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Category: Diet of the Month

The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution: At a Glance

The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution: At a Glance

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the diets out there? Oh my word, there are just. so. many. Losing weight is tough enough, let alone trying to figure out which diet will actually deliver on its promises! Here at The Diet Oracle, one of my goals is to help you sift through all the hype and nonsense and find the plan that will work best for you. As I’ve said before, everyone is different and there really is no single ‘right way’ to lose weight.

That being said, let’s get right to our current diet du jour, The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution: The 28 Day Kick-Start Plan for Lasting Weight Loss by Julene Stassou, MS, RD. (If you’ve missed my previous posts, take a minute to learn more about Mediterranean-style diets and the research supporting them!) Stassou promises that if you’re looking to make real lifestyle change with lasting results, the Mediterranean diet (and, of course, her book!) will help you to lose weight and reach your goals.

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The Mediterranean Diet: A Research Roundup!

The Mediterranean Diet: A Research Roundup!

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Hello and welcome back to The Diet Oracle! In our latest diet review, we’ve been taking an up-close-and-personal look at the Mediterranean diet–what it entails, the promised benefits, and whether it can really deliver weight loss success. If you’ve ever wondered whether this diet is worth all the buzz, then keep on reading!

As a dietitian, I am always on the lookout for nutrition books that provide both solid science as well as clear, goal-oriented action plans. I want the questions how? and why? answered in ways the average person can understand without false promises and bogus claims. This month, we’ve been taking the microscope to The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution: The 28 Day Kick-Start Plan for Lasting Weight Loss by Julene Stassou, MS, RD.

So how does The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution measure up? And does the research really back up all the claims? Let’s find out!

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What is a Mediterranean Diet?

What is a Mediterranean Diet?

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Like many of you, I have always had a soft spot for Mediterranean cuisine. I have countless cookbooks lining my shelves (okay, 115 last time I checked), and these are by far the most loved, if love can be measured by splattered pages and scribbled notes in the margins. Whether it be boeuf Bourguignon, gnocchi verdi, or souvlakia me kota covered with tzatziki, the bright colors and bold flavors create a menu that looks as good as it tastes. Both nutritious and delicious, it is hard to beat a Mediterranean Diet!

Interest in the Mediterranean way of eating was piqued in the 1960’s when someone noticed that heart disease caused fewer deaths in this region than in the United States and northern Europe. With emerging evidence and awareness that lifestyle choices could make a lasting impact on health and longevity, researchers began taking a closer look. Since that time, studies have shown the many and varied health benefits of the Mediterranean diet–from lowering blood pressure and heart disease risk to weight loss and improved wellness.

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August’s Diet of the Month

August’s Diet of the Month

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Welcome back to The Diet Oracle!

August is here and it is really starting to feel like summer—finally! As I pondered which plan to pick for our next Diet of the Month, our own little lakeside view complete with hillside vineyards and hidden orchards inspired me to take a trip to the Mediterranean…or at least indulge in some cuisine fit for the gods! After all, when the days are spent basking in sunshine and splashing in the lake, what could be better than a diet filled with all the best that summer has to offer?

Though the Mediterranean diet has inspired countless books, this month I will be featuring one in particular that combines straightforward education with clear goal setting, exercise recommendations, and meal plans for a very action-oriented weight loss plan. Oh, and did I mention well over 100 pages of RECIPES? This will be no fast, I can tell you that!

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Intermittent Fasting: Final Thoughts

Intermittent Fasting: Final Thoughts

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Welcome back to The Diet Oracle! Today we’ll be wrapping up our in depth look at June’s Diet of the Month, The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting by Jason Fung, MD and Jimmy Moore. In particular, I want to share with you some of my final thoughts on intermittent fasting and whether or not it might be a good fit for you.

When it comes to weight loss, there really is no ‘one size fits all’ plan that works for everyone and intermittent fasting is no exception. Spending a week following an intermittent fasting schedule really gave me the opportunity to experience what fasting is like and to learn more about my own eating behaviors. It also gave me the chance to think about who might really benefit from intermittent fasting and who should steer clear. Is it a good match for you? Keep reading as I share my thoughts on who should and who shouldn’t give it a try.

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Intermittent Fasting: Tips for Success

Intermittent Fasting: Tips for Success

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We are nearing the end of our month-long discussion of June’s Diet of the Month, The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day and Extended Fasting by Jason Fung, MD and Jimmy Moore–which is good, considering it is now JULY!!

I have really enjoyed reviewing this book and have learned so much by taking intermittent fasting for a spin. I don’t know about you, but I am such a creature of habit and choosing an eating plan that was off my beaten track really brought to light a few habits I didn’t even know I had! Shaking things up a bit is a great way to break out of a rut, whether you’re struggling to get the pounds off or just feel bored with your daily fare.

Intermittent fasting was definitely a new experience for me and after trying it out for an entire week, I’ve come away with a few tips that will help you to be successful should you decide to give intermittent fasting a try. While some of these tips would apply to pretty much any diet plan, others are fairly specific to fasting.

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Intermittent Fasting: Foods I Couldn’t Do Without

Intermittent Fasting: Foods I Couldn’t Do Without

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Welcome back to The Diet Oracle! Today’s post is all about the best foods for intermittent fasting. Now, I know what you’re thinking–Isn’t fasting all about NOT EATING? Even I have to chuckle at the thought of food lists for fasting! However! Be that as it may, when it comes to intermittent fasting, food is still on the table and planning for your meals is as crucial as ever.

Anytime you are eating less, it is imperative that you make the most of every bite. Not only will you want your food choices to be filling and satisfying, but you will want to make sure your nutritional needs are being met as well.

Foods for Intermittent Fasting

With that in mind, I wanted to share with you today a simple list of the foods I found to be essential to my own week-long experience with intermittent fasting. While some were important for the nutrients they offered, others made it possible to just make it through the day.

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Intermittent Fasting: A Week in Review and My Results

Intermittent Fasting: A Week in Review and My Results

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Welcome back to The Diet Oracle! It has been quite the week! If you are new here, we have been taking an up-close-and-personal look at June’s Diet of the Month, The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting by Jason Fung, MD and Jimmy Moore and I have just wrapped up my own week-long immersion into the world of intermittent fasting. (If you’d like more information about the fasting schedule I followed, check out this post.) Today I’m excited to be sharing with you nutrition highlights for the week and my personal intermittent fasting weight loss results!

I definitely learned a lot, both about fasting as well as myself, and am looking forward to sharing with you the good, the bad, and the hungry. In upcoming posts, I’ll be serving up my best tips for success, from grocery shopping and meal prep to dealing with hunger and the foods/beverages I could NOT do without. Hopefully, my experience will shed a light on what intermittent fasting is really like and give you the tools you need for success, should you decide intermittent fasting might be a good fit for you.

But! Before we get to all of that, I want to do a little math and see how my week of intermittent fasting looks on paper. Plus, let’s chat about my results on the scale! It’s time to crunch some numbers and see where we stand.

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Intermittent Fasting: Day 8 (Bonus Day!)

Intermittent Fasting: Day 8 (Bonus Day!)

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For the last few weeks, we have been taking an in depth look at June’s Diet of the Month, The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting by Jason Fung, MD and Jimmy Moore. And, in order to get a real feel for what intermittent fasting has to offer, I have been following one of the regimens included in the book, giving you the chance to see what intermittent fasting looks like up close. (For more information about the particulars of my plan, check out this post.)

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Intermittent Fasting: Day 7

Intermittent Fasting: Day 7

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We are down to the last two days of this little intermittent fasting experiment as I continue to follow a plan found in The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day and Extended Fasting and I have to say, it has been quite the experience. Fasting certainly has a way of highlighting little food behaviors that can otherwise easily fly under the radar. And, if you find yourself in an eating rut, fasting definitely makes mealtimes all the more exciting! Though I’ll have much more to say in upcoming posts about my own week-long experience with intermittent fasting, let’s take a look at Day 7 which was another 6:18 eating/fasting schedule and see how that went.

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