice cream
Day Three:
Breakfast: Black coffee, water, or tea; five saltine
crackers; one egg (or one slice cheddar cheese); and
one 4-oz glass of apple juice
Lunch: Black coffee, water, or tea; one hard-boiled
egg; one small apple; and one slice of dry toast
Dinner: Black coffee, water, or tea; 1 cup tuna, chicken,
or turkey; 1 cup cauliflower or green beans; 1 cup beets;
1 cup cantaloupe or one small apple; and 1/2 cup vanilla
ice creamInstructions
Some Internet versions of the Cleveland Clinic
diet include tips and instructions for the dieter:
Do not alter amounts or make substitutions on the
diet menu.
Drink at least four glasses of water or diet soda each
day.
Salt and pepper may be used but no other seasonings.
No snacks allowed.
Use this diet for three consecutive days each week.
After three days of dieting, resume eating as usual
but avoid binging.
After four days of normal eating, repeat the three-
day diet.
Cheating on the diet will make it ineffective.
Strictly follow the rules of the diet.KEY TERMS
Urban legend—A story, anecdote, or piece of
advice based on hearsay and circulated by per-
son-to-person transmission, often by e-mail.
Very low-calorie diet (VLCD)—A term used by
nutritionists to classify weight-reduction diets that
allow around 800 or fewer calories a day.
Cleveland Clinic 3-day diet