Choosing a diet plan that’s easy to follow is the best way to lose weight and actually keep it off for good.
Many diets are overly restrictive and not based on sound scientific reasoning. For example, many fad diets can lead to extreme weight loss, but they can’t be followed for a long time. When people finish these plans, they end up putting the weight back on.
This diet plan is based on the Mediterranean diet, one of the most researched and recommended diets for general health and weight loss. It contains no-cook weekday lunches and dinners that take 60 minutes or less that are easy to fit into everyday life.
All the recipes use common ingredients that you can find in your local supermarket and the plan contains a full shopping list, making buying a week’s worth of recipes a breeze.
General Overview of Plan
This plan is based on the Mediterranean diet, which is predominantly plant-based with some meat throughout the week. It is full of nutritious food and contains good amounts of protein and fibre.
These types of foods will help you stay full for longer without needing excessive calories, making them ideal to lose weight without having to calorie count everything.
The diet plan contains 3 meals in a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast meals are all no-cook and take less than 10-minutes – ideal for people needing to get to work quickly.
The lunches throughout the weekdays are also quick to prepare and easy to pack in case you want to take something to work. The meals on Saturday do need cooking, but are still relatively quick to do.
All the dinner recipes take 60 minutes or less. There are a couple of filling, nutritious vegetarian dishes as well as the occasional meat dish throughout the week, so you’ll have plenty of different flavours.
There’s also a fish dish to get your important omega-3 fatty acids in your diet – a staple of the Mediterranean diet.
There are a few snack recipes to try too. These aren’t included within the shopping list, but if you want to try something new, there are both savoury and sweet options.
Foods to Eat on a Diet
These are the types of foods you’ll want to include more regularly in your diet. Eating a balance ensures you meet all your nutritional requirements.
- Fruits. E.g apples, pears, oranges. Berries also contain lots of antioxidants
- Vegetables. All kinds of vegetables are great, but particularly cruciferous vegetables (e.g broccoli, cauliflower)
- Whole grains. E.g brown bread, quinoa, bulgur wheat. These are rich in fiber.
- Fatty fish. E.g salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring. These foods contain the most omega-3 fatty acids, an important nutrient in reducing inflammatory diseases.
- Beans. E.g haricot, black, red.
- Legumes. E.g chickpeas, lentils, peas. Both legumes and beans are great sources of plant-based protein.
- Nuts and seeds. E.g almonds, walnuts, pistachios. Flaxseeds and chia seeds are also a great plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids
- Low-fat dairy. E.g milk, eggs, yogurt. Be sure to check the labels for extra added sugar.
- Olive oil. Choose extra-virgin varieties, which aren’t diluted with cheaper oils.
- Lean protein. E.g fish, chicken, turkey. These contain less saturated fats than in red meats like beef and pork.
Foods to Avoid
These are the type of foods that don’t contain many nutrients and will likely contribute to weight gain. Although it’s fine to treat yourself occasionally, don’t make it a habit.
- Junk foods: fast food and potato chips
- Refined carbohydrates: white bread, pasta, crackers, flour tortillas, biscuits
- Fried foods: french fries, donuts, fried meats
- Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, tea with added sugar, sports drinks
- Processed meats: bacon, canned meat, salami, sausages
- Trans fats: vegetable oil and margarine
Why Choose a Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the number 1 diet (along with the Dash diet) according to the U.S. News & World Report since 2018.
It is highly recommended in the scientific community for both it’s how healthy it is and how easy to follow. This makes it a sustainable diet to follow and ensures people can continue eating healthily for a long time.
Many credible organisations suggest following a Mediterranean diet for longevity and health. These include:
- Harvard Medical School
- Osteoarthritis Foundation Internal
- Mayo Clinic
- American Heart Association
- Arthritis Foundation
Because it is highly recommended and researched, there are many studies available that show how beneficial it is across a range of health factors. These include:
- Lower risk of cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease, (1, 2)
- Lower risk of coronary heart disease (3, 4)
- Lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (5)
- Lower risk of breast cancer (6)
- Lower risk of obesity (7)
- Better cognitive function (8)
How to Follow a Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet pyramid below gives a good visual indication of what foods to prioritize.
At the bottom are common staple foods that are to be consumed in large amounts and more frequently. Portion sizes and frequency decline as you go up the pyramid.
The pyramid intentionally does not specify recommended weights of foods or calories. It is only meant to provide an overall look at healthy food choices and their relative proportions.
It does this because good health has been attributed to variation within the overall dietary pattern. The more variety you get within the specified relative allowances per category – the better.
7-Day Easy Diet Meal Plan
Easy Diet Sample Menu
In the meal plan are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Cannellini Bean Salad | Quick Moussaka |
| Tuesday | Tomato and Watermelon Salad | Edgy Veggie Wraps | Spicy Tomato Baked Eggs |
| Wednesday | Blueberry Oats Bowl | Carrot, Orange and Avocado Salad | Salmon with Potatoes and Corn Salad |
| Thursday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Mixed Bean Salad | Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup |
| Friday | Tomato and Watermelon Salad | Panzanella Salad | Med Chicken, Quinoa and Greek Salad |
| Saturday | Blueberry Oats Bowl | Quinoa and Stir Fried Veg | Grilled Vegetables with Bean Mash |
| Sunday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Moroccan Chickpea Soup | Spicy Mediterranean Beet Salad |
Snacks are recommended between meal times. Some good snacks include:
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- A piece of fruit
- Carrots or baby carrots
- Berries or grapes
Day 1: Monday
Breakfast: Banana Yogurt Pots
Nutrition
- Calories – 236
- Protein – 14g
- Carbs – 32g
- Fat – 7g
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 225g /⅞ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 bananas, sliced into chunks
- 15g / 2 tbsp walnuts, toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Place some of the yogurt into the bottom of a glass. Add a layer of banana, then yogurt and repeat. Once the glass is full, scatter with the nuts.
Lunch: Cannellini Bean Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 302
- Protein – 20g
- Carbs – 54g
- Fat – 0g
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 600g / 3 cups cannellini beans
- 70g / ⅜ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- small bunch basil, torn
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the beans and mix with the tomatoes, onion and vinegar. Season, then add basil just before serving.
Dinner: Moussaka
Nutrition
- Calories – 577
- Protein – 27g
- Carbs – 46g
- Fat – 27g
Prep time + cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 250g / 9 oz lean beef mince
- 200g can / 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 200g can / 1 cup chickpeas
- 100g pack / ⅔ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Mint (fresh preferable)
- Brown bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until soft. Add the mince and fry for 3-4 minutes until browned.
- Tip the tomatoes into the pan and stir in the tomato purée and cinnamon, then season. Leave the mince to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chickpeas halfway through.
- Sprinkle the feta and mint over the mince. Serve with toasted bread.