Paleo Diet may be trendy, but classic Mediterranean is the way to go!

Heard of the Paleo diet? Almost everyone has.

For those who haven’t, Paleo diet is essentially about going back to the basics by following the way our ancestors eat during the Stone Ages. This diet plan is low in carbs, but rich in lean protein and plant foods. Plus, Paleo diet omits salty, processed meat – which were not part of a caveman’s diet anyway.

Many people have jumped aboard this diet plan because by going back to natural eating like our ancestors did, not only will you guarantee to lose weight, your body is fueled by nutritional food that benefits your entire body system.

Example of ingredients to include and eliminate:

​

Is this diet for all?
While some have sworn by this diet, following this plan is a drastic change to one’s lifestyle. In order to go on a Paleo diet, you would need a strong focus and motivation to be consistent. Going cold turkey by completely eradicating foods such as dairy, nuts, sugar can have detrimental effects to the body.

As a result of its restrictive nature, Joy Bauer, a nutritionist says that, ‘People start off strong but they may soon lose interest, and when they stray, they return back to their old eating habits and end up gaining more weight that before.’

Why is Mediterranean diet better?
This is why weight loss coaches and nutritionists suggests another type of diet plan to achieve consistent and better results – the Mediterranean diet.  

The background of Mediterranean diet is that it follows the eating habits of those in that region, where their staples consist of healthy food like legumes and whole grains. This includes:

• – Vegetables
• – Fruits
• – Beans
• – Fish
• – White Meat
• – Most importantly, healthy fats from Olive Oil, Nuts and Quinoa
  (Oh and wine too! But in moderation of course!)

The reason why people love to follow the Mediterranean diet is due to its flexibility. You can continue to eat carbs, and protein but it is important to portion control.

Here are 7 easy tips to portion control!

Tip 1: Magic Numbers: 50 – 25 – 25
By using the percentage, 50% vegetables, 25% protein and 25% carbs, you are following the correct amount needed for your body. Often times we end up adding more carbs on our plates then veggies which results to weight gain and less nutritional intake.

Tip 2: Eat with your Eyes
This is a great tip to follow as it’s all in the mind. As they say, you eat with your eyes. When you fill up a smaller plate with quinoa as compared to a bigger plate of quinoa, you would naturally think that the smaller plate looks more full for you even though it’s the same amount! Psychologists recommend this tip as it is a trick to your mind.

Tip 3: Leftovers for Later
If you have cooked some extra portion and would like to set aside the leftovers, do it BEFORE you put it on your plate. That way you won’t be tempted to finish up the extra portion because as mentioned in tip 3, you eat with your eyes.

Tip 4: Sharing is Caring!
Sometimes the portion in the restaurants that you go to is big enough for two. So why not share a main with a friend and order additional sides (if you’re afraid that it’s not enough) and share it between the both of you. Not only are you saving the calories, you are saving money too! It’s a win – win.

Tip 5: The Hidden Bag
Pour the contents out into a clear ziploc bag or on a plate so you can visually see how much you’re eating. Do this so you can control the amount that you eat without sacrificing on your weight loss journey. If hidden, you’ll end up eating the entire bag and spend the time regretting. Save yourself from the trouble of running an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill because you ACCIDENTALLY ate more than you should.

Tip 6: Stay Away from the Buffet
Buffet is a scary place to be. The first advice is not even enter a buffet. However, if you really try and still end up there, ensure that your mind is at the right place. People tend to overeat at a buffet to get their money’s worth. Adjust your mindset and remind yourself that you should only eat what you need and if you do feel the need to binge, at least choose healthier options like more veggies and less fatty foods.

Tip 7: No TV while eating
Crucial and absolutely important point. When you are watching TV while eating, which most of us do, it’s difficult to realise when you are full. You are too distracted by the movie that you are not able to listen to your body and when to stop. Take the time to sit down, and really know what you’re eating. Go back to tip 1 by using the correct ratio so that even if you did finish, you are not putting your weight loss goals.

In the end, the key is to eat in moderation and focusing on natural products. Following this diet plan is better for weight loss and overall, your health too.

If you want to start your mediterranean diet, why not go for our Starter Kit?