The Mayr Diet helps you to lose weight by improving gut health
The Mayr Method, also known as the FX Mayr Cure is trending these days mainly thanks to Rebel Wilson. The 40-year-old Australian actor and comedian revealed her weight loss secret.
She reported that after visiting one of the Viva Mayr clinics and following the Mayr Method Diet she lost enough weight and now continues to implement the principles of the Mayr Method.
But this method is not new, it is more than a century present. It is a restrictive program that claims to achieve weight loss by improving gut health.
Wilson has achieved “amazing results” with the Mayr Diet. But is it healthy and what is the Mayr method Diet?
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What is the Mayr Method Diet?
This is not a new weight loss plan, it’s based on the 100-year old Mary Cure created by Austrian physician Dr. Franz Xaver Mayr. According to Dr. Mayr, the gut is the center of the immune system, essentially the “root system” of our body. As a consequence, correct nutrition and digestion are the basis of our physical and mental health.
Or if we simplify this it comes that good health starts with a healthy gut, and the Mayr Diet seeks to improve digestion through mindful eating, alkaline foods, and other behavior changes.
People are first introduced to this diet by visiting VivaMayr wellness retreats around the world or by taking the less expensive route and following the principles and plans provided in The Viva Mayr Diet book.
Maximilian Schubert, medical director of VivaMayr says “VivaMayr combines modern complementary medicine with traditional diagnostics and therapies according to F.X. Mayr.” He also adds that the first recommendation made to many clients is to start a new fasting regimen.
The Mayr method includes monotone and a restricted diet to calm down the body system, the program also includes prescribed cleanse taking new or expanded vitamins and supplements and they call this “detoxification process”.
In addition, to establish a fasting schedule, dieters in this program are also asked to refrain from eating sugar or drinking coffee and alcohol during the program.
If you decide to start with the Mayr Method Diet you should be prepared to:
Reduce gluten and dairy intake overall.
Withhold from eating raw foods at night after 4 p.m.
Make breakfast part of the schedule
Stop snacking through the day
Refrain from using phone, TV, tablet, or any device while eating
Chew each bite of your food at least 40 times
What can you eat on the Mayr Method Diet?
The great thing about Mayr Method is that followers of the diet are encouraged to create their own meals as long as they follow the rules.
While the Mayr Method can feel very similar to the Alkaline Diet some of the rules are different. A good meal would include some serving of proteins, vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, seasonal fruits, tea, refreshing fruit juice.
The main core of the Mayr Method Diet is eating more vegetables, reducing sugar and processed foods intake, and drinking more water.
Here’s a Mayr Method Diet food list
- Proteins: Smoked salmon, beef filets, organic silken tofu, smoked trout, lamb loin, char caviar.
- Fruits: Citrus fruit, bananas, papaya, mangoes, avocados, olives, apricots, prunes, apples, berries, pomegranates, oranges.
- Vegetables: Vine tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, broccoli, turnips, onions, radishes, celery, carrots, fennel, potatoes, spinach.
- Nuts and seeds: Amaranth seeds, almonds, sesame seeds, walnuts.
- Grains: Buckwheat flour, ground oats, millet, corn flakes, polenta, risotto rice.
- Dairy: Goat cheese, butter, sour cream, rice milk, oat milk, organic eggs.
- Condiments and seasonings: Extra virgin olive oil, stevia, vegetable stock, cold-pressed oils, balsamic vinegar, honey, maple syrup, cream of tartar, soya sauce.
- Drinks: Water, green tea, and pomegranate juice.
As we can see from this food list many foods like meat, dairy, risotto, polenta are not normally allowed on an alkaline diet as they are thought to be “acidic.”
But this is the beauty of the Mayr Diet, you can eat many foods and create your own meals as long as you keep to the rules: eating more vegetables, reducing sugar and processed foods, drinking more water, and yes, chewing each bite of your food at least 40 times.
Main rules of the Viva Mayr Diet
The Mayer Method Diet is fairly easy to follow. There is no calorie-counting, or the exact time when to eat, exercise, etc. Even if you can’t afford to visit one of the Viva Mayr clinics and spend one week there, there is a solution for that. All you need is to follow some rules.
#1. Chew Your Food
Chewing is very important, helps release nutrients from the food, combating our cravings. When we chew our food properly, we eat more slowly. It gives our brain time to recognize the ingredients and provides our digestive system with info on the right enzymes needed to break down the food.
When we chew the saliva is created which immediately starts to break down the food before it reaches our stomach. By doing this there is less chance of it being only partially digested and left to putrify in our guts.
So when we say chewing properly, we mean chewing every mouthful of food at least 30-50 times until it becomes liquid in the mouth – then you should swallow it. Remember, our digestive system begins in our lips.
#2. No Raw Foods After 4 P.M.
Raw foods are harder to digest than cooked foods. Your digestive system slows down as the day goes on and eating raw foods and anything made from them even fruit juice puts unnecessary pressure on your body.
#3. Easy Dinner
For dinner choose something light like soup, fish, and vegetables or something else that is easy to digest. In our western diet, we consider dinner as a main meal, but with the Mayr Method dinner is considered as a small meal and should be taken before 7 pm.
#4. Eat More Fat
Now you ask yourself why to eat ft when I want to lose weight? Yes, fats are very important for our bodies. Not all fats are bad.
Hydrogenated fats or trans-fats found in margarine are very bad, but there are many good fats. To function properly and burn our fat stores, our body needs omega-3,6 and 9 fatty acids.
We usually get enough omega 6 and 9 from eating poultry, whole grains, nuts, and eggs, but when it comes to Omega-3 we often don’t get enough from our diet. To get enough omega-3 fatty acids you can use Flaxseed Oil as it contains the highest levels of omega-3 of all other oils.
You can use flaxseed oil to make soups, drizzle it over salads and cooked vegetables, or just simply take a tablespoonful a day, but remember never to cook with it. It is a cold-pressed oil just like olive oil, and cold-pressed oils when subjected to high heat lose their nutrients and become bad fats. For cooking use coconut oil.
#5. Don’t Drink Water Around Meal Times
You shouldn’t drink water at least 15 to 30 minutes before eating and an hour after eating. Water dilutes the digestive enzymes needed to break down the food, and by drinking during the meal you are washing them away. So stop drinking water at least around mealtimes.
#6. Change Your Shopping List
When you buy pasta, noodles, cereals, look for “whole grain” and “wholemeal” on the label. Avoid processed or fatty cuts of meat, opting for lean and organic where possible.
Your body digest fish, poultry, lamb, beef, and then pork are easier to digest in that order. It is recommended to eat meat every other day and replace those proteins with lentils, beans, seeds, and nuts.
Choose butter, whole fresh milk, and cream which contains natural fats rather than margarine and skimmed milk. Look out for labels on products such as “Diet.” As an example diet yogurt can be filled with starch as a thickening agent after the fat is removed, Starch is worse for digestion than natural fat.
Goat’s and sheep’s cheese are better than cow’s cheese for the digestive system. They contain less lactose, a substance a lot of people are sensitive to.
#7. Cut Out Caffeine and Sugar
It’s not so easy to cut coffee from your morning routine especially if you are addicted to caffeine. If you start following the Mayr Method for weight loss you must replace coffee with tea.
If you don’t know what to drink as a replacement, here is a great article about teas as a coffee alternative in the morning.
When it comes to sugar, you can’t cut out sugar completely from your diet because you’re consuming carbs and they are sugar. Try to not eat sweets and cookies and for sure not to drink sugary beverages. If you have sweet tooth use Stevia instead of sugar.
#8. Exercise
Working out is part of every weight loss program and it’s also part of the Mayr Method. If you haven’t exercise for a long period try first with aerobic (cardio) exercises and then after a period of time maybe a week or two you can add anaerobically (lifting weights or something similar).
If you don’t know where to start from here is a list of stretching exercises for flexibility and the best workouts for weight loss.
How Does It Work?
For those who can afford to visit one of the Viva Mayr centers, there is a program different for everyone but based on five principles:
Rest – an important part of the Mayr Method. Relieve your digestion with a “special cure diet.” According to their website, food intake is reduced so that your digestion can regenerate. Not only the intestine but the entire body, as well as mind and soul, should rest to achieve a holistic regeneration.
Cleansing – Toxins should be eliminated by taking a bitter salt solution every day. The goal of cleansing is to restore the self-cleaning powers of the intestines, which are disrupted in many cases by an inadequate diet.
Conscious abstinence – attention is focused on smaller portions and simple dishes with a minimum of sugar or seasoning.
Training – The fasting person learns everything about the Mayr’s diet during the therapy in order to be able to apply it in everyday life afterward.
Substitution – Some people suffer increasingly from deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. Patients in Mayr Hotels are provided with vital substances that promote detoxification and have a positive effect on health.
Pros and Cons Of The Mayr Method Diet
Practicing mindful eating and consuming lots of whole foods is definitely good for your gut health. The Mayr method’s putting accent on eating when relaxed, slow eating, and being aware when you’re full are effective strategies to help with digestion and making healthier food choices.
Alkaline foods are certainly great for your health, but you don’t need necessarily to follow an alkaline diet to reap those benefits. Your body already does a great job of regulating pH on its own.
According to the rules of the Mayr Method, you shouldn’t drink water during mealtime because it dilutes digestive enzymes. There are different opinions on this question.
According to a study published in 2010 scientists find out that water may be effective for weight loss because it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories. People feel fuller and as a result, eat less calorie-containing food during the meal.
The Pros
- The diet encourages mindful eating, distraction-less eating. Chewing your food thoroughly is a good practice to help you to slow down.
- Eating whole foods – you get plenty of nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber, which are crucial for your health.
Cons
- To really experience the Mayr Method you’d have to attend their luxury spa.
- You must remove caffeine, including coffee. There is no proof that a moderate amount of caffeine from coffee or tea is harmful.
Final Thoughts On The Mayr Method Diet
Just because you should travel and visit one of the Viva Mayr centers to learn how to follow the Mayr Diet doesn’t mean that you can’t take some of the elements of the program and try them in your life.
Following a mindful eating approach, in the long run, can be beneficial in sustaining weight loss in the long run. Most principles of the Mayr Diet won’t make any harm as long as you understand the basics.
Until now there is not been enough research to know if this method is effective or even healthy. Eating whole foods, mindful eating, and mindfulness activities such as meditation and yoga are helpful in becoming more in touch with hunger levels, feelings, and so on.
Every time when you want to make changes and start following a weight loss plan be sure to consult with your doctor and nutritionists first, not every diet and weight loss plan is suitable for everyone.