Weight loss will be followed by health problems, hair loss, and 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 diet approved by UNESCO that is recognized as a truly safe weight loss system. On the contrary, it can improve the general condition of the body, does not contradict the laws of proper nutrition, but has its own approach when compiling a diet. The classic Mediterranean diet contains many foods that are banned by other weight loss systems.
The essence of the diet is the daily consumption of food that is present in the diet of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. Among the Spaniards are rarely found Italians, Libyans, Moroccans, fat and obese people. These countries have a low mortality rate from cancer and cardiovascular disease. They lead the life expectancy of the local population.
What are the benefits of a Mediterranean diet?
This system was not invented by nutritionists, it was not compiled in laboratories, but was developed over the centuries in certain places. The menu of the Mediterranean diet does not contain artificial products, preservatives, semi-finished products, which already have a positive impact on human health.
Benefits of this diet:
- Prevents diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lowers cholesterol, removes existing plaque, 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.
- Eating according to this system prevents cancer of the stomach, intestines and breast.
- Reduces blood sugar levels, prevents the development of diabetes, as well as insulin resistance.
- Boosts immunity, helps the body to recover faster after serious diseases, long-term medication.
It is based on products that give strength and have a positive effect on the emotional background. It is believed that the miracle diet of the Mediterranean not only increases life expectancy, but also affects the quality. Only an energetic, cheerful, active person can live 100% every day.
Basic principles of nutrition
You should immediately dispel the myth that food is expensive according to this system. The Mediterranean cleansing diet is rich in a variety of products. It is not necessary to eat only shrimp or delicate fish, you can always take budget analogues.
ᲫMain principles:
- Not enough fat intake, this is not fried sausage or pastes from the pan. This is a useful extra virgin olive oil. You can safely water salads and other dishes without worrying about the caloric content of your daily diet.
- Lots of vegetables and fruits. The Mediterranean diet allows even grapes, bananas, banned by other systems. Plant foods should be included in every meal.
- Milk products. It is worth focusing on natural yogurt, cottage cheese milk, fermented baked milk. It is not necessary to use fermented dairy products in the composition with sugar, dye, flavor. 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 presented in the daily menu.
- White meat. No need to use it often, it is enough 3-4 times a week, less often. In the heart of chicken, rabbit, quail you can sometimes find mutton.
- Cereals. Brown rice, hard wheat pasta, buckwheat can be included in the diet on the Mediterranean diet, pearl barley is allowed. Legumes are a must.
- Red wine. You can drink up to two glasses a day, serve it with lunch or dinner. It is important to choose natural wine without preservatives and in the composition without excess sugar.
- eggs. Yes, but not for more than 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 cakes made from whole flour.
During the Mediterranean wellness diet it is important not only to drink wine (although it is very pleasant), but also to drink clean water. The daily minimum is 1. 5 liters. Green tea, fresh fruit drink on fresh berries, lemon water are welcome. Just do not turn healthy drinks into a source of carbohydrates by adding sugar or honey. The taste buds need to be cleaned.
Weight loss rate, duration
This system does not promise to lose 15 kg per month or 40 kg in six months. The weight on the Mediterranean (Mediterranean) diet gradually disappears without stress for the body. With the right approach a person will lose 3-4 kg per month, however it all depends on the initial data.
If you eat in the Mediterranean diet menu for a long time for weight loss, then very soon you will forget about your old habits, your favorite dishes will be replaced by other foods, the right diet will become a way of life. The Mediterranean diet is not limited in time, it can be observed at any time, because the inhabitants of Morocco, Italy, Greece, Spain eat something like this.
List of Prohibited Products
The weight loss diet in the Mediterranean diet can be built independently, below are just the possible menu options. The main thing is not to add banned products. This is especially true of refined sunflower oil, sugar, spices mixed with glutamate and other preservatives.
What not to follow in the diet:
- Sausages, ham, semi-finished products;
- Pure sugar, limited honey;
- Sweet drinks, sweets, ready-made desserts;
- Any confectionery made from white flour;
- Fat, bacon, fatty meats and dairy products.
The easiest way to avoid mistakes with dishes is to prepare your own meals. Cheap oils are most often used in cafes and restaurants and not the latest vegetables, junk meat and fish.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: menu every day
Here is an example of how you can eat in this system. You can then adjust the diet according to your work or study schedule, personal taste. In addition, it is not necessary to eat different dishes every day, you can prepare something for a few lunches or dinners.
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss includes minimally processed foods. Prolonged cooking, stewing, marinating reduces the amount of nutrients. And simple cereals, soups, salads do not require much time to cook.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Avocado toast mozzarella, tomatoes, tea | Cottage cheese casserole with banana, tea | Eggs, mozzarella and pieces of 10 cherries | Cereal bread, a slice of cheese, 2 cucumbers | Brown rice with cheese and herbs | Pasta with shrimp and cheese | Omelette with green beans and tomatoes |
| Food | Orange | A glass of tomato juice | Fruit salad with yogurt | Soft cottage cheese | Grapes | Orange juice | Pineapple |
| Dinner | Stewed vegetables with chicken, a large bouquet of herbs | Creamy soup with shrimp | Stewed meat with vegetables, tomato juice | Soup with mussels and cheese | Fresh tomato gazpacho, a piece of fried fish | Broccoli soup with fried shrimp | Brown rice, squid in cream, vegetable juice |
| Afternoon tea | Apples, cottage cheese | Smoothie with vegetables | A cup of yogurt | Vegetable salad with olives | Fruit salad with nuts and yogurt | Tuna toast, any juice | Slice of bread, salted fish, tea |
| Dinner | Pasta with seafood and cheese, vegetables | Brown rice pilaf with chicken and vegetables | Baked fish with rice, vegetable salad | Baked chicken, carrot and cheese salad | Pasta with green beans, mussels | Fish stewed with tomatoes, vegetables | Pasta with shrimp, cherry tomatoes and cream |
Remember that all diet dishes are made with olive oil, also used in salads, you can add lemon juice, various spices. You can also include a glass of red wine in any dish.
According to the classic Mediterranean diet, the number of dishes is unlimited, but it is important not to overeat. Most menu options have five. You can add an extra dinner or skip a second breakfast, which is also snack.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: menu every day
Many say that the Mediterranean diet is very expensive and the quality of frozen seafood leaves much to be desired. It is also difficult to find real olive oil. But in this case it can be replaced with other unrefined fats. Suitable for flaxseed, walnut, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds. You can use edible coconut oil for your diet.
Do not forget that the Mediterranean diet (weekly menu below) includes moderate ways of preparation. Oil can be consumed in any quantity, but only to refuel. You can grease the product before grilling or in the oven. You can not use it for frying, it is better to prepare diet dishes on a dry pan or lightly grease the thinnest layer.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | zucchini fritters with garlic and sour cream sauce | Raisin Casserole | Oatmeal with nuts | Cheese sandwich, boiled egg, tea | Pumpkin porridge with rice | Muesli with yogurt | Sandwich with fish |
| Food | Bananas | Grapefruit | pomegranate | Apples | Vegetable Salad | Fruit juice, eggs | Pumpkin puree |
| Dinner | Fish soup without potatoes from any fish, rye bread | Stewed vegetables, toast, a piece of cooked meat | Vegetable soup, a slice of fish, a slice of bread | Pasta with cheese and squid, vegetables | Cream soup with chicken and vegetables, tortilla | Cabbage soup in fish broth with beans | Stewed vegetables with beans, slightly salted herring |
| Afternoon tea | Yogurt | Fruit and milk smoothie | Cottage cheese with apples | Fruit salad | Cucumber and herb smoothie | Cottage cheese with nuts | Tomato juice |
| Dinner | Greek salad with cheese and olives | Fish cakes (steamed, baked), colesla | Pasta and cheese, carrot salad with nuts | Fish full of vegetables, cucumber salad with sour cream and dill | Buckwheat with chicken, tomatoes | Chicken stew with cream, cottage cheese | Roasted vegetables, a slice of pike |
Here, the Mediterranean diet menu has virtually no seafood, but if you wish, you can sometimes include them in your diet. For example, add shrimp to a salad or enjoy a seafood cocktail.
Mediterranean Diet: Recipes from the menu for weeks
The above diet menu has many interesting dishes that are also easy and quick to prepare. They are perfect for morning, afternoon and evening meals. Here are the most interesting recipes.
Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
On a Mediterranean diet, cream soups are often on the menu throughout the week. They are good for the stomach, well saturated and easy to prepare. Here is a basic recipe with vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 300 g chicken fillet;
- 300 g broccoli (you can cauliflower);
- 100 g of carrots;
- 100 g of onion;
- 200 g zucchini or pumpkin;
- 150-200 ml cream;
- Spices to taste.
Cuisine:
- Chop the chicken, put it in 800 ml of boiling water, then add the carrots and onions and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, after another five minutes the broccoli, slightly salted. Cook over low heat covered for 10 minutes.
- Grate the chicken with vegetables, add spices to taste. Mix it with the soup cream, bring it to the boil again and you are ready to eat!
In winter you can use a mixture of frozen vegetables for such a soup. 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 every day for a weight loss Mediterranean diet. Buying squid in the store is not a problem now, but it is made very easily and quickly.
Ingredients:
- 1 squid;
- 200 g of pasta;
- 150 ml cream 10%;
- 0, 5 h. Olive oils;
- 70 g of cheese.
Cuisine:
- Boil the pasta according to the instructions, but cook for less than a minute. Drain in a saucepan.
- Heat a frying pan, lightly grease it with oil.
- We clean the squid, remove the ridge, cut it into strips. Pour and fry for literally one minute, while be sure to stir with a spatula.
- Pour the cream over the squid, bring to a boil, add half of the grated cheese, open and add salt.
- Add the pasta, stir quickly, cook the dish and turn off. Leave for ten minutes under the roof.
- When serving, add the remaining cheese.
Similarly, you can prepare a sauce with shrimp or other seafood for the diet. The only thing is that you should use a low-fat cream so as not to increase the caloric content of the dish.
Greek salad with cheese and olives
This salad is a perfect substitute for your lunch and dinner diet, especially in the summer. It fully meets the requirements of the diet.
Ingredients:
- 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 oil (olive);
- 10-12 olives.
Cuisine:
- Press the cucumber into cubes. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and also press. Cut red onion into very thin half rings. Pour into a salad bowl.
- Cut the peppers into thin strips and cut the feta, a quarter of an olive, add to the rest of the products.
- Mix lemon juice with oil, add salt and pepper. Pour the salad. Stir while serving.
You can add any herbs, use cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes or replace olive oil with Greek yogurt. It also gives an excellent 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 positive effect on the brain, will be a salvation from older dementia. Also, according to this system, eating has a great impact on other internal organs, but in old age it is recommended to refuse wine, as well as change the composition of some dishes. Here is a one-week menu of Mediterranean diet for seniors. It meets all the requirements of an aging organism.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Oatmeal with raisins | Cheesecakes from the oven, fruit puree | Steam omelette with green beans | Millet porridge with pumpkin | Pumpkin fryers, sour cream | Omelet with fish fillets | Fruit cottage cheese |
| Food | Pumpkin puree | Orange | Apple juice | Part of soft cottage cheese | Vegetable Salad | Peking cabbage salad with olives, lemon, herbs | Salad with carrots, walnuts |
| Dinner | Stewed vegetables, ground fish cutlets | Vegetable soup, a piece of fish | Buckwheat soup without potatoes | Chicken soup puree, black bread | Soup with rice and tomatoes, compote | Casserole with cauliflower and cheese | Cauliflower soup, bread |
| Afternoon tea | Cottage cheese | A glass of kefir | Banana and yogurt smoothie | Tomato juice | Cottage cheese | Vegetable smoothie with leafy herbs | Any fruit |
| Dinner | Buckwheat with fish cutlet and tomato sauce | Vegetable stewed fish | Vegetable salad, chicken cutlet | Baked fish, vegetable puree | Stewed chicken with pasta | Fish aspic, 10 olives, 1 tomato | Chicken slices, brown rice, tomato juice |
Mediterranean Diet Reviews
First review, Female, 34 years old
I have been eating this diet for the second year, I got used to it, I do not want red meat, I gave up animal fats, but I added chia seeds to the main diet, I use quinoa instead of rice. All the while my weight was reduced from 82 to 57 kg. Gradually, not all at once. I noticed that the clothes become looser, the belly is much smaller, besides, the scales are Messianic.
Second review, Female, 25 years old
It all started out weird for me, I first saw a week-long menu from a friend on the Mediterranean diet with weight loss recipes, only then did I start to figure out what the system was like. I immediately liked that everything is simple, you do not need any complicated training, just me. Generally, we sat with a friend who supported me, but was the first to leave the race. I went on a diet for the fifth month, my health improved significantly, I woke up, I started to sleep well, I gained 9 kg. But the initial weight was small (67 kg at 164 cm).
Third review, female, 47 years old
I have never had a weight problem, but menopause came too early. From the age of 44 I started to gain weight rapidly, resulting in +20 kg per year. The endocrinologist told me about the diet, I liked the idea of such a diet, but I adapted a bit, for example, I refused wine. I can not drink it, the body can not tolerate it well, constant heartburn. But I give myself the right pomegranate juice.
Fourth review, female, 38 years old
After learning about the Mediterranean "miracle" diet from a doctor, I decided to study this diet and switched to it smoothly. I had neither Monday nor schedule. I just gradually replaced the usual foods with systemic dishes. My goal was to improve my health as there are many chronic diseases and hereditary risks. I gained 11 kg in parallel.
Dietary contraindications
Despite the high scores, rewards and many positive feedback, the Mediterranean system has its contraindications.
Who should not follow a diet:
- In people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the abundance of fibers can lead to pain attacks;
- People who have suffered from serious diseases, surgical operations.
Also, do not follow this diet if you have an intolerance to fish or seafood. Anyone should evaluate in advance how close the diet is, whether they can follow such a diet for a long time for weight loss in the Mediterranean diet menu.