Want to Try Rebel Wilson’s Diet? Here’s Exactly What to Eat

Rebel Wilson lost more than 60 pounds during her "Year of Health" by following a diet called the Mayr Method, which is based on healthy vegetables, high-protein foods, and being mindful about eating, avoiding added sugars and stress-eating that leads to reaching for junk food. Here is exactly how to follow the method, which is a nearly 100-year-old approach to healthy weight loss that combines smaller portions, plant-based foods and walking for gentle but consistent calorie-burning every day.

Wilson also allowed herself to focus on self-care, which she credited to be one of the "biggest and best" parts of her weight loss journey. The Mayr Method dates back to the 1920s when a doctor in Austria named Dr. Franz Xaver Mayr created this method, and there are still clinics that teach it in Europe, including the original one in Austria, where Wilson went in 2019. What she learned there made an impression on her, so much so that she decided to get serious about eating and exercising this way as of January 2020, which she called her "Year of Health." Since then, she has slimmed down and shed 60 pounds, recently showing off her new svelte figure on IG posts, but more importantly, she learned to take care of her mental health, stop stress eating, and let go of things that cause her angst.

A unique aspect of the Mayr Method is that it isn't so much about a strict or specific diet as it is a way of approaching food and exercise that is gentler on your body and allows you to stop being self-destructive with food. Wilson explained her new approach to her fans in a social media video, telling them how this method helps people put themselves in better situations where they feel in control of their decisions and less distracted while they eat, so they don't make poor choices. Meanwhile, the Mayr Method uses exercise, specifically walking or hiking, as a way of reducing stress, getting out in nature, and nourishing the body. Plus, you can pour yourself a glass of wine at dinner on this diet, so cheers to that!

The Mayr Method is a 14-day eating and exercise plan that focuses on vegetables and high protein foods that switch your gut health to anti-inflammatory bacteria and you avoid overeating or turning to junk food by practicing mindful eating. Once you start it, the Mayr Method can become a lifestyle because it does not restrict calories but instead advises you to eat more of the healthy foods in the meal plan (which focuses on eating high-protein foods, vegetables, low carb grains) and less of the inflammatory foods to avoid, which include processed foods, dairy, caffeine, and gluten. Because most people find it easier to lose weight and feel their best on this plan, the idea is to lose the weight over time and stick with the method, making it a lifestyle, just as Rebel Wilson has.

There are two options if you want to start this diet. The first is you can visit Viva Mayr Medical Health Resort where you stay for two weeks, enjoy the lifestyle, and feel lighter, having lost weight by the 14th day. There are several locations in Europe and Wilson visited the Austria location. The second option, which is a lot cheaper, is to purchase the book: Viva Mayr Diet: 14 Days to a Flatter Stomach and a Younger You by Dr. Harald Stossier and Helena Frith Powell.

The book provides meal plans, recipes, and an extensive explanation of the guidelines so you reach your weight loss goals, and can do the diet as long as you like, without leaving home. The Beet read the book and discovered everything you need to know before starting the diet and what we found most interesting is the reason behind these techniques and why they work. Here we created plant-based versions of how to eat on the Mayr Method, since you can choose to get your protein from chicken or fish, as the authors suggest, or from legumes, soy, whole grains, and vegetables if you prefer a plant-based approach while still achieving your goals.

What you can eat and drink on the Mayr Method:

What you should try to avoid:

The diet plan includes specific guidelines such as eating raw before 4 pm because the digestion system is at its optimal level, according to the authors of the book on how to do it. Eating fruit for breakfast is an easy way to master this. The plan also suggests limiting carbohydrates but does not give an exact number or measurement of how much you should eat daily. It does recommend that you try to reduce stress since most often when we're stressed we reach for a carby snack. However, since the average American's diet is made up of about 55 percent carbs, the authors recommend staying well under that. (As with every discussion of carbs it is worth noting that not all carbs are created equal and the healthiest way to get carbs is in vegetables and fruit, which are high in fiber for better gut health, metabolism and ultimately to fill you up and help promote natural weight loss.)

Breakfast is the most important meal on this diet. The authors refer to the popular saying: "Eat like a king for breakfast, a queen for lunch, and a pauper for dinner," and that way you are most likely to burn off the calories you're eating, through walking and other activities, rather than store them as fat because your body doesn't need to fuel up before bed. They also suggest that If you're cooking with oils, strictly use 100 percent pressed olive oil.

Another important key to this diet is destressing, not stress eating, and prioritizing ways to lower your overall anxiety or stress levels They also advise you to try to feel relaxed when you eat, exercise, and think. The authors of the book explain that it's harder to shed fat when you feel stressed because your cortisol levels of natural stress hormones tell the body to hold onto calories to be used to survive an attack or when you are threatened (by a saber-toothed tiger or famine or other stressors) which further complicates your ability to shed pounds. "If you're stressed about being overweight, it's counterproductive." explained the authors.

The exercise program is all about low impact and low-pressure activities such as walking, hiking, ballet, gymnastics, and practicing sports that make you happy. Rebel Wilson noted that she enjoys long walks, for about an hour, and told her fans that when she's in LA she likes to hike Griffin park and when she's in New York she walks towards the Statue of Liberty. Wilson almost mentioned that she never thought hiking would be her favorite form of exercise.

The Mayr Method suggests doing what you love whether it's playing a sport or going to a long walk for exercise. They note that some of the best, low-pressure forms of exercise include aerobic exercises, pilates, yoga, ballet, gymnastics, hiking, cycling, running, and supervised weight training. The exercise guideline suggests: Start exercising every second or third day to an extent where you are sweating lightly but can still speak 11 words out loud without being out of breath," according to the authors.

1. Eat your meals on smaller plates to train your visual cues to match your hunger cues. 

2. Drink water between meals so you don't mistake thirst for hunger.

3. Try to eat small meals and you'll get used to eating less at each sitting.

4. Don't eat a lot too late at night. The authors explain that if they get home late from work they eat almonds and drink a glass of red wine.

5. Sleep well. Getting the right amount of sleep is extremely beneficial to your overall health and helps reduce stress.

The Mayr Wellness Center Shares Examples of Meals and How to Make Them.

As with any diet, exercise plan or new eating approach check in with your health care provider and make sure it's a match for you and your goals.