mardi 9 août 2011

Weight Gain With The Mediterranean Diet


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Weight Gain With The Mediterranean Diet

Although the classic Mediterranean Diet is followed by many people who are on a weight loss diet, this diet is also suitable for those trying to gain weight. While everything matters, one of the themes of this site is that of eating healthy, which is why I wanted to give this popular diet a special mention as I think its a good place to start for anyone looking to formulate a healthy weight gain diet.
Some people turn a blind eye to the Mediterranean diet because it can contain approximately 30 percent of the total calories as fat, 50 percent of the calories as carbohydrates, and 20 percent of the calories as protein. However, despite having a high fat content, the Mediterranean diet still has a fairly low overall energy density because of the other foods that are consumed in the diet. In contrast, most of today’s Western diets tend to not only be high in fat but low in foods such as fruits and vegetables. And more to the point, if you have an ectomorph body type and therefore a hard gainer, your skinny genetics will more then likely prevent you from gaining much if any fat at all anyway.
Plant Foods
A big part of the Mediterranean diet is based on plant foods such as beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olives and olive oil, more so then other popular diets. For instance, the Greeks and Italians often dip bread in virgin olive oil instead of slathering butter all over it. Have you tried this, perhaps in an Italian restaurant? It’s much better, but requires some effort and some getting used to. (Not alot of effort, simply remembering to pick up a bottle of virgin or extra virgin olive oil while you’re at the grocery store!) Use lots of olive oil in most meals its a convenient way to to add calories to almost anything which is especially helpful when gaining weight.
When we discuss eating more fruit, let’s be clear about what kind of fruit that means; fresh is best, because fresh fruit is not processed, has no sugar or fructose added, and is generally much more healthy. Fresh fruits, in the amount of 4 or 5 servings a day, have also been proven to not only keep our bodies healthy, but keep our skin looking younger as well. If the goal is weight gain on a Mediterranean diet, then don’t ignore fresh fruit juice. You should find a good balance between real fruit and juices. Drinking some fruit juice is especially useful when gaining weight because it’s very nutrient-dense for its size, when compared to veggies. Various medical journals show that 8 oz. of real fruit juice can significantly reduce blood pressure, cutting the risk of heart disease.
Carbohydrate
The Mediterranean Diet also includes regular servings of pasta, rice, and bread, all calorie dense carbs which will aid in weight gain. When people think of the Mediterranean Diet or of going to an Italian restaurant, they tend to think of pasta and Parmesan cheese. Pasta with red sauce sprinkled with some Parmesan is a staple meal in the Mediterranean diet which is now normally part of an athletes’ diet because its a great source of carbohydrate.
Healthy Fats
Monounsaturated fats are some of the healthiest type of fats to include in a balanced diet. Of course, the foundation of this diet is olive oil, however, the Mediterranean diet also includes regular servings of nuts as snacks in between meals, as in a handful per day of walnuts, almonds, etc. This is so easy. Pick up a bag or can, separate them into baggies containing about a quarter cup each, and then only eat 1 bag every day or two. Remember that while nuts contain some great anti-oxidants, Omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin E, they also have healthy fats so it is good to eat them. Nuts are delicious and should be a part of your Mediterranean Diet. You can also add a few dollops of peanut butter to your weight gain shake.
Meat
While we’re on the subject of high nutrient density foods, let’s talk a little about red meat. Eating some meat such as beef, pork, lamb etc is recommended on a Mediterranean diet. Just make sure to eat red meat in moderation and choose to go with the lean cuts when you can. Part of the healthy Mediterranean Diet also consists of eating fish instead of red meat on a regular basis.
In Conclusion
There is not doubt that The Mediterranean Diet is a good place to start if you are wanting to gain weight and muscle. According to a new study, following a Mediterranean diet combined with exercise, limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking, could extend life expectancy by up to 15 years.
The emphasis when on a Mediterranean Diet should be to stay away from highly processed foods, eat several servings of fresh fruit daily, add a couple ounces of nuts/dried fruits for good measure, and get your protein from fish or other lean cuts of meat.
If you are strict with this diet and consume the sufficient amount of calories necessary to put on weight, there is no reason why you shouldn’t reach your weight gain goals sooner rather then later, plus you will receive all the other health benefits the Mediterranean Diet provides.

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