Losing Weight With A Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet has been trending for years. But it's no fly-by-night fad. The Mediterranean diet isn't just a social media phenomenon — it's topped the list of expert-recommended food plans for decades. That's because eating a Mediterranean diet isn't based on short-term weight loss results — it's a way of eating that can shift your relationship to food entirely.

That being said, there is substantial evidence that the Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight. One study found that individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet for five years had lower abdominal fat and were less likely to gain weight than those who did not. But that doesn't meant that you have to wait five years to see a difference! Another study found that people who followed the Mediterranean diet for a year lost as much as twice the weight as people who followed a low-carb diet.

For a lot of people, though, the Mediterranean diet isn't an eating plan so much as it is a way of life. In fact, this style of eating really is a way of life in the places that border the Mediterranean Sea — like Greece. Since these locales are lush and tropical — great for agriculture — most of the foods included in the Mediterranean diet are plant-based foods.

The Mediterranean Diet Can Also Help You Lose Weight

The Mediterranean diet is packed with vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Many Mediterranean meals include some pasta and a healthy glug of extra virgin olive oil. Although it isn’t intended to be a weight-loss plan, following the Mediterranean diet can be an accessible and sustainable way to lose weight. Here’s how to use the Mediterranean diet to lose weight and why it works.

The types of foods included on the Mediterranean diet are both healthful and beneficial for weight loss. Since it's a plant-centered diet, it's high in fiber, and studies suggest that eating plenty of fiber may aid in weight loss and help you stick to your diet. A review of findings from 62 studies found that fiber intake was linked with weight loss and improvements in waist circumference, even when participants weren’t directed to reduce their calorie intake. Some of the specific reasons that the Mediterranean diet may encourage weight loss include:

While many weight-loss diets restrict grains, they’re a foundational food on the Mediterranean diet, and for good reason — eating grains may promote a healthier body weight. In a study involving 50 adults who ate either whole grains or refined grains (with a 6-week period in between these diets), participants reduced their calorie intake and lost weight on the whole-grain diet, suggesting that whole-grain foods are filling, so you may be naturally inclined to eat less.

Mediterranean Diet 101: Meal Plan, Foods List, And Tips

Legumes, which are a primary protein eaten on the Mediterranean diet, may also improve weight-loss results. An analysis that pooled data from 21 clinical trials concluded that eating ¾ cup of these foods resulted in modest (but statistically significant) weight loss compared to those who didn’t eat them, even when calories weren’t intentionally reduced. Like whole grains, legumes are filling, so you might eat less overall when eating them regularly.

The Mediterranean diet is also rich in fruits and veggies. In fact, they’re featured at every meal. Plant foods are rich in fiber and water, and you can eat generous portions since they contain few calories per bite. One study revealed that increasing veggie intake was consistently linked with reducing the rate of weight gain.

While pasta may not be considered a typical weight-loss food, it can be part of an enjoyable diet. However, as part of a Mediterranean lifestyle, pasta is eaten in smaller portion. In fact, it's usually considered a carrier for other Mediterranean diet staples, like veggies, extra virgin olive oil and seafood. Eating pasta in this fashion can improve your nutrition, and it will help you feel fuller than a plate of pasta alone.

How To Lose Weight With The Mediterranean Diet

Sugary drinks, like soda, aren’t a part of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Sugary beverages are strongly linked to weight gain and replacing them with water can reduce your overall calorie intake and promote weight loss.

Eating whole foods over processed ones is another reason the Mediterranean diet may help you reach a healthier weight. In one small randomized study that compared the two eating patterns, closely matching calories, protein, fat, carbs, sugar and fiber in both diets, participants ate an extra 500 calories a day on the processed-food diet. The extra calorie intake resulted in an average two-pound weight gain over the two-week study period. However, those same people ate less and lost a couple of pounds, on average, when following the whole-foods diet over a separate two-week period.

The Mediterranean diet is a flexible plan (read: nothing is off-limits), but it focuses on whole foods, mostly plants. Here’s an idea of what you’ll eat:

Losing Weight With The Mediterranean Diet

Wine is a feature of the Mediterranean diet, and a glass is regularly consumed with meals. Though everything is included on the Mediterranean diet, sweets and red meat are eaten less often. For the sake of guidance, these foods are eaten about twice a month.

The only thing you need to do to get started is to get organized and plan your menu. Here are some pointers:

When you think of the word diet, you might think of following a particular plan with a set of rules. These plans are alluring because they often promise quick weight loss, and they offer a set of food rules that can make your weight-loss journey feel less overwhelming in the short term. The flexibility of the Mediterranean diet is a big strength, but if you need a lot of structure or are feeling overwhelmed by deciding what to eat, then it might feel challenging at first.

How To Lose Weight By Following The Mediterranean Diet — Beyond The Brambleberry

If you’re used to eating a typical American diet with heavily processed food, fast food and sweets, it might feel drastic to replace your usual eating habits with mostly whole, plant-based foods. Plus, if your cooking skills are limited, you might not feel equipped to prep and cook Mediterranean-style meals.

You can overcome these drawbacks by working some Mediterranean diet recipes into your meal planning until you get the hang of it.

Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is a nutrition and wellness expert, author and columnist. Her latest book is Sugar Shock. You can follow Samantha's practical balanced eating advice on Instagram at @nutritionistsam.When coupled with exercise, incorporating foods eaten by people who live near the Mediterranean Sea could help you slim down.iStock (2); Canva

Mediterranean Diet Review: Does It Work For Weight Loss?

Looking for a weight loss eating plan that’s pro-planet, anti-inflammatory, budget-friendly, and even allows some alcohol? A Mediterranean diet checks all these boxes and more. Packed with flavor and easy to follow, this popular diet is consistently ranked No. 1 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of best diets in recent years.

With its emphasis on fresh, whole foods, a Mediterranean-inspired eating pattern lends itself well to the slow and steady weight loss that’s likely to stick — but it’s important to choose the right foods and portions. We’re diving into the details on what makes a Mediterranean diet successful for slimming down, if that's one of your personal goals.

Although the Mediterranean diet doesn’t count calories or macros, there’s considerable evidence for its effectiveness for losing weight and keeping it off. A study published in Nutrition & Diabetes

Mediterranean Diet Recipes For Weight Loss

, for example, followed over 32, 000 subjects over 12 years and found that those who ate a Mediterranean-style diet had a lower risk of becoming overweight or obese than those who did not. Similarly, a systematic review published in The American Journal of Medicine 

Compared a Mediterranean diet with other weight loss diets (such as a low-carb plan) and concluded that it produced similar results. A study in The British Journal of Nutrition 

Granted, this doesn’t mean that going Mediterranean is a guaranteed road to a trimmer figure. “The limitation of the Mediterranean diet is akin to other dietary patterns. There are healthy ones and not-so-healthy ways to do it, ” says food scientist Taylor Wallace, PhD, the CEO of the Think Healthy Group in Washington, DC. Even on this healthy diet, it’s vital to eat moderate portions and stay mindful of high-calorie foods.

Mediterranean Diet: How It Can Help You Lose Weight

While U.S. News & World Report calls the Mediterranean diet the best diet overall, it does not rank it as the top weight loss diet. So do experts recommend this dietary pattern for shedding pounds?

One major selling point of a Mediterranean diet for weight loss is its sustainable, low-stress approach. “The main advantage of the Mediterranean diet is that it is not restrictive like other diets, ” says Dr. Wallace. “Some people may experience more rapid weight loss on other diets, but they aren’t able to sustain the diet, and the weight usually comes back. I like the Mediterranean diet because it teaches people to eat healthy and sustain an active and healthy lifestyle.”

Another bonus: A Mediterranean diet is likely to keep you satisfied. “The Mediterranean diet is based on plant foods and healthy fats. These foods are very filling, but they have a low calorie content compared with most foods in the standard American diet, ” says Anne Danahy, RDN, the Scottsdale, Arizona–based

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