Mediterranean diet for weight loss– one of the most popular weight loss methods today. It is not in vain that the method has earned the recognition of fashionistas. The method allows you to eat delicious foods while losing extra pounds. If you study the diet carefully, it turns out that it is not a way to lose weight at all. The method is based on the traditional diet of residents of Mediterranean countries. However, following the basic principles of the diet, you can get rid of extra pounds or keep your body in shape for a long time.
The Mediterranean diet does more than just help you lose weight. With her help, a girl can extend her youth by 7-10 years. It is not in vain that the inhabitants of countries that have used such nutrition as a traditional diet since ancient times look fit and prosperous. It is not for nothing that the second name of the diet is "Aphrodite's Diet". This indicates the aesthetic component of nutrition. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, a girl will not only get rid of extra pounds, but also improve her appearance and general condition of her. Although the diet is gentle, you still need to follow a number of rules. However, this will not cause any difficulties for the fashionista. A variety of products will saturate a woman's body with all the necessary substances. It is necessary to start losing weight by studying the basic principles on which the diet is based. We will talk further about the features of the method, cooking recipes and rules to follow to accelerate weight loss.
The essence of the Mediterranean diet
Wanting to prove the effectiveness of the method, adherents of the diet always recommend paying attention to the mortality rate of residents of the Mediterranean. This indicator is low. Experts say that this state of affairs has developed largely due to the diet of the inhabitants of these countries. The diet is easy to follow. A girl who sticks to one weight loss method can easily stay on the plan for a month or more. The Mediterranean diet is based on understanding the principles of proper nutrition. Because of this, it can become a lifelong pattern by which a person eats food.
Nutrition has a whole series of positive effects on the human body:
- leads to normalization of blood pressure,
- helps improve the quality of life,
- saturates the body with antioxidants,
- minimizes the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease,
- reduces the risk of diabetes mellitus,
- reduces the chance of emphysema,
- minimizes the chance of breast and rectal cancer,
- reduces the likelihood of developing chronic bronchial diseases.
The essence of the Mediterranean diet is that a person should increase the intake of red, orange and dark green fruits and vegetables to lose weight.
Note!You should eat only fresh fruits and vegetables.
In addition to eating plant foods, a person who wants to lose weight will have to eat a lot of fish and seafood. This diet is classic for Mediterranean people.
There are a number of other principles you need to know in advance:
- sugar will have to be replaced with honey,
- Daily fluid intake should be at least 6 glasses,
- It is necessary to add olive oil to your usual diet,
- it is necessary to consume meals consisting of meat and carbohydrates,
- During the main meal it is recommended to drink 1 glass of red wine,
- The diet should include as many legumes, vegetables and fruits as possible.
Mediterranean people eat 4-5 times a day. If a girl wants to lose weight following a diet based on the traditional diet, she will have to increase the number of meals.
This is interesting!Today there are several variations of the Mediterranean diet. Varieties allow you not only to lose excess weight, but also improve your overall health. So, today there is a scheme developed specifically for people suffering from diabetes. This method is therapeutic and preventive nutrition.
Variations of the Mediterranean diet may omit meal portions. So, if a person suffering from diabetes decides to adhere to this method of nutrition, the greatest load will be at lunch, and breakfast will be completely absent.
Expert opinion
With a high degree of probability it can be argued that the Mediterranean diet is not a diet at all, but simply a normal diet, containing only healthy foods. Basic principles such as the exclusive use of fresh fruit and vegetables, the elimination of refined carbohydrates, a high intake of liquids, vegetable oils, a significant use of seafood, even fresh ones, allow you to maintain a good balance of nutrients, fiber , vitamins and minerals.
The Mediterranean is a traditionally wine-producing region, so moderate consumption of natural red wine containing resveratrol reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors and increases life expectancy. Unfortunately, the Mediterranean diet in the hinterland is completely impossible, even if you eat in the best and most expensive supermarkets. To do this, you need to move at least to the sea in order to have at least some semblance in your diet of all those useful components that are contained in the diet. From a medical point of view, we can say that if all people ate this way, there would be much fewer problems with cancer and cardiovascular diseases than today.
Allowed and prohibited products
If a girl's choice is the Mediterranean diet, creating a menu for every day will not be difficult. It is necessary to select dishes based on ideas about proper nutrition. Today, experts have compiled a list of products that can be used in the menu of the day. This will greatly simplify its preparation.
According to the rules of the Mediterranean diet, a girl can eat:
- fruit, of which you must eat at least 3 portions a day,
- fish and seafood – no more than 4 times a week,
- yogurt, cheese or curdled milk - 1 time a day,
- 1 glass of red wine – 2 times a day,
- lean meat – 2-5 times a week,
- vegetables – 2 times a day,
- eggs – 2-4 pieces per week,
- red meat – 1-2 times a week.
If a girl likes the Mediterranean diet, she should understand in advance which foods can be eaten and which are prohibited. Despite the abundance of permitted food, some foods are strictly prohibited. Violation of the rule will cause the girl to regain the lost kilos.
The list of foods prohibited in the Mediterranean diet includes:
- sausages and semi-finished products,
- Fast food,
- refined vegetable oil,
- refined cereals,
- foods containing hydrogenated fats.
In addition to the set of products, it is necessary to observe their ratio.
According to the established rules, the daily menu of a fashionista should look like this:
- 50% carbohydrates,
- 30% fat,
- 20% proteins.
It is not recommended to deviate from the established scheme.
Drinks of the Mediterranean Diet
When you decide to lose weight by following the Mediterranean diet you need to remember to drink plenty of fluids. Its main source should be water, which contains no gas. Daily fluid intake is 1. 5-2 liters. The permitted volume must be divided into equal portions and drunk throughout the day. The Mediterranean method for losing weight involves total abstention from certain drinks.
In order for the figure correction to be successful, it is forbidden to drink:
- drink,
- juices,
- Lemonade,
- fruit drinks,
- composed.
The Mediterranean method for losing weight does not prohibit the consumption of fresh juices, but they should be drunk with caution. It should be remembered that such drinks contain a lot of fructose. If it ends up in the human body without fiber, it will lead to the formation of excess fat.
The method does not recommend the use of coffee, but does not completely exclude it from the menu. If a girl really likes this drink, she can drink it in the morning. However, sugar should not be added to coffee. Also, you need to limit yourself to 1 small cup of drink.
Rules of the Mediterranean diet
Unlike other methods of weight loss, the Mediterranean way of eating does not lead to the fact that the girl gets tired quickly and may collapse. The figure correction scheme does not impose strict restrictions. All bans are based on ideas about proper nutrition. However, there are still a number of rules.
If a girl wants to lose weight with the Mediterranean method she must:
- eat lots of fruit and vegetables,
- drink 1. 5-2 liters of fluids per day,
- eat foods rich in carbohydrates for breakfast and protein foods for dinner,
- Before cooking the cereals, leave them to soak for at least 1 day,
- steam, bake or grill meat and vegetables,
- it is better to favor the consumption of fresh foods,
- replace all cooking fats with olive oil,
- replace sugar with honey,
- You can drink tea and coffee, but in small quantities,
- alcohol can be consumed, but only in the form of red wine and no more than 1-2 glasses per day.
If a girl decides to consume honey, she must remember that it should not be added to tea or spread on baked goods. This will cause the product to become carcinogenic. Such a diet will not be beneficial.
Sample menu for the week
The Mediterranean diet involves a healthy diet. By adhering to it, the girl will be able to eat tasty and healthy foods. The Mediterranean method involves creating your own daily diet. However, doing it well can be difficult. For this reason, experts have developed an approximate scheme designed for 14 days. It clarifies what foods you can eat. Following it, the girl will not only lose weight, but also improve the general condition of the body.
The following table presents an approximate daily food program, developed in accordance with the principles of the diet:
| Day of the week | Eat | Example menu |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Breakfast | Oatmeal + fruit or berries You can add a little honey to the porridge as a sweetener, but only after it has cooled. |
| Dinner | Fish or vegetable soup Salad + sour cream or butter or yogurt |
|
| Dinner | Boiled or baked fish + vegetables + some stewed beans | |
| Tuesday | Breakfast | Wheat or millet porridge + baked pumpkin and apples |
| Dinner | Chicken salad + vegetables with pumpkin seeds or chicken soup + cream | |
| Dinner | Stewed chicken + vegetables or fish | |
| Wednesday | Breakfast | Baked potatoes + butter + vegetables |
| Dinner | Buckwheat soup + tomatoes + meatballs | |
| Dinner | Baked turkey cutlets with pumpkin + vegetable salad with sour cream | |
| Thursday | Breakfast | Macaroni + cheese sauce |
| Dinner | Cauliflower Casserole + Rice Soup with Beef | |
| Dinner | Lasagna + vegetables + chicken, kefir | |
| Friday | Breakfast | Stewed rice + vegetables |
| Dinner | Vegetable soup + salad with boiled fish | |
| Dinner | Casserole from cottage cheese + apples + pumpkin, kefir | |
| Saturday | Breakfast | Oatmeal + dried fruit + honey, kefir cocktail + flaxseed + banana or berries |
| Dinner | Fish soup and stewed vegetables | |
| Dinner | Fish + vegetables, focaccia | |
| Sunday | Breakfast | Eggs + slice of bread + cheese |
| Dinner | Pasta + rabbit meat | |
| Dinner | Omelette + vegetables | |
| Week 2 repeats the previous week |
Dish recipes
Today there are Mediterranean diet recipes adapted to other countries. This will allow the girl to follow a diet and eat tasty foods. The foods that can be consumed are various.
A girl can cook:
- Minestrone.To prepare you will need: 100 g of spinach, 85 g of peas, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 liters of chicken broth, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 potatoes, 2 courgettes, 2 aubergines, ¼ head of cabbage, a pinch of salt. To prepare the soup you need to heat the oil in a container, then fry onions, celery, carrots and cabbage. Then you need to cut the remaining vegetables, pour the broth into the pan, add spices and cook until cooked.
- Pasta with seafood.Ingredients: 300 g of cherry tomatoes, 200 g of seafood cocktail mixture, 200 g of rye pasta, a bunch of basil, olive oil. Boil the pasta, fry the cherry tomatoes and a little basil in the oil. The "sea cocktail" should be thawed and then boiled in lightly salted water for 10 minutes. Then, mix the seafood with the vegetables and serve with the pasta.
- Red tuna with tartar sauce.Ingredients: 400 g of bluefin tuna, 50 ml of olive oil, 50 ml of soy sauce, 30 g of tomatoes, 30 g of walnuts, 20 g of onions, 20 ml of vinegar, 10 g of green onions, 8 asparagus tails, 1 lemon. Squeeze the lemon juice and mix it with the soy sauce. Place the tuna in the mixture obtained and leave it to soak for 2 hours. Finely chop the tomatoes, spring onions and onions, add them to the tuna and mix. Put the finished fish and vegetables on a plate. Garnish the dish with asparagus, which must first be fried in a pan with vinegar, oil and chopped walnuts.
The recipes are not particularly difficult to prepare. To bring them to life, no special skills are needed. Dishes based on adapted recipes can be prepared in a regular kitchen. By preparing delicious Mediterranean dishes every day and following the rules, a girl can lose weight effortlessly. Following the Mediterranean diet will not be a burden.
Reviews of those who have lost weight
- "It is no coincidence that I chose this diet, because I had heard about it not only from my friends, but also from my mother. The main advantage of nutrition is that it is not necessary to choose low-calorie analogues for your favorite foods. Mine too Favorite Italian pasta and all kinds of cereals, which I have a weakness for, are not prohibited. The result of the diet will satisfy even skeptics: it is quite possible to get rid of 4-6 kg. "
- "The first diet that almost drove me away from any attempts to lose weight was the low-calorie one. Now I even remember my torment with a shudder: not only was I starving, but I also felt disgusting, I was constantly irritated. The Mediterranean diet saved me: pleasant cooking, excellent health, excellent results (minus 10 kg in 2 months). "
- "I was satisfied with the diversity and low number of prohibitions in the Mediterranean diet. There was no need to rush hysterically in search of low-calorie foods. It was possible to reduce not only the waistline, but also the hips, the folds on the stomach disappeared , cellulite has almost completely disappeared, and this in just a month and a half! "