As a first step, the principles of nutrition need to be reviewed. Improper nutrition affects a person’s health and appearance. The Mediterranean diet not only allows you to tidy up and saturate the body with useful substances, but also to control your weight.
A strong desire to lose weight can lead to rashes. For instant results, many resort to strict dietary restrictions and use medications that promise to get rid of several pounds in a few days. Only smooth weight loss without the use of additional pills can be safe for the body.
Diet is the principle of nutrition that certain foods should be avoided for the benefit of others. It can be strict, such as kefir (allowing the use of fermented milk and some other products), and not strict. A non-strict diet is often based on the calculation of daily calories and food intake (protein, fat, carbohydrates). The Mediterranean diet is a nutritional feature that you can follow to keep your body healthy and lose weight if you have extra pounds. 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 immediate results here. You can lose 1-2 pounds a week. The duration of the diet is from one week. The Mediterranean diet should not be considered a diet. These are general rules that you can follow to keep your body in good shape. Mediterranean diet food is quite varied, everyone will like it without exception.
The diet became popular in the middle of the last century when it was introduced into general use by American nutrition experts. In every Mediterranean country, the diet has its own nutritional characteristics.
The example of the Mediterranean diet is unique. In the 20th century, while studying the nutritional principles of people in different countries, nutritionists identified a paradox. The French ate large amounts of fat, white bread, bacon, and cheese, but were lean compared to Americans and had almost no cardiovascular disease. It turns out that the point is in the balance of nutrition.
After revealing this interesting fact, nutritionists began to study the nutritional principles of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean in particular.
Important! The Mediterranean diet is the only nutritional principle in the world that is recognized by UNESCO as a historical heritage of many countries and in which the general diet has been preserved to this day.
Advantages
According to nutrition experts, the principles of the Mediterranean diet have a number of positive aspects:
- rich menu, with its own characteristics in each country;
- balanced diet;
- reducing body volume, eliminating cellulite and skin slack;
- Prevention of Alzheimer's disease;
- clean skin, strong nails and healthy hair;
- the Mediterranean diet can also be used by pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and the elderly.
Diet has almost no contraindications. The only things that can be confusing are the price of food and the inability to lose weight fast. However, patience, adherence to nutritional principles and a positive result are guaranteed.
Interesting! The diet even allows the use of potatoes, which are loved by many. However, it should be baked in the same way with butter.
The Mediterranean diet has taken root in many countries, with recipes tailored to the tastes of the locals.
What kind of food can you eat?
The main principle of the diet is to follow the food pyramid. The base (60%) is carbohydrate, the middle block (30%) is protein, the top is fat and simple carbohydrates (10%). So let’s see what the Mediterranean diet includes.
Products can also be classified according to the frequency of use:
- daily (bran bread, pasta, pasta, cereals, olive oil, vegetables, fruits, yogurts, cheeses);
- several times a week (eggs, white meat, fish, seafood);
- a few times a month (sweets, red meat).
Fish and meat days should be chosen separately to avoid overweight in the stomach. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day.
What foods can I eat and what is forbidden? The best dietary rule is that there are no limits. I want to ask for wine, but it has to be of good quality. Do you have a desire to eat candy? You can make cakes at home and know exactly what is in the composition of natural ingredients. In the Mediterranean diet, the weekly menus and recipes are perfectly balanced, easy to make and delicious!
Weight loss menu for the week
There are 5 meals a day - 3 people and 2 snacks.
The sample Mediterranean diet menu for each day is as follows:
One day
- Breakfast. Oatmeal, wholemeal bread, tea;
- Dinner. 200 grams of fried fish and steamed vegetables, a glass of wine;
- Dinner. Fresh vegetable salad with cooked seafood.
2 days
- Breakfast. Wheat porridge and baked apples, tea;
- Dinner. Vegetable soup, vegetable salad (tomatoes and cucumbers);
- Dinner. Buckwheat, cherry tomatoes and fish cake.
3 days
- Breakfast. Muesli spiced with natural yoghurt, a slice of bread and cheese;
- Dinner. Buckwheat soup with tomatoes;
- Dinner. Roast turkey with vegetables.
4 days
- Breakfast. Steamed rice with vegetables of any kind;
- Dinner. Casserole with cauliflower and vegetable salad;
- Dinner. Cottage cheese casserole with a glass of wine and cheese.
5 days
- Breakfast. Omelette with tomatoes;
- Dinner. Pasta with seafood, a glass of wine;
- Dinner. Stewed fish with vegetable salad.
6 days
- Breakfast. Cottage cheese casserole with raisins;
- Dinner. Vegetable soup, sandwiches with cheese and avocado;
- Dinner. Omelette with vegetables in a glass of wine.
7 days
- Breakfast. Muesli and fruits seasoned with natural yoghurt;
- Dinner. Shrimp risotto;
- Dinner. Rabbit meat, stew with vegetables, pasta, glass of wine.
Snacks include fruit, vegetables, yogurt, nuts, and more.
Interesting! The diet even allows the use of potatoes, which are loved by many. However, it should be baked in the same way with butter.
Food recipes
The Mediterranean diet consists of a recipe for a variety of dishes, many of which are easy to prepare and incredibly delicious.
Vegetable risotto
You will need:
- a large zucchini and eggplant;
- medium-sized red peppers;
- bulb;
- rice (350 g);
- one and a half liters of clean water;
- lomb;
- three cloves of garlic;
- olive oil.
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Grease a baking sheet with butter and place the diced vegetables on top.
- Leave the leaf in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Then simmer the onions and garlic in a pan for 7 minutes.
- Add rice and water.
- When the water has evaporated, pour the fried vegetables into the baking sheet.
Fried fish
You will need:
- Sea fish fillets;
- low fat cheese (70 g);
- kefir (50 g);
- lemon juice;
- olive oil;
- a lot of dill.
Preparation:
- Spread oil on a baking sheet and place the fish fillets in it.
- Mix the lemon juice, kefir, dill and salt and place on the fish.
- Rub the cheese on top with a fine grater.
- After 20 minutes, the finished food can be removed from the oven preheated to 180 degrees.
The Mediterranean Diet offers a varied menu that allows you to include your favorite foods in your diet.
Restrictions
In the Mediterranean diet, the rules are aimed at improving the body as a whole. In order to lose weight effectively, you need to give up a number of products:
- carbonated beverages;
- fast food;
- sugar and sweeteners;
- bought sweets with lots of bread;
- low quality alcohol;
- store ketchup, mayonnaise and other sauces.
The alcohol allowed is only good quality dry red wine. Everything else, especially beer and vodka, is not good for the body.
Recommendations
In order to make the principles of nutrition as effective as possible:
- You have to eat at the same time.
- Drink at least one liter of fluid during the day. Preferably green tea and water. Coffee lovers can get a cup of refreshing drink in the morning, but not daily.
- Olive oil gives a pleasant taste to vegetable salads and saturates the body with useful substances.
- Yogurts are only natural.
- Sports activities. To keep your body in good shape, you need to take time for physical activity every day. This can be a morning workout at home or an evening workout at the fitness center.
Opinions
- 34-year-old woman: "My family loves sweets. We used to buy cakes and pastries every weekend. As a result, everyone gained weight. By trying the Mediterranean diet, I made nutrition the main principle of the whole family. After a month of Mediterranean diet, the woman's husband and daughter are about 3-He has lost 4 kilograms. Now the family only cooks homemade sweets, and the food is carefully monitored. "
- 38-year-old woman: "The upcoming holiday - the anniversary of a friend - encouraged me to lose weight. I wanted to look wonderful and I had time - 1, 5 before me. I had to lose a little - 3 kilograms. The result for three weeks. OnceI have been on a Mediterranean diet for several months.
Summary
The Mediterranean diet for weight loss is fairly straightforward and does not require sharp food restrictions. To look good and be healthy, you only need a little - think and watch what we eat. Foods rich in a variety of nutrients make you feel good every day, tighten your figure, and keep you in good shape.