The mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet (15) The Mediterranean diet is not so much a “diet,” but a particular structure of eating that focuses on the consumption of whole foods, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seafood, and unsaturated fat while limiting consumption of meat, dairy, deep fried, and highly processed foods. By not limiting fat or calorie consumption, but emphasizing high quality selection in foods, the Mediterranean diet promotes both physical and mental health by being free of restrictions. As published in Harvard Health’s review of different diets, “A study of nearly 26,000 women found that those who followed this type of diet had 25% less risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the course of 12 years. The study examined a range of underlying mechanisms that might account for this reduction, and found that changes in inflammation, blood sugar, and body mass index were the biggest drivers.” Although the macro profile shows a high consumption of closer to 40% of calories from fat than the 20-35% that is recommended by the Institute of Medicine (16), the emphasis of healthy fat consumption from extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish were major contributors in helping to reduced rates of death from stroke by 30%, and the risk of type 2 diabetes (15).

Research concludes this dietary structure as a healthy eating pattern that contributes to the prevention of CVD, increased quality of life in aging, and increased lifespan.

You can learn more about the Mediterranean diet here and here.

Blue zones.

A Blue Zone is a region where people live the longest and have the healthiest lives. These regions include Ogliastra Region, Sardinia; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Key common denominators of these blue zones (referred to as the power 9) include

1. Exercise that is naturally incorporated into daily life

2. A sense of purpose

3. Reduced stressors

4. Eating until 80% full

5. Primary consumption of plant-based food (half of which is from whole grains)

6. Moderate and slow alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks)

7. Having meaningful social relationships including with family, friends, and community

8. Place value on family

9. Belong to a faith-based community

The 9 common denominators of Blue Zones all have evidence-based research to support a long, fulfilled, and healthy lifestyle with contributions to both physical and mental wellbeing equally.

Intuitive eating.

Contrary to the diet-centric mentality, intuitive eating is a mind-body approach to health that provides an opportunity to work on your relationship with food without the judgment, guilt, and shame that’s often associated with diet culture and weight every day. According to Evelyn Tribole, Registered Dietitian and intuitive eating pioneer, “Intuitive eating is a personal process of honoring health by listening and responding to the direct messages of the body in order to meet your physical and psychological needs.” To do this, you need to understand the difference between physical and emotional hunger and what it means to you. Physical hunger is a biological need to replenish energy and nutrients; it’s satisfied when you eat. Emotional hunger is a physical sensation driven by emotions; food doesn’t resolve it. A growing number of therapists and dietitians have endorsed this approach to health and consumption.

Study after study shows diets don’t work. On the contrary, they result in weight gain. Rothblum (2018) reported, “The overwhelming majority of people who lose even 5–10% of body weight have regained it 1 year later.” Worse, health that focuses predominantly on body weight has shown to result in body dissatisfaction, reduced health and well-being, and reduced quality of life (O’Hara & Taylor, 2018).

Tuck away your scale and don’t worry about counting calories. Look at getting a variety of foods of different colors. Don’t label foods as “good” or “bad.” Quality choice of foods has been found to promote health and wellness over quantity (17). Have an “all foods fit” perspective by including your favorite cultural foods while focusing on whole grains, lean meats, and a variety of fruits, and vegetables of different colors while giving yourself permission to have other items in moderation rather than cutting them out. By giving yourself permission to eat, you give yourself permission to nourish your body and mind, function optimally, and be your best self.

You can learn more about intuitive eating here and here.

Weeknight Dinners.

A cohesive meal plan program that utilizes the batch cooking model and promotes whole foods. Get four plant-based healthy and quick dinner (or lunch) recipes designed by a Registered Dietitian each week.

The perspective of building a positive relationship with food is incorporated into each component of Weeknight Dinners by streamlining the shopping, prepping, and cooking into simple and quick processes while minimizing the planning. Weeknight Dinners provides the menu, shopping list, batch cook guide, and recipes within a dietitian recommended macro profile so you never need to count calories, or keep track of your carb, protein, or fat consumption again. All you need to "plan" is your time of the week to shop and batch cook, which generally takes an hour or less. Daily meals will never require more than 10 minutes in the kitchen.

The most frequent negative associations with a meal plan program or diet include being busy, having little to no time to commit to the program, having to worry about doing extra work like tracking calories and macros, unfamiliarity with cooking, and cutting out or restricting delicious foods or food groups. Weeknight Dinners takes away all these negative factors so that you can receive the benefits you are looking for without the stress. Reclaim your power in the kitchen and around food by making delicious and nourishing meals with quick and easy recipes that use nutrient-dense ingredients. It’s time to stop dieting and improve your relationship with food.

The foundation of Weeknight Dinners is inspired by the philosophy of Blue Zones and the power 9, the Mediterranean diet, and non-restrictive intuitive eating. The program focuses on whole foods to maximize the potential in which people can thrive through eating and lifestyle. By embracing a simplified routine of batch cooking that is capable of being integrated into your busiest weeks, you will benefit from the experience of enjoying home cooked meals made from whole foods that promote both your optimal physical and mental health (18).

Learn more about Weeknight Dinners here. Get a free sample plan here. Join the club here.