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Diet should beΒ a lifestyle choice.

The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries. It’s an eating style that’s hugely undermined even though we know that it is one of the healthiest diets worldwide. In fact, a panel of expert nutritionists voted it the top, healthiest diet of 2018.

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts are constantly seeking new ways to boost their fitness performances and increase their muscle gains.Β They’re trying to do this whilst remaining healthy and maintaining their general well-being. I believe that the best kind of diet is one rich in ‘real,’ whole foods. Nothing processed and very rarely packaged.

The only eating plan that supports this is the Mediterranean diet. There’s close to 50 years of evidence backing its amazing benefits. Not only does the eating plan decrease your risk of diseases like heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Type II Diabetes, but it even helps you live longer.

More importantly, the diet has a sustainable, flexible, and enjoyable approach to food. Despite all else, switching from one fad diet to the next can seriously mess with your hormones and stunt your fitness goals!

diet [longevity live]

Can The Mediterranean Diet Boost YourΒ Goals?

The answer is, yes!Β Once you clearly understand how it works and its effect on your body, then you’ll know just how easy it is to tweak. You canΒ personalise the principles of this diet so that it enhances and strengthensΒ your body from the inside, out.

AΒ MediterraneanΒ menu is based on traditional foods and eating patterns of the countries situated along the Mediterranean sea. That is what makes it so successful. Their simplistic approach to food and eatingΒ it inΒ a natural state makes a great deal of difference to your general well-being and performance.

Variety is everything in this diet. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, low-fat dairy, Omega-3 fatty acids, seafood, lean protein, little red meat andΒ the occasional glass of red wine allΒ form part of this menu. It is unique compared to Western diets and avoidsΒ highly processed and refined carbs, meats and saturated fats.

Why Does The Diet Work?

It incorporates foods that provide you with the tools toΒ boost your diet [longevity live]cardiovascular health, muscle growth, and development.Β  Not only does it promote nutrient-dense foods, but it even encourages physical exercise on a daily basis!

There are athletes who swear by it and have felt the physical advantages of following a Mediterranean meal plan. Even Cameron Van Der Burgh, a South African Olympic swimmer and champion, was recommended by experts to follow a Mediterranean diet after he had undergone genetic testing.

In addition, oxidative stress and inflammation are both factors that will prevent you from reaching your true fitness potential. They can even prolong your recovery time. And since the Med-lifestyle reduces both inflammation and chronic disease… You are pretty much on your way to a life full of successful and rewarding gym experiences.

Transform Your Body

You have the power to build a significant amount of muscle whilst on this diet. Not only this, but you can also boostdiet [longevity live]Β your ability to endure high-intensity exercises. Mainly because you’re consuming nutrient-dense foodΒ that has the ability to fuel your body for growth and recoveryΒ whilst maintaining heart health.

A very misleading notion has spread amongst the industry that protein is the only way to build muscle. Popular marketing tactics might have you believe this, but too much of anything is never a good thing. Overloading one macronutrient is definitely not going to make the changes you want, happen.

The trick lies in this diet’s limitless supply of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can consume all the protein you want. But, without these crucial ingredients, you will never be able to achieve your best self.

How Can You Maximize Muscle Gain Without Red Meat?

If you are a strength athlete and wish to gain lean body mass or lose, do not doubt this diet, because you can do both with it. ManageYourMacros.Com explains that eating between 1.5-2.5g/kg of protein is more than enough for strength training athletes. And even though you might be skeptical because the Med-diet limits red meat, you can still get your iron and protein from other sources. So don’t just introduce a ton of red meat when tweaking your meal plan.

These sources can include the following:

  • fish and seafood
  • beans
  • poultry
  • dairy
  • eggs
  • other plant-based sources.

In this way, you will fuel your body with plenty of necessary amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. These are the ingredients that guarantee you a fully functional, energetic, and healthy body to reach optimal performance.

Moreover, many of the diets that are currently trending cut out major food groups, which can lead to a bunch of health problems because you’re lacking in a specific nutrient. No matter how many crunches you do, you’ll never get those washboard abs without these!med-diet [longevity live]

You Need To Be Mindful

Lastly, it’s highly important that you constantly pay attention to the quality of your food and how much of it you’re eating.Β  The great thing about eating this way is generally you don’t need to be pedantic about your calorie intake. This is because you’re eating less refined carbs, sugars, and saturated fats.

However, you do need to keep portion control in check. And although you can eat pasta on this diet, you need to be aware that it should serve as a side and not a full-on meal! We are all different, especially a strength athlete compared to a fitness newbie. Your calorie needs will differ enormously, and you need to take this into account.

What makes the Med-diet superior to others, though, is its ability to include every necessary and healthy food group that you need for optimal survival, physique, and fitness. As opposed to others like Banting and Keto, which cut out carbs entirely and survive on fats for energy. Hardly sustainable if you’re somebody who enjoys a bit of everything.

Variety Is Everything

You can achieve your most refined self with this diet because it allows you to eat the correct amount and type of carbs, fats, and proteins. Moreover, the Med-diet only encourages you to eat whole over refined grains which contribute to healthy blood sugar, cholesterol, and help regulate proper hormone levels.diet [longevity live]

If you are not yet convinced, whole grains also help with weight loss. In the long term, they can increase your levels of satiety and improve gut microbiota. Plus, you’ll increase your insulin sensitivity, which keeps blood glucose stable and stops sugar spikes.

Do you know that weird hungry feeling you get during a workout? Well, this diet also prevents hypoglycemic conditions as you would experience here.

The Keto and Banting diets have made it clear that fats do not make you fat. They are an essential part of having a fully functional body. However, the Med-diet is rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

If you’re looking to ignite your metabolism, then polyunsaturated fatty acids are what you need. Omega 3 and 6 play huge roles in your metabolic health. They help reduce inflammation, normalize your heart rate, and promote faster muscle recovery. Eating avocados, fish, nuts, and olive oil can set your metabolism on fire!

You might feel a little lost amongst the array of diet options from low-carb to high-fat to carb cycling, to intermittent fasting. But, in reality, they all have more or less the sameΒ effects on body diet [longevity live]composition through the creation of a calorie deficit.

So stop cutting out whole food groups and struggle to maintain your restrictive meal plan. Rather, include foods that make you feel your best and give your body the vital nutrients to perform optimally at the gym.

I believe it is best to use the Med-diet as a guide and then incorporate its principles into your lifestyle, soΒ you will live longer andΒ feel stronger.

Want to know more?

Type 2 DiabetesΒ has increased at a devastatingly rapid rate.Β This is how you canΒ lower your risk with food.

Skye Mallon

Skye Mallon

Skye is a Holistic Lifestyle Blogger, Entrepreneur and Movement Instructor. She loves changing people's lives and believes you should always strive to be your best! Her brand, Skyezee FashionFit pty (LTD) shares the latest in well-fashion, conscious living, and daily movement. She wants to help others achieve a happy balance by sustaining a conscious, longevous lifestyle. She shares content that helps others tap into the intricacies of our bodies, environments, feelings, and minds.

Skye knows how you feel and is here to help! She wants to help you live happier, longer and more fulfilled lives that we know will make some kind of positive or meaningful impact. Visit Website

The mind, body, and soul must connect.

She specializes in mixed movement classes including her very own Jump Rope HIIT, boxing-inspired workout called Jump Fit. Moreover, she teaches a Skyezee Movement class which includes elements from yoga, martial arts, and dance.

She has a keen interest in high-quality, activewear apparel and represents different brands. Lastly, she believes that the best results are achieved by doing something you love! The point is to have fun, explore and move more, eat good food and get outside of your comfort zone.

Book Skye's Paradise Adventure Retreat in Watamu, Kenya February 2020.
Start the Jump Fit Program
Follow the Skyezee FashionFit Blog
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fashion at LISOF.
Jump Rope HIIT Coach and Professional Jump Roper
Pilates Teacher Training Certificate.
Budokon Yoga and Mixed Martial Arts Enthusiast and aspiring Teacher/Yogi.

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