Have you ever wondered how those women living around the coastal regions are blessed with perfectly toned bodies?
Well, it’s the natural Mediterranean diet for women (along with some healthy workout routines) that is doing all the magic with their body toning.
What is a Mediterranean diet for women?
For ages, the diet has been associated with people living around the Mediterranean Sea.
Still, whether you live around the Mediterranean Sea or not, you can get the most out of this diet by simply making a few healthy changes in your daily meal platter.
The diet isn’t like any other fad diet around. Instead, it’s a healthy way of eating to help you get that perfect body while reducing the risk of random health issues.
So, being a woman, you can think about living a healthy life for a long time while following this Mediterranean diet for women.
This diet mainly includes all the healthy food options like lean meat, seafood, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, dairy and healthy fats.
You must avoid all kinds of processed or packaged food from the diet while binging on fresh, seasonal, and wholesome food options.
You are required to follow the Mediterranean diet guidelines while opting for your daily meals.
Moreover, bring certain portions of fruits and vegetables daily. Regarding fruits and vegetables, go for all the fresh and seasonal ones.
What are the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for women?
- Women come over with a greater risk of developing osteoporosis than men. Hence, the Mediterranean Diet is quite beneficial for them as it contains calcium-rich foods like beans, yogurt, broccoli, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens.
- One of the other biggest benefits of the Mediterranean Diet is that it brings along all the potassium-rich foods like greens, potatoes, legumes and winter squash that facilitate the development of muscles and tissues in the body.
- It also helps stabilize blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart-related diseases.
- Women require a daily dose of Iron due to blood loss during the menstruation cycle. This Mediterranean diet contains high amounts of lentils, almonds, spinach, lean red meat, and dark meat poultry rich in iron.
- The Mediterranean Diet has multiple benefits that reduce the risks of various heart diseases in women. You can start ahead with your day while feasting on oatmeal and gain the most out of a fiber-rich food that doesn’t only keep you filled for the next few hours but also helps in lowering the cholesterol levels within the body.
- Healthy fats present in this diet in the form of avocadoes, olive oil, nuts, and seeds can help you to enjoy lively skin, glossy hair, and strong fingernails. Moreover, you can feel filled for longer hours while cutting down on those untimely hunger pangs and cravings.
- This diet will also help the women during their pregnancy as healthy fat content helps in the brain development of the future child. Besides, this diet fulfills all the extra nutritional requirements of women during that period.
Dos and Don’ts of the Mediterranean diet for women
While you are practicing a Mediterranean diet for women, there are certain dos and Don’ts that you need to abide by to achieve the desired results.
Do’s
- Always include wholesome food options in your diet in the right portions and serving sizes.
- Keep track of your daily calorie intake to let your body enter a calorie deficit and trigger the weight loss process.
- Indulge in a healthy exercising schedule to boost the body shaping and toning process.
- Drink at least 7-8 glasses of water to avoid any dehydration issues
- You can include specific amounts of red wine in the diet after consulting with your physician
Don’ts
- Avoid food and beverages with refined sugars and other added preservatives
- Don’t go for frozen food options available in the market
- Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol while following this diet
- Don’t go ahead with this diet without consulting with your physician
Weekly meal planner for Mediterranean diet for women
Day 1.
SaladPlain tuna salad
Breakfast- 1 serving of scrambled eggs with onion flakes
Snack- 1 serving of plain tuna salad
Lunch- 2 servings of spinach avocado salad with 1 serving of cheese slices
Snack- Almonds ( 1 oz)
Dinner- 1 serving of chicken cabbage salad with roasted broccoli
Day 2.
Breakfast- 1 serving of cream cheese omelet with 1 serving of cheese toast
Snack- 1 serving of non-fat Greek yogurt and strawberries
Lunch- 1 serving of smoked salmon with mixed greens ( 4 nos)
Snack- Almonds (1 oz)
Dinner- 1 serving of ground turkey, bean, and walnut stir fry with mixed greens.
Day 3.
Spinach avocado salad
Breakfast- 2 servings of scrambled eggs with spinach and tomato
Snack- 2 servings of spinach avocado salad
Lunch- 1 serving of grain-free tabouleh salad with 1 serving of yogurt and strawberries
Snack- Pecans (1 oz)
Dinner- 1 serving of Arugula salad
Day 4.
Mediterranean diet for women – Almonds
Breakfast- 1 serving of classic omelet with 1 apple
Snack- 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt and strawberries
Lunch- 1 serving of plain tuna salad with sliced bell pepper
Snack- Almonds (1 oz)
Dinner- 2 servings of zucchini pasta
Day 5.
Breakfast- 1 serving of cottage cheese breakfast with 1 apple
Snack- Almonds ( 1 oz)
Lunch- 1 serving of tuna avocado salad
Snack- 1 apple with almond butter
Dinner- 1 serving of easy grilled garlic chicken with 1 serving of roasted Brussell sprouts
Day 6.
Mediterranean diet for women – Carrots with hummus
Breakfast- 1 serving of Denver omelet with feta cheese and 1 whole-wheat toast
Snack- Almonds ( 1 oz)
Lunch- 2 servings of carrots with hummus
Snack- Granola ( 1 oz)
Dinner- 1 serving of baked ground turkey ziti and mixed green salad
Day 7.
Breakfast- 2 servings of over-easy eggs with cinnamon apple bites
Snack- Almonds ( 1 oz)
Lunch- 2 servings of stir-fried prawns with salsa sauce
Snack- Granola ( 1 oz)
Dinner- 1 serving of smoked paprika chicken with 1 serving of warm apple and turmeric drink
The bottom line for the Mediterranean diet for women
This diet can bring tremendous results for your health and well-being if followed properly.
Moreover, keep track of the food options and associated calories to get the most for your health out of this Mediterranean diet for women.
Printable (PDF) Mediterranean diet for women
Meals | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Breakfast | 1 serving of scrambled eggs with onion flakes | 1 serving of cream cheese omelet with 1 serving of cheese toast | 2 servings of scrambled eggs with spinach and tomato | 1 serving of classic omelet with 1 apple | 1 serving of cottage cheese breakfast with 1 apple | 1 serving of Denver omelet with feta cheese and 1 whole-wheat toast | 2 servings of over-easy eggs with cinnamon apple bites |
Snack | 1 serving of plain tuna salad | 1 serving of non-fat Greek yogurt and strawberries | 2 servings of spinach avocado salad | 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt and strawberries | Almonds ( 1 oz) | Almonds ( 1 oz) | Almonds ( 1 oz) |
Lunch | 2 servings of spinach avocado salad with 1 serving of cheese slices | 1 serving of smoked salmon with mixed greens ( 4 nos) | 1 serving of grain-free tabouleh salad with 1 serving of yogurt and strawberries | 1 serving of plain tuna salad with sliced bell pepper | 1 serving of tuna avocado salad | 2 servings of carrots with hummus | 2 servings of stir-fried prawns with salsa sauce |
Snack | Almonds ( 1 oz) | Almonds (1 oz) | Pecans (1 oz) | Almonds (1 oz) | 1 apple with almond butter | Granola ( 1 oz) | Granola ( 1 oz) |
Dinner | 1 serving of chicken cabbage salad with roasted broccoli | 1 serving of ground turkey, bean, and walnut stir fry with mixed greens | 1 serving of Arugula salad | 2 servings of zucchini pasta | 1 serving of easy grilled garlic chicken with 1 serving of roasted Brussell sprouts | 1 serving of baked ground turkey ziti and mixed green salad | 1 serving of smoked paprika chicken with 1 serving of warm apple and turmeric drink |
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