The Omega Diet’s primary focus is achieving overall good health. Losing weight is one of the many positive natural consequences of following this Mediterranean-based diet plan. The core philosophy of this diet is to lower one’s cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy heart through eating foods rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Here are more details on how to lose weight when using the Omega Diet plan.
- Prioritize Omega 3 essential fatty acid-rich foods in your diet. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are external sources of fat that our body needs to function properly in digestion, insulin production, and regulating the body’s fat storage. However, Western diet in particular is more heavily dependent on Omega 6 fatty acids which come from poultry and eggs for example. The bad thing about this is that excessive amounts of Omega 6 are unhealthy and can cause obesity. Omega 3 fatty acids on the other hand, are the healthier alternative. Some health benefits of Omega 3 include protecting the heart, normalizing metabolism, increasing brain function, and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Studies show that it can also prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and other chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Omega 3 essential fatty acids are abundant in fish, especially salmon and mackerel. If you’re not used to eating more of fish, better try including it in your meals at least twice a week. Significantly limiting Omega 6 fats and following a diet rich in Omega 3 fats play a big role in weight loss.
- Eat lots of fresh produce daily. The Mediterranean diet is composed mostly of fresh vegetables and fruits. In the Omega Diet, you should eat at least seven servings of fresh produce daily. Leafy green vegetables in particular, are also good natural sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.
- Eat whole grains, cereals, and bread, but avoid food with refined carbohydrates. Avoid white bread, white pasta, and white rice. These are full of refined carbohydrates which are basically like empty calories—they are sapped off of their natural fiber content and won’t do much good to your metabolism.
- Include nuts and legumes in your meals and snacks. Nuts and legumes (like beans, peas, and lentils) are also great natural sources of Omega 3. Snacking on moderate servings of these kinds of food make you feel satisfied. You won’t have the urge to spoil yourself with junk food. Nuts like almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and pine nuts paired with dried fruits like apricots, dates, and figs make a very yummy and satisfying snack.
- In preparing and cooking food, use only olive oil and canola oil. Composed mostly of unsaturated fat, the healthy kind of fat, these two are the healthiest cooking oil alternatives out in the market. You can also opt to take a supplement of flaxseed oil.
- Eliminate foods with trans fat or saturated fat and high cholesterol from your diet. Limit intake of dairy, poultry, and eggs. As much as possible, buy only organic food. For milk, opt for the low fat or soy products. The Omega Diet allows a serving of one ounce of cheese a day.
The Omega Diet plan requires mostly an ideal balance of fats and fresh, organic foods which not only help you to lose weight, but also help you maintain a healthy body.