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 diet approved by the UNESCO Foundation, 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 canons 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 the food that is present in the diet of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. Among the Spaniards, Italians, Libyans, Moroccans, fat and obese people are rarely found. These countries have a low mortality rate due to cancer and cardiovascular diseases. 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, but was 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, positively affects the functioning of the brain. 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.
- Increases immunity, helps the body recover faster after serious illnesses, long-term medication.
It is based on products that give strength and positively affect the emotional background. It is believed that the Mediterranean miracle diet not only increases life expectancy, but also affects the quality. Only an energetic, cheerful, active person can live every day 100%.
Basic principles of nutrition
It is worth immediately debunking 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. It is not necessary to eat only shrimp or delicacy fish, you can always pick up budget analogues.
Basic principles:
- There is no sufficient intake of fats, these are not fried sausages or pasties 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 the daily diet.
- Lots of vegetables and fruits. The Mediterranean diet allows even grapes, bananas, 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. No need to use fermented milk products with sugar, dye, 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. At the heart of chicken, rabbit meat, quail, you can sometimes lamb.
- Cereals. Brown rice, durum wheat pasta, buckwheat may be present 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, served with lunch or dinner. It is important to choose natural wine without preservatives and excess sugar in the composition.
- Eggs. Yes, but not 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.
- Bread and rye cakes are pastries made from wholemeal 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 drink on fresh berries, lemon water are welcome. Just do not turn healthy drinks into a source of carbohydrates by adding sugar or honey. Taste buds need to clear.
Weight loss rate, duration
This system does not promise to lose 15 kg in a month or 40 kg in six months. Weight on the Mediterranean (Mediterranean) diet goes away gradually without stress to the body. With the right approach, a person 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 very soon your old habits will be forgotten, other foods will take the place of your favorite dishes, 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 diet for weight loss in the Mediterranean diet can be built independently, below are only approximate menu options. The main thing is not to add prohibited products. This is especially true of refined sunflower oil, sugar, mixed spices with glutamate and other preservatives.
What not to diet:
- sausages, ham, 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 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 on this system. Then you can adjust the diet to your work or study schedule, personal taste. In addition, 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 involves 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 with mozzarella, tomato, tea | cottage cheese casserole with banana, tea | egg, mozzarella and pieces 10 cherry | cereal bread, cheese slice, 2 cucumbers | brown rice with cheese and herbs | pasta with shrimp and cheese | Omelet with green beans and tomato |
| Snack | orange | A glass of tomato juice | fruit salad with yogurt | soft curd | grape | Orange juice | a pineapple |
| Dinner | stewed vegetables with chicken, a large bunch of greens | 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 | apple, cottage cheese | smoothies with vegetables | glass of yogurt | vegetable salad with olives | fruit salad with nuts and yogurt | tuna toast, any juice | a 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 stew with tomatoes, vegetables | pasta with shrimps, cherry tomatoes and cream |
Remember that all diet 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 meals 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.
Mediterranean diet for weight loss: menu for every 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 unrefined fats. Suitable linseed, walnut, hemp oil, from pumpkin seeds. You can use edible coconut oil for the diet.
Do not forget that the Mediterranean diet (menu for the week below) involves sparing ways of cooking. Oil can be used in any quantity, but only for refueling. You can grease the product before grilling or in the oven. You can’t use it for frying, it’s better to cook meals for a diet in a dry frying pan or lightly grease it with 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 |
| Snack | banana | grapefruit | Garnet | Apple | vegetable salad | fruit juice, egg | pumpkin puree |
| Dinner | fish soup without potatoes from any fish, rye bread | stewed vegetables, toast, a piece of boiled meat | vegetable soup, a piece 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 smoothies | cottage cheese with apple | fruit salad | cucumber and herb smoothie | cottage cheese with nuts | tomato juice |
| Dinner | Greek salad with cheese and olives | fish cakes (steamed, baked), coleslaw | macaroni and cheese, carrot salad with nuts | fish stuffed with vegetables, cucumber salad with sour cream and dill | buckwheat with chicken, tomato | chicken stew with cream, coleslaw | grilled vegetables, a piece of pike |
Here, there are practically no seafood in the Mediterranean diet menu, but if you wish, you can sometimes include them in the diet. For example, add shrimp to a salad or have a snack with a sea cocktail.
Mediterranean diet: recipes from the menu for the week
Above in the diet menu there are a lot of interesting dishes, which are also simple and quick to prepare. They are great for morning, afternoon and evening meals. Here are the most interesting recipes.
Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
On the Mediterranean diet, cream soups are often on the menu for the week. They are good for the stomach, saturate 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 carrots;
- 100 g of onion;
- 200 g zucchini or pumpkin;
- 150-200 ml of cream;
- spices to taste.
Cooking:
- Cut the chicken, dip in 800 ml of boiling water, then add carrots and onions and boil for 10 minutes.
- Enter the zucchini, another five minutes later broccoli, lightly salt. Cook covered over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Grind chicken with vegetables, add spices to taste. Dilute the soup with cream, bring to a boil again and you are ready to serve!
In winter, you can use a frozen vegetable mixture for such a soup. Also, it is not necessary to dilute the dish with cream, you can initially pour in 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 cream 10%;
- 0. 5 tspolive oils;
- 70 g cheese.
Cooking:
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions, but cook for a minute less. Drain into a colander.
- Heat up a frying pan, brush lightly with oil.
- We clean the squid, remove the ridge, cut into strips. Pour and fry for literally a minute, while be sure to stir with a spatula.
- Pour cream to the squid, let it boil, start half of the grated cheese, let it dissolve and salt.
- We lay the pasta, stir quickly, let the dish boil and turn it off. Leave for ten minutes under the lid.
- Sprinkle with the remaining cheese when serving.
In the same way, you can cook sauce 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 substitute for lunch, dinner on a diet, especially in summer. It fully meets the requirements of the diet.
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 0. 5 red onion;
- 1 pepper;
- 15 ml of lemon juice;
- 1 pinch of pepper;
- 100 g feta cheese;
- 2 tablespoons of oil (olive);
- 10-12 olives.
Cooking:
- Dice cucumbers. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and chop them too. Cut the red onion into very thin half rings. Pour into a salad bowl.
- Cut the pepper into thin strips and dice feta, olive quarters, add to the rest of the products.
- Mix lemon juice with oil, add salt, pepper. Pour over the salad. Stir when 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 has already been mentioned above that the Mediterranean diet helps prevent Alzheimer's disease. It has a positive effect on the brain, will be a 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 give up wine, and also change the composition of some dishes. Here is a sample menu for a week of the Mediterranean diet for the elderly. 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 fritters, sour cream | omelet with fish fillet | Fruit cottage cheese |
| Snack | pumpkin puree | orange | Apple juice | portion of soft curd | vegetable salad | Beijing cabbage salad with olives, lemon, herbs | salad with carrots, walnuts |
| Dinner | stewed vegetables, minced fish cutlet | 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 greens | any fruit |
| Dinner | buckwheat with fish cutlets and tomato sauce | vegetable stew with fish | vegetable salad, chicken cutlet | baked fish, vegetable puree | stewed chicken with pasta | fish aspic, 10 olives, 1 tomato | chicken chop, brown rice, tomato juice |
Mediterranean Diet Reviews
First review, female, 34 years old
For the second year now I have been eating on this diet, 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. For all the time my weight has decreased from 82 to 57 kg. It was gradual, not all at once. I noticed that the clothes become looser, the stomach is much smaller, besides, the scales pleased me.
Second review, female, 25 years old
It all started strange for me, at first I saw a menu for a week with recipes for weight loss on a Mediterranean diet from a friend, only then I began to delve into what kind of system it was. I immediately liked that everything is simple, you don’t need 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 noticeably, vivacity appeared, I began to sleep well, lost 9 kg. But the initial weight was small (67 kg at 164 cm).
Third review, female, 47 years old
I never had weight problems, but menopause came 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 very idea of such a diet, but I adapted it a little for myself, for example, I refused wine. I can not drink it, the body does not tolerate it well, constantly heartburn. But I allow myself pomegranate juice.
Fourth review, female, 38 years old
I heard about the Mediterranean "miracle" diet from a doctor, decided to study this diet, and smoothly switched to it. I had no Mondays, no schedules. I just gradually changed the usual food to systemic dishes. My goal was to improve health, as there are many chronic diseases and hereditary risks. In parallel, I lost 11 kg.
Diet Contraindications
Despite high marks, awards and a lot of positive feedback, the Mediterranean system has contraindications.
Who Should Not Diet:
- people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, an abundance of fiber can provoke attacks of pain;
- people who have suffered serious illnesses, surgical operations.
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 menu of the Mediterranean diet for weight loss for a long time.