1600 Calorie Mediterranean Diet Plan

1600 Calorie Mediterranean Diet Plan

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

It’s just like a pyramid where you get to see some fish, legumes, seasonal fruits and vegetables in the consume-with-gusto level at the bottom.

You will see that whole grains and olive oil are found in the next tier, followed by lean meats and poultry, local dairy, and wine.

The very top of the pyramid shows the option of eating limited quantities of red meat and some added sugars such as cookies or honey.

So, what’s one of the most astonishing things we need to know about a Mediterranean diet menu? Nothing is totally forbidden, not even dessert.

Eating on the Mediterranean Diet Plan? (When and How)

There’s no need to watch your clock each passing hour nor is there a need to eat within a specific time frame or even to journal every bite.

Instead of doing all of that and staying alert, just put your focus on three main meals and one little snack every single day that.

Those meals must be full of plant-based foods, having an acceptable but not too much amount of protein (mainly fish), and just a tiny bit of dairy.

Remember to simply abide by the rules:

• Eat whenever you’re feeling hungry
• Stop whenever you’re getting full
• Focus mainly on whole and minimally processed foods whenever that is possible

In case you’re the type of person who enjoys counting, then check out this rough breakdown of the Mediterranean diet plan.

• 50 % Carbohydrates from fruits, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains
• 35 % Fats from healthy seeds, fish, oils and nuts
• 15 % Protein from legumes, dairy, poultry, fish, nuts and eggs

You don’t really have to change your existing eating habits completely.

Simply apply these diet plan principles in such a way that is completely realistic to your present health and lifestyle, and don’t even think about having a strict set of rules and restrictions.

Never shy away from the flavor.

Basic grilled fish and steamed whole-grain starches may be extremely boring when served on their own, so go ahead and add some flavor ingredients like garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano to transform your dish.

Only half a teaspoon of dried oregano contains antioxidants of up to ones found in 3 cups of spinach.

Why Try a Mediterranean Diet?

1. Continuous weight loss:

How is it possible for a simple diet which features nuts, oils, pasta, bread, and wine to assist you in losing weight? Well, it’s merely because it causes you to feel full and therefore keeps hunger away.

Healthy fats and protein in this diet help in the evening your glucose level, thus you’ll be feeling less in need of hunting down various kinds of fast food to get through the day.

Fact: A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that:

People following a Mediterranean diet for two years have already lost more weight than low-fat dieters and managed to keep their 10-pound loss. That is all because, with this diet, you will not feel hungry like you used to.

2. Get a strong, and healthy heart:

By following this diet, you will decrease technically every single heart-disease risk factor, which includes: high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride.

All the aspects of the diet keep your heart healthy, due to the synergy in all of its elements.

Antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and beans boost the prevention of atherosclerosis which causes plaque build-up in the arteries.

Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish lower the blood pressure, lessen arrhythmia risk, and decrease triglyceride levels.

Olive oil also decreases bad cholesterol, and with the help of wine and other spirits in moderation this will lower heart-disease risk as well.

3. The Prevention of Diabetes:

Even when not cutting calories, those people who are at high-risk for cardiovascular disease can get the chance to reduce their diabetes risk by simply following a Mediterranean diet plan.

Research proves that this diet aids people with pre-diabetes to lower their blood sugar until they reach a level enough to avoid developing full-blown type 2 diabetes.

4. Obtaining Better Eyesight:

Going according to this diet will help to put off or prevent macular degeneration, which is the number one leading cause of vision loss after passing the age of 54.

This tragic condition, which reaches more than ten million citizens, can destroy the part of the retina that takes care of the clear central vision needed for reading, driving, and just recognizing faces.

Eating fish and vegetables can help to reduce the risk of getting it early, and the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish can greatly decrease the risk of the disease as it is.

Also, the lutein in green leafy vegetables can cut the possibility of cataracts and can boost retinal health.

5. Reduces Alzheimer’s risk:

Through the eating a Mediterranean diet plan, you can get to lessen the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease by a minimum of forty percent!

Plus, those who add everyday exercise to the diet were even sixty percent less likely to get Alzheimer’s.

6. Get to Live a Longer Life:

Following this diet can drastically boost the overall health and lead to an 8 % reduction in death resulting from the following: Heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.

Studies have also found out that the healthy fats in this diet might:

• Decrease the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis
• Lessen the risk of falling with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by 60 %

After digging deep into the diet’s accomplishments in the long run, what are you possibly still waiting for?! Start your health journey today, it’s never too early to do so. The journey is easy just follow the schedule and go by this 1600 diet plan:

For Your Breakfast (347 of calories Intake)

Avocado-Egg Toast
One slice of whole-grain bread
Half medium avocado
One large egg, cooked in 1/4 tablespoon of olive oil or coat pan with a thin layer of cooking spray (One-second spray)
Place a pinch of salt and pepper as a seasoning for the egg.

One whole clementine

For Your Morning Snack(249 calories Intake)

One medium apple
Three tablespoons of unsalted dry-roasted almonds

For Your Lunch(378 of calories Intake)

Two cups of Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Two diagonal slices of baguette (1/4 inch thick), preferably whole-wheat

Two tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese

Place one tablespoon of cheese on top of each baguette slice and a pinch of pepper. Then start to toast until the cheese becomes melted.

For Your Afternoon Snack (119 calories Intake)

Four tablespoons of hummus

One cup of sliced cucumber

For Your Dinner(506 calories Intake)

1. Salmon & Vegetables

1. Four ounces of baked salmon

1. Four cups of roasted Brussels sprouts

1. 3/4 cup of brown rice

1. 1/8 tablespoon of salt

• 1/8 tablespoon of pepper

1. One tablespoon of walnuts

1. Vinaigrette

          Get one and a half tablespoons of olive oil each, lemon juice and maple syrup; add as seasoning 1/8 tablespoons of salt.

Preparation:

• Toss the Brussels sprouts with half a tablespoon of olive oil and bake it at 425°F until it reaches a light brown color (15 to 20 minutes).
• Coat the salmon with 1/4 tablespoon of olive oil or a thin layer of cooking spray and then season it with 1/8 tablespoons each salt and pepper.
• Bake it at a 425°F temperature, until it becomes opaque in the middle, (4 to 6 minutes).
• Serve all the Brussels sprouts, the salmon and the brown rice drizzled with the vinaigrette and topped with perfect walnuts.

See Also

Mediterranean diet grocery list

Mediterranean Diet Lunch Ideas

Whole Grilled Branzino Recipe

Are Almonds Good For Weight Loss?