Mediterranean Diet: What it is And How Does It Work For Weight Loss?
The Mediterranean diet is actually based on the traditional foods that people used to eat in countries like Greece and Italy back in the year 1960.
According to the researchers, these people were extraordinarily healthy than the Americana and had a low risk of many lifestyle diseases.
Further, numerous studies have now shown that the Mediterranean diet can help prevent strokes, heart attacks, premature death and, type 2 diabetes.
Most importantly this particular diet can cause weight loss.
So if you are looking for the answer – does Mediterranean diet help you lose weight?
YES! Absolutely.
You can easily lose weight on the Mediterranean Diet.
In addition, people having Mediterranean diet also has the least increase in waist circumference to the low-fat diet.
Of course, this is not the first time when this particular diet plan has been associated with weight loss.
In another study which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in the year 2008 also showed that people experienced a greater weight loss with Mediterranean diet compared to a low-fat diet.
Other studies have also associated the Mediterranean diet with healthy weight in pregnant women as well as in children.
Now,
To clarify, most of the people associate the Mediterranean diet with lots of olive oil and pasta.
This is, however, a misconception, the traditional Mediterranean diet that had a prototype the Cretan diet is mainly olive oil and plants with some carbs sprinkled, and it’s a moderate to high-fat diet with a moderate amount of carbohydrates.
What is Mediterranean Diet?
It’s worldwide accepted that the folks in countries nearby the Mediterranean Sea live longer and suffer less compared to the most Americans from cardiovascular ailments and cancer.
The not-so-surprising secret is weight control, an active lifestyle, sugar and saturated fat and high in produce, a diet low in red meat, nuts and other healthful foods.
You could also keep that weight off by following the Mediterranean Diet; while avoiding chronic disease.
Greek eat differently from Italians, who further eat differently from Spanish and French.
Although, they share many of the same principles.
Now,
How Does Mediterranean Diet work For Weight Loss?
Because this is not a structured diet, but an eating pattern – you’re on your own to figure out how many calories you should eat to maintain or lose your weight, what you’ll do to stay active and how you’ll contour your Mediterranean menu.
In such a situation, the Mediterranean diet pyramid should help you get started.
If you want, top it off with a splash of red wine. Just remember to stay physically active and you’re all set.
While certainly not required, two glass a day for men and one glass a day for women is fine if your doctor says so.
Because red wine contains resveratrol (a compound that seems to add years to life) and thus has gotten a boost.
But drinking hundreds or thousands of glasses to get enough resveratrol can possibly make a huge difference.
As discussed, there’s no right way to follow the Mediterranean diet, as there’re people in different countries around the Mediterranean sea areas may have eaten different foods.
Therefore if you want to lose your weight following a Mediterranean diet, here’re my 5 tips that work.
5 Tips To Follow the Mediterranean Diet For Weight Loss
#1: Take Your Main Meal Before 3 P.M
Traditionally with a Mediterranean diet, lunch is considered to be the main meal as it is being consumed between 1 to 3 pm.
By consuming a larger meal early in the day, you automatically reduce the risk of overeating later.
In fact, according to a Spanish study, people who ate their largest meal before 3 pm lost more weight.
#2: Eat Vegetables Cooked In Olive Oil
This kind of dish is the magic of the Greek diet. By eating vegetables cooked in olive oil and tomato, not only you’re satisfied but you’re also consuming 3-4 servings of vegetables in just one sitting.
These dishes are low in carbs and are of the moderate caloric level. Supplement it with a piece of feta cheese and you are all set.
Another key advantage of consuming vegetables cooked in olive oil as the main course is that because it is not a carb-rich meal you’ll avoid the sleepiness that follows.
#3: Drink water mostly, sometimes tea, coffee, and wine
Although in some countries like the US, it is standard to drink milk with meals but is it really necessary?
NO!
Most diary comes from yogurt and cheese with the Mediterranean diet, so save your calories and use them by eating solid food instead of taking liquid calories.
The same rule goes for juice. Nobody really eats your fruit, need juice. They are actually filling and you get all the nutrients and fiber.
As for wine and coffee, each has its own place in the Mediterranean diet, but they do not replace them with water.
Traditional Greek coffee has been associated with numerous health benefits and so has wine.
#4: Feed Yourself With The Right Amount of Olive Oil
Numerous researches have confirmed that Mediterranean diet is great for weight loss and does not make you fat.
Yes, calories count, but in order to sustain a vegetable-based diet you need something to provide flavor and satiety; and that is olive oil.
Olive not only makes the meal filling but also makes those vegetables delicious. However, that does not mean, you should be pouring olive oil stupidly on everything.
A good amount of Olive oil is associated with all the health benefits which are about 3 tablespoons a day.
#5: Move
The Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle and therefore moving around is imperative. Apart from walking, general movement throughout the day is key.
It’s just not enough to visit the gym once in a day for an hour then spend the rest of the day sitting at your office.
I suggest you take walking breaks, do some stretches every hour, do household works or go for a walk, instead of that driving.
The Bottom Line
After reading this blog it is clear that there’s not one defined Mediterranean diet, this way of eating is relatively lower in animal foods with a focus on seafood and fish, and generally rich in healthy plant foods.
You can find a lot of information about the Mediterranean diet on the internet, and many great books have been written on this particular diet.
Google for Mediterranean diet recipes and you’ll find tons of great tips for delicious meals.
At the end of the day, the Mediterranean diet is amazingly healthy and you won’t be disappointed.
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