The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest and most rational food systems. This is a collection of eating habits that boost metabolism, help the body function properly and gradually get rid of extra pounds. With this diet you will not lose 5 kg per week, but the fast pace should not be the goal, otherwise you can easily damage the body. At some point, there will be a failure, an obstacle in the metabolism - and you will gain more kilograms than you planned to lose.
Basic rules of the Mediterranean diet: eat healthy foods, eat in small portions. The diet is based on plant foods rich in fiber and protein. It is important to drink a lot of water: 6-8 glasses a day. And be sure to exercise - this is an important component of the diet.
Mediterranean diet: what you can eat - allowed foods
Products that make up the diet:
- Fresh vegetables:tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, onions, potatoes, carrots;
- Fruits and berries:seasonal;
- Nuts and seeds:almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds;
- Legumes and cereals:beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, oats, brown rice, corn, buckwheat, whole grain bread, durum wheat pasta;
- Fish and seafood:salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, prawns, oysters, mussels;
- bird:chicken, duck, turkey;
- Dairy products:cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt;
- Herbs and spices:garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, cinnamon, turmeric, pepper;
- Healthy fats:unrefined olive oil, olives, avocados;
- Red wine:a glass once a week.
When planning your diet, you should respect the following proportions:
- 60% carbohydrates;
- 30% fat;
- 10% protein.
What you can not eat in the Mediterranean diet - forbidden foods
Another plus of the diet: it is not forbidden to eat foods other than those to which an allergic reaction is possible. But to achieve results, you need to reduce or eliminate the consumption of chemical compounds: sugar, wheat flour, processed foods, refined oil, alcohol, soda, fast food, chocolate, ice cream, sausages, sweet bars, sweets, etc.
Red meat is allowed up to four times a month, eggs - up to four times a week.
Mediterranean diet menu for 7 days
Monday
Breakfast:slices of whole grain bread, tomatoes, mozzarella;
Dinner:roast meat, salad, grapefruit;
Snack:Fruit salad;
Dinner:whole grain bread, nut cheese, orange.
Tuesday
Breakfast:muesli with berries and Greek yogurt;
Dinner:100 grams of baked fish, durum wheat pasta;
Snack:cottage cheese casserole, tea;
Dinner:fish cutlets, buckwheat salad, tomatoes and herbs, a glass of dry red wine.
Wednesday
Breakfast:berry and coffee curd casserole;
Dinner:seafood soup, a few slices of whole grain bread;
Snack: fruit salad with Greek yogurt;
Dinner:roast turkey with vegetable stew.
Thursday
Breakfast:omelette with vegetables, tomatoes and olives;
Dinner:baked fish and bulgur with peas;
Snack:yogurt or a few pieces of dried apricots;
Dinner:a glass of kefir and a casserole of low-fat cottage cheese.
Friday
Breakfast:millet porridge with vegetable milk with pumpkin and raisins, apples;
Dinner:vegetable soup, boiled eggplants with garlic and herbs;
Snack:sandwich made from bran bread with cottage cheese, tea without sugar;
Dinner:baked white fish with tomatoes, boiled zucchini with carrots.
Saturday
Breakfast:millet porridge with diluted milk with pumpkin and raisins, apples;
Dinner:vegetable soup, boiled eggplants with garlic and herbs;
Dinner:baked white fish with tomatoes, boiled zucchini with carrots.
Sunday
Breakfast:two-egg omelet with bell pepper;
Dinner:baked white fish with tomatoes, boiled zucchini with carrots;
Dinner:a glass of kefir, cottage cheese with honey.
Contraindications
There are no serious contraindications, except for individual intolerance to products. The diet contains the necessary healthy substances that ensure the proper functioning of the body.
The pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet
A fact that many consider a disadvantage: slow weight loss. But it is exactly this diet that teaches you to eat healthy without spoiling and worries that your favorite foods are forbidden. This eating model becomes a way of life, metabolic problems are leveled and the weight reaches the desired level.
If you like sweets or foods that are hard to give up, remove them gradually. Every morning after breakfast we drank tea with sweets - do this every other day, eating no more than two sweets. Then, organize morning tea twice a week and clean thoroughly. You will reduce the daily dose of sugar, the desire to drink will disappear and the body will perceive the situation without stress.
The diet has many advantages: it consists of a large amount of fresh fruits, fish, olive oil, which, in combination with an active lifestyle, have a positive effect on health.
Research shows that this type of diet reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. Supporters of the diet are less likely to suffer from excess weight, high blood pressure and diabetes. The risk of Alzheimer's disease is also reduced. The strong medical effect is explained by the presence of a large number of healthy foods in the diet: fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, butter and nuts and a small amount of red wine.
If a person who loses weight follows the rules and proportions, the diet becomes beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. This helps prevent hypertension, atherosclerosis, lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol, preventing excessive blood clot formation, as well as the development of atherosclerosis, improves blood circulation and strengthens blood vessels. Dietary fiber in the composition regulates blood sugar levels. In addition: the functioning of the thyroid gland and metabolic processes improve.