30 Day Mediterranean Lifestyle Challenge
Lydia Lui is a senior at the
We're loving how prominent the Mediterranean diet is in the news lately. On Friday, Melissa Romero from Washingtonian posted 6 Healthy Mediterranean Diet-Friendly Recipes on the Well+Being Blog. (Which is one of my favorites by the way.)
We will be hosting an informational session with Cindy Mann on Wave 1 tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5 at noon in our lunchroom. All ASHA staff, their families, and our retirees are welcome to join us. Post your questions about Wave 1 in the comment section below, or bring them with you and ask Cindy tomorrow.
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| Greek Salad from thefitfork.com |
The Mediterranean challenge
begins with Wave 1, 10 days dedicated to gearing you towards healthy eating
habits and an appreciation for taking time to prepare simple meals with whole,
natural foods. These 10 days will help
you overcome a habit of high intakes of sugar, refined grains, and fast
absorbing foods. It also aims to get rid
of three eating habits that lead to weight gain:
- Overdependence on highly refined foods
- Eating available, easy and familiar foods
- Overeating
Remember, Wave 1 is not a gradual
transition into a healthy lifestyle, it starts from Day 1! This segment involves the most rapid weight
loss based on a more restrictive diet that will then become broader throughout
the next two waves. You’ll discover new,
simple yet enjoyable recipes while keeping watch of portion control to enjoy
them in moderation. Day 1 starts with
cleaning out the kitchen of “banned” foods and stocking the pantry with some
essentials. It also calls for a new
outlook on eating, where you begin to slow down and take time to enjoy your
food.
In terms of portion control,
below is the recommended breakdown of what each meal should consist of:
- Breakfast options- 7 inch plate (25% grain, 75% protein) OR 2 cup bowl (50% dairy, 50% grain)
- Lunch- 9 inch plate (40% protein, 60% tier 1 vegetable)
- Dinner- 9 inch plate (30 % protein, 20% grain, 50% tier 1 vegetable)
The fruits and veggies have been
divided into 3 tiers in the Sonoma Diet.
Tier 1 fruits and vegetables are allowed in Wave 1—these are higher in
fiber and lower in natural sugars.
Fruits are pretty minimal in Wave 1, and could be omitted, to really aid
in decreasing sugar intake. Tier 1 includes
fruits such as apples, blueberries and cherries. Tier 1 veggies are unlimited during the first
10 days, which include asparagus, broccoli, okra, spinach, zucchini and many
others.
Don’t forget to snack in between
meals with nuts, fruit, vegetables and hummus, and other small items that will
satisfy hunger throughout the day.
Remember to stick with whole grains, lean proteins, and also try to
avoid sweeteners completely (natural and artificial).
If you aren’t able to follow
along with the book—this site has a decent
overview of the food lists for each wave.
Examples of healthy food choices
for Wave 1
Breakfast:
Two scrambled eggs with whole-grain toast
Lunch: Greek salad
with broiled shrimp, half a whole-wheat pita
Snack:
11
almonds
Dinner:
Marinated flank steak with sauteed broccoli, roasted peppers, and goat cheese
Sample GREEK SALAD
Recipe
½
clove garlic, minced
1
and ½ cups baby spinach and romaine lettuce
½
tomato, diced
¼
medium cucumber, quartered and sliced
¼
oz. feta cheese
1-2
olives, and a bit of chopped radish and red onion
Combine
all salad ingredients. Drizzle with
low-calorie Greek vinaigrette; add a lean protein such as grilled shrimp to
complete the meal.
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