The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest and most rational nutrition systems. This is a collection of eating habits that trigger metabolism, help the body function properly and gradually get rid of extra pounds. On this diet you will not lose 5 kg in a week, but fast pace should not be the goal, otherwise you can easily harm the body. At some point, there will be a failure, a setback in metabolism - and you will gain more kilograms than you planned to lose.
The 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 grains: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:a glass once a week.
When planning your diet, you must observe the following proportions:
- 60% carbohydrates;
- 30% fat;
- 10% proteins.
What you can't eat on the Mediterranean diet - prohibited foods
Another plus of the diet: it is not prohibited 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, desserts and so on.
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:slice of whole grain bread, tomatoes, mozzarella;
Dinner:baked meat, salad, grapefruit;
Snack:fruit salad;
Dinner:whole grain bread, cheese with nuts, 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, tomato and herb salad, a glass of dry red wine.
Wednesday
Breakfast:cottage cheese casserole with berries and coffee;
Dinner:seafood soup, a couple of slices of whole grain bread;
Snack: fruit salad with Greek yogurt;
Dinner:baked turkey with vegetable stew.
Thursday
Breakfast:omelette with vegetables, tomatoes and olives;
Dinner:baked 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 with pumpkin and raisins, apple;
Dinner:vegetable soup, stewed eggplants with garlic and herbs;
Snack:sandwich made from bran bread with curd cheese, tea without sugar;
Dinner:baked white fish with tomatoes, stewed zucchini with carrots.
Saturday
Breakfast:millet porridge with diluted milk with pumpkin and raisins, apple;
Dinner:vegetable soup, stewed eggplants with garlic and herbs;
Dinner:baked white fish with tomatoes, stewed zucchini with carrots.
Sunday
Breakfast:two-egg omelette with bell pepper;
Dinner:baked white fish with tomatoes, stewed zucchini with carrots;
Dinner:a glass of kefir, cottage cheese with honey.
Contraindications
There are no serious contraindications, with the exception of individual intolerance to the products. The diet contains the necessary healthy substances that ensure the proper functioning of the body.
Pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet
A fact that many consider a disadvantage: slow weight loss. But it is precisely this diet that teaches you to eat healthy without breakdowns and worries that your favorite foods are forbidden. This eating pattern becomes a way of life, metabolic problems are leveled out, and 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. Next, arrange morning tea parties twice a week, and clean up completely. You will reduce the daily dose of sugar, the desire to snap 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. Diet supporters are less likely to suffer from excess weight, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The risk of Alzheimer's disease also decreases. 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 losing weight follows the rules and proportions, the diet becomes beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. This helps prevent hypertension, atherosclerosis, reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, prevent excessive blood clot formation, as well as the development of atherosclerosis, improve blood circulation and strengthen blood vessels. The dietary fiber in the composition regulates blood sugar levels. In addition: the functioning of the thyroid gland and metabolic processes improves.