How to Lose Weight on a Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is an eating plan that can help you lose weight and keep your heart healthy. It is not a fad diet and can be used to sustain weight loss throughout your lifetime. The Mediterranean diet gets its ideas about eating from countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea.

Instructions

1. Eat a large amount of fruits and vegetables. This is the main component of the Mediterranean diet. You should eat at least seven servings daily of foods like carrots, apples and oranges.

2. Cut out red meat. Mediterranean countries eat very little red meat. For protein, eat fish and chicken dishes instead.

3. Include bread in your diet. This diet is not restrictive with the amount of carbs that you are permitted to have. Choose whole grain breads and eat them without any butter or margarine.

4. Choose healthy fats. Instead of trans fatty foods, eat foods with beneficial fats. The Mediterranean diet permits the consumption of nuts, olive oil and canola oil.

5. Serve wine with dinner. A glass of red wine is permitted on the Mediterranean diet. Red wine contains antioxidants and helps prevent blood clots.

6. Switch to lower-fat or fat-free dairy products. Use skim milk instead of whole and find lower fat cheeses as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Doctors recommend the Mediterranean diet for people who have suffered a past heart attack. It reduces the risk of heart disease.

• If you have a problem with alcohol, it is not necessary to consume wine while following the Mediterranean diet.