Weight loss is often accompanied by health problems, hair loss, deterioration of the skin. But not in this case. The Mediterranean diet helps to lose weight, rejuvenate and improve general well-being.
The essence of the Mediterranean diet
It is the only UNESCO approved diet recognized as a truly safe weight loss system. On the contrary, he is able to improve the general condition of the body, does not contradict the canons of proper nutrition, but has his own approach to drawing up 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 foods present in the diet of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. Among Spaniards, Italians, Libyans, Moroccans, fat and obese people are rare. These countries have a low mortality rate from 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 centuries in some 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 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.
- Increases immunity, helps the body recover faster from 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 quality. Only an energetic, cheerful and active person can live 100% every day.
Nutrition Basics
The myth that food under this system is expensive should be immediately debunked. The diet of the Mediterranean cleansing diet is rich and based on a variety of products. It is not necessary to eat only shrimp or delicate fish, you can always buy budget analogues.
Basic principles:
- There is not enough fat intake, it is not fried sausages or pan-fried pies. It 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 even allows grapes, bananas, prohibited by other diets. Plant foods should be included in every meal.
- Dairy products. It is worth focusing on natural yogurt, curd, fermented baked milk. No need to use fermented milk products with sugar, coloring, flavorings in the composition. If you wish, you can always add berries or honey.
- Fish and seafood. Like vegetables, this category is the basis of the diet. These products must be present in the daily menu.
- White meat. You don't 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 make lamb.
- Cereals. Brown rice, durum wheat pasta, buckwheat can be present in the diet of the Mediterranean diet, pearl barley is allowed. Legumes are essential.
- 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 without excess 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 cakes are pastries made from wholemeal flour.
During the Mediterranean wellness diet, it is important to drink not only wine (although it 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 don't turn healthy drinks into a carb source by adding sugar or honey. Taste buds should clear up.
Rate of weight loss, duration
This system does not promise to lose 15 kg in a month or 40 kg in six months. The weight of the Mediterranean (Mediterranean) diet gradually disappears without stress on 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 a long time to lose weight, your old habits will very quickly be forgotten, other foods will replace 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, spice blends with glutamate and other preservatives.
What not to diet:
- sausages, ham, semi-finished products;
- pure sugar, limited honey;
- sugary drinks, confectionery, cooked desserts;
- any pastry made with 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 adapt the diet to your work or study schedule, to your personal tastes. 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 involves minimally processed foods. Prolonged cooking, stewing, marinating reduce the amount of nutrients. And simple cereals, soups, salads do not require a lot of cooking time.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thusday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To eat lunch | avocado toast with mozzarella, tomato, tea | cottage cheese casserole with banana, tea | egg, mozzarella and pieces 10 cherry | cereal bread, slice of cheese, 2 cucumbers | brown rice with cheese and herbs | shrimp and cheese pasta | Green bean and tomato omelet |
| To taste | orange | A glass of tomato juice | yoghurt fruit salad | sweet curd | grape | Orange juice | a pineapple |
| Having dinner | vegetables stewed with chicken, a large bunch of greens | creamy shrimp 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 calamari, vegetable juice |
| afternoon tea | apple, cottage cheese | vegetable smoothies | glass of yogurt | vegetable salad with olives | fruit salad with nuts and yogurt | tuna toast, any juice | a slice of bread, salted fish, tea |
| Having 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 | green bean pasta, mussels | fish stew with tomatoes, vegetables | pasta with prawns, cherry tomatoes and cream |
Do not forget that all dietary dishes are prepared with olive oil, it is also used to season 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 something to be desired. It is also difficult to find real olive oil. But in this case, it can be replaced by other unrefined fats. Suitable flax seeds, walnuts, hemp oil, from pumpkin seeds. You can use edible coconut oil for food.
Remember that the Mediterranean diet (menu of the week below) involves economical cooking methods. Oil can be consumed in any amount, 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 cook meals for a diet in a dry frying pan or lightly grease it with the thinnest layer.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thusday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To eat lunch | zucchini fritters with garlic and sour cream sauce | casserole of raisins | oatmeal with nuts | cheese sandwich, boiled egg, tea | pumpkin porridge with rice | yogurt muesli | fish sandwich |
| To taste | banana | grapefruit | Garnet | Apple | vegetable salad | fruit juice, egg | pumpkin puree |
| Having 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 calamari, vegetables | chicken and vegetable velouté, tortilla | cabbage soup in fish broth with beans | vegetables stewed with beans, lightly salted herring |
| afternoon tea | yogurt | fruit and milk smoothie | apple cottage cheese | Macedonia | cucumber and herb smoothie | cottage cheese with walnuts | tomato juice |
| Having dinner | Greek salad with cheese and olives | fish cakes (steamed, baked), coleslaw | macaroni and cheese, carrot salad with walnuts | 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 menu of the Mediterranean diet, but if desired, you can sometimes include them in the diet. For example, add shrimp to a salad or snack with a cocktail from the sea.
Mediterranean diet: recipes for the menu of the week
Above in the diet menu there are a lot of interesting dishes, which are also simple and quick to prepare. They are perfect for morning, afternoon and evening meals. Here are the most interesting recipes.
Chicken and vegetable velouté
In the Mediterranean diet, soups are often on the weekly menu. They are good for the stomach, saturate well and are easy to prepare. Here is a basic recipe with vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 300 g of chicken fillet;
- 300 g of broccoli (you can cauliflower);
- 100g carrots;
- 100 g onion;
- 200 g of zucchini or pumpkin;
- 150-200 ml of cream;
- spices to taste.
Cooking:
- Cut the chicken, immerse it in 800 ml of boiling water, then add the carrots and onions and boil for 10 minutes.
- Enter the zucchini, five minutes later the broccoli, lightly salt. Cook covered over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Grind the 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 a mixture of frozen vegetables for such a soup. Also, it is not necessary to dilute the dish with cream, you can first pour in a little more water.
Mac and cheese and calamari
This dish is on the menu above for every day for weight loss on the Mediterranean diet. Buying squid in the store is no longer a problem now, but it is prepared very simply and quickly.
Ingredients:
- 1 squid;
- 200 g of pasta;
- 150 ml of 10% cream;
- 0. 5 tspolive oils;
- 70 g of cheese.
Cooking:
- Cook pasta according to directions, but cook one minute less. Drain in a colander.
- Heat a pan, brush lightly with oil.
- We clean the squid, remove the ridge, cut into strips. Pour in and fry for literally a minute, being sure to stir with a spatula.
- Pour the cream over the squid, let it boil, start half the grated cheese, let it dissolve and salt.
- We lay out the pasta, quickly stir, let the dish boil and turn it off. Leave to stand for ten minutes under the lid.
- Sprinkle with 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 an excellent substitute for lunch, dinner on a diet, especially in the summer. It perfectly meets the requirements of the power supply.
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 0. 5 red onion;
- 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:
- Diced 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 bell pepper into thin strips and dice the feta, quartered olives, add to the rest of the products.
- Mix the lemon juice with the oil, salt, pepper. Pour over salad. Stir when serving.
You can add green vegetables, use cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes, or replace olive oil with Greek yogurt. It also makes an excellent 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 strong 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 week of the Mediterranean Diet for Seniors. It meets all the requirements of an aging organism.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thusday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To eat lunch | oatmeal with raisins | freshly baked cheesecakes, fruit puree | steamed green bean omelet | pumpkin millet porridge | pumpkin fritters, sour cream | fish fillet omelet | fruit cottage cheese |
| To taste | pumpkin puree | orange | Apple juice | portion of sweet curd | vegetable salad | Peking cabbage salad with olives, lemon, herbs | carrot salad, walnuts |
| Having dinner | stewed 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 | vegetable smoothie with leafy greens | any fruit |
| Having dinner | buckwheat with fish cutlets and tomato sauce | vegetable stew with fish | vegetable salad, chicken cutlet | baked fish, vegetable puree | chicken stew with pasta | fish aspic, 10 olives, 1 tomato | chicken cutlet, brown rice, tomato juice |
Opinion on the Mediterranean diet
First opinion, female, 34 years old
Since the second year I eat 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 usequinoa instead of rice. During all this time, my weight decreased from 82 to 57 kg. It was gradual, not all at once. I noticed that the clothes become looser, the belly is much smaller, in addition, I liked the scales.
Second examination, female, 25 years old
It all started strange for me, at first I saw a menu for a week with recipes to lose weight on a Mediterranean diet from a friend, only then I started to delve into what kind of system it isacted. I immediately liked that everything was simple, you don't 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 to the fifth month of the diet, my health improved noticeably, liveliness appeared, I began to sleep well, I lost 9 kg. But the initial weight was low (67 kg at 164 cm).
Third examination, female, 47 years old
I never had weight problems, but the menopause came very early. From the age of 44, I began to gain weight rapidly, suddenly +20 kg in one year. The endocrinologist told me about the diet, I liked the very idea of such a diet, but I adapted to it a little, 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 examination, female, 38 years old
I heard about the Mediterranean "miracle" diet from a doctor, decided to study this diet and smoothly went through it. I had no Mondays, no schedules. I just gradually changed the usual food to systemic dishes. My goal was to improve health, because there are many chronic diseases and hereditary risks. At the same time, I lost 11 kg.
Food contraindications
Despite high ratings, awards and many positive feedbacks, the Mediterranean system has contraindications.
Who should not diet:
- people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, an abundance of fiber can cause pain attacks;
- people who have suffered serious illnesses, surgical operations.
Also, do not follow this diet if you are intolerant to fish or seafood. Anyone should assess in advance how close the diet is, whether they can adhere to such a diet on the menu of the Mediterranean diet forlose weight for a long time.