Weight loss is often accompanied by health problems, hair loss, skin deterioration. But not in this case. The Mediterranean diet helps to lose weight, rejuvenate and improve overall well-being.
The essence of the Mediterranean diet
This is the only UNESCO-approved diet recognized as a truly safe weight loss system. On the contrary, it is able to improve the general condition of the body, does not contradict the laws of proper nutrition, but has its own approach to compiling a diet. The classic Mediterranean diet contains many foods that are prohibited by other weight loss systems.
The essence of the diet is the daily use of foods included in the diet of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. It is rarely found among Spaniards, Italians, Libyans, Moroccans, fat and obese people. Mortality rates due to cancer and cardiovascular diseases are low in these countries. They lead in terms of life expectancy of the local population.
What are the benefits of the Mediterranean diet?
This system was not invented by nutritionists, it was not compiled in laboratories, it was created in certain places for centuries. The menu of the Mediterranean diet already does not contain artificial products, preservatives, semi-finished products that will have a positive effect on human health.
Benefits of this diet:
- It prevents heart and blood vessel diseases, lowers cholesterol, dissolves existing plaques, prevents the formation of blood clots and the development of atherosclerosis.
- It protects the clarity of the mind, positively affects the functioning of the brain. This diet can prevent Alzheimer's disease.
- According to this system, nutrition prevents stomach, intestine and breast cancer.
- It lowers blood sugar, prevents the development of diabetes as well as insulin resistance.
- Increases immunity, helps the body recover faster after serious illnesses, long-term drug therapy.
It is based on products that give strength and positively affect the emotional background. The Mediterranean miracle diet is believed to not only prolong life but also affect quality. Only an energetic, cheerful, active person can live 100% every day.
Basic principles of nutrition
It is worth immediately debunking the myth that food is expensive under this system. The diet in the Mediterranean cleansing diet is rich, based on a variety of products. It is not necessary to eat only shrimp or delicious fish, you can always take budget analogues.
Basic principles:
- Not enough fat intake, these are not stir-fried sausages or pastries. This is a useful extra virgin olive oil. You can safely juice salads and other dishes without worrying about the calorie content of the daily diet.
- Plenty of vegetables and fruits. The Mediterranean diet even allows grapes, bananas, which are prohibited by other systems. Plant foods should be included in every meal.
- Dairy products. It is worth focusing on natural yogurt, curdled milk, fermented baked milk. There is no need to use fermented milk products that contain sugar, dyes, flavors in their composition. If you want, you can always add strawberries or honey.
- Fish and seafood. Like vegetables, this category is the basis of the diet. These products should be present in the daily menu.
- White meat. You do not need to use it often, 3-4 times a week is enough, less often. In the heart you can make chicken, rabbit meat, quail, sometimes lamb.
- Cereals. Brown rice, durum wheat pasta, buckwheat can be found in the Mediterranean diet, pearl barley is allowed. Legumes are indispensable.
- Red wine. You can drink up to two glasses a day, served at lunch or dinner. It is important to choose natural wine without preservatives and excess sugar in the composition.
- Eggs. Yes, but not more than once a day
- A variety of natural spices, all kinds of fresh and dried herbs are welcome. You can eat nuts and seeds.
- Bread and rye cakes are pastries made from whole wheat flour.
During the Mediterranean wellness diet, it is important not only to drink wine (although this is very pleasant), but also clean water. The minimum is 1. 5 liters per day. Green tea, natural fruit drink on fresh fruits, lemon juice are welcome. Don't turn healthy drinks into sources of carbohydrates by simply adding sugar or honey. Taste buds need to be cleaned.
Weight loss rate, duration
This system does not promise to lose 15 kilos per month and 40 kilos in six months. In the Mediterranean (Mediterranean) diet, weight goes away gradually, without stressing the body. With the right approach, a person loses 3-4 kg per month, but it all depends on the initial data.
If you eat on the Mediterranean diet menu for a long time to lose weight, soon your old habits will be forgotten, other foods will replace your favorite dishes, proper nutrition will become a way of life. The Mediterranean diet is not limited in time, it can be observed at any time, because residents of Morocco, Italy, Greece, Spain eat something like this.
List of prohibited products
A diet for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet can be created independently, below are only approximate menu options. The main thing is not to add prohibited products. This is especially true for refined sunflower oil, sugar, mixed spices with glutamate and other preservatives.
Diet must nots:
- sausages, ham, semi-finished products;
- pure sugar, limited honey;
- sweet drinks, desserts, ready-made desserts;
- any pastry made from white flour;
- lard, bacon, fatty meats and dairy products.
The easiest way to avoid mistakes with dishes is to cook your own food. In cafes and restaurants, cheap oils are most often used, not the freshest vegetables, low-quality meat and fish.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: menu for every day
Here is an example of how you can eat in this system. Then you can adjust your diet according to your work or work schedule, personal taste. Also it is not necessary to eat different dishes every day, you can cook something for several lunches or dinners.
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss includes minimally processed foods. Long-term cooking, boiling, marinating reduces the amount of nutrients. And simple cereals, soups, salads do not require much time for cooking.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Avocado toast with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, tea | banana cottage cheese casserole, tea | eggs, mozzarella and 10 cherries | cereal bread, cheese slice, 2 cucumbers | brown rice with cheese and herbs | Shrimp and Cheese Pasta | Green bean and tomato omelet |
| Snack | Orange | A glass of tomato juice | fruit salad with yogurt | soft curd | grape | Orange juice | a pineapple |
| Dinner | boiled vegetables with chicken, a large bunch of greens | shrimp cream soup | vegetable stew with meat, tomato juice | mussel and cheese soup | fresh tomato gazpacho, a piece of grilled fish | broccoli soup with fried shrimp | brown rice, creamed squid, vegetable stock |
| afternoon tea | apple, cottage cheese | veggie smoothies | a glass of yogurt | vegetable salad with olives | fruit salad with nuts and yoghurt | tuna toast, any juice | a slice of bread, salted fish, tea |
| Dinner | seafood and cheese pasta, vegetables | brown rice pilaf with chicken and vegetables | cooked fish with rice, vegetable salad | Baked Chicken, Carrot and Cheese Salad | Pasta with green beans, mussels | fish casserole with tomatoes and vegetables | Shrimp, Cherry Tomato and Cream Pasta |
Do not forget that all diet dishes are prepared with olive oil, it is also used for salad dressing, you can add lemon juice, various spices. You can also add a glass of red wine to any meal.
According to the classical Mediterranean diet, the number of meals is unlimited, but it is important not to overeat. Most menu options are five. You can add an extra dinner or remove the second breakfast, which is still a snack.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: menu for every day
Many people say the Mediterranean diet is too expensive and the quality of the frozen seafood leaves much to be desired. It's also hard to find real olive oil. But in this case it can be replaced with other unrefined oils. Suitable linseed, walnut, hemp oil from pumpkin seeds. You can use edible coconut oil for diet.
Note that the Mediterranean diet (the menu for the week below) includes conservative cooking methods. Oil can be consumed in any quantity, but only for refueling. You can lubricate the product before grilling or in the oven. You can not use it for frying, it is better to cook diet dishes in a dry frying pan or lightly grease it with the thinnest layer.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Zucchini fritters with garlic and sour cream sauce | raisin casserole | oatmeal with nuts | cheese sandwich, boiled egg, tea | pumpkin puree with rice | muesli with yogurt | fish sandwich |
| Snack | banana | grapefruit | garnet | Apple | vegetable salad | juice, egg | Pumpkin Puree |
| Dinner | fish soup without potatoes from any fish, rye bread | boiled vegetables, toast, a piece of boiled meat | vegetable soup, a piece of fish, a slice of bread | macaroni with cheese and calamari, vegetables | Chicken and Vegetable Cream Soup, Tortilla | Cabbage soup in fish broth with beans | boiled vegetables with beans, lightly salted herring |
| afternoon tea | yogurt | fruit and milk smoothie | apple cottage cheese | fruit salad | cucumber and herb smoothie | hazelnut cottage cheese | tomato juice |
| Dinner | Greek salad with cheese and olives | fish cakes (steamed, baked), coleslaw | macaroni and cheese, carrot salad with nuts | Stuffed fish with vegetables, cucumber salad with sour cream and dill | buckwheat with chicken, tomatoes | creamy chicken casserole, coleslaw | grilled vegetables, a piece of pike |
There is almost no seafood on the Mediterranean diet menu here, but you can sometimes include it in the diet if you wish. For example, add shrimp to a salad or snack with a sea cocktail.
Mediterranean diet: recipes from the weekly menu
In the diet menu above, there are many interesting dishes that are simple and quick to prepare. They are great for morning, afternoon and evening meals. Here are the most interesting recipes.
Chicken and veggie cream soup
In the Mediterranean diet, cream soups are often on the menu of the week. They are good for the stomach, well satiating and easy to prepare. Here is a basic recipe with vegetables.
Contents:
- 300 g of chicken fillet;
- 300 g of broccoli (you can cauliflower);
- 100 g of carrots;
- 100 g of onions;
- 200 g of zucchini or pumpkin;
- 150-200 ml of cream;
- spices to taste.
Cooking:
- Cut the chicken, immerse in 800 ml of boiling water, then add the carrot and onion and boil for 10 minutes.
- Enter the zucchini, after five minutes lightly salt the broccoli. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat with the lid closed.
- Mash the chicken with vegetables, add spices to taste. Dilute the soup with cream, bring it to a boil again and you're ready to serve!
For such a soup in the winter, you can use a mixture of frozen vegetables. Also, it is not necessary to dilute the dish with cream, you can initially pour a little more water.
Pasta with cheese and squid
This dish is on the menu above every day for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet. Buying squid in the store is no longer a problem, but it is prepared very simply and quickly.
Contents:
- 1 squid;
- 200 g of pasta;
- 150 ml of cream 10%;
- 0. 5 teaspoons of olive oil;
- 70 g of cheese.
Cooking:
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions, but one minute less. Drain into a colander.
- Heat a frying pan, lightly oil it.
- We clean the squid, remove the ridge, cut into strips. Pour and fry for literally a minute, while being sure to stir with a spatula.
- Pour cream over the squid, bring to a boil, start with half the grated cheese, let it dissolve and salt.
- We put the pasta, mix quickly, let the dish boil and turn it off. Leave it under the lid for ten minutes.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese when serving.
In the same way, you can cook gravy with shrimp or other seafood for a diet. The only point is that you need to use low-fat cream, so as not to increase the calorie content of the dish.
Greek salad with cheese and olives
This salad is a great alternative to diet lunch, dinner, especially in summer. It fully meets the requirements of the diet.
Contents:
- 2 cucumbers;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 0. 5 red onions;
- 1 pepper;
- 15 ml of lemon juice;
- 1 pinch of pepper;
- 100 g of feta cheese;
- 2 tablespoons of oil (olive);
- 10-12 olives.
Cooking:
- Dice cucumber. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and chop them as well. Cut the red onion into very thin half rings. Pour into a salad bowl.
- Cut the pepper into thin strips and chop the feta cheese, quarter olives, add to the remaining products.
- Mix lemon juice with oil, add salt, pepper. Pour it over the salad. Stir while serving.
You can add any greens, use cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes, or replace olive oil with Greek yogurt. It also makes a great sauce.
Mediterranean diet for the elderly
It was mentioned above that the Mediterranean diet helps prevent Alzheimer's disease. It has a positive effect on the brain, there will be salvation from senile dementia. Also, nutrition according to this system has a great effect on other internal organs, but in old age it is recommended to abandon wine, and also change the composition of some dishes. Here is a sample menu for a one-week Mediterranean diet for seniors. It meets all the requirements of an aging organism.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | oatmeal with raisins | cheesecake from the oven, fruit puree | steam omelet with green beans | millet porridge with zucchini | pumpkin pie, sour cream | fish fillet omelet | Fruity cottage cheese |
| Snack | Pumpkin Puree | Orange | Apple juice | soft curd portion | vegetable salad | Beijing cabbage salad with olives, lemon, herbs | carrot walnut salad |
| Dinner | boiled vegetables, minced fish cutlet | vegetable soup, a piece of fish | buckwheat soup without potatoes | chicken soup puree, black bread | rice and tomato soup, compote | Cauliflower and Cheese Casserole | cauliflower soup, bread |
| afternoon tea | cottage cheese | a glass of kefir | Banana and Yogurt Smoothie | tomato juice | cottage cheese | green leafy vegetable smoothie | any fruit |
| Dinner | fish cutlet and buckwheat in tomato sauce | fish and vegetable casserole | vegetable salad, chicken cutlet | cooked fish, mashed vegetables | boiled chicken with pasta | fish jelly, 10 olives, 1 tomato | chicken cutlet, brown rice, tomato juice |
Mediterranean Diet Reviews
First review, female, 34 years old
I've been on this diet for the second year, I got used to it, I don't want red meat, I refused animal fats, but I added chia seeds to the main diet, I use quinoa instead of rice. All the time my weight dropped from 82 to 57 kg. It was gradual, not all at once. I noticed that the clothes were loosened, the stomach was much smaller, in addition, the sequins pleased me.
Second review, female, 25 years old
It all started strangely for me, at first I saw a weeklong menu from a friend of mine with recipes for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet, but then I began to research what kind of system it was. I like that almost everything is simple, you don't need to cook anything complicated just for me. Usually we sat with a friend, he supported me but he was the first to leave the race. I entered the fifth month of the diet, my health improved noticeably, vitality appeared, I began to sleep well, I lost 9 kg. But the initial weight was small (67 kg at 164 cm).
Third examination, female, 47 years old
I've never had a weight problem, but the menopause came very early. From the age of 44, I began to gain weight quickly, as a result of which +20 kg per year. The endocrinologist told me about the diet, I really liked the idea of such a diet, but I adapted it a little for myself, for example, I refused wine. I can not drink, the body cannot tolerate it, constant heartburn. But I allow myself pomegranate juice.
Fourth examination, female, 38 years old
I heard about the Mediterranean "miracle" diet from a doctor, decided to study this diet and switched to it without any problems. My Monday, I had no schedule. I gradually changed ordinary foods to systemic meals. My goal was to improve health, as there are many chronic diseases and hereditary risks. In parallel, I lost 11 kg.
Diet Contraindications
Despite the high ratings, awards and a lot of positive feedback, the Mediterranean system has its contraindications.
Who Should Not Diet:
- people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, an abundance of fiber can cause attacks of pain;
- people who have undergone serious diseases, surgical operations.
Also, do not follow this diet if you do not have an intolerance to fish or seafood. Any person should evaluate in advance how close the diet is, whether to fit such a diet in the menu of the Mediterranean diet for weight loss for a long time.