The first starting point is to revise the nutritional principles. Improper diet affects a person's health and appearance. The Mediterranean diet allows you not only to get your figure in order and saturate the body with useful substances, but also to keep weight under control.
A strong desire to lose weight can lead to rash actions. To get a momentary result, many resort to strict dietary restrictions and use drugs that promise to shed several kilograms in a few days. Only gentle weight loss without the use of extra pills can be safe for the body.
Diet is a nutritional principle based on avoiding certain foods in favor of others. It can be strict, like kefir (allows the use of fermented milk and some other products), rather than strict. Often a non-strict diet is based on calculating the calories and food intake (protein, fat, carbohydrates) that are consumed per day. The Mediterranean diet is a nutritional trait that allows you to keep the body healthy and, if you have extra pounds, lose them. Therefore, more and more women are interested in how to lose weight with the Mediterranean diet.
Principles and rules of the food system
Don't expect instant results here. You can lose 1-2 kilograms a week. The duration of the diet is a week. The Mediterranean Diet does not have to be viewed as a diet. These are general rules that you can use to keep your body in shape. Mediterranean diet dishes are very varied and will please everyone without exception.
The diet gained popularity in the middle of the last century when American nutritionists introduced it into common use. In every Mediterranean country, the diet has its own nutritional properties.
The example of the Mediterranean diet is unique. In the 20th century, nutritionists discovered a paradox when studying the nutritional principles of people in different countries. The French ate a lot of fat, white bread, bacon, and cheese, but compared to the Americans, they were lean and had almost no cardiovascular disease. It turned out that the whole point is in nutritional balance.
After the disclosure of this interesting fact, nutritionists began to study the nutritional principles of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean with particular care.
Important! The Mediterranean diet is the only nutritional principle in the world recognized by UNESCO as the historical heritage of a number of countries where the general diet has been preserved to this day.
benefits
According to nutritionists, the principles of the Mediterranean diet have a number of positive aspects:
- rich menu with its own characteristics in each country;
- balanced nutrition;
- Reducing body volume, eliminating cellulite and skin slackening;
- Prevention of Alzheimer's disease;
- clean skin, strong nails, and healthy hair;
- The Mediterranean Diet can be used by pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and the elderly.
The diet has almost no contraindications. The only thing that can be confusing is food prices and the inability to lose weight quickly. However, patience, adherence to the nutritional principles and a positive result are guaranteed.
Interesting! The diet even allows the use of potatoes, loved by many. However, it must be baked uniformly with butter.
The Mediterranean diet has gained a foothold in many countries and the recipes have been adapted to the taste preferences of the locals.
What foods can you eat?
The main principle of nutrition is compliance with the food pyramid. The base (60%) is carbohydrates, the middle block (30%) is protein, the top is fats and simple carbohydrates (10%). So let's take a look at what's in the Mediterranean diet.
In addition, products can be classified according to the frequency of use:
- daily (bran bread, pasta, noodles, muesli, olive oil, vegetables, fruit, yogurt, cheese);
- several times a week (eggs, white meat, fish, seafood);
- a couple of times a month (candy, red meat).
Fish and meat days should be separated so as not to create excess weight in the stomach. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day.
Which foods are you allowed to eat and which are forbidden? The most beautiful diet rule is that there are no limits. I would like wine - please, but it has to be of good quality. Do you fancy sweets? You can bake cakes at home, knowing exactly what is included in the composition of the natural ingredients. With the Mediterranean diet, the weekly menus and recipes are perfectly balanced, easy to prepare and tasty too!
Slimming menu for the week
There are 5 meals a day - 3 main courses and 2 snacks.
An example of a Mediterranean diet menu for every day looks like this:
day 1
- Breakfast. Oatmeal, wholemeal bread slice, tea;
- Dinner. 200 grams of baked fish and steamed vegetables, a glass of wine;
- Dinner. Fresh vegetable salad, cooked seafood.
day 2
- Breakfast. Wheat porridge and baked apple, tea;
- Dinner. Vegetable soup, vegetable salad (tomato and cucumber);
- Dinner. Buckwheat, cherry tomatoes and fish cakes.
Day 3
- Breakfast. Muesli seasoned with natural yoghurt, a slice of bread and cheese;
- Dinner. Buckwheat soup with tomatoes;
- Dinner. Turkey schnitzel, vegetable stew.
Day 4
- Breakfast. Braised rice with vegetables, any fruit;
- Dinner. Cauliflower casserole, vegetable salad;
- Dinner. Cottage cheese casserole, a glass of wine, cheese.
Day 5
- Breakfast. Omelette with tomatoes;
- Dinner. Seafood pasta, a glass of wine;
- Dinner. Steamed fish, vegetable salad.
Day 6
- Breakfast. Cottage cheese casserole with raisins;
- Dinner. Vegetable soup, sandwiches with cheese and avocado;
- Dinner. Omelette with vegetables, glass of wine.
Day 7
- Breakfast. Muesli seasoned with natural yoghurt, fruits;
- Dinner. Shrimp risotto;
- Dinner. Rabbit meat, stew with vegetables, pasta, glass of wine.
Snacks include fruits, vegetables, yogurt, nuts, and more.
Interesting! The diet even allows the use of potatoes, loved by many. However, it must be baked uniformly with butter.
Dish recipes
The Mediterranean diet consists of recipes for a variety of dishes, including many that are easy to prepare and incredibly tasty.
Vegetable risotto
You will need:
- a large zucchini and eggplant;
- medium-sized red peppers;
- Pear;
- Rice (350 g);
- one and a half liters of clean water;
- Green;
- three cloves of garlic;
- Olive oil.
Preparation:
- Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.
- Grease a baking sheet with butter and place the diced vegetables on top.
- Leave the sheet in the oven for 20 minutes.
- At this point, simmer the onion and garlic in a pan for 7 minutes.
- Add rice and water.
- When the water has evaporated, pour the baked vegetables into the pan.
Baked fish
You will need:
- Fillet of sea fish;
- low-fat cheese (70 g);
- Kefir (50 g);
- Lemon juice;
- Olive oil;
- a bunch of dill.
Preparation:
- Grease a baking sheet with oil and lay out the fish fillets.
- Mix lemon juice, kefir, dill and salt and place on top of the fish.
- Rub the cheese over it on a fine grater.
- After 20 minutes, the finished dish can be taken out of the oven preheated to 180 degrees.
The Mediterranean Diet for Weight Loss offers a varied menu that allows you to include your favorite foods in the diet.
Restrictions
With the Mediterranean Diet, the rules are aimed at improving the body as a whole. In order to lose weight effectively, you need to do without a number of products:
- Carbonated beverages;
- Fast food;
- Sugar and sweeteners;
- store-bought sweets with a lot of bread;
- low-quality alcohol;
- Store-bought ketchup, mayonnaise, and other sauces.
Approved alcohol is only high quality dry red wine. Everything else, especially beer and vodka, is not good for the body.
recommendations
To make the principles of nutrition as effective as possible:
- It is necessary to eat food at the same time.
- Drink at least one liter of fluid throughout the day. Green tea and water are best. Coffee lovers can enjoy a cup of invigorating drink in the morning, but not every day.
- Olive oil gives the vegetable salad a pleasant taste and saturates the body with useful substances.
- Yogurts are only natural.
- Sports. To keep your body in shape, you need to make time for physical activity every day. This can be a morning workout at home or an evening workout in the fitness center.
reviews
- Woman, 34 years old: "My family loves sweets very much. We used to buy cakes and pastries every weekend. As a result, everyone got food. After a month of the Mediterranean diet, the wife's husband and daughter lost about 3-4 kilograms. Now the family only cooks homemade sweets, and the food is carefully monitored. "
- Woman, 38 years old: "The incentive to lose weight was the upcoming vacation - a friend's anniversary. I wanted to look beautiful, and time allowed - 1. 5 was ahead. I had to lose a little weight - 3 kilograms. I noticed the resultin three weeks. Now, once a year, I've been on a Mediterranean diet for several months. "
summary
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss is simple enough and does not require severe food intake restrictions. All it takes to look good and be healthy is little - think and monitor what is being eaten. A varied and nutritious diet ensures daily well-being, a firmer figure and a good figure.