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 that is recognized as a truly safe weight loss system. On the other hand, it can improve the general condition of the body, does not contradict the canon of proper nutrition, but has its own approach to 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 foods found in the diet of the Mediterranean population. Among the Spaniards, Italians, Libyans, Moroccans, obese and obese people are rarely found. These countries have low mortality rates from cancer and cardiovascular disease. They lead in terms of the life expectancy of the locals.
What are the benefits of the Mediterranean diet?
This system was not invented by nutritionists, it was not compiled in the laboratory, but has been 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 impact on human health.
Benefits of this diet:
- Prevents heart disease, blood vessels, lowers cholesterol, dissolves 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.
- Nutrition 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 recover faster after a serious illness, 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 Mediterranean miracle diet not only increases life expectancy, but also affects quality. Only energetic, cheerful, active people can live every day 100%.
Basic principles of nutrition
Need to immediately dispel the myth that food according to this system is expensive. The diet on the Mediterranean cleansing diet is rich based on a variety of products. No need to eat only shrimp or fish delicacies, you can always take a budget analogue.
Basic principal:
- There is not enough fat intake, this is not fried sausage or pasta from a pan. This is a useful extra virgin olive oil. You can safely water salads and other dishes without having to worry about the calorie content of your daily diet.
- Plenty of vegetables and fruits. The Mediterranean diet allows even grapes, bananas, prohibited by other systems. Plant foods should be included in every meal.
- Dairy product. It is worth focusing on natural yogurt, curdled milk, fermented baked milk. No need to use fermented dairy products with sugars, dyes, 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. This product must be in the daily menu.
- White meat. You don’t have to use it often, 3-4 times a week is enough, less often. In the middle of chicken, rabbit meat, quail, you can sometimes lamb.
- Bijirin. Brown rice, durum wheat pasta, buckwheat may be present in the diet on the Mediterranean diet, pearl barley is allowed. Beans are a must.
- 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 excessive sugar in the composition.
- Eggs. Yes, but no more than one per day
- A variety of natural spices, all kinds of fresh and dried herbs are welcome. You can eat nuts and seeds.
- Rye bread and cake are pastries made from wheat flour.
During the Mediterranean wellness diet, it is important to drink not only wine (although this is very pleasant), but also clean water. The daily minimum is 1. 5 liters. Green tea, natural fruit drinks on fresh berries, lemon water are welcome. Just don't make healthy drinks a source of carbohydrates by adding sugar or honey. Taste buds need to be cleaned.
Weight loss rate, duration
The system does not promise a drop of 15 kg in a month or 40 kg in six months. Weight on the Mediterranean (Mediterranean) diet disappears gradually without stress to the body. With the right approach, a person will lose 3-4 kg a month, but it all depends on the initial data.
If you eat on the Mediterranean diet menu for weight loss for a long time, then soon your old habits will be forgotten, other foods will replace your favorite dishes, a proper diet will be 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 diet for weight loss in the Mediterranean diet can be built independently, under only the budget menu options. The main thing is not to add prohibited products. This is especially true for refined sunflower oil, sugar, spices mixed with glutamate and other preservatives.
What not to diet:
- sausages, hams, semi -finished products;
- pure sugar, limited honey;
- sweet drinks, sweets, ready-made desserts;
- any pastry made from white flour;
- lard, bacon, fatty meats and dairy products.
The easiest way to avoid mistakes with meals is to cook your own food. In cafes and restaurants, cheap oils are most often used, instead of fresh vegetables, low-quality meat and fish.
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss: a menu for each day
Here is an example of how you can eat on this system. Then you can adjust the diet to your work or study schedule, personal taste. In addition, no need to eat different dishes every day, you can cook something for some lunch or dinner.
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss involves minimally processed foods. Prolonged cooking, decoction, soaking 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 with mozzarella, tomatoes, tea | cottage cheese casserole with bananas, tea | eggs, mozzarella and 10 slices of cherries | whole grain bread, slices of cheese, 2 cucumbers | brown rice with cheese and herbs | pasta with shrimp and cheese | Omelet with green beans and tomatoes |
| snack | orange | A glass of tomato juice | fruit salad with yogurt | soft curd | wine | Orange juice | a pineapple |
| dinner | boiled vegetables with chicken, a large bunch of vegetables | creamy soup with shrimp | boiled vegetables 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 |
| tea time | apples, cottage cheese | smoothies with vegetables | a glass of yogurt | vegetable salad with olives | fruit salad with nuts and yogurt | tuna toast, any juice | a piece of bread, salted fish, tea |
| dinner | pasta with seafood and cheese, vegetables | brown rice pilaf with chicken and vegetables | grilled fish with rice, vegetable salad | grilled chicken, carrots and cheese salad | pasta with green beans, mussels | boiled fish with tomatoes, vegetables | pasta with shrimp, cherry tomatoes and cream |
Remember that all dietary dishes are prepared with olive oil, it is also used for dressing salads, you can add lemon juice, various seasonings. You can also include a glass of red wine with any meal.
According to the classic Mediterranean diet, the number of servings is unlimited, but it is important not to overeat. Most menu options have five. You can add an extra dinner or remove the second breakfast, which is also a snack.
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss: a menu for each day
Many people 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 unfiltered fats. Flax seeds, walnuts, suitable flaxseed oil, than pumpkin seeds. You can use edible coconut oil for diet.
Don’t forget that the Mediterranean diet (menu for the week below) involves an economical way of cooking. Oil can be consumed in any quantity, but only to replenish the oil. You can lubricate the product before baking or in the oven. You can not use it for frying, it is better to cook food for diet in a dry pan or a little grease with the thinnest layer.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | fry zucchini with garlic and sour cream sauce | raisin casserole | oats with nuts | cheese sandwiches, boiled eggs, tea | pumpkin porridge with rice | muesli with yogurt | sandwich with fish |
| snack | bananas | grapefruit | Garnet | Apple | vegetable salad | fruit juices, eggs | 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 piece of bread | pasta with cheese and squid, vegetables | cream soup with chicken and vegetables, tortillas | cabbage soup in fish soup with beans | boiled vegetables with beans, slightly salted herring |
| tea time | yogurt | fruit and milk smoothies | cottage cheese with apples | fruit salad | cucumber and herb smoothies | cottage cheese with nuts | tomato juice |
| dinner | Greek salad with cheese and olives | fish cake (steamed, baked), coleslaw | macaroni and cheese, carrot salad with beans | fish stuffed with vegetables, cucumber salad with sour cream and dill | buckwheat with chicken, tomatoes | chicken stew with cream, coleslaw | roasted vegetables, a piece of pike |
Here, there is almost no seafood in the Mediterranean diet menu, but if you want, you can sometimes include it in the diet. For example, add shrimp to a salad or snack with a sea cocktail.
Mediterranean Diet: recipes from the menu for this week
At the top of the diet menu there are many interesting dishes, which are also easy and quick to prepare. They are great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here are the most interesting recipes.
Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
On the Mediterranean diet, cream soup is often the menu for the week. They are good for the stomach, satiate well and are easy to prepare. Here is a basic recipe with vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 300 g chicken fillet;
- 300 g of broccoli (you can cauliflower);
- 100 g of carrots;
- 100 g garlic;
- 200 g of zucchini or pumpkin;
- 150-200 ml of cream;
- spices to taste.
Cooking:
- Cut the chicken, dip in 800 ml of boiling water, then add the carrots and onions and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, five minutes later the broccoli, a pinch of salt. Cook covered over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Grind chicken with vegetables, add spices to taste. Melt the soup with the cream, let it boil again and you are ready to serve!
In winter, you can use a mixture of frozen vegetables for such soups. Also, no need to dilute the dish with cream, you can initially pour a little more water.
Macaroni with cheese and squid
This dish is on the above menu for every day for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet. Buying squid in the store is not a problem now, but it is prepared very simply and quickly.
Ingredients:
- 1 squid;
- 200 g pasta;
- 150 ml of 10%cream;
- 0. 5 teaspoons olive oil;
- 70 g of cheese.
Cooking:
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions, but cook for less than a minute. Drain into a colander.
- Heat a frying pan, rub a little oil.
- We cleaned the squid, removed the ridges, cut into strips. Pour and fry for a minute, making sure to stir with a spatula.
- Pour the cream over the squid, bring to a boil, start with half the grated cheese, let it dissolve and salt.
- We put the pasta, stir quickly, let the dish boil and turn off. Leave for ten minutes under the lid.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese while serving.
In the same way, you can cook the sauce with shrimp or other seafood for the diet. The only thing 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 substitute for lunch, dinner on a diet, especially in the summer. It fully meets the dietary requirements.
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 0. 5 onions;
- 1 pepper;
- 15 ml of lemon juice;
- 1 pinch of pepper;
- 100 g of feta cheese;
- 2 tablespoons oil (olive);
- 10-12 olives.
Cooking:
- Cucumber dice. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and chop as well. Cut the onion into half very thin rings. Pour into a salad bowl.
- Cut the peppers into thin strips and dice the feta, olive quarters, add to the rest of the product.
- Mix lemon juice with oil, add salt, allspice. Pour over salad. Stir while serving.
You can add any vegetables, 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, will be safety 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 give up wine, and even change the composition of some dishes. Here is an example menu for a week of the Mediterranean diet for the elderly. It meets all the needs of the aging organism.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | oats with raisins | cheesecake from the oven, fruit puree | steamed omelet with green beans | cereal porridge with pumpkin | fried pumpkin, sour cream | omelet with fish filling | Fruit cottage cheese |
| snack | pumpkin puree | orange | Apple juice | soft curd portion | vegetable salad | Beijing cabbage salad with olives, lemon, herbs | salad with carrots, walnuts |
| dinner | boiled vegetables, chopped fish | 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 |
| tea time | cottage cheese | a glass of kefir | banana smoothie and yogurt | tomato juice | cottage cheese | vegetable smoothie with leafy vegetables | any fruit |
| dinner | buckwheat with fish pieces and tomato sauce | Boil vegetables with fish | vegetable salad, chicken pieces | grilled fish, vegetable puree | boiled chicken with pasta | aspic fish, 10 olives, 1 tomato | chicken chop, brown rice, tomato juice |
Mediterranean Diet Reviews
First review, female, 34 years
For the second year now I have been eating on this diet, I am used to it, I don’t want red meat, I reject animal fats, but I add chia seeds to the main diet, I use quinoa instead of rice. Over time my weight has dropped from 82 to 57 kg. It’s gradual, not all at once. I noticed that the clothes became looser, the belly much smaller, after all, the scales pleased me.
Second review, female, 25 years
It all started weird for me, at first I looked at a week -long menu with recipes for losing weight on the Mediterranean diet from a friend, then I started researching the type of system. I immediately liked that everything is simple, you don’t have to cook anything complicated, just for me. In general, we sat with a friend, he supported me, but he was the first to leave the race. I went on a fifth month diet, my health improved significantly, cheerfulness appeared, I started sleeping soundly, lost 9 kg. But the initial weight is small (67 kg at 164 cm).
Third review, female, 47 years
I have never had weight problems, but menopause comes very early. From the age of 44, I began to quickly gain weight, as a result, +20 kg in a year. The endocrinologist told me about the diet, I liked the idea of such a diet, but I adjusted it a bit for myself, for example, I refused wine. I can not drink it, the body does not tolerate well, always heartburn. But I allowed myself pomegranate juice.
Fourth revision, female, 38 years
I heard about the Mediterranean "miracle" diet from a doctor, decided to study this diet, and smoothly switched to it. I have no Monday, no schedule. I just gradually switched to regular meals to systemic meals. My goal is to improve health, as there are many chronic diseases and hereditary risks. In parallel, I lost 11 kg.
Diet contraindications
Despite high scores, awards and lots of positive feedback, the Mediterranean system has contraindications.
Who Should Not Diet:
- people with gastrointestinal tract disease, a lot of fiber can trigger a pain attack;
- people who have had a serious illness, surgical operation.
Also, do not follow this diet if you are intolerant to fish or seafood. Any person should evaluate in advance how close the diet is, whether he can adhere to such a diet on the Mediterranean diet menu for weight loss for a long time.