When one thinks on losing weight, it’s easy to look for high protein diets, dissociated and unbalanced. “Fast” effect diets which stimulates us, because results are visible from the start. However, studies confirm that, in these cases, approximately 80% of the times the body tends to regain this weight.
The best diet involves eating everything. So defends nutritionist Marta Garaulet, Doctor of Pharmacy, Masters in Public Health from Harvard University and currently professor of physiology and physiological bases of nutrition at the University of Murcia, where she is also part of the research group on nutrition. Faithful defender of the Mediterranean Diet, she says that it is the best way to achieve a healthy, balanced and constant weight loss. Despite the visible effects are not as obvious from the start, studies show that it is the diet with a lowest dropout rate, and that eating everything is not only complementary but also necessary for weight loss.
The secret lies on the proportions, and basing diet on high consumption of legumes, cereals, pasta, bread or rice, completed with fruit and vegetables, not to mention the extra virgin olive oil. Rich in vitamin E, beta-carotene and monounsaturated fatty acids, it is a great and healthy source of fat, which must not be forgotten in any diet. Even when we are trying to lose weight.
Pasta, rice, cereals or legumes are an essential food group by its composition rich in carbohydrates, necessary for the energy that moves body and mind, and also with a high satiating power. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid puts all these foods at the base, followed by another group that includes nuts, olives, herbs and spices, seeds, garlic and onion, whose consumption is recommended daily.
Marta Garaulet suggests, for example, incorporating habits like a unique “spoon dish” three days a week, accompanied by salad and fruit (Mediterranean Cuisine main meals should contain three basic elements: cereals, vegetables and fruit). Or eating meat, fish and eggs at dinner, as a source of protein.
In addition, other behavioral habits, such as setting reasonable eating schedules, centralized meals or sleeping at least eight hours daily should be established. These are habits sometimes neglected due to the “high rhythm” of our lives, but which have shown to be closely related to overweight and obesity.
