Of the top three diets, rated by U.S. News & World Report’s, one of the best diets (still) is the Mediterranean diet. My diet is similar to that diet. (Other two is the DASH diet and Weight Watchers)
What is the difference between the Mediterranean Diet and mine??
The Mediterranean diet looks like this:
I also eat mostly just these things. I watch legumes and nuts because of the carbs, but if you count the carbs that you are eating, you can do it. I have written out what the Mediterranean rules are and my thoughts and differences are in bold type.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:
- Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
- Replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil
- Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
- Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month (Similar in that I stick with poultry or pork)
- Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
- Drinking red wine in moderation (optional) (I usually don’t because I would rather have the carbs elsewhere, but you can if you count carbs and if you are trying to lose weight, alcohol slows down the fat-burning process. You might want to limit it immensely until you are hitting goal.)
The diet also recognizes the importance of being physically active, and enjoying meals with family and friends. (I do this too)
The Mediterranean diet traditionally includes fruits, vegetables and grains. For example, residents of Greece average six or more servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.(My diet has two servings of veggies twice a day and one serving of fruit twice a day.)
Grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain and usually contain very few unhealthy trans fats, and bread is an important part of the diet. However, throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten plain or dipped in olive oil — not eaten with butter or margarine, which contains saturated or trans fats. (They eat it in small amounts though! I have mostly given up on breads. Most here are not whole grain, have gluten and are stuffed full of preservatives and artificial ingredients, which don’t agree with my body and I can’t lose weight and I gain weight when I eat them. Once in a while, I have a Perfect 10 Western Bagel because it is only 10g of net carbs)
Nuts are another part of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Nuts are high in fat, but most of the fat is healthy. Because nuts are high in calories, they should not be eaten in large amounts — generally no more than a handful a day. (I do this!) For the best nutrition, avoid candied or honey-roasted and heavily salted nuts.
Sweets are in LIMITED doses! (that is what we are doing wrong in a western diet. People want sweets daily!)
This diet works and so does mine. A difference as well, is that I eat my proteins 6 times a day and they are measured out, mostly 4 ounces each and about 3 ounces for beef. I space it out to every 3-4 hours. Never let yourself get too hungry. Keep refueling. My way is a little more rigid, but it works.
Try this out! It is not just a diet, it is a lifestyle. And you are less prone to diseases as you age.
Skinny-Rules 