Weight loss is often associated with health problems, hair loss, and skin degeneration. 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 that is recognized as a truly safe weight loss system. On the contrary, it is able to improve the general condition of the body, does not conflict with proper nutrition, but has its own approach to composing a diet. The classic Mediterranean diet includes many foods that are banned by other weight loss systems.
The essence of the diet is the daily use of the food that is present in the diet of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. In Spain, Italians, Libyans, Moroccans, fat and obese people are rarely found. These countries have low mortality rates from cancer and cardiovascular disease. They lead in terms of life expectancy of local people.
What are the benefits of the Mediterranean diet?
This system was not invented by nutritionists, it was not assembled in laboratories, but formed over the centuries in certain places. The menu of the Mediterranean diet does not contain artificial products, preservatives, semi-finished products, which will already have a positive effect on human health.
Benefits of this diet:
- Prevents diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lowers cholesterol, dissolves existing plaques, prevents the formation of blood clots, the development of atherosclerosis.
- Maintains clarity of mind, has a positive effect on brain function. This diet can prevent Alzheimer's disease.
- Nutrition under this system prevents cancer of the stomach, intestines and breasts.
- Reduces blood sugar, prevents the development of diabetes, as well as insulin resistance.
- Increases immunity, helps the body recover faster after serious illness, long-term medication.
It is based on products that give strength and have a positive effect on the emotional background. The Mediterranean miracle diet is believed to not only increase life expectancy but also affect quality. Only an energetic, cheerful, active person can live 100% every day.
Basic nutritional principles
It is worthwhile to immediately dispel the myth that food under this system is expensive. The diet of the Mediterranean cleansing diet is rich based on various products. It is not necessary to eat only shrimp or delicious fish, you can always pick up financial analogies.
Basic rules:
- There is not a sufficient intake of fat, these are not fried sausages or pastries from a pan. This is a useful extra virgin olive oil. You can safely water salads and other dishes without worrying about the calorie content of your daily diet.
- Lots of vegetables and fruits. The Mediterranean diet even allows grapes, bananas, banned by other systems. Plant foods should be included in every meal.
- Dairy products. It is worth focusing on natural yogurt, fried milk, fermented baked milk. No need to use fermented dairy products with sugar, coloring, flavors in the composition. If you want, you can always add berries 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 of chicken, rabbit meat, quail, you can sometimes lamb.
- Grain. Brown rice, durum wheat pasta, buckwheat may be present in the diet of the Mediterranean diet, pearl barley is allowed. Legumes are a necessity.
- Red wine. You can drink up to two glasses a day, served with lunch or dinner. It is important to choose a 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 whole wheat pastries.
During the well-being of the Mediterranean, it is important to drink not only wine (although it is very pleasant), but also clean water. Daily minimum is 1, 5 liters. Green tea, natural fruit drink with fresh berries, lemon water welcome. Do not turn healthy drinks into a carbohydrate source by adding sugar or honey. Taste buds need to be cleaned.
Weight loss rate, length
This system does not promise to lose 15 kg per month or 40 kg in six months. The weight of the Mediterranean diet (Mediterranean) gradually disappears without stressing the body. With the right approach, an individual will lose 3-4 kg per month, but it all depends on the initial data.
If you eat on the menu of the Mediterranean diet for weight loss for a long time, then your old habits will soon be forgotten, other foods will replace your favorite dishes, the right diet will become a lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet is not limited in time, it can be watched at any time, because the people of Morocco, Italy, Greece, Spain eat something like this.
List of prohibited products
The diet for weight loss in the Mediterranean diet can be built independently, below are only the estimated menus. The main thing is not to add banned products. This is especially true of refined sunflower oil, sugar, mixed spices with glutamate and other preservatives.
What not to eat:
- sausages, ham, semi-finished products;
- pure sugar, limited honey;
- sweet drinks, sweets, ready-made desserts;
- any white wheat pastry;
- lard, bacon, fatty meats and dairy products.
The easiest way to avoid mistakes with dishes is to cook your own food. Cafes and restaurants often use cheap oil, not the freshest vegetables, low-quality meat and fish.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: daily menu
Here is an example of how you can eat on this system. Then you can adapt the diet to your work or study plan, personal taste. Besides, it is not necessary to eat different dishes every day, you can cook something for a few lunches or dinners.
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss includes a minimum of processed foods. Prolonged cooking, stewing, marinating reduces the amount of nutrients. And simple cereals, soups, salads do not need much time to cook.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| breakfast | avocado toast with mozzarella, tomatoes, tea | cottage cheese with bananas, tea | eggs, mozzarella and pieces of 10 cherries | wholemeal bread, slice of cheese, 2 cucumbers | brown rice with cheese and herbs | pasta with shrimp and cheese | Omelette with green beans and tomatoes |
| Snack | orange | A glass of tomato juice | fruit salad with yogurt | soft cheese | grapes | orange juice | pineapple |
| Dinner | boiled vegetables with chicken, a large bunch of vegetables | creamy soup with shrimp | vegetable stew with meat, tomato juice | soup with mussels and cheese | fresh tomato gazpacho, a piece of grilled fish | broccoli soup with fried shrimp | brown rice, squid in cream, vegetable juice |
| afternoon tea | apples, cottage cheese | smoothies with vegetables | glass of yogurt | vegetable salad with olives | fruit salad with nuts and yogurt | tuna toast, any juice | bread slices, salted fish, tea |
| Dinner | pasta with seafood and cheese, vegetables | brown rice pile with chicken and vegetables | baked fish with rice, vegetable salad | baked chicken, carrot and cheese salad | pasta with green beans, mussels | fish dish with tomatoes, vegetables | pasta with shrimp, cherry tomatoes and cream |
Remember that all diets are prepared with olive oil, it is also used to dress salads, you can add lemon juice, various spices. You can also include a glass of red wine with any meal.
According to the classic Mediterranean diet, the number of meals is unlimited, but it is important not to overeat. Most menus have five. You can add an extra dinner or remove the second breakfast, which is also a snack.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: daily menu
Many people say that the Mediterranean diet is very expensive and the quality of frozen seafood leaves a lot to be desired. It is also difficult to find real olive oil. But in this case it can be replaced with another crude fat. Suitable for flaxseed, walnut, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds. You can use edible coconut oil for your diet.
Do not forget that the Mediterranean diet (menu of the week below) includes economical ways to cook. Oil can be consumed in any quantity, but only for refueling. The product can be greased before grilling or in the oven. You can not use it for frying, it is better to cook meals for the diet in a dry pan or lightly grease it with a thinner layer.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| breakfast | zucchini buns with garlic and sour cream sauce | raisin pot | oatmeal with nuts | cheese sandwich, boiled egg, tea | pumpkin porridge with rice | muesli with yogurt | sandwich with fish |
| Snack | banana | grapefruit | Grenade | Apple | vegetable salad | fruit juice, eggs | pumpkin flavor |
| Dinner | fish soup without potatoes of any fish, rye bread | boiled vegetables, toast, pieces of boiled meat | vegetable soup, fish pieces, slice of bread | pasta with cheese and squid, vegetables | cream soup with chicken and vegetables, tortilla | cabbage soup in fish power with beans | boiled vegetables with beans, slightly salted herring |
| afternoon tea | yogurt | fruit and milk plain | cottage cheese with apples | fruit salad | cucumber and herb smoothie | cottage cheese with nuts | tomato juice |
| Dinner | Greek salad with cheese and olives | fish balls (steamed, baked), coleslaw | macaroni and cheese, carrot salad with nuts | fish stuffed with vegetables, cucumber salad with sour cream and dill | buckwheat with chicken, tomatoes | chicken stew with cream, coleslaw | grilled vegetables, pieces of pie |
There are almost no seafood dishes on the Mediterranean menu, but if you want you can sometimes include them in your diet. For example, add shrimp to a salad or have a seafood cocktail.
Mediterranean diet: recipes of the week's menu
On top of the diet menu are a lot of interesting dishes that are also simple and quick to prepare. They are great for breakfast, afternoon and evening meals. Here are the most interesting recipes.
Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
In the Mediterranean diet, cream soups are often on the menu of the week. They are good for the stomach, satiate well and are easy to prepare. Here is a basic recipe with vegetables.
Raw material:
- 300 g chicken fillets;
- 300 g of broccoli (you can cauliflower);
- 100 g carrots;
- 100 g of onion;
- 200 g zucchini or pumpkin;
- 150-200 ml of cream;
- spices to taste.
Cook:
- Cut the chicken, dip in 800 ml of boiling water, then add the carrots and onions and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, another five minutes later the broccoli, lightly salt. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Grind chicken with vegetables, add spices to taste. Dilute the soup with cream, bring to the boil again and you are ready to serve!
In winter, you can use frozen vegetable mixture in such a soup. It is also not necessary to dilute the dish with cream, you can initially pour a little more water into it.
Macaroni with cheese and squid
This dish is on the above menu for each day for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet. Buying squid in the store is not a problem right now, but it is prepared very simply and quickly.
Raw material:
- 1 squid;
- 200 g pasta;
- 150 ml cream 10%;
- 0, 5 tskólífuolía;
- 70 g cheese.
Cook:
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions, but cook for a minute shorter. Empty into a sieve.
- Heat a pan, brush lightly with oil.
- We clean the squid, remove the backbone, cut into strips. Pour and fry for literally a minute, but be sure to stir with a spatula.
- Pour cream into the squid, bring to a boil, start with half of the grated cheese, let it dissolve and salt.
- We put the pasta, stir quickly, bring to a boil and turn it off. Let stand for ten minutes under the lid.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over serving.
In the same way, you can cook the sauce with shrimp or other seafood for your diet. The only thing is that you need to use low-fat cream to not increase the calorie content of the dish.
Greek salad with cheese and olives
This salad is a great substitute for lunch, dinner on a diet, especially in summer. It fully meets the requirements of the diet.
Raw material:
- 2 cucumbers;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 0, 5 red onions;
- 1 pepper;
- 15 ml of lemon juice;
- 1 pinch of pepper;
- 100 g feta cheese;
- 2 tablespoons of oil (olive);
- 10-12 olives.
Cook:
- Cut cucumbers into cubes. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and chop them as well. Cut the red onion into very thin half circles. Pour into a salad bowl.
- Cut the pepper into thin strips and cut the feta cheese, diced olive, add the rest of the products.
- Mix lemon juice with oil, add salt, pepper. Pour over the salad. Stir in serving.
You can add any vegetable, use cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes, or substitute olive oil for Greek yogurt. It also makes a great sauce.
Mediterranean diet for the elderly
It has already been mentioned above that the Mediterranean diet helps to prevent Alzheimer's disease. It has a beneficial effect on the brain, will be salvation from dementia. Nutrition under this system also has a great impact on other internal organs, but in old age it is recommended to stop drinking wine and also change the composition of some dishes. Here's a sample of a week's menu of Mediterranean diets for the elderly. It meets all the requirements of an aging organism.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| breakfast | oatmeal with raisins | oven cheesecakes, fruit puree | steamed egg cake with green beans | millet porridge with pumpkin | pumpkin buns, sour cream | omelette with fish fillets | Fruits of cottage cheese |
| Snack | pumpkin flavor | orange | apple juice | a serving of soft cheese | vegetable salad | Beijing cabbage salad with olives, lemon, herbs | salad with carrots, walnuts |
| Dinner | boiled vegetables, chopped fish chops | vegetable soup, fish pieces | buckwheat soup without potato | chicken soup puree, black bread | soup with rice and tomatoes, compote | Casserole with cauliflower and cheese | cauliflower soup, bread |
| afternoon tea | cottage cheese | glass of kefir | banana and yogurt smoothie | tomato juice | cottage cheese | vegetable smoothie with leafy greens | any fruit |
| Dinner | buckwheat with fish chops and ketchup | vegetable broth with fish | vegetable salad, chicken chops | baked fish, vegetable puree | boiled chicken with pasta | fish, 10 olives, 1 tomato | chicken chops, brown rice, tomato juice |
Mediterranean diet reviews
First comment, woman, 34 years old
For the second year now I have been eating this diet, I have become accustomed to it, I do not want red meat, I refused animal fats, but I added chia seeds to the main diet, I use quinoa instead of rice. All the while, my weight has dropped from 82 to 57 lbs. This was gradual, not all of a sudden. I noticed that the clothes became looser, my stomach was much smaller, and the scales made me happy.
Another review, female, 25 years old
It all started strangely for me, first I saw a menu a week with recipes for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet from my friend, only then I started to dive into what kind of system this was. I immediately liked that everything is simple, you do not have to cook anything complicated, just for me. In general, we sat down with a friend, she supported me, but she was the first to leave the race. I went on the fifth month of the diet, my health improved significantly, my vitality showed up, I went to sleep well, lost 9 kg. But the initial weight was small (67 kg at 164 cm).
Third comment, woman, 47 years old
I never had weight problems, but menopause came very early. From the age of 44 I started to gain weight fast, as a result, +20 kg per year. The endocrinologist told me about the diet, I liked the idea of such a diet, but I adapted it only for myself, for example, I refused wine. I can not drink it, my body does not tolerate it well, constant heartburn. But I allow myself pomegranate juice.
Fourth review, woman, 38 years old
I heard about the "miracle" diet of the Mediterranean from a doctor, decided to study this diet and switch to it. I had no Mondays, no hours. I just gradually turned ordinary food into a general dish. My goal was to improve my health, thereas there are many chronic diseases and hereditary risks. At the same time I lost about 11 kg.
Dietary contraindications
Despite high marks, awards and a lot of positive feedback, the Mediterranean system has its drawbacks.
Who should not eat:
- people with gastrointestinal diseases, the abundance of fiber can cause painful attacks;
- people who have suffered serious illnesses, surgeries.
Also, do not follow this diet if you have an intolerance to fish or seafood. Every person should evaluate in advance how close to the diet, whether he can follow such a diet on the menu of the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss.