Why does the Mediterranean diet help you to lose weight?
Simple: Because every item in the Mediterranean diet falls into the REAL food category. Yep, that’s right, REAL food…food that grows on trees, comes from the ground, grazes on a field or swims in the water.
Not the brown bags full of burgers and chips…
In a nutshell, the Mediterranean diet is based on whole, tasty foods. Eating REAL food means you enjoy your meals and that means you’re likely to stick to it.
You can lose weight on the Mediterranean diet and there is research to show this.
Counting Calories Is Not the Answer
The Mediterranean Diet is about enjoying the food you eat…
Not counting the calories!
It’s not about obsessing over the calories on the nutrition labels! If you are, it means you aren’t likely to be eating much fresh food… only packaged foods.
It’s not about restrictive fad diets, such as the unrealistic grapefruit diet, the cabbage diet, the juice diet or anything else the media likes to popularise!
There’s a lot of research to show that the Mediterranean Diet is linked to health benefits such as reduced risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. I’ve highlighted the key studies in my post ‘The Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan For Beginners’ if you’d like to learn more.
So what are the ways a Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight?
1. Eating Lots of vegetables – Following the Mediterranean diet means you eat a lot of veg. They provide a lot of fibre and consist of a lot of water. This increases the volume of food without adding calories. Which means…you feel fuller. Choose the veg you enjoy to eat!
2. Beans and legumes – “Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart. The more you eat them, the more you…” (You know how that song ends…) Well, not only are they good for your heart but they can help you to lose weight.
How?
Well, they contain two types of fibre known as soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre dissolves in liquid in the stomach and turns into a gel during digestion. This gel expands in the gut and makes you feel fuller. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to your digestive system and works with soluble fibre to make you feel fuller. Teamwork!
3. Wholegrains– You might be questioning…‘can I really lose weight if I’m eating bread, pasta and carbs?’
But you CAN!
The Mediterranean Diet is all about carb quality.
The majority of grains eaten in the Mediterranean Diet are wholegrains such as bulgur and oats and those are the grains that have a low glycemic index (GI). In a nutshell, the higher the GI of a food the quicker your blood sugar spikes after eating that food, which is something you don’t want.
So to lose weight, you want low GI food. Why? Because low GI food takes a long time to break down and digest and gives a steady blood sugar release, which may help you feel fuller for longer.
BUT, don’t completely rule out pasta!
Pasta is traditionally cooked ‘al dente’ which carries a lower GI than mushy overcooked pasta. Also, it tends to be eaten in smaller portions in the Mediterranean Diet compared to the Western Diet.
4.Healthy Fats– Mediterranean diet contains a lot of fat, but these are healthy fats. Mostly in the form of olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish and seafood which are good for keeping you feeling full for longer. Olive oil, in particular, plays a role in weight loss as it contains much healthier monounsaturated fat.
5. Moving More – Exercise is an important part of the Mediterranean diet and helps you to lose weight. Physical activity allows you to not only burn calories but also strengthen your heart, manage stress, and increase your energy level. So keep on moving!
We all know we should eat better BUT…
The difficulty is sticking to it when life gets in the way. Knowing how to eat consistently is the key to lasting weight loss and years of healthy living.
The reason why the Mediterranean diet works to lose weight is that you are eating real food, which means you are likely to consume fewer calories on a consistent basis. Following a Mediterranean diet isn’t a traditional “diet” or a quick fix!
Sounds Great, Right…Now what?
So now you know the truth, are you ready to get started on a Mediterranean diet?
I’ve put together a Mediterranean Diet Shopping List that you can download for free and print off and take with you to the supermarket. Stock up with ingredients to help you get started with the Mediterranean way.
Don’t forget, if you need help to start taking those steps to make better food choices, I’m here to help! You are not alone on this journey. Get in touch with me to see how I can create a custom meal plan that works for you.
-Elif
