Hi Lovelies,

I have been following the Mediterranean diet for a while now and I’m enjoying the benefits so far. I have just introduced 5:2 intermittent fasting into the mix so I am happy to be losing weight and feeling great. If you want to read more about this diet, check out my previous post on it here “The new 5:2“. The first couple of weeks take a bit of adjusting to since the calorie reduction to 800 is a bit restrictive, but actually it isn’t too bad at all. The newer version of the 5:2 allows 800 calories instead of 500, as it was previously. The extra 300 calories is a lot less difficult to stick to.

I promised to come back with some Mediterranean meal inspiration similar to my previous post “A typical day on the Mediterranean diet” so I am going to give you a few ideas of what I typically eat in a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Here is a Mediterranean diet plan and what I am eating daily –

This is not a requirement of the Mediterranean diet or the 5:2 but I try to start my day with either:

• a cup of warm lemon water (boiled water with cold water added to make it warm, with a squeeze of half a lemon)
• a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with ACV and a teaspoon of honey (to make it less tangy)
• a cup of green tea

All are very healthy, detoxifying and kick-start your day. They all have numerous health benefits so I try to drink any of those on an empty stomach for best proven results. They aid in weight loss by speeding up your metabolism so I alternate those on different days so that I don’t get bored drinking the same thing every day.

BREAKFAST IDEAS –

2 eggs scrambled with a dash of cracked pepper

Yoghurt with a dash of liquid honey or sugar-free compote – see recipe

Wholegrain bread toasted with olive oil

Fruit smoothie with berries and yoghurt – see recipe

Probiotic yoghurt with honey, muesli and berries or grains

LUNCH IDEAS –

Avocado wholemeal toast – see recipes

Tomatoes and mozzarella in olive oil with balsamic

Vegetable soup – example

Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and rocket with olive oil

Stir-fried or roasted vegetables

Wholegrain bread with homemade pesto

Sweet potato with tomato, spinach and avocado filling – see recipe

Wholegrain bread bruschetta – chopped tomatoes in olive oil and garlic on toasted bread

Wholegrain wrap with chicken, tomato, grated cheese and lettuce

DINNER IDEAS –

Chicken and onions with quinoa in a creamy sauce – see recipe

Duck with potatoes, mushrooms and green bean stir fry

Fish with green beans and olive oil

Fried cherry tomatoes in garlic and olive oil with chicken

Stir fried vegetables with pork chops

Chicken with sweet potato fries and avocado dip

Quinoa stuffed peppers – see recipe

DESSERTS –

Low fat frozen yoghurt – see recipe

Fruit salad – chopped fruits in a bowl

Yoghurt with fruit pieces, honey or compote

Low fat strawberry parfait – see recipe

Watermelon sorbet – 1/2 a watermelon chopped, blended with 1 cup of milk and frozen

SNACKS –

Cashew nuts, walnuts, pistachio’s, almonds or pecans

Fresh fruit pieces or raw peppers or carrot sticks

Yoghurt with honey or homemade berry compote

Dried fruit such as cranberries or apricots

Popcorn or homemade vegetable crisps

Olives

So those are just a few examples of a day in the life on the Mediterranean diet. I will follow up soon with some meal ideas for the 5:2 intermittent fasting days. I am still testing out some of my own recipes so I will choose the best ones and post a blog for that separately. All of the above are healthy, low in fat and really yummy at the same time.

This diet is great as you are allowed to drink wine, which isn’t allowed on most diets. As part of a healthy lifestyle diet, you are allowed one or 2 glasses of dry red or white wine so that is great news for those of us who enjoy a drink. This diet is not restrictive but gently allows you to change your habits, without depriving yourself or leaving yourself hungry.

It is a fantastic lifestyle choice and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for sustainable weight loss and optimum health. Stay tuned and follow me on my weight loss and healthy lifestyle journey to see what I am eating, how my progress is coming along and how it can benefit you too – if you try it. I will be updating with Mediterranean diet plans and recipes along the way.

Hope you enjoy reading and subscribe if you don’t want to miss any future posts!

Cheers,

Ciara x