If you just opened this book for the first time and plan on skipping the preceding chapters, forget it. It won’t work. You won’t have the necessary knowledge, motivation, and commitment for long-term weight control. No cheating! Begin at the beginning. I designed the Advanced Mediterranean Diet for you with three goals in mind:
1) Success in shedding excess fat 2) Success in keeping the weight off 3) Optimization of health and longevity.
Nobody sets out to lose 10, 20, or many more pounds, and then plans to gain it back without fail. Yet many people unwittingly have done just that. I’ve done it three or four times. Reasons for failure on many other diets include lack of food variety, excessive regimentation, overwhelming cravings and hunger, weakness and fatigue, dizziness, hair loss, easy bruis-ing, sense of deprivation, expense, difficulty finding ingredients, and food preparation hassle. A quick glance at Table 5.1 (Food Choices and Serving Sizes) a few pages forward will lay to rest your concern about variety. Within reasonable boundaries, you decide what and when to eat from that list. The program provides enough fat and protein so you don’t have the gnawing hunger suffered so often on high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets. Adequate fiber also contributes to fullness after meals. You won’t get physically ill, because I’m giving you adequate calories and all the necessary vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients you need to stay healthy. You will undoubtedly have to give up some of your
favorite things. Maybe your particular nemesis is ice cream, potato chips, cookies, or pie. Alas, they are not on the list. But I give you a diet holiday every two weeks, allowing a return to your guilty pleasure in moderation. The foods on the list are generally no more expensive than what you are already eating. An exception may be fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh is probably better for you than frozen or canned. Your best prices will be on items in-season and locally grown. Next, check frozen and canned prices. Don’t buy canned goods with added sugar or fat. Don’t worry about the salt in canned vegetables raising your blood pressure; weight-loss and exercise will lower your pressure. Unlike some diets I’ve seen, you will not need a personal chef to prepare meals, nor need to live in a multicultural metropolis for access to exotic ingredients. Even type 2 diabetics can lose weight safely on the Advanced Mediterranean Diet, with adjustments outlined in Chapter Six. To lose only five or 10 pounds, you may only need to start a regular exercise program: 30–45 minutes of exercise on four to seven days per week. This works better for men than women. Most people, however, will need to cut back on the number of calories they eat. To make up for the missing calories, your body will convert pounds of stored fat to weightless energy. But which calories should be cut? Fats? Carbohydrates? Proteins? Junk food? Candy? Desserts? Starches? Over-processed, refined foods? Keep reading. [Continued....]
All matters regarding your health require supervision by a personal physician or other appropriate health professional familiar with your current health status. Always consult your personal physician before making any dietary or exercise changes.