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Diet Review
Unlike many fad diets that promote the same basics of healthy eating, then try to spin them into something innovative and ground-breaking, "The Mediterranean Prescription" takes an honest approach to eating healthy and offers dieters a tastier way to accomplish their weight loss and longevity goals.
The book discusses a variety of health issues like type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity and explains how eating a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, legumes and healthy fats can lower disease risk and increase your life span. The authors site well-documented studies that support adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet to lessen your odds of being obese, having a heart attack and even developing cancer. In fact, the diet is so honest, it admits that 30 to 40 percent of any weight lost will be muscle and not fat, if you don't exercise while following it. It also explains how even more muscle is lost when following nearly all low-calorie, crash diets.
The two-week weight-loss program follows a restrictive 'first phase' that shows immediate weight loss to keep you motivated. But what's refreshing is that it's not that depriving at all. Dieters are allowed to eat as much fish, vegetables, egg whites and other low-carb fare as they want. After that, the book teaches dieters how to make healthier choices that follow a Mediterranean lifestyle, including eating more healthy fats and vegetables, adding red wine and performing more exercise as a daily habit.
The real selling point of the diet is the list of recipes that follow the initial two-week program. Each is well designed from a nutritional standpoint and absolutely delicious because many were created by New York City's finest Italian chefs. With soups, salads and appetizing dishes ranging from Sicilian-style calamari to broiled chicken with garlic and lime, dieters won't feel starved or unsatisfied following the program.
Is the diet healthy?
Yes. Unlike some diets that eliminate certain vital nutrients to promote rapid weight loss, the diet is a smart mix of healthy fats, fiber, complex carbohydrates and many other foods containing high amounts of antioxidants and phytochemicals.
What do the experts say?
When it comes to the restrictive phase of the diet, registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, warns that it's important to focus on both the quality and the quantity of what you're eating.
"If they're not careful, dieters can still gain weight on a routine like that, no matter how healthy the food may be, because they might take in more calories than their body actually needs," she said.
Her advice: Skip past the two-week phase and move right into the second phase-the actual life-long eating plan. In fact, Blatner often recommends dieters skip past the initial restrictive phase of any diet.
"Most of these types of 'primer' phases tend to be caloric-deficient and usually exclude one or more food groups to achieve that instant result," Blatner said. "You're always better off to dive right into whichever phase is a more realistic lifestyle approach instead of wasting time on the quick fix."
Blatner says the quality of foods eaten on a Mediterranean is generally superior compared with what most people eat on average. "The diet itself is virtually the backbone of what is recommended by most nutritionists and major medical associations," Blatner said. "However, watching your portion sizes is still extremely important when following this type of program."
Blatner is also satisfied with the emphasis placed on exercise. "Most diets minimize exercise in their programs to trick dieters into thinking they can lose weight with little effort," Blatner said. The problem? Whenever you lose weight on a diet, you're actually losing a mixture of body fat, muscle and water. That's why it's vital to add exercise. Doing so can help you burn more fat while it prevents you from losing lean muscle, she said. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism stays revved 24/7, which keeps your body burning excess calories throughout the day.
Who should consider the diet?
Anyone looking for a few more ways to eat healthy without sacrificing taste.
Bottom Line
Dieters already familiar with the usual healthy eating tips that "The Mediterranean Prescription" delivers, but there's no denying that its delicious recipes are a more satisfying way to adhere to them. It's a no-spin, all-win book that's worth it for the recipes alone.
Foods
For the first two weeks: Whole-wheat bread, broiled chicken, olive oil, diet soda and as much fish, seafood, salad, non-starchy vegetables and egg whites as you can eat. After two weeks: A variety of Sicilian-style meals, including pizza, chicken cacciatore and baked zucchini with eggplant and tomatoes.
What you can't eat: For the first two weeks: sugar, alcohol, dairy, bread, butter, starchy vegetables, juices, fruits, nuts and potatoes. After two weeks: Nothing is technically restricted, but the book advises on smarter ways to eat foods that may not be on the plan.
See The Mediterranean Prescription diet at a glance.
Unlike many fad diets that promote the same basics of healthy eating, then try to spin them into something innovative and ground-breaking, "The Mediterranean Prescription" takes an honest approach to eating healthy and offers dieters a tastier way to accomplish their weight loss and longevity goals.
The book discusses a variety of health issues like type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity and explains how eating a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, legumes and healthy fats can lower disease risk and increase your life span. The authors site well-documented studies that support adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet to lessen your odds of being obese, having a heart attack and even developing cancer. In fact, the diet is so honest, it admits that 30 to 40 percent of any weight lost will be muscle and not fat, if you don't exercise while following it. It also explains how even more muscle is lost when following nearly all low-calorie, crash diets.
The two-week weight-loss program follows a restrictive 'first phase' that shows immediate weight loss to keep you motivated. But what's refreshing is that it's not that depriving at all. Dieters are allowed to eat as much fish, vegetables, egg whites and other low-carb fare as they want. After that, the book teaches dieters how to make healthier choices that follow a Mediterranean lifestyle, including eating more healthy fats and vegetables, adding red wine and performing more exercise as a daily habit.
The real selling point of the diet is the list of recipes that follow the initial two-week program. Each is well designed from a nutritional standpoint and absolutely delicious because many were created by New York City's finest Italian chefs. With soups, salads and appetizing dishes ranging from Sicilian-style calamari to broiled chicken with garlic and lime, dieters won't feel starved or unsatisfied following the program.
Is the diet healthy?
Yes. Unlike some diets that eliminate certain vital nutrients to promote rapid weight loss, the diet is a smart mix of healthy fats, fiber, complex carbohydrates and many other foods containing high amounts of antioxidants and phytochemicals.
What do the experts say?
When it comes to the restrictive phase of the diet, registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, warns that it's important to focus on both the quality and the quantity of what you're eating.
"If they're not careful, dieters can still gain weight on a routine like that, no matter how healthy the food may be, because they might take in more calories than their body actually needs," she said.
Her advice: Skip past the two-week phase and move right into the second phase-the actual life-long eating plan. In fact, Blatner often recommends dieters skip past the initial restrictive phase of any diet.
"Most of these types of 'primer' phases tend to be caloric-deficient and usually exclude one or more food groups to achieve that instant result," Blatner said. "You're always better off to dive right into whichever phase is a more realistic lifestyle approach instead of wasting time on the quick fix."
Blatner says the quality of foods eaten on a Mediterranean is generally superior compared with what most people eat on average. "The diet itself is virtually the backbone of what is recommended by most nutritionists and major medical associations," Blatner said. "However, watching your portion sizes is still extremely important when following this type of program."
Blatner is also satisfied with the emphasis placed on exercise. "Most diets minimize exercise in their programs to trick dieters into thinking they can lose weight with little effort," Blatner said. The problem? Whenever you lose weight on a diet, you're actually losing a mixture of body fat, muscle and water. That's why it's vital to add exercise. Doing so can help you burn more fat while it prevents you from losing lean muscle, she said. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism stays revved 24/7, which keeps your body burning excess calories throughout the day.
Who should consider the diet?
Anyone looking for a few more ways to eat healthy without sacrificing taste.
Bottom Line
Dieters already familiar with the usual healthy eating tips that "The Mediterranean Prescription" delivers, but there's no denying that its delicious recipes are a more satisfying way to adhere to them. It's a no-spin, all-win book that's worth it for the recipes alone.
Foods
For the first two weeks: Whole-wheat bread, broiled chicken, olive oil, diet soda and as much fish, seafood, salad, non-starchy vegetables and egg whites as you can eat. After two weeks: A variety of Sicilian-style meals, including pizza, chicken cacciatore and baked zucchini with eggplant and tomatoes.
What you can't eat: For the first two weeks: sugar, alcohol, dairy, bread, butter, starchy vegetables, juices, fruits, nuts and potatoes. After two weeks: Nothing is technically restricted, but the book advises on smarter ways to eat foods that may not be on the plan.
See The Mediterranean Prescription diet at a glance.
