There are many weight loss products on the market. If you have tried any of them with little success, I have some great news for you. Why not try to lose weight with the Mediterranean Diet? Do not dare to say you have never heard of it. Just in case you are bold enough let me give you the answer quickly.
The Mediterranean Diet has been around for centuries. I have a complete look at what it is here on my blog. I am sure when you checked it out you were quite amazed at the variety of foods you can consume. The Mediterranean Diet is also very healthy.
I, however, will look today at some of the best ways you can lose weight when following this great way of eating.
1. Introduce the Mediterranean Diet Slowly
If you want to lose weight with the Mediterranean Diet it is best to do it slowly. By this, I mean do not try to introduce all of the changes at once. We all know this never works. If you have been eating a certain way for decades, you have to give your body time to adjust to this new way of living.
Increasing your fruits and vegetables is a must as you have seen. To begin, find the ones you like. Let us say you enjoy bananas and cucumbers. Start there and eat them for a couple of days. Then one by one introduce others into your diet. “Slow and steady wins the race” as the story of the hare and tortoise teaches us.
2. Clean up the Pantry
I am not saying to throw everything out at once. Those foods that you know increase your weight, start with them.
Let me help you out with some ideas:
- Replace your unhealthy oils with olive oil.
- Reduce the salt and increase your herbs. 50/50 is good.
- Get your protein from beans and peas also instead of only meats.
- Since fruits and vegetables are loaded with healthy stuff, have them at every meal.
- Do not avoid your snacks. Throw in some nuts and other tasty fruits in place of the sugary, processed ones.
- Use a variety of different colored foods when having your meals.
- Have some healthy whole grains at each meal.
Before you know it your shopping list will change. It will comprise of only healthy Mediterranean Diet foods that will help you with your weight loss.
3. Replace Processed With Natural
“Trying to eat natural food,” is a good motto to follow. Many of the foods that you are allowed to eat in the Mediterranean Diet help with weight loss. The fact that they do contain fewer calories and are natural surely will help. Many of them also contain antioxidants and lots of vitamins and minerals. In other words, not only are you losing weight, but you will also be getting healthier as you eat these wholesome foods.
Processed foods can be very bad for your body. They can cause an unhealthy gut which can bring about illnesses like cancers, Alzheimer’s, heart problems, and anemia. Our bodies are not created to eat like this which is why they reject these foods. These illnesses clearly show that to us.
Let your aim then be to replace all those unhealthy foods you have been eating for years. You will then soon become the slim healthy person you long to be.
4. Make your Bread to Lose Weight with a Mediterranean Diet
I know asking you to stop eating bread would not be nice. You do not even need to. Bread is normally eaten at almost every meal in the Mediterranean. It is the type of bread you eat that can be a problem when trying to lose weight.
You can still have your pancakes, but use barley and oat powder instead of flour. I have been doing this for a while and you cannot tell the difference. They are white, so if you love white flour that is a good substitute.
Completely removing white bread from your diet is better. Whole wheat is healthier. If you want to cut back, even more, make or buy some whole wheat tortillas. They are good at every meal.
For breakfast put your scrambled eggs in them with your vegetables. How about some tasty lentils flavored with some healthy spices like thyme, celery, onions, garlic, and red pepper for dinner? The choices are limitless.
5. Lose Weight With a Healthy Gut
When it comes to having a healthy gut, can also help with your weight loss. Your gut bacteria can affect the weight you lose or gain according to how the foods are digested.
One study has shown that certain bacteria in the gut may cause weight gain. This then shows that your gut bacteria do affect your weight.
If you want to lose weight fix your gut bacteria.
6. You Do Not Need to Starve Yourself When Trying to Lose Weight
When we try to lose weight, reducing the amount of food that we consume is normally the way we think it should be done. The Mediterranean diet, however, is different. Many of the foods eaten cause you to feel full because of the fiber they contain. These include grains, fruits, and vegetables.
As I mentioned earlier this is not a diet, but a way of living that brings only excellent results.
You can fill your plate up with fruits and vegetables and yet eat fewer calories than if you had some fast food meals. Include some baked chicken and bread and you would feel stuffed.
If you are tired of having to eat small meals because you want to lose weight, check out some Mediterranean meal plans.
7. Choose your Beverages Wisely
I do agree that nothing can replace some good healthy water. If we are honest with ourselves variety is the spice of life. At times we long for something more than just plain water. At these times you can add some lemon, strawberries, lime, and mint to your water. Avoid flavored water found on the market. Many of them contain sugar and other unhealthy additives.
If you prefer hot beverages get some green, black, cinnamon, or chamomile tea. There are many herb teas, so pick the ones that you enjoy.
Do not forget your coffee. If plain is your choice, way to go.
8. What about Dessert? Include that too
If you are like me, when I finish a good healthy meal, I am looking for dessert. I have however learned that with the Mediterranean Diet, I do not need to punish myself.
Have a little bit of what you like once a week. Sunday is my special day. Cutting it in half is even better. You will get what you crave, but do not overdo it.
There are some good Mediterranean desserts online too if you want to go this way.
All the other days try to be inventive. You can have sweet fruits like bananas, grapes, papaya, and watermelon. They are great as desserts.
Some Greek yogurt with some added blueberries is also another good choice. Get some good ideas together and you will not miss the unhealthy desserts.
9. You Cannot Forget your Exercises
Keeping the body moving is the way to reduce your weight. In the western world, we believe we have to set aside some time for an exercise regime.
In the Mediterranean being busy is a part of normal life. They might be working in the garden, at home, or just walking continuously during the day.
You can do this too, by going to the pool or ocean for a swim. Try going for a leisurely walk with a friend or spouse in the park. How about taking the bus and walking a few blocks to work? Getting up from your desk at intervals during the day and not only when it is lunchtime can also help.
All in all, you have seen that when trying to lose weight the Mediterranean diet is fabulous. By following these 9 easy ways to lose weight you are sure to see results. Do make sure you keep away from stress also and start to enjoy your life to the fullest.
