Diet meal Plans free

Avoid These Unhealthy Foods

You should avoid these unhealthy foods and ingredients:

• Added sugar: Soda, candies, ice cream, table sugar and many others.
• Refined grains: White bread, pasta made with refined wheat, etc.
• Trans fats: Found in margarine and various processed foods.
• Refined Oils: Soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil and others.
• Processed meat: Processed sausages, hot dogs, etc.
• Highly processed foods: Everything labelled “low-fat” or “diet” or looks like it was made in a factory.

You MUST read ingredients lists if you want to avoid these unhealthy ingredients.

Foods to Eat

You should base your diet on these healthy, unprocessed Mediterranean foods.

• Vegetables: Tomatoes, broccoli, kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, etc.
• Fruits: Apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries, grapes, dates, figs, melons, peaches, etc.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and more.
• Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils, pulses, peanuts, chickpeas, etc.
• Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams, etc.
• Whole Grains: Whole oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole wheat, whole grain bread and pasta.
• Fish and Seafood: Salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab, mussels, etc.
• Poultry: Chicken, duck, turkey and more.
• Eggs: Chicken, quail and duck eggs.
• Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, Greek yogurt, etc.
• Herbs and Spices: Garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, etc.
• Healthy Fats: Extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados and avocado oil.

Whole, single ingredient foods are the key to good health.

A Few Things Worth Noting

Exactly which foods belong in the Mediterranean diet is controversial, partly because there is such variety between different countries.

The diet prescribed in the studies is high in plant foods, and relatively low in animal foods.

However, eating fish and seafood is recommended at least twice a week.

The Mediterranean lifestyle also involves regular physical activity, sharing meals with other people and enjoying life.

What to Drink

This diet also includes moderate amounts of red wine, around 1 glass per day.

However, this is completely optional and wine should be avoided by anyone who has alcoholism or problems controlling their consumption.

Coffee and tea are also completely acceptable, but avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices, which are very high in sugar.

Watch This Video

This video shows some of the dietary habits in Crete, the Greek island that inspired the researchers that first noted the exceptional health benefits of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

A Mediterranean Sample Menu For 1 Week

This is a sample menu for one week on the Mediterranean diet.

Feel free to adjust the portions and food choices based on your own needs and preferences.

Monday

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt with strawberries and oats.
• Lunch: Whole grain sandwich with vegetables.
• Dinner: A tuna salad, dressed in olive oil. A piece of fruit for dessert.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins.
• Lunch: Leftover tuna salad from the night before.
• Dinner: Salad with tomatoes, olives and feta cheese.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Omelet with veggies, tomatoes and onions. A piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Whole grain sandwich, with cheese and fresh vegetables.
• Dinner: Mediterranean lasagne.

Thursday

• Breakfast: Yogurt with sliced fruits and nuts.
• Lunch: Leftover lasagne from the night before.
• Dinner: Broiled salmon, served with brown rice and vegetables.

Friday

• Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in olive oil.
• Lunch: Greek yogurt with strawberries, oats and nuts.
• Dinner: Grilled lamb, with salad and baked potato.

Saturday

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, nuts and an apple.
• Dinner: Mediterranean pizza made with whole wheat, topped with cheese, vegetables and olives.

Sunday

• Breakfast: Omelet with veggies and olives.
• Lunch: Leftover pizza from the night before.
• Dinner: Grilled chicken, with vegetables and a potato. Fruit for dessert.

There is usually no need to count calories or track macronutrients (protein, fat and carbs) on the Mediterranean diet.

Healthy Mediterranean Snacks

But if you become hungry between meals, then these are acceptable snacks:

• A handful of nuts.
• A piece of fruit.
• Carrots or baby carrots.
• Some berries or grapes.
• Leftovers from the night before.
• Greek yogurt.
• Apple slices with almond butter.

How to Follow The Diet at Restaurants

It is very simple to make most restaurant meals suitable for the Mediterranean diet.

1. Have some sort of fish or seafood as your main dish.
2. Ask them to fry your food in extra virgin olive oil.
3. Only eat whole grain bread, with olive oil instead of butter.

A Simple Shopping List For The Diet

It is always a good idea to shop at the perimeter of the store, that’s usually where the whole foods are found.

Always try to choose the least processed option. Organic is best, but only if you can easily afford it.

• Vegetables: Carrots, onions, broccoli, spinach, kale, garlic, etc.
• Fruits: Apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, etc.
• Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, etc.
• Frozen veggies: Choose mixes with healthy vegetables.
• Grains: Whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, etc.
• Legumes: Lentils, pulses, beans, etc.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, cashwes, etc.
• Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
• Condiments: sea salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, etc.
• Fish: Salmon, sardines, mackarel, trout.
• Shrimp and shellfish.
• Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes.
• Cheese.
• Greek Yogurt.
• Chicken.
• Pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs.
• Olives.