Home > Diets > Calorie Counting Diet Navigation    
User Rating

49%

of people who tried this diet like it

+ - Tried it? Rate it!
out of 100
based on 61 reviews
Scarsdale Diet

Scarsdale Diet Review (UPDATED 2024): Don't Buy Before You Read This!

A world-reknowned program since the 1970s.

Top Rated Diets of 2024
What is it?

The Scarsdale Diet is a weight loss plan offering a high protein, low carbohydrate and reduced fat approach. It’s estimated that one can lose up to a pound a day, for a total of 20 pounds.

The book that outlined the diet is still the highest selling diet book of all time. It’s advised to limit use up to 2 weeks at one time.The basic ideas of the diet have been used by other plans, though with some changes . When reviewing many different diet plans out experts concluded that the most overall effective one was the 18Shake Diet. It offers a meal replacement and diet pill made with all natural ingredients. The combined effect allows for fat burning and appetite suppression for increased weight loss. Discover more information about the 18Shake Diet plan via the link provided here.

Do You Know the Best Diets of 2024?

ScarsdaleDiet Ingredients and Side Effects

The breakdown for macronutrients is 43% protein, 22.5 % fat, and 34.5% carbohydrates. It allows for the following main foods:

• Fresh fruit.

• Lean meats.

• Vegetables.

• 3 meals a day, no snacks are offered.

The high levels of protein are known to be satiating, since protein suppresses appetite better than fiber, fats, and carbohydrates. That’s why the diet often advises to eat generous amounts of proteins, as it’s harder to overindulge in protein than other macronutrients.

It’s also advised to:

         • Drink 4 glasses of water a day.

• Drinking coffee and tea are recommended for breakfast and dinner. This is to help raise metabolism and suppress appetite.

         • Walking 3 km a day.

• Eating as much as you’d like, but only to the point where you’re satisfied but not full.

A comprehensive list of the top 10 ranked diet plans is made available here.

The meals suggested remain similar, with breakfast lunch and dinner being:

• Breakfast (The same for the entire 14 days): ½ grapefruit, one slice of protein bread with no spreadand a portion of seasonal fruit if no grapefruit is available.

• Lunch: Day one is assorted cold cults and tomatoes. Day two allows for a lean hamburger and certain vegetables. Day three is grapefruit, melon, or seasonal fruit, tuna fish or salmon salad. Day four allows protein bread, select vegetables, low-fat cottage cheese and  2 eggs. Day five offers unlimited spinach, protein bread, and assorted cheese slices. Day six is a fruit salad. Day seven offers grapefruit or seasonal fruit, turkey or chicken, and select vegetables.

• Dinner: Day one allows grapefruit or seasonal fruit, slice of protein bread, combination salad, and fish or shellfish. Day two allows a fruit salad. Day three has roasted defatted lamb, and salad. Day four is chicken with fat removed and select vegetables. Day five has a slice of protein bread, salad, and fish or shellfish. Day six is roasted chicken or turkey, grapefruit or seasonal fruit, and salad. Day seven is brusell sprouts, salad, and lots of steak with the fat trimmed.

It’s unclear why all these specific food selections were advised. They also provide no portion sizes for all the foods advised. This can make it possible to overeat. For a comprehensive list of the top 10 diets, clickthe link cited here.

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as 18 Shake for better results.

Scarsdale Diet Quality of Ingredients

All the foods one selects have to be from the specific diet plan. There are quality ingredients such as many greens, lean meats, healthy fruits, and no allowances for sugary drinks.

The major issue is that there is no mention as to why these specific foods were chosen. Also, the high amount of protein required can be difficult for some. There’s also a potential risk factor in this type of diet as the Mayo Clinic Explains:

“risk of using a high-protein diet with carbohydrate restricting for the long term are still being studied”

“Several health problems may result if a high-protein diet is followed”

There’s also the issue of temporary results. The diet suggests up to 20 pounds can be lost in just 14 days at a rate of a pound a day. This might be due to water weight, which the body holds unto when carbohydrates are eaten. It’s unclear whether or not this is a healthy and safe approach to weight loss. The comprehensive list of the top 10 ranking diets is featured in the link here.

When water weight is lost there is no actual fat loss. This is why when people continue to eat carbohydrates that all the water weight will be regained.

The Price and Quality of Scarsdale Diet

The diet does call for a lot of meats, but the overall price depends on whether one chooses top quality vegetables, fruits, and meats.

The overall quality of this diet is in question. Many of the foods suggested are heavy on the amount of protein they offer. There’s many vegetables offered, but it’s unknown if this diet was scientifically created for the kinds of foods allowed. There’s no evidence that the specific foods allowed are any better than others.

It’s also not a long term diet. It’s only advised to use it for a 14 day period. It’s unknown if this is for health reasons or not. They also suggest one can lose 20 pounds, though there’s no evidence provided to help show if this is true or not.

Without much more proof it’s impossible to determine whether or not this was created with legitimate science, or if it was created with whatever foods the creator thought sounded good.

Business of Scarsdale Diet

The creator of the diet is Herman Tarnower, a now deceased former cardiologist. Since his focus was on diseases of the heart, it’s unclear how he came up with a weight loss diet. At the time thatthis was created ,it was seen as groundbreaking.

New information on the diet has shown it to be far too limiting. Live Strong.com adds:

“the weight loss isn’t necessarily achieved in a safe manner”

“most weight that’s lost is water weight, which is usually regained as soon as participantsreturn to their normal eating habits”

It’s clear from the kinds of foods suggested that the Scarsdale Diet is not a long term weight loss plan. For a list of the highest rated diet plans click the link available here.

There’s no official website offered, only  a book which outlines the specifics of the diet. There are a lot of websites available that explain the diet in detail.

EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.

Customer Opinions of Scarsdale Diet

Here are some direct quotes from online customers:

“A little too extreme for me”

“I was throwing up digestive acids and could not keep anything down for a week”

“I did not realize how it can damage your kidneys”

“meal plans are very unrealistic and don’t know how the could possibly satisfy the average person”

People often mentioned that while they have lost weight in the beginning, there was no weight loss in the middle or end portions of the diet. Many found it difficult to maintain, as it promoted side effects in some.

There was also a lot of disappointment from people who regained all the weight they lost when they resumed to eat normal foods. There were also complaints about the limits on foods, which some found far too restrictive and uncompromising for different choices.

Another main issue was that the information in the book is limited. People often had more questions they wanted answered, and there were issues with the very specific foods allowed. Click the link here for a list of the top 10 ranked diet plans.

Conclusion - Does Scarsdale Diet  Work?

The Scarsdale Diet was once a revolutionary weight loss plan, as it emphasized a high amount of protein with limited fats and carbohydrates. Now that there has been more science available, it’s been shown that having little carbohydrates with high protein can potentially lead to side effects. Many users of this diet have also listed side effects and a lack of long  term weight loss.  This short term solution is not advised for longer than 14 days consecutively. Health sites have also shown that the weight loss is likely just water weight, which quickly returns and isn’t actual fat loss.

Our experts have found that the most effective weight loss solution is the 18Shake Diet. This diet combines a natural meal replacement and a stimulant free diet pill. Both of these formulas offer a combination of appetite suppression for hours and increased fat burning. This is a potent weight loss solution as it can keep one from feeling hungry as the body’s metabolism is raised. Many customers have also left testimonials and positive reviews. People mention their appetite was suppressed for hours, and that the diet pill helped to burn calories for a combined weight loss effect.

The 18Shake Diet is also backed by a full 30 day money back guarantee. Both the meal replacement and diet pill can be returned risk free with no questions asked. More information is made available about the 18Shake Diet in the link here.

How Does Scarsdale Diet Compare?
  • Product Name
  • User Rating
  • Easy to follow
  • Cheap Price
  • Fast Results
  • Scarsdale Diet
  • 49 /100
  • .
  • .

> Leave Feedback

User Feedback

(Page 3 of 6, 110 total comments)

GISELE

This is the only diet that has ever worked for me. Food is healthy, and quantities are not restricted. Just wished the good doctor was around sure he would have modified it to move with the times. I repeat the days I like best, like the hamburger night

posted Oct 29th, 2011 11:49 am

NORMA

i started this diet 3 days ago and i have lost one pound each day! i will let everybody knows how it was at the end of the 2 weeks. :)

posted Sep 28th, 2011 6:47 pm

peppermintpatty

+

I LOVED IT!!This Diet really does work. If you are like one of those people that SWEAR the followed the diet word for word and didn't see results, you #1 need to go see a DR. because you might have a thyroid that needs to be checked or #2 Even when you were told to eat as much as you wanted, you took it literally. What it really means (if you read the book) EAT UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED Almost full. Not to the point you have to loosen your belt and undo your top button. I lost 13 pounds every cycle.

posted Aug 29th, 2011 3:11 am

claire

+

I did this diet in 2010 and lost 10lbs in the two weeks and no exercise, i then ate alot of crap afterwards but the weight didnt pile straight back on it did take time so now 2011 and im back on the diet started yesterday and today im down 4.1lbs i was 156.7 and today 152.6 but this time im going to do a little exercise along with it. Deffinately give it a try what is two weeks its not alot when you could lose alot more weight than you would usually.

posted Aug 22nd, 2011 11:05 pm

Texan

Today is 8/9/11 and I will be starting the diet tomorrow. I hope it works for me because I have read good things about it. I will post and let y'all know how it goes.

posted Aug 9th, 2011 11:48 am


Marie Griffith

Just started today on the scarsdale diet. Hope to do it for 14 days.

posted Aug 3rd, 2011 1:04 pm

Workingmum

+

I started this diet yesterday weighing in at 182lbs!! i'm only 5 foot 4 inches so I am desperate to try anything. I am sticking to it and was down 2lbs this morning. I want to lose 7lbs by Friday week! Enjoyed todays food. Bit nervous about the next few days as I am away all day tomorrow and going out for dinner thurs night. I will post back with my progress (hopefully!!)

posted Jul 19th, 2011 5:50 pm

yezi

@ Jenny... How can you expect to loose weight in less than 24 hours??? There is something call liposuction for that! And not, it wasn't the scale, you'll ALWAYS weight less in the morning, A-L-W-A-Y-S.

posted Jul 19th, 2011 12:25 am

Jenny

-

weighed myself this morning (frist day of it)...11.2... ate my grapefruit and weighed myself at the end of the day after only eating 3 slices of cold ham, i had put on 4 pounds?
might have just been the scales but that doesnt sound right?....

posted Jul 12th, 2011 11:36 am

DDC

?

is there something I can substitute for the bread? And a way to get more calcium on it?

1 Answers
posted Jun 11th, 2011 2:27 pm

rabiaarshad

did anyone recently tried this diet?

posted Apr 8th, 2011 11:14 am user comment

poohcl13

+

After 2 weeks I have lost a total equal amount of 14 pounds (about a pound a day) and I have felt better! That was even with cheating a little and not doing too much exercise. I am going to use these next 2 weeks to do the grapefruit diet as I don't want to go off with no eating plan (my favorite part of this diet) and when I get closer to my goal weight I am going to do the keep trim weeks. But anyway I am using these next 2 weeks to make an organized exercise plan and use these two weeks to stick to it so when I get back on SMD I am good for a lot more weight lose! I didn't feel tired on the diet and what has helped me a lot was I found an SMD group on yahoo that has given me some great friends to lean on! Good luck to those that are going to try it! Email with questions!

posted Feb 26th, 2011 1:49 pm

poohcl13

+

I just started this diet today. I have only eaten what they have told me to and I don't think that it's that unhealthy. I have been logging EVERYTHING into my IPOD and it came out that I ate 1594 calories (71% protein, 15% fat, and 14% carbs). I feel very satisfied right now in fat I LOVED the dinner- broiled fish (with lemon/pepper seasoning), 4 cups salad, a squeeze of lemon as dressing and it was VERY yummy- PLUS I got to eat the bread and a nice cup of minty tea YUMMY I might make this a regular dinner even after the diet! And tomorrow while I am running around doing errands I will have a healthy fruit salad lunch to munch on while out and about!

posted Feb 12th, 2011 11:34 pm

heather

+

I am starting this diet on Sunday after i do 2 days of the Hollywood diet to kick everything off. I would like to stay in communication with someone though while doing this as i do not have that much support at home. But all of these posts are really old. if someone wants to try it please just post here and we can be scarsdale diet buddies =)

posted Feb 10th, 2011 6:26 pm

Texas

I stayed on it religously and lost one pound in two weeks...

posted Feb 7th, 2011 6:27 pm

Caryn

+

This diet WORKS. I have been on it a couple of times in the past 25 years and I am not the type of person that can really stick to a diet. The diet suggests that you weigh yourself everyday. The first day you loose 3 pounds ( water weight) after the first day, you are supposed to loose a pound a day. Keeping a calendar and posting to it everyday does keep you motivated. I found it to be a very healthy diet as well as diverse. You can go to any ethnic restaurant and choose something on the menu that will be safe. Whether you are a vegetarian or a meat eater you can still loose the weight relatively quickly.

posted Feb 6th, 2011 4:12 am

Kathy

Exercise is mentioned. A daily two mile walk is suggested.

posted Feb 2nd, 2011 12:49 am

Diane

+

I've used the Scarsdale Diet several times over the years losing anywhere from 13 to 18 lbs. in the two weeks of the diet. Today I'm on my fourth day and have lost nearly six lbs. It's always worked well for me but I do suggest you get the book by Dr. Tarnower. It tells you what substitutions are allowed and even has menus and recipes for the Keep-Trim Diets (Gourmet, International, Vegetarian, etc.) It's easy to find the book online (I just bought one for a friend for 99 cents from an online bookseller).

posted Jan 6th, 2011 7:00 pm

letmec

today12-13-10 is my first day on this diet
hope it works before xmas

posted Dec 13th, 2010 2:29 pm

rachel

-

Well, after 8 days of doing this diet, strictly, I've lost 1kg...about 2 pounds I guess. I am completely over it, but will persist, because it has worked for me about 20 years ago, and I'm determined to look good for swimming!! Btw, I was 80 kgs, now 79 kgs...: >(

posted Nov 9th, 2010 12:58 am


 

Leave Feedback

Or, proceed without an account


I like it I don't like it I have a question
 


Already a member?



BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND Start the Diet Now Advertisement

Created in the 1970s by Dr. Herman Tarnower, the Scarsdale Diet is named for the town in New York in which Dr. Tarnower conducted his thriving medical practice, before meeting his untimely death by the hands of his long-time lover, Jean Harris. As a medical doctor specializing in treating obesity, Dr. Tarnower combined the medical phenomenon of ketosis, and its ability to generate weight loss, with an MD-designed food program that causes ketosis in otherwise healthy individuals.

Ketosis, or the production of excess Ketones, is described as producing the residual "ashes" or "embers" of fat-burning. Ketosis is generally a bad thing, causing both Alcoholics and Diabetics to lose fat rapidly as an unwanted side-effect of the disease. One can check if the body is engaged in Ketosis by measuring Ketones in the urine, though it should be noted that the Ketosis generated by the Scarsdale diet is generally at lower levels than those with illness-induced Ketosis.

The Scarsdale Diet is reknowned the world over for its rapid weight loss results, generally 1 pound per day. Some users boast a loss of 20 pounds in 14 days, though they readily admit that a significant part of that is water loss and readily returns once the diet is discontinued.

Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?

PROPRO
  • The Scarsdale Diet has a long-running history of success all over the world
  • The high protein component of the program resonates strongly with those who have had success with off-shoot programs such as Atkins
  • Menu plan is very specific, making it easy for the user to follow
  • Rapid weight loss is ideal for someone preparing for a vacation, wedding, or other special event in which appearance is important
  • Easy to dine out
CONCON
  • The calorie level of 700 to 1000 calories is too low for even a moderately active individual
  • Many users complain of fatigue and extreme hunger
  • The restrictive nature of The Scarsdale Diet could be too excessive for many, and leaves little room for error or variation
  • No maintenance plan means the weight can quickly return when you abandon the diet
DIET and NUTRITIONDIET and NUTRITION

A sample day on The Scarsdale Diet looks like this:

Breakfast

  • 1/2 grapefruit
  • slice of wholemeal toast (no spreads or butter)
  • coffee (no sugar or milk)

Lunch

  • canned tuna
  • salad with oil-free dressing
  • coffee

Dinner

  • roast lamb (with all visible fat removed)
  • salad with lemon and vinegar dressing
  • coffee

Drinks

  • Water
  • Diet drinks
  • Tea
  • Soda water

The program's devotees have created a number of support websites, which include some fun, easy recipes that the whole family will enjoy. In addition, the unlimited nature of lean meat and plain vegetables, especially at dinner, makes it easy to dine out while still staying true to program.

EXERCISEEXERCISE

Never discussed, though that is a good thing, as the low-calorie nature of the program lends itself ideally to the individual that engages in little to no activity, other than some light gardening or housekeeping. Think "ladies who lunch" rather than "soccer mom who actually plays soccer."

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

The Scarsdale Diet, and its companion program the "Keep-Trim" Diet, is one that will never lose its style or place in dieting history. While Ketosis is best when medically supervised, it is not uncommon to find a container of Ketostix in the medicine chest of most American households.

In addition, high protein menu programs provide energy and satisfaction, from a sensory perspective, as well as making us feel full. Potential digestive disturbances aside, The Scarsdale Diet, doesn't feel like a restrictive diet at all, but rather permission to be diligent about food intake.

Common MisspellingsCommon Misspellings

scarsdale diet, TSD, scarsdial diet, keep trim diet, scaresdale diet, scarsdale deit

Featured Diets and Supplements

18 shake high protein diet shakeology
Whats better than
Scarsdale Diet?