Mediterranean diet for weight loss. Daily and weekly menu, recipes. Reviews and results

The Mediterranean diet is the only nutritional system that has a phenomenal number of fans who follow its rules not only to lose weight, but also to improve the health of the whole body, which ultimately leads to an active long life.

Essence and principles

The uniqueness of the diet lies in the fact that it is not a set of rules, principles and restrictions artificially created by nutritionists, which you always want to break.

This is the result of observing the community of a particular region, comparing the morbidity statistics of its population with the rest of the population of the planet, identifying the reasons for its superiority and adapting the traditional diet of the region to other countries.

The term "Mediterranean diet" was first introduced in the middle of the 20th century by the American couple A. and M. Case, who came to an unexpected conclusion while researching the dependence of cardiovascular diseases on diet.

It turned out that Italy, where nutritionists published their scientific works on heart diseases, differs from their country in that the local population, which eats rather fatty and high-calorie foods, is not obese and is less susceptible to diseases of the circulatory system. , high blood pressure and diabetes.

This was the impetus for new research in Italy, and then for the reinforcement of the idea in Japan, Germany, Finland and Yugoslavia.

Ansel and Margaret Case's sensational discovery prompted American scientists, concerned about disease levels and the nation's rapid "obesity, " to use their research to create a "preventive medicine" program in the 1970s. In essence, these are the systematic basis of the traditional nutritional character of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean countries.

The popularity of the diet has been very high for half a century, which proves its simplicity and effectiveness, and the UNESCO organization recognized the cuisine of 12 Mediterranean countries as national cultural heritage. Unlike other diets, the Mediterranean diet has no time limit.

It should become a way of life and a believer in nutritional issues should be made a resident of the Mediterranean region. Which is not difficult at all, given the simple principles and the availability of the necessary products in every store. The Mediterranean diet for weight loss means following certain rules that quickly become a habit.

For this you need:

• switch to 6 meals a day (3 main and 2 additional, so-called snacks);
• make seasonal (non-greenhouse) vegetables, fruits and berries the basis of your diet;
• focus on fish and seafood in your diet;
• use only olive oil in the kitchen, both for cooking and dressing salads;
• eat foods made from legumes every day;
• minimize sugar consumption by replacing it with honey;
• drink only dry red wine, refusing other alcohol;
• consume at least 6 tbsp. clean water daily;
• leads an active and mobile lifestyle.

In order to better understand these simple rules, the so-called "Mediterranean diet pyramid" was developed. Closer to the base, which occupies the largest volume of the geometric shape, are the foods that should be eaten several times a day.

This:

• rice, millet, bulgur, durum wheat pasta, grain bread;
• vegetables and fruits;
• fermented milk products, cheeses;
• nuts, dried fruits.

In addition, there are foods that are closer to the top of the pyramid, i. e. , occupying a significantly smaller volume, with foods that can be consumed 1-6 times a week.

This:

• fish dishes;
• poultry meat;
• potato;
• chicken eggs;
• sweet desserts.

At the top of the pyramid is meat. Italians prefer beef and lamb and almost never eat pork. In countries where the main meat diet is pork, there is no point in deviating from the generally accepted product, only lean cuts should be chosen.

Thus, the visual distribution of the highlighted products allows us to reduce the diet to the following daily diet:

Product name	% of food consumed daily
Cereals and legumes	35
Vegetables, fruits, greens	thirty
Fermented dairy products, cheeses, fish, meat	20
Olive oil	10
Sweet desserts	5

An important point: when to eat the listed products.

The time distribution of the diet looks like this:

• cereals, cereals, chicken eggs, vegetables, fruits - breakfast;
• fermented milk products, fruits - 2nd breakfast;
• soups, pasta, rice, vegetable salads, meat, fish, fruit - lunch;
• fruit salads, fermented milk products, cheeses – afternoon snack;
• fish, vegetable casseroles, salads, seafood, cheeses, fruits - dinner.

Thus, the list of permitted foods and the distribution of their intake during the day can lead to the conclusion that you do not need to starve. In addition, good red wine is a daily bonus in the Mediterranean diet. Even desserts are allowed - once a week (Italians and French are famous lovers of sweets, but in moderation).

However, in order to start the process of losing weight (namely, this is the goal of switching to diet nutrition), you need to remember the amount of food you eat. The amount of food consumed during one meal should not exceed 240 ml (visually this is 16 tablespoons L. or 1 tablespoon).

The Mediterranean diet for weight loss does not bring immediate results. Using a balanced menu, hearty meals and minor restrictions in their lives, adherents of these principles usually live longer, adhering to them, and after a while notice an improvement in health, significant weight loss and the need for renewal. for the body to move actively.

Contraindications for use

The success of the diet is due to three factors:

• low in animal fat and sugar;
• high dietary fiber, fiber content;
• rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.

Although the Mediterranean fasting diet is a balanced eating method, it has contraindications.

This combination is unacceptable for some people:

• Severely obese people cannot achieve the expected results by changing their diet. In this case, special, radical methods are needed to adjust the weight.
• A set of foods with such a high fiber content can be harmful to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Allergy sufferers who react to seafood or other important components of the Mediterranean diet should avoid it.

The weekly main menu

After a while, getting used to the Mediterranean diet and its characteristics will help you to create a balanced daily menu, taking into account the rules, your own preferences and possibilities. In the meantime, you can live with the recommendations of nutritionists.

The days of the week		Main meals (except snacks)
	Breakfast	Dinner	Dinner
Monday	Oatmeal with water (or low-fat milk) with fruit; Coarse bread with cheese; Green tea	fried fish (200 g); Garnish of steamed vegetables; 100 ml of red wine	Boiled seafood; Green salad
Tuesday	Muesli with yogurt (natural, without additives); Grain bread with feta cheese; Tea (green or black)	Boiled fish with herbs; Category "A".	Boiled or roasted turkey (200 g); Boiled buckwheat; Vegetable tomato salad; 100 ml of red wine
Wednesday	Omelet for them 2 eggs; Coarse bread with cheese; Fruit (1 pc. )	Chicken soup; Green salad	Seafood salad with avocado; 100 ml of wine
Thursday	Buckwheat porridge with milk; Green tea; Fruit	Pasta with seafood and tomatoes; 100 ml of wine	Steamed fish (200 g); Garnish - cooked bulgur; Green salad
Friday	Cottage cheese casserole; Coffee	Cheese soup with shrimp; 2 slices of bread crouton; 100 ml of wine	Fish slices; Vegetable stew; 2 slices of hard or semi-hard cheese
Saturday	Muesli with yogurt and dried fruits; Sandwich made of grain bread, cheese and avocado; Green tea	Zucchini casserole, tomato, feta cheese; 100 ml of wine	fried or boiled chicken breast (150 g); Cooked lentils; Green salad
Sunday	Cottage cheese casserole with dried fruits; Fruit (1 piece); Coffee	Seafood risotto; Green salad	Boiled or steamed fish (possibly boiled meat (150-200 g); Vegetable stew; 100 ml of wine

Mediterranean diet recipes

The Mediterranean diet for weight loss is characterized by a wide variety of dishes to prepare the menu.

It is important to note that:

• Olive oil is used for cooking - a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids and lipids, which can sometimes be replaced with other vegetable oils;

• the consumption of bread is limited and must be grain, coarsely ground;
• the food must be prepared without the use of store-bought sauces or canned goods containing E additives;
• milk and fermented milk products should have a low fat content;
• in dietary nutrition, the consumption of all sea fish is encouraged - herring, mackerel, cod, hake, pike, perch; the fish must be steamed, grilled, boiled or steamed, avoiding frying;
• White poultry or rabbit meat can be included in the diet 2-3 times a week, red meat (beef, lamb, lean pork) - no more than 2-3 times a month. It should also be boiled or steamed;
• salt is used in small quantities, it is well replaced with lemon juice and spices; sugar is completely excluded, you can use a little honey;
• We must not forget about drinks - any tea, medicinal tea, coffee is allowed; simple clean water is required;
• wine should be red and dry, which reduces appetite, normalizes stomach acidity, participates in hematopoiesis and lowers cholesterol;
• Shop sweets with high sugar, fat and palm oil content are excluded from the diet.

Summer salad (with chicken)

A hearty and easily digestible salad has an unusual, spicy-fruity taste, thanks to the combination of ingredients.

Composition of components

Complex:

• boiled chicken breast - 150 g;
• fresh peaches - 2-3 pcs. ;
• canned pineapple - 50 g;
• stalks of celery - 2-3 pcs. ;
• any salad leaves - 150 g.

For the dressing, you need low-fat natural yogurt without additives (1/2 cup), mint, cinnamon, lemon peel.

The cooking process is step by step

The summer salad is made in 3 steps:

1. The process must begin with the preparation of the salad base: chicken breast, peaches, pineapple and celery must be cut into small cubes. It is better to tear the salad leaves by hand.
2. To make the dressing, put the yogurt in a separate bowl, add the cinnamon, lemon peel and chopped mint leaves.
3. Then add the dressing to the salad base and mix gently.

What can I add?

The salad remains tasty, healthy and complies with the rules of the Mediterranean diet if:

• use turkey instead of chicken;
• you can replace the peach with nectarine and the pineapple with orange pulp.

This type of salad remains a healthy, low-calorie and satisfying meal.

How to serve a dish

Summer salad is easy to make in any season if you buy imported peaches or oranges. It is good with a glass of dry red wine for dinner. The dish can be decorated with salad leaves and discarded pieces of fruit.

Salad with basmati rice

The Mediterranean diet for weight loss is known for its grain salads, in which you can combine poultry, fish or vegetables with grains to get a varied taste, but satisfying and healthy meals.

Below is one such salad.

Composition of components

Complex:

• basmati rice - 1 tablespoon;
• feta cheese - 60 g;
• dried tomatoes - 2 pcs. ;
• peanuts - 2 tbsp. l. ;
• Mint;
• olive oil;
• spices;
• water (for 200 g of rice - 250 ml of water).

The cooking process is step by step

Basmati salad is prepared in 6 steps:

1. Basmati rice must be washed and then soaked for 15 minutes. in lukewarm water, which helps the grains to better reveal their flavor and aromatic properties.
2. Then continue cooking in the same water, after boiling, reduce the heating temperature. After boiling the grains for 20 minutes, set the pan aside and let the grains sit in the hot pan for another 15 minutes. Only then can the rice be mixed with a fork.
3. Then the dried tomatoes should be poured with hot water and kept in it for 10 minutes, then dried with a paper towel and cut into pieces.
4. Toast and chop the walnuts and the feta cheese.
5. Add tomatoes, cheese and walnuts to the cooled rice - this is the base of the salad.
6. Add the chopped mint, spices and season with olive oil.

What can I add?

You can also use other nuts in this dish - pine nuts or walnuts, which are very suitable for the Mediterranean diet.

How to serve a dish

The dish can be served for lunch or dinner, garnished with a sprig of mint.

Cream cheese soup with seafood

The Mediterranean diet allows you to eat large amounts of fatty foods such as cheese.

They appear on the table almost every day, as an appetizer, at the end of a meal with dessert, or when preparing a hot dish.

Composition of components

Complex:

• hard or semi-hard cheese - 200 g;
• cottage cheese - 100 g;
• shrimp - 150 g;
• mussel meat - 100 g;
• cream (20%) - 200 ml;
• chicken egg (yolk) - 1 pc. ;
• carrot - 1 pc. ;
• onion - 1 pc. ;
• wheat flour - 1 tbsp. l. ;
• wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon. l. ;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp. l.

The cooking process is step by step

Cream cheese soup is prepared in 5 steps:

1. To prepare the broth, boil the shrimp and clams, peel them, strain off 200 ml of liquid and pour into a pan to prepare the soup.
2. Fry the peeled and chopped onion in a little olive oil until transparent, and keep it on the heat a little longer with pieces of carrot.
3. Put the cream together with the soup in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, then add the grated cheeses over a low heat. The broth must be constantly stirred until the cheeses are completely melted.
4. The next step is to collect the stirred egg yolk, the overcooked vegetables and the flour diluted with a little water in a saucepan. Bring the soup to a boil while stirring and cook for 5-7 minutes.
5. The contents of the pan must be "punched" with a blender, using the remaining broth to achieve the desired consistency.

What can I add?

To enhance the taste, you can use the broth left after cooking the boiled fish.

How to serve a dish

Soup is served during lunch. Sprinkle the contents of the plate with herbs.

Zucchini with feta cheese

Vegetables cooked in the oven are a great choice for a meal that is healthy and takes little time in the kitchen.

One option is zucchini with feta cheese.

Composition of components

Complex:

• zucchini (small) – 4 pcs. ;
• feta cheese - 200 g;
• garlic - 1 clove;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp. l. ;
• Mint;
• spices;
• pine nuts.

The cooking process is step by step

Zucchini with cheese is made in 4 steps:

1. To prepare zucchini for baking, you need to wash them; Peel the old fruits from the skin, leaving the young ones on the skin; cut lengthwise into two parts and remove the pulp.
2. Then pass the chopped pulp through olive oil with garlic and a garlic press.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to this mixture: chopped feta cheese and mint, nuts and spices. Mix everything carefully.
4. Fill the zucchini "boats" with the prepared filling and put them in the oven at 220°C for 30 minutes.

What can I add?

You can also cook zucchini and eggplant, and instead of feta cheese, use semi-hard cheese.

How to serve a dish

The dish goes well on its own or with a side dish of cooked brown rice. Or you can use it yourself as a steamed vegetable with chicken breast or turkey. Zucchini will look beautiful with my parsley.

Fried fish with cheese

Fish is a frequently consumed food in the Mediterranean diet. During weight loss, it should be eaten boiled or steamed.

By changing the type of fish, you can change the calorie content and taste of the dish while maintaining its health benefits.

Composition of components

Complex:

• fish fillet - 200 g;
• low-fat kefir - 50 ml;
• semi-hard cheese - 70 g;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp. l. ;
• lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l. ;
• dill.

The cooking process is step by step

Cheese fish is prepared in 4 steps:

1. Grease the tray with oil and place pieces of fish on it.
2. The dressing is made as follows: mix kefir, fruit juice, herbs and mix everything together. Carefully pour the mixture over the fish portions.
3. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of each piece.
4. The products must be kept in an oven preheated to 180 °C for 15 minutes.

What can I add?

You can add chopped bell peppers to the mixture or put a slice of tomato on top of the fish.

How to serve a dish

The fish can be decorated with herbs and thin lemon leaves.

Pasta with peas

Among the foods allowed for consumption in the Mediterranean diet is pasta (pasta), which is not only popular in Italy.

It is not certain that a significant weight loss can be achieved by eating them, but nutrition experts believe that category "A" pasta made from durum wheat does not lead to weight gain.

Composition of components

Complex:

• "A" category pasta - 200 g;
• semi-hard cheese - 200 g;
• green peas - 0. 5 tablespoons;
• bell pepper - 1 pc. ;
• olive oil;
• lemon juice.

Green peas can also be used freshly frozen, which is much better than canned.

The cooking process is step by step

Pea pasta is made in 3 steps:

1. The pasta must be cooked until al dente, the cooking time is always indicated on the package.
2. Next, the green peas are half cooked and fried in olive oil with finely chopped bell peppers.
3. Hot pasta should be combined with peas, pepper, grated cheese, and instead of salt, lemon juice should be added to taste.

What can I add?

Cooked pasta can be combined with many different dishes and sauces, resulting in different tasting and satisfying dishes.

How to serve a dish

Arugula leaves can be added to the dish before serving.

Oat muffins with almonds

Sometimes you can treat yourself to homemade desserts.

In this case, you will certainly know the composition of the ingredients and you will be confident in the absence of preservatives and harmful additives.

Composition of components

Complex:

• oatmeal - 4 tbsp. l. ;
• chicken eggs - 2 pcs. ;
• milk powder - 4 tbsp. l. ;
• baking powder - 20 g;
• almonds - 10 g.

The cooking process is step by step

Oatmeal muffins are made in 4 steps:

1. To prepare the dough, you need to mix the "dry" ingredients: cereals, milk, baking powder, chopped nuts.
2. The eggs must be beaten and carefully mixed with the "dry" mixture.
3. The resulting dough should be placed in silicone molds, which do not need to be greased with oil.
4. Place the muffins in an oven preheated to 200°C and bake for 15 minutes.

What can I add?

Any chopped nuts, dried fruit or fresh fruit is suitable for the oat-milk mixture.

How to serve a dish

The dessert can be served decorated with mint leaves or fresh berries. For greater enjoyment, you can brew tea or herbal infusion.

When expected effect

Those who switch to the Mediterranean diet note that they begin to notice positive changes in their health and shape after about 3-4 months without much effort or discomfort. Gradual, at first almost imperceptible weight loss, to an average of 3 kg in six months.

Becoming lovers of tasty and healthy food, people stop focusing on their kilograms, and after 2-3 years 10-15 kg will disappear unnoticed. After reaching the optimal weight, the body will independently return to a state of equilibrium.

The Mediterranean diet is not a diet change for rapid weight loss with lightning-fast weight recovery after the end of the course. This is a change of lifestyle, an attitude towards the world around you, yourself, your body and your body, giving them the attention they deserve.