Then, this diet plan would be the best for you.
Do You Look Younger More than Ten Years?
For the past decade, I’ve been following the Mediterranean Diet, which I believe is the healthiest way to manage body weight. Despite consuming significant amounts of fats like olive oil and avocado, I’ve found this diet to be effective.
Unlike other diets, the Mediterranean Diet doesn’t give strict calorie intake rules. You set your own goal and calculate your daily target calories if you’re aiming for weight loss.
What makes the Mediterranean Diet special is that people in Mediterranean countries consume high fat, yet they have much lower rates of cardiovascular disease compared to places like the United States, where similar levels of fat are eaten.
In 2022, U.S. News and World Report ranked the Mediterranean Diet as the number one overall diet. This is because it offers numerous health benefits, including weight loss, improved heart health, brain health, lower cancer risks, and better diabetes management.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
It’s a diet inspired by people around the Mediterranean Sea, eating a high portion of olive oil, legumes, fish, cheese, yoghurt, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables, moderate wine, and a low amount of meat products.
How does it work?
Many studies found that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes, and may improve overall health status.
1. Using your blood sugar efficiently
This eating pattern may help stabilise blood sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes.
Reduce fasting sugar levels and improve levels of haemoglobin A1C, which is a measurement of long-term blood sugar control.
Decrease insulin resistance to regulate blood sugar levels effectively.
2. The best diet plan to clean your blood vessels
High unsaturated fat consumption raised HDL cholesterol and lowered LDL cholesterol.
Slowing down the progression of plaque in your arteries
Helping lower levels of diastolic and systolic blood pressure to support heart health
3. Improving your brain health
Prevent cognitive decline as you get older
Improving memory and attention and reducing several risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease
- Reducing the processing speed of aging
How to start it?
Eat mostly: Legumes, vegetables, whole grain, seeds, nuts, fruits, avocado, avocado oil, potatoes, herbs, extra virgin olive oil, olives, fish, seafood, and spices.
Eat moderately: cheese, eggs, poultry, and yoghurt
Eat rarely: red meat, processed food, added sugar, refined grains
Okay, let’s get started.
This meal plan is an example only. (Calculated approximately only)
Total calories: 1,500 Kcal/ Day (Calculate your recommended calories)
MEAL 1:
Greek yoghurt with blueberry, apple & Almond (294 Kcal)
-Greek yoghurt 170g: 100 Kcal
-Blueberry 100g: 57 Kcal
-Apple 129g: 67 Kcal
-Almond x 10: 70 Kcal
Meal 2:
Avocado & cheddar cheese on Toast (576Kcal)
-Cheddar slice x 2: 226 Kcal
-Avocado 1/2: 160 Kcal
-Whole grain toast x 2: 150 Kcal
-olive oil x1 tsp: 40 Kcal
MEAL 3:
Salmon Steak with onions & Broccoli and Salads
(630 Kcal)
-Salmon Steak 200g: 416 Kcal
-Onions 50g & Broccoli 50g: 37 Kcal
-Salads Mix 30g: 5 Kcal
-Feta cheese 50g: 132 Kcal
-Olive oil 1 tsp: 40 Kcal
* You can change different types of fat, protein, or carbs, according to the food guides below. *Use salt & pepper slightly for all meals*
Food Guide to each nutrition
Fats
olive oil, avocado oil, olive, avocado
Nuts (Almond, Brazil nut, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)
Proteins
Oily fish (Salmon, Tuna, swordfish)
Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas)
Cheese, natural yoghurt
Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck)
Egg
Meat (Beef, pork)
Carbohydrates
Whole meals bread
Pasta/ Rice/ Oat/ Quinoa/ Noodle
Sweet potato/ Potato/ Pumpkin
Vitamins & Minerals
Cabbage/ Asparagus
Broccoli/ Cauliflower/ Brussel sprout/ Kale
Mushroom/ Tomatoes/ Cucumber/ onion
Green bean/ Eggplant/ Turpin/ Celery
Leafy veggies (Spinach, rocket salads or any green leafy)
Apple, Orange, Banana, Berries, Grapefruit, Pear, Watermelon
Spices & Herbs
Garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper
I’m fond of the time of day known as the “time between dog and wolf.” It’s when it’s tricky to tell whether you’re encountering a friendly dog or a potentially harmful wolf. This period marks the blending of light and darkness, a time of transition.
Remember to pay heed to your body and discern what benefits or harms you. Just like in that special time, it’s important to distinguish what’s good and bad for you.
“Listening to your body!”
Love this article. Moderate wine sounds attractive too.
It’s hard to keep it moderate sometimes, but I find it’s more enjoyable when things are moderate.
Don’t you think that theory applies to almost everything?
Have a nice day, Skye