Do you feel sluggish? This Mediterranean diet meal plan might just be the ticket to improving your energy levels. To promote satiety and avoid an energy dip in the afternoon, we spread protein and fiber fairly evenly throughout the day, while following the principles of the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is nutrient-rich and is a healthy way of eating with plenty of fresh produce, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats and a wide variety of lean proteins. The Mediterranean diet has long been considered one of the healthiest diets due to its numerous health benefits and is more of a lifestyle than a strict diet. Sure, it emphasizes many nutrient-dense items, but it also promotes cooking more meals at home, sharing meals with others, increasing mindfulness, and slowing down to sit down and enjoy meals instead of eating on the go.
Although the Mediterranean diet does not focus on counting calories, many people who follow a meal plan prefer a fixed daily calorie intake. We designed this plan to provide 1,500 calories, but made changes for 1,200 and 2,000 calories. Because eating too little can lower energy levels, listen to your body and make sure you eat enough. As with all meal plans, this is intended to provide a framework for a healthy eating plan. Feel free to substitute another meal, opt for leftovers, or adapt to what makes sense for your routine. Try to eat consciously, listen to your hunger cues and do what works best for your body.
Strategies to Increase Energy:
- Stay hydrated: It’s no secret that dehydration can make you feel sluggish. While drinking water is a great way to stay hydrated, consuming fluid-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables can also help. Wondering if you’re hydrating enough? Look at your urine; it should be very pale yellow or almost clear.
- Eat regular meals: If you want to improve your energy, eating regular meals can help. Skipping meals can lead to low energy levels and being too hungry (also called ‘hangry’), which can lead to overeating later. Try to eat regular meals and snacks high in protein and fiber to maintain your energy levels.
- Get enough sleep: Often easier said than done: getting enough sleep is one of the most important factors in feeling good. It is ideal to get at least seven hours of good sleep each night.
- Check your nutritional status: If you feel tired all the time and aren’t sure why, talk to your healthcare provider. Several health conditions can cause lower energy levels, such as thyroid disease or kidney disease. Other factors that can affect energy levels include not getting enough of the nutrients iron or vitamin B12. If you think you may be deficient, a simple blood test can check your blood levels.
- Aim for balanced meals: Eat balanced meals with fiber-rich carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and combine these with a protein source, such as meat, eggs, yogurt or kefir, legumes or nuts. This promotes more stable energy because these nutrients are broken down slowly. Focusing on foods rich in protein and fiber will help you avoid the energy crash you may feel after eating a meal or snack high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, such as a plain bagel or pastry.
- Excercise: When you’re feeling sluggish, exercise may be the last thing you want to do, but it can really make a difference. Regularly moving your body helps improve energy levels (and it can help improve sleep, too!).
Mediterranean diet foods to focus on:
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to live in the Mediterranean or eat the traditional foods of that region to follow this diet. All foods within these groups can fit into this diet.
- Herbs and spices
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Healthy fats, such as olive oil or avocado oil
- Nuts, including natural nut butters
- Seeds (chia, pumpkin, flax and more)
- Fish
- Eggs
- Meat
- Poultry
- Legumes
- Dairy, including cheese, yogurt and kefir
- Whole grains (bulgur, farro, fonio, freekeh, couscous, rice and more)
How to prepare your meal week:
- Make curry chicken and cabbage soup for lunch on days 2 through 4.
- Prepare roasted red pepper and spinach egg bites for breakfast throughout the week.
- Make Blueberry-Lemon Energy Balls as a snack throughout the week.
Day 1
Breakfast (322 calories)
AM snack (135 calories)
- 1 (5 oz.) container low-fat, plain strained (Greek style) yogurt
- ½ cup raspberries
Lunch (351 calories)
PM snack (190 calories)
Dinner (490 calories)
Daily totals: 1,488 calories, 71 g fat, 74 g protein, 150 g carbs, 30 g fiber, 1,620 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit yogurt from the AM snack and change the PM snack to ½ cup of blackberries.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 3 tbsp. chopped walnuts to AM snack, 2 tablespoons. natural peanut butter for lunch, and half an avocado, sliced, for the salad at dinner.
Day 2
Breakfast (365 calories)
AM snack (176 calories)
- ¼ cup shelled, unsalted, dry-roasted pistachios
Lunch (363 calories)
PM snack (125 calories)
Dinner (460 calories)
Daily totals: 1,489 calories, 61 g fat, 95 g protein, 158 g carbs, 31 g fiber, 1,471 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit yogurt from breakfast and change the AM snack to ¼ cup of raspberries.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons. chopped walnuts for breakfast, 1 medium apple for AM snack, 1 medium pepper with ¼ cup hummus for lunch, and 1 serving of pineapple and avocado salad for dinner.
Day 3
Breakfast (322 calories)
AM snack (305 calories)
- 1 medium apple
- 2 tablespoons. natural peanut butter
Lunch (359 calories)
PM snack (131 calories)
Dinner (405 calories)
Daily totals: 1,522 calories, 70 g fat, 83 g protein, 144 g carbs, 29 g fiber, 1,852 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit the peanut butter from the AM snack and change the PM snack to 1 plum.
Make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2½ tbsp. natural peanut butter as an AM snack, add ¼ cup unsalted, dry-roasted almonds to the PM snack and add 1 serving of Blueberry-Lemon Energy Balls as an evening snack.
Day 4
Breakfast (365 calories)
AM snack (95 calories)
Lunch (363 calories)
PM snack (190 calories)
Dinner (473 calories)
Daily totals: 1,486 calories, 49 g fat, 90 g protein, 186 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 1,667 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit yogurt from breakfast and change the PM snack to 1 plum.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons. chopped walnuts for breakfast, 2 tbsp. natural peanut butter to AM snack, and 1 serving of traditional Greek salad for dinner.
Day 5
Breakfast (322 calories)
AM snack (135 calories)
- 1 (5 oz.) container low-fat, plain strained (Greek style) yogurt
- ½ cup raspberries
Lunch (401 calories)
PM snack (125 calories)
Dinner (502 calories)
Daily totals: 1,486 calories, 80 g fat, 65 g protein, 135 g carbs, 31 g fiber, 1,680 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit Berry-Mint Kefir Smoothies for breakfast and yogurt for the AM snack, and change the PM snack to 1 medium apple.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons. chopped walnuts for AM snack, 1 medium peach for lunch and 1 medium banana with 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter as an evening snack.
Day 6
Breakfast (365 calories)
AM snack (120 calories)
- 1 large hard-boiled egg
- ½ cup blueberries
Lunch (401 calories)
PM snack (190 calories)
Dinner (442 calories)
Daily totals: 1,518 calories, 75 g fat, 75 g protein, 143 g carbs, 28 g fiber, 1,179 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit yogurt for breakfast and hard-boiled eggs for your morning snack, and replace your afternoon snack with ½ cup of blackberries.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup of chopped walnuts for breakfast, 1 medium peach for lunch, and 1 serving of mango and avocado salad for dinner.
Day 7
Breakfast (322 calories)
AM snack (131 calories)
Lunch (345 calories)
- 1 serving of tuna salad with egg over 1 cup of mixed vegetables
- 1 medium pepper, sliced
- 2 tablespoons. Hummus
PM snack (200 calories)
- 1 medium apple
- 1 tbsp. natural peanut butter
Dinner (520 calories)
Daily totals: 1,519 calories, 67 g fat, 99 g protein, 135 g carbs, 29 g fiber, 1,953 mg sodium
Make it 1,200 calories: Omit the Berry-Mint Kefir Smoothies for breakfast and change the PM snack to 1 plum.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to AM snack, increase to 2 tablespoons. natural peanut butter to PM snack and add 1 serving of Blueberry-Lemon Energy Balls as an evening snack