In 2023, a team of food and health experts from U.S. News and World Report crowned one diet the “Best Overall Diet” out of a pool of 40 others. In fact, this diet was so well rated that 2023 marked its sixth consecutive win. That's six years in a row!
So, what miracle diet could be this successful? Say hello to the reigning champ of healthy eating: the Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet is designed after the food groups traditionally enjoyed by countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Locals in these areas prefer a diet of vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, and an occasional glass of red wine. For more information on the essentials of the diet, check out our introductory guide.
Nutritionists and weight loss specialists often write that eating like you live in Greece isn’t quite enough—to reap the full benefits of the Mediterranean diet, you have to change a few other aspects of your lifestyle. Regardless of your fitness goals, we’ll cover four easy ways to fully embrace the Mediterranean lifestyle.
1) Simplify Cooking with Meal Kit Delivery
Let’s address the elephant in the room: you may be excited about eating like a Southern European, but who has the time to shop for all those ingredients? We certainly don’t. To make mealtime fast, easy, and delicious, consider purchasing a Mediterranean meal delivery kit.
Meal delivery is a service in which professional chefs and nutritionists ship ingredients, recipes, and ready-to-eat meals directly to your home.
If you’re trying out the Mediterranean diet, a meal delivery kit will save you valuable time at the grocery store and in the kitchen. No planning ingredients, no hunting for spices at the grocery store: you just open the box delivered to your door, cook, and enjoy your diet-friendly meals.
Tip: If you can’t find a Mediterranean-diet-friendly entree, try filtering your meal choices. Meals that fit these filters are typically in-diet:
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- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Pescatarian
- Plant-based
2) Find Exercises You Enjoy
If you’re going Mediterranean to lose weight, you have to do more than stick to the right foods. When compared to North Americans, Europeans often walk more, exercise more, and spend less time sitting idle. Just like whole grains and veggies, exercise is a staple of the Mediterranean diet.
The CDC recommends adults ages 18-64 should try and clock 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week—or 75 minutes of strenuous exercise—paired with two hours of strength training. If you’re new to exercise, it may take some time to consistently clock the recommended hours. Just do your best: get up, move your body, and have some fun!
Moderate Exercises (150 minutes a week):
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- Nordic walking
- Jogging
- Dancing
- Yoga
Strenuous Exercises (75 minutes a week):
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- Swimming
- Running/Sprinting
- Rowing
- Playing team sports
Strength Training (120 minutes a week):
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- Lifting weights
- Yoga (class)
- Climbing
- Physical labor
3) Share Meals with Friends and Family
The Mediterranean works better when dieters have a little fun.
Meal sharing is a significant aspect of dinnertime behavior for individuals living along the Mediterranean Sea. As Europeans split entrees with loved ones, they boost their health automatically thanks to the positive effects of socialization.
According to Psychology Today, individuals with an active social life may have a stronger immune system, enjoy better mental health, and may lower their risk for dementia later in life.
If you have a free weeknight, try cooking and hosting a Mediterranean-diet style dinner. You can split in-diet entrees with friends, open a bottle or two of red wine, and wrap all of the benefits of Mediterranean living into one enjoyable evening.
4) Swap Dessert for Red Wine
Scour the internet, and you won’t find a Mediterranean diet plan that allows for dessert. Most desserts are packed with sugar, processed ingredients, and saturated fats; the kinds of ingredients Mediterranean dieters avoid at all costs.
For those who love something sweet after dinner, you can rest easy. A moderate amount of red wine is a traditional part of the Mediterranean lifestyle, meaning you can sneak in a glass or two during or after mealtimes.
Red wine, when drank in moderation, has been linked to several health benefits. Red wine has been shown to fight inflammation, lower stress, and benefit heart health.
Tip: Give your wine palate a new taste with this list of our favorite wine delivery clubs:
Get the Most Out of the Mediterranean Diet
Now that you’re an expert on eating and living by the Mediterranean diet, it’s time to put your diet goals into practice.
The easiest way to stick to the Mediterranean diet during mealtimes is with help from a meal delivery kit. Check out our link below for unique discounts and promotions on top-rated Mediterranean meal delivery companies.
East Coast or West Coast, New England or Southland, Americans can learn a thing or two by eating like the locals do across the Pacific.
