Mediterranean Eating Plan Overview
This eating plan has no calorie counting, but there is tracking – some things by the day and some by the week. Its premise is one of primarily whole foods and approximately 40% of the total food eaten to be from monounsaturated fat sources. These are fats found in olive oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds.
Let’s look at what this means for your eating. First some fats are not bad for you – in fact olive oil is antioxidant rich and in this eating plan is recommended for use when cooking or on salads. Eat fish several times a week, it is a great source Almonds and walnuts, are great snacks and have heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. BUT remember a serving size is a snack so a small number. Anything in too large amounts can go against your goals of decreasing weight and treating obesity.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Eat poultry and fish several times a week, keep eggs less than 5 x week. Eat red meat once or twice per month.
What this means for your eating: Replace red meat with protein sources that are lower in saturated fat. Replace a meat-based meal twice a week with a vegetarian protein source such as beans and lentils. Use two egg whites in place of whole eggs whenever possible.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Keep dairy to small amount each day.
What this means for your eating: Avoid yogurts with higher sugar contents – replace with Greek-style yogurt (low in sugar and high in protein). Consider using only organic dairy, which is free of the hormones found in most US dairy products. If consuming dairy be sure it is low fat.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible.
What this means for your eating: Aim for 7-9 servings of various colored high-fiber fruits and vegetables per day. Be sure to wash produce or buy only organic to avoid the pesticides so common in produce grown within our borders or shipped from neighboring countries. Try preparing vegetables with a bit of olive oil as recent studies show that a small amount of fat is necessary for the body to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients found in vegetables.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Incorporate a moderate amount of whole grain breads and high-fiber cereals into the eating. A great tip – seek out fresh, artisan bread and serve with high quality olive oil (preferably cold pressed).
What this means for your eating: Avoid processed, low-fiber bread. You’ll be satisfied sooner and eat less.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Eat fruit, one ounce of high-quality dark chocolate, or a small piece of fresh cheese along with a small glass of red wine for dessert. And then, go for a walk.
What this means for your eating: Do what the Spaniards do and indulge in a serving-controlled dessert a few hours before dinner in the early evening and then take a walk. The ritual is called la merienda. Savor it-and don’t feel guilty.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Walk everywhere.
What this means for your eating: Okay so it really doesn’t have anything to do with what you eat, but activity is good for your heart and pancreas and mood and (well you get the idea – it is good for you). Aim for 10,000 steps a day in addition to bi-weekly strength workouts.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Eat the biggest meal of the day midday.
What this means for your eating: If you don’t have the luxury of an hour-long lunch, divide up a larger meal over the course of the late morning and afternoon. Some research shows, when you eat more of your calories earlier in the day the less you’ll eat overall.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: Eat seasonally fresh and locally sourced food.
What this means for your eating: This really helps in keeping your processed foods to a minimum. Shop the parameter of the grocery store and shop farmer markets. Eat food as close to its whole natural state as possible. Recent studies show that chemically altered foods and preservatives confuse the body’s register of calorie consumption.
The Mediterranean Eating Plan: There are two things to think about with this plan, first it has great research showing improvements for heart disease and diabetes but not a lot of weight loss for the treatment of obesity. And two this plan does have “counts” and keeping track of them is at times a bit cumbersome.
What this means for your eating:
- Oils/Fats – choose plant based fats
- Vegetables: 2-3 cups per day
- Fruit: 1-1/2 cups per day
- Cereals and whole grains: 1 ½ cups per day
- Dairy less than one cup per day
- Meats 3-4 ounces per day (remember red meat sparingly in a moth)
- Alcohol – if consumed 1 drink per day for women and 2 for men
- Legumes – 2 cups WEEKLY
- Fish 2-4 ounces per WEEK