When I learned about the Mediterranean diet, I couldn’t wrap my head around it of how it took so long for the entire world learn about it.  I understand that must be very confusing at the beginning because there are more than 15 countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

And that’s the beauty of it. We have all these cultures that share this lifestyle. And you might think that’s impossible to lose weight because Italy is part of it or French with its insane amount of butter, but the Mediterranean Diet is a lifestyle.

Eating a large variety of natural food and move more.

It’s the way you cook, it’s how you eat and knowing when to stop that makes this diet so easy to follow because in the end, you’re doing something that your ancestors did and it’s kind of inside you already.

Carbs are not evil. Food is not evil. Stop saying that. So many people have nothing to eat, stop treat food as junk just because you could gain weight if you eat a lot of it.

Mediterranean Diet is a mindset, you can eat bread, pasta and even drink wine, but it’s not just that. You must find your balance and learn how to make better choices of what to eat.

1 | Fruits and Vegetables

fuits

Eat fresh. I am not going to restrict any fruit or vegetable just because it doesn’t grow around the Mediterranean Sea. Like I said it’s the lifestyle that counts here. They have fruits like figs and pomegranate that we don’t see here very often, so what they are eating it doesn’t matter.

The more colorful a dish is, the best it is for you. Eat it raw or cooked or baked, but never fried and it’s all good.

2 | Olive Oil

The good fat. The best fat for your heart, the Extra-virgin olive oil is the ally you need but in moderation. Don’t use a liter of olive oil to make french fries. It doesn’t work like that, it’s an oil after all.

Use it on the top of your salad, or to seasoning a fish. You don’t need more than 3 tablespoons a day. Moderation is the key.

Here is the difference between extra-virgin olive oil and the basic one.

As a rule of thumb, I always chose the Extra Virgin, I always used in my home, it tastes amazing.

3 | Nuts

nuts0

Another good fat, this one is tricky for allergics, but like I said, you are in control. If you can’t eat, don’t.

You should eat a handful of nuts every day pure, or on your yogurt or on your meal.

Walnuts, almonds, and cashews are great to eat as a snack because they give you repletion and. they control the cholesterol level.

4 | Dairy

Yogurt, milk, and cheeses must be on your daily menu. You must choose the healthiest available. Like natural greek yogurt, 0%-1% fat milk, white cheese.

But don’t be against the other options. The food must be celebrated, it’s part of your life. When the food is balanced, everything is possible.

5 | Whole Grains

wholewheat

Here is where the pasta comes and the bread. Forget the refined grains, you’re now on the Mediterranean Diet. You must understand that you need to eat in a way to make you satiable. Whole grains are slow food, contains fibers and your stomach takes longer to digest, so it makes you feel full for a long time. And fibers are good for you, just remember to drink a lot of water.

Here is a list of some examples of whole grains:

  • Whole wheat
  • Whole rye
  • Popcorn
  • Whole oats/oatmeal
  • Bulgur
  • Quinoa
  • Brown Rice

6 | Red Wine

One small glass of wine a day can help to keep your heart muscles flexible and improve your blood flow to the brain.

Again, moderation.

I can’t drink a glass of wine every day, so I don’t. My dad used to do this every night after work. He went to the deck, fill a tall glass of red wine and drank it while reading a book. Very calm, taking his time to absorb the wine and the story.

It’s about choices. Mine is adding wine to the food and it’s delicious.

7 | The meat

The main meat of the Mediterranean diet is fish and seafood. The intake of fish helps you to increase the levels of Omega-3 which is the key to lower the risk of heart disease and lower the blood pressure.

You should eat fish and poultry at least twice a week. And leave the red meat for once a week, lean meat full of spices, low in salt.

8 | Move more

The secret to loose weight in the Mediterranean diet is moving more. The idea is to enjoy life, go outside, walk, run, play with your kids, walk with your dog, do regular exercises and it’s all good. A balanced life, nothing new. But it’s your new way of life. 

9 | Enjoy and celebrate

The Mediterranean diet is a delicious and healthy way to eat. When you combine the spices, the nuts, the meat, the pasta, the bread, you have a feast to share with other people, and this a way of life.

Do you know anything better than celebrating around food?

the ultimate guide to mediterranean diet