SEVEN-DAY DIET
Enjoy a taste of the Med and you could lose one stone and boost your health along the way…
GETTING STARTED
1 Ciao bella, if you love pasta then this is the perfect plan for you. Aside from polishing off plates of penne and savouring spaghetti, our Italian friends are known for following a Mediterranean diet consisting mainly of foods such as fish, beans, wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and olive oil.
2 Researchers have also linked a Med diet with living longer and having a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia. So we’ve come up with a diet inspired by Italy that could help with longevity as well as weight loss.
HOW IT WORKS
● Choose one breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks daily from the menu opposite.
● Aim to drink at least two litres of fluids including water (plus coffee, if preferred) each day.
● Your daily milk allowance is 200ml of semi-skimmed.
● Choose fresh food and wholegrains as much as possible.
● Where oil is mentioned, this is extra-virgin olive oil.
● Italians are known for taking their time when eating and using mealtimes as a chance to relax. Slow down your eating too.
● Follow the plan for up to a month. Afterwards try to add more Mediterranean foods and fewer processed foods to your diet.
DAY 1
BREAKFAST 3 pieces of chopped fruit sprinkled with 2tbsp of chopped nuts.
LUNCH 100g of focaccia, halved, and each slice topped with 1tsp of oil, 20g of mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. 1 pear.
DINNER 1 tuna steak with 6 new potatoes, tomatoes and spring onions.
DAY 2
BREAKFAST 100g of toasted ciabatta topped with 1 avocado.
LUNCH Cook half a 195g jar of clams in their juice with 1 garlic clove. Add 1 cup of cooked spaghetti. 1 tsp of parmasan. 1 banana.
DINNER 1 chicken breast, 1 cup of sweet potato cubes and roast vegetables.
DAY 3
BREAKFAST Frittata: 2 eggs and 1 chopped tomato, 1tbsp of oil.
LUNCH 1 tin of minestrone soup. 100g of ciabatta.
DINNER Pan-fry 1 hake fillet with cherry tomatoes in 1tbsp of oil. Serve with 1 cup of cooked pasta mixed with 200ml passata, tomatoes, 8 olives and salad.
DAY 4
