>3 Reasons Why the Mediterranean Diet Is Perfect for Weight Loss
The Mediterranean diet has been voted the number one overall diet for the last 5 years for good reason! It's because of all the amazing benefits that come with the diet on top of the little restrictions it requires. As you may know, many weight-loss diets require tons of restrictions, aren't sustainable long term, and promise fast easy weight loss.
The truth is that you should never fully restrict your diet, a diet should be more like a lifestyle, and fast weight loss is usually not healthy for the body and is easy to regain. Luckily, you can lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off by utilizing the Mediterranean diet. We believe the Mediterranean diet is the best diet for weight loss for many reasons, but to keep it brief, we will tell you the 3 main reasons why in this article.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet is a diet that is based on the healthy eating habits of people who live in the Mediterranean Sea region. It focuses on all-natural whole foods and low-impact daily exercise. Many people believe the Mediterranean diet is more of a lifestyle and there is scientific proof that it promotes life longevity and lowers the risk of chronic conditions such as obesity, type II diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and heart disease.
Mediterranean Diet Origins
The traditional Mediterranean diet originates from the Mediterranean Sea region and is based on the healthy eating habits and active lifestyle of people who have lived in that region for thousands of years. The diet was first coined by Dr. Ancel Keyes during his "Seven Countries Study."
During his study, he found some common factors between the countries within his study that led to him formally creating the Mediterranean diet. He noticed a pattern of life longevity and fewer chronic conditions compared to the American population. He knew that Americans needed this diet, which is why he coined the diet and it has grown in popularity ever since.
Healthy Fats from Olive Oil
One of the main benefits of the diet is the vast amounts of healthy fats in the diet. These healthy fats come from a Mediterranean diet staple, which is extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which have tons of health benefits such as reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and improving cognitive function.
These fats are also great for weight loss because they help to keep you full and satisfied after meals, which helps to prevent overeating and snacking. In addition, the healthy fats in olive oil help to boost your metabolism and promote fat burning. There's also a focus on eating white fatty fish for your protein intake, which is also a reliable source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits
The main draw of the Mediterranean diet is that it is more of a lifestyle than a diet. Most fad diets in America are unsustainable and require many restrictions, which make the diet hard to complete. The Mediterranean diet is the complete opposite because it has very few restrictions and can be done for the rest of your life. It can also be adapted to many different cultures since the focus is on the types of ingredients and how much of each ingredient you are eating in your meals.
The 3 Reasons Why the Mediterranean Diet Is the Perfect Weight Loss Diet
We could probably give you a million reasons why the Mediterranean diet is the perfect diet for weight loss, but we decided to keep it simple and break it down into three main reasons. These three reasons will help explain what sets the Mediterranean diet apart from other diets as well as show off its versatility and adaptability.
A Focus on All-Natural Whole Foods
The focus of the Mediterranean diet is its focus on consuming all-natural whole foods daily. The main foods you will eat on this healthy diet are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and lean protein such as fish or poultry. Everything is cooked in extra virgin olive oil as well so you will be consuming healthy fats with almost every meal. Each meal is supposed to be broken up into the following ratios: 50% vegetables, 25% carbs, and 25% protein. This diet breakdown will mean more plant-based foods, whole grains, and lean protein which will lead to a healthier body and fewer health issues.
The main difference between the Mediterranean diet and the typical American diet is the amount of each type of food and the lack of processed foods. One of the only restrictions of the Mediterranean diet is to cut out highly processed foods, which means no junk food, no snacks, no candies, no fast food, or anything else that is processed with refined sugars and chemicals.
If you want to be less strict then you can allow yourself some of these foods every now and then as a treat, but the main goal is to remove them from your life as much as possible. These foods are terrible for your health and lead to unwanted weight gain. Most weight gain that people experience can be attributed to processed foods, sugary foods, and drinks, or alcohol consumption.
The diet also allows the consumption of alcohol and red meat in small quantities on occasion, but it is not suggested to be a staple in your diet. It doesn't hurt to enjoy red wine and nice juicy steak every now and then though. Focusing on eating only all-natural foods with a focus on fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and olive oil will help you lose weight at a healthy rate.
More Of a Lifestyle Than a Diet
The best part of the Mediterranean diet is that it really doesn't even feel like a diet. Once you understand what ingredients to focus on, the use of olive oil in all dishes, and the portions of each type of food, then the rest of the diet is easy. It just feels like any other day cooking meals for yourself or for your family, which is why we consider the diet to be more of a lifestyle.
It is also suggested that you do 30 minutes of low-impact exercise every day at the bare minimum. This will keep your body healthy, your heart healthy, and help keep you mobile all the way into your old age. The ease and sustainability of the Mediterranean diet means the diet will soon become a lifestyle that you follow, which will lead to endless health benefits as well as weight loss.
Helps You Lose Weight Naturally at A Healthy Rate
The Mediterranean diet is one of the easiest and most sustainable diets that someone can follow. Unlike many other fad diets, the Mediterranean diet is tried and true. People in the Mediterranean Sea region have been using this lifestyle for thousands of years to stay at a healthy weight, avoid chronic health conditions, and live a long, healthy life. The focus on healthy eating and consistent exercise will help you lose weight naturally at a healthy pace that your body can keep up with.
Many fad diets focus on eating a low-fat diet or a high fat diet like the keto diet. The problem isn't always with fats since there are healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Other diets focus on cutting all carbs, but this is another type of diet that isn't healthy for your body. Just because a diet helps you cut pounds fast doesn't mean it is good for you. Most of the time, your body is missing important nutrients during these diets, and you will not get to enjoy the results for very long because the diets are unsustainable, which will lead to you gaining weight right back.
Following a Mediterranean diet on the other hand is an easy-to-adopt lifestyle that you can follow for the rest of your life. It will lead to natural, healthy weight loss that you'll be able to maintain for a very long time. Trust us and avoid the low-fat diet, high fat diet, and low carb diets at all costs. The Mediterranean diet is all you need if eating delicious food, losing weight, and feeling better is your goal!
Interested In Starting a Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Program?
As you can see, following a Mediterranean diet is easy and comes with all the health benefits you could ask for, including weight loss. If you are interested in learning more about the Mediterranean diet and Mediterranean lifestyle, then check out some of our other blogs here.
If you are interested in losing weight using the Mediterranean diet but don't know where to start, then you should check out our Mediterranean diet meal plan. We can deliver fully prepared Mediterranean diet meals to your home every week with free shipping. If you are interested in learning more then click the link: Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan
