The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest and most rational nutritional systems. This is a collection of eating habits that start the metabolism, help the body function properly and gradually get rid of extra kilos. With this diet, you won't lose 5 kg in a week, but don't aim for a fast pace, otherwise you can easily damage your body. At some point, there is a failure, a drop in metabolism - and you gain more kilos than you planned.
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 - it's an important part of your diet.
Mediterranean diet: what to eat - allowed foods
The 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 seeds 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, shrimp, 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:once a week with a glass.
When planning the diet, the following ratios must be observed:
- 60% carbohydrates;
- 30% fat;
- 10% protein.
What you can't eat with the Mediterranean diet - forbidden foods
Another advantage of the diet: it is not forbidden to eat foods to which an allergic reaction is possible. But to get 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, sausage, sweet bars, desserts and so on.
Red meat no more than four times a month, eggs - no more than four times a week.
Mediterranean diet menu for 7 days
Monday
Breakfast:slice of whole grain bread, tomato, mozzarella;
Dinner:roast meat, salad, grapefruit;
Snack:fruit salad;
Dinner:whole grain bread, walnut cheese, orange.
Tuesday
Breakfast:muesli with berries and Greek yogurt;
Dinner:100 grams of fried fish, durum wheat pasta;
Snack:cottage cheese casserole, tea;
Dinner:fish fillet, buckwheat, tomato and herb salad, a glass of dry red wine.
Wednesday
Breakfast:cottage cheese casserole with berries and coffee;
Dinner:seafood soup, a few slices of whole wheat bread;
Snack: fruit salad with Greek yogurt;
Dinner:roast turkey with vegetable stew.
Thursday
Breakfast:omelette with vegetables, tomatoes and olives;
Dinner:fried fish and bulgur with green 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, pumpkin and raisins, apples;
Dinner:vegetable soup, steamed eggplant with garlic and herbs;
Snack:a sandwich made from bran bread with cottage cheese, tea without sugar;
Dinner:fried white fish with tomatoes, steamed zucchini and carrots.
Saturday
Breakfast:millet porridge with diluted milk with pumpkin and raisins, apple;
Dinner:vegetable soup, steamed eggplant with garlic and herbs;
Dinner:fried white fish with tomatoes, steamed zucchini and carrots.
Sunday
Breakfast:two-egg omelet with bell peppers;
Dinner:fried white fish with tomatoes, steamed zucchini and carrots;
Dinner:a glass of kefir, cottage cheese with honey.
Contraindications
There are no serious contraindications, except for individual intolerance of the products. The diet contains the necessary healthy substances that ensure the proper functioning of the body.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Mediterranean diet
A fact that many consider a disadvantage: slow weight loss. But it is precisely this diet that teaches you how to eat healthy, without breakdowns and worries that your favorite foods are off limits. This eating habit becomes a way of life, metabolic problems are evened out, and the weight reaches the desired level.
If you like sweets or foods that are hard to give up, gradually eliminate them. Every morning after breakfast we drank tea with sweets - this should be eaten every other day, no more than two sweets. Then organize morning tea twice a week and clean up completely. It reduces the daily sugar intake, the desire to chow down disappears, and the body perceives the situation without stress.
The diet has many advantages: it consists of a large amount of fresh fruit, 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. People who support the diet are less likely to suffer from overweight, high blood pressure and diabetes. The risk of Alzheimer's disease is also reduced. The strong medicinal 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, as well as a small amount of red wine.
If a dieter follows the rules and proportions, the diet will have a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels. This helps prevent high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, prevent excessive blood clots and atherosclerosis, improve blood circulation and strengthen blood vessels. The dietary fiber contained in the product regulates blood sugar levels. In addition: thyroid function and metabolic processes improve.