Most people agree that the Mediterranean diet is the best for weight loss because it includes all the healthiest nutrients that are required to be lean, fit, and healthy. Unlike other diet plans, the Mediterranean diet doesn’t aim to cut out fat, carbs, or all sugars, which makes the diet easy to follow and maintain. You don’t have to feel as though you are denying yourself anything, which can lead to greater temptation, although there are definitely a few foods such as chips, snack cakes, and soda that need to be cut out of your diet completely.
If you are eating for weight loss, there are several different ways you can eat clean over seven days to maximize results.
- Eating Fruits and Vegetables- Make a simple salad with spinach or kale, colorful sliced sweet peppers, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, almond slivers, and olives. If you want some cheese, crumbled feta or goat cheese is best, but you can also use fresh mozzarella sprinkled with basil or oregano as well. Salads can be dressed with homemade salad dressing that you can make at the beginning of the week and store in a mason jar or olive oil decanter for easy access. Mix extra virgin olive oil with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar to taste.
For breakfast, you can easily cook oats with skim milk and add in a handful of berries or your other favorite fruit. For a bit of sweetness, you can add a teaspoon of honey. Greek yogurt with fruit and granola, avocado toast, and breakfast scrambles with egg whites are also great breakfast choices that can help you get your daily doses of fruit and veggies in.
- Protein- Most of your protein is going to come from legumes and vegetables. Fish should be consumed 5–6 days per week because of the rich omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Fish and chicken should always be chosen over red meats and are best prepared by grilling, baking, poaching, or sautéing. Never fry it, and always remove the skin and fat from chicken.
- Seeds and Nuts- A handful of almonds makes for a great snack, and seeds and nuts can also be added into any salad or entrée. They are extremely abundant in antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, which help with cholesterol and blood pressure. These should be a part of your diet every single day and should never be skipped. They also have a ton of protein, so they help with energy and feeling full for longer. Avoid salted or sugared nuts.
- Legumes- Black, pinto, kidney, white, fava, garbanzo, cannellini, and all the other types of beans out there are low-fat, packed with fiber and minerals, and great for protein. They can be added into soups, served as side dishes, or mashed with herbs to create great flavor. You should be eating beans at a minimum of three times per week. Lentils are another great option for meals.
- Healthy oil- We have talked about olive oil over and over again, but this ingredient really must be a staple in your pantry for Mediterranean cooking. The health benefits are enough that if you do nothing else with this diet, you should at least switch to extra virgin olive oil so that you can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke immediately, especially if you have a history of these conditions in your family.
- Wine- One glass of red wine at dinner can help with weight loss, cardiovascular health, and mental health. Don’t drink more than one glass per day at dinner.
