It's no secret that the fight against excess weight involves the rejection of the lifestyle that was conducted earlier. To lose weight you need to adhere to certain principles of nutrition. The Mediterranean diet will not only help get rid of body fat. If you adhere to all its rules, you can prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and improve your well-being.
Features of the Mediterranean diet
A single diet plan of this type does not exist. The Mediterranean consists of many countries, each of which has its own cuisine. The idea to create a diet based on the rejection of fats belongs to Dr. Ansel Kies. His theory is that in most cases, heart disease is accompanied by the use of saturated animal fats. Today this statement is not relevant, since it was refuted by scientists who conducted numerous studies. Nevertheless, the Mediterranean diet for weight loss does not cease to be very popular.
Such a diet favors just one kind of fat - olive oil. Traditional Mediterranean cuisine is far from these limitations. For example, in Corsica, the local population does not disdain home-made sausages, dishes that use heavy cream. Among the dishes of Italian and French cuisine there are various sausages and pastes made from such types of meat as pork and lamb. Eggs have always been the most affordable and commonly used products in the Mediterranean. But with regard to cheese, then in the Mediterranean diet for weight loss, this product is banned. But in many countries of this region, a similar product is consumed in considerable quantities.
This Mediterranean diet allows the use of animal fats, which are found in meat and dairy products. It is important to understand that the statement that the Mediterranean population adheres to proper nutrition and does not have heart problems refers exclusively to the real diet of this region.
Basic Rules
If the problem of excess weight is relevant, then a diet that is popular among the inhabitants of the Mediterranean will help get rid of it. Let's consider it in more detail. So what is the essence of the Mediterranean diet? Here are the main rules to follow:
- An unlimited number of seasonal vegetables and fruits should be added to the daily menu.
- Dairy products are allowed in this diet, but it is important to mention that they should be low in fat.
- On the table every day should be greens, onions, garlic, spices in the form of rosemary, oregano and basil.
- On a pedestal of healthy products, you need to place olive oil. It must be added to salads and cereals.
- The basis of the menu is seafood, fatty fish, white meat.
- It is allowed to consume 1 egg per day.
- Pasta is allowed, but provided that they are made from durum wheat. For cereals, raw rice should be preferred. Barley and buckwheat are also allowed. Wholemeal bread, pasta and rice should be consumed for lunch.
- One of the principles of the Mediterranean diet involves the daily use of water in an amount of at least 1.5-2 liters per day.
- Among alcoholic beverages, red wine is favored. You can occasionally drink it at lunch or dinner.
- Nuts, dried fruits and seeds are allowed to be used once a week.
- It is necessary to exclude salt from the diet. So that the taste of dishes of the Mediterranean diet does not seem too fresh, they can be seasoned with spices.
- Some products will have to be abandoned. Fatty meats, pastries, sweets, ice cream, smoked dishes are taboo when it comes to the Mediterranean principle of nutrition.
What are the foods that underlie diet?
All the products that make up the pyramid of the Mediterranean diet are sources of trace elements, vitamins and amino acids. To make the diet as useful as possible, nutritionists recommend eating seasonal vegetables and fruits, the cultivation of which is carried out exclusively in a natural way, without the use of nitrates.
- Fish, seafood, vegetables and rice are considered sources of minerals such as selenium, manganese and zinc. They help slow down the oxidative processes in the body and help maintain skin elasticity.
- The benefits of olive oil, which is included in the list of essential products in the Mediterranean diet, are priceless. Preference should be given to the product of the first extraction, since it does not lose all its useful qualities. Monounsaturated fats present in olives have a positive effect on the work of the cardiovascular system, help lower cholesterol, and are an excellent prevention of blood clots. Olive oil improves the digestive tract, has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair. Due to its high calorie content, you need to use it with a sense of proportion.
- Essential proteins are present in lean beef, veal and lamb. These products help maintain normal hemoglobin levels. Rabbit and poultry meat is rich in easily digestible protein. Their peculiarity is that they are free of fat, so they can be entered into the daily menu.
- Dairy products in the form of kefir, yogurt and cottage cheese are considered a source of calcium, which is actively involved in strengthening bones and teeth.
- Red wine contains potassium, magnesium, iron, and B and C vitamins. This drink helps strengthen the heart muscle, resists oncological processes in the body, and strengthens the immune system.
- The Mediterranean diet for every day also consists of pasta and cereals. These foods are sources of complex carbohydrates.
Health effects
Due to the fact that the basis of the Mediterranean diet is based on products with the maximum content of nutrients, it helps maintain excellent health and positively affects the condition of the skin, hair and nails. Studies have shown that people living in the Mediterranean countries rarely experience heart disease. A certain diet helps them to maintain their health.
The Mediterranean diet in Russia is not very popular. But if you want to live as long as possible and protect yourself from various diseases, it is worth taking a closer look at a diet that is dominated by fish, lean meat, vegetables, berries, fruits.
Unfortunately, residents of Russia rarely adhere to proper nutrition. Most of them do not limit themselves to sweets, preservation, pastries, alcohol and sweet carbonated drinks. This entails problems with the cardiovascular system and fat deposition in problem areas. One of the main products of the Mediterranean diet is fish. No less important are seasonal vegetables, fruits and berries.
Contraindications
As mentioned above, the Mediterranean diet is a specific diet that must be followed throughout life. In this regard, it is devoid of contraindications. Restrictions affect only those people who have diseases that require a strict diet.
It is also worth noting that the basis of the menu are products that can provoke an allergic reaction. If there is an individual intolerance to certain vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs, cheese or nuts, then their use should be abandoned.
Menu: Advanced
For those who decided to try this type of food, one of the described options for the Mediterranean diet menu for a week is suitable.
Breakfast: yogurt filled with berries and oat bran.
Lunch: cream broccoli soup with cream, vegetable and fish salad with olive oil dressing, apples.
Dinner: vegetable salad, a slice of whole grain bread with cheese.
Breakfast: oatmeal with raspberries or blueberries.
Lunch: low-fat lentil soup, bread with a slice of cheese and tomato.
Dinner: fish stewed in sour cream sauce with spices.
Breakfast: fried eggs with vegetables and dill.
Lunch: fish and vegetable soup, lasagna from vegetables.
Dinner: a salad of shrimp, squid and mussels with olive oil.
Breakfast: yogurt, a handful of nuts.
Lunch: salmon soup, potatoes with vegetables.
Dinner: a salad of vegetables and eggs with dressing from olive oil and lemon juice.
Breakfast: muesli.
Lunch: cream spinach soup, steamed fish with brown rice, baked or fresh vegetables.
Dinner: pizza made from whole flour stuffed with vegetables and low-fat cheese.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with dill and parsley.
Lunch: vegetable soup, lamb stew with potatoes.
Dinner: baked eggplant, a slice of whole grain bread with a slice of cheese.
Breakfast: fruit or berry mix with yogurt.
Lunch: tomato soup with spices, chicken with potatoes, cooked in a slow cooker or in the oven.
Dinner: brown rice pilaf with mussels and shrimp.
Traditional option
Breakfast: omelet with tomatoes, cheese.
Lunch: chicken, broccoli, cauliflower soup, seafood salad with olive oil.
Dinner: a salad of vegetables, a slice of bread with cheese and sausage (not shop).
Breakfast: high fat yogurt.
Lunch: bacon soup with beans, home-made pita with cheese, chicken and tomatoes.
Dinner: fish stewed in sour cream.
Breakfast: oatmeal with apple or berries.
Lunch: soup of carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, beans, lasagna with meat.
Dinner: salad with tuna, shrimp, mussels.
Breakfast: boiled egg with a slice of cheese.
Lunch: red trout soup, chicken stew with potatoes.
Dinner: a grilled mix of vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper), a slice of bread with a homemade pate.
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: cream spinach soup, steamed salmon with wild rice, vegetables of your choice.
Dinner: diet pizza from tomatoes, sausages, cheese.
Breakfast: fried eggs with vegetables.
Lunch: cream soup with broccoli with fat cheese, baked lamb with vegetables.
Dinner: baked eggplant with grated cheese, a slice of bread with a slice of meat.
Breakfast: feta sandwich.
Lunch: tomato soup with garlic, chicken with pasta.
Dinner: a mix of seafood, apples and orange, yogurt.
So, what is included in the Mediterranean diet, we figured out. As can be seen from the above, the menu is dominated by various options for salads. Losing weight should remember that it is forbidden to use mayonnaise as a dressing, whether it is store-bought or home-made. The ideal option is olive oil, lemon juice and spices.
What snacks are allowed
The principle of this type of diet involves three meals a day. Snacks are also not forbidden, in particular:
- nuts
- fruit slices;
- berries;
- peanut butter bread;
- Greek yogurt.
Mediterranean diet recipes
The cooking options that are popular in the Mediterranean are incredible. Most of them were listed in the above menu. The Mediterranean diet in Russia should be based on those products that are widely available. As berries, strawberries, blueberries, strawberries, and currants are ideal. As for vegetables, you can enter apples, pears, apricots on the menu. Seafood and expensive varieties of fish are not affordable for everyone, so they can be replaced with cheaper options.
Fruit smoothie
To prepare 2 servings of this drink you will need:
- banana (1 pc.);
- fresh or frozen strawberries, currants;
- citrus juice.
All components must be put in a blender and mixed.
Rice with vegetables
To cook risotto you need to take:
- 1 onion;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 1 zucchini and eggplant;
- 1 bell pepper;
- 1.5 cups of risk;
- spice;
- vegetable broth;
- olive oil.
Prepare the risotto as follows:
- The oven warms up to 200 ° C.
- Vegetables, cut into cubes, are laid out on a baking sheet and sent to the oven.
- While vegetables are being cooked, oil is poured onto a hot pan. Then follows the frying of onions and garlic.
- After 2 minutes, you need to add rice to them and move all the components. After a few minutes, add the broth to the grits. Rice should be mixed until it completely absorbs water.
- After 20 minutes, the rice will be ready. Vegetables are removed from the oven, after which they are mixed with rice and seasoned with spices.
Fruit Chicken Salad
For chicken salad, the following components will be required:
- 1 boiled breast;
- peaches (2-3 pcs.);
- several rings of canned pineapples;
- 100 g celery;
- lettuce leaves.
You can season the salad with a mixture of yogurt, cinnamon, grated lemon, mint leaves.
Cooking method:
- Boil the breast and chop into pieces.
- Fruit cut into cubes.
- Lettuce tear apart.
- Prepare dressing and pour mixed ingredients into it.
Oatmeal muffins with nuts
To get 6 fragrant muffins you need to take:
- eggs (2 pcs.);
- 80 g of milk powder;
- 80 g of oat bran;
- baking powder (0.5 tsp);
- vanilla sugar (1 sachet);
- nuts (almonds or hazelnuts).
Pour the eggs into the container, add the loose ingredients to them and mix them until the mixture has a thick consistency. Nuts should be chopped and poured into the dough. Heat the oven to 180 ° C, pour the dough into molds and send to bake. After 15 minutes, healthy low-calorie muffins will be ready.
Arugula Salad
To make a salad you need to take arugula, cherry tomatoes, avocado fruit, a handful of nuts to choose from, grated cheese (it is better to take parmesan), olive oil.
Wash the leaves of the arugula, divide the cherry into two halves, cut the avocado. The components must be mixed and seasoned with spices.
What should be the drinking regimen
Drinking regimen during the diet should be given special attention. The main source of liquid is pure non-carbonated water in an amount of 1.5-2 liters.
Carbonated sugary drinks should be discarded. Freshly squeezed juices must be wary, since they contain a considerable amount of fructose, which does not benefit weight loss. Freschi is not prohibited, but it is best to use them as a dessert. Compotes and fruit drinks are allowed, the main thing is that they do not have sugar.
Drinks such as coffee and tea need to be limited. Refuse them should not be. It is acceptable to drink 1-2 cups a day.
It is also not necessary to completely exclude alcohol. A diet of this type favors the use of dry red wine: no more than 1 glass several times a week.
How to strengthen the effectiveness of the diet
When the task is to reduce weight, you need to approach the solution comprehensively. A positive result will be achieved if you not only eat right, but also pay due attention to physical activity. Equally important is a positive attitude. Residents of the Mediterranean are people with a certain charisma. They are energetic, active, cheerful and smiling.
If it is not possible to practice in the gym, you should try to walk at least 2-4 km daily. It is also necessary to deal with stress - to do yoga, attend trainings, communicate with loved ones, surround yourself with positive people.
Mediterranean type of food - the choice of many celebrities
The results of the Mediterranean diet can be judged by looking at the stars of the stage and cinema. One of the adherents of this food culture can be called a beautiful woman with ideal parameters Penelope Cruz. The movie star repeatedly mentioned in an interview that she was able to quickly get in shape after the birth of her children thanks to a diet that is based on the use of products such as fish, vegetables, fruits. The actress's favorite product is olive oil. Penelope assures that it is she who helps her stay young. The secret of the star’s ideal appearance is also in ballet classes.
Another fan of this diet is everyone's beloved and forever young Sophia Loren. This woman is scrupulous in her appearance and health. Its menu consists of extremely useful products. The star uses a large amount of grilled vegetables, fruits, berries. Sophie's favorite dish is pasta with homemade sauce, cheese and olive oil. The actress adheres to a healthy lifestyle: she walks a lot, often spends time in the fresh air, does not get depressed and maintains a positive attitude in any life situations.
Reviews
Much has been mentioned about this type of food. People who have experienced all the delights of a diet tend to a single opinion - the scheme works. But its significant drawback lies in the cost of products that many can not afford. However, sweets and other unhealthy dishes are also worth a lot. With the money saved, you can buy a piece of red fish, fruits. There is enough olive oil for a long time, so you will have to spend money on its purchase infrequently. , . .
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It is also worth mentioning that adhere to the principles of this diet will have on an ongoing basis. This is the only way to maintain weight and prevent many diseases.
Conclusion
In order to feel all the advantages of the Mediterranean diet, it is important to make it a way of life. Time restrictions in food in this case do not work. The great advantage of such a diet is also that there is no need to deny yourself much. Moreover, there are many recipes for preparing tasty and healthy dishes, so the menu can be varied and indulge yourself with something new every day.