The Mediterranean diet has long been hailed for its heart-healthy benefits and seemingly longevity-promoting qualities. But how does it fare for people trying to maximize their muscle-building?
Known for emphasizing whole, minimally processed foods, the Mediterranean diet focuses on healthy fats (primarily olive oil), lean proteins, and complex carbs.
This all sounds great, right? So, how can you incorporate this diet into your bodybuilding regimen? Let’s get you on the right path.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
Inspired by the eating habits of people living in countries on the Mediterranean Sea, this diet focuses on eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Also important, but at a lower level, are moderate amounts of poultry and fish. The real star of the Mediterranean diet is the main source of fat, olive oil. Given its association with longevity¹, it’s no wonder why olive oil is used instead of butter, mayo, and margarine.
So far, everything looks pretty good, right? But what about red meat eaters? You can still eat it, but just limited to one day a week.
All of you sugar lovers better learn to love the natural sweetness of fruit. Refined sugars and processed foods don’t cut it.
The Mediterranean diet is often praised for its health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.² The high amount of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds³ help support overall health and recovery, which is another great reason you should consider incorporating this diet into your life.
7 Day High Protein Mediterranean Diet Plan
One of the biggest things holding you back from trying the Mediterranean diet is not knowing what you can eat. Sure, we can give you a list of foods that are okay, and we do that further below, but until you see them in context, your brain might be struggling to put them together.
We want to make this as easy as possible for you, so below is a week-long Mediterranean diet with all of the macros listed. You’ll have to make some adjustments based on your body stats and goals (you’ll find some useful calculators ), but this is a starting point that can be tweaked.
One quick note: To make your protein goals achievable, we’ve added whey isolate protein powder, which isn’t usually on the diet.
Day 1:
Breakfast: Nonfat Greek yogurt (1 cup) with mixed berries (1/2 cup), a handful of walnuts (0.5 oz), and a drizzle of honey (1 tsp).
- Macro Breakdown: 26g protein | 24g carbs | 10g fats
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast (8 oz) with quinoa (1/2 cup), roasted vegetables (1 cup), and a side salad with olive oil (1 tbsp) and vinegar.
- Macro Breakdown: 76g protein | 46g carbs | 23g fats
Snack: Cottage cheese (1 cup) with sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
- Macro Breakdown: 24g protein | 10g carbs | 9g fats
Dinner: Baked salmon (8 oz) with roasted asparagus (1 cup), baked sweet potato (1 medium), and a spinach salad.
- Macro Breakdown: 62g protein | 31g carbs | 41g fats
Total Macro Breakdown Day 1:
- Protein: 188g | Carbs: 111g | Fats: 83g
Day 2:
Breakfast: Omelet with egg whites (6 large), spinach (1 cup), tomatoes (1 small), and feta cheese (1 oz), served with whole-grain toast (1 slice).
- Macro Breakdown: 33g protein | 29g carbs | 24g fats
Lunch: Tuna salad (2 cans tuna) with mixed greens (2 cups), olives (1/4 cup), chickpeas (1/2 cup), and a lemon-olive oil dressing (1 tbsp olive oil).
- Macro Breakdown: 91g protein | 28g carbs | 30g fats
Snack: Whey protein shake with whey isolate protein (1 scoop) and almond milk (1 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 26g protein | 10g carbs | 5g fats
Dinner: Grilled turkey breast (8 oz) with brown rice (1/2 cup), sautéed zucchini (1 cup), and a Greek salad.
- Macro Breakdown: 79g protein | 39g carbs | 24g fats
Total Macro Breakdown 2:
- Protein: 229g | Carbs: 106g | Fats: 83g
Day 3:
Breakfast: Smoothie with whey isolate protein (1 scoop), Greek yogurt (1/2 cup), banana (1 medium), spinach (1 cup), chia seeds (1 tbsp), and almond milk (1 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 46g protein | 51g carbs | 8g fats
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast (8 oz) with lentil soup (1 cup) and a side of whole-grain pita (1 small).
- Macro Breakdown: 79g protein | 36g carbs | 11g fats
Snack: Greek yogurt (1 cup) with mixed nuts (0.5 oz).
- Macro Breakdown: 26g protein | 12g carbs | 9g fats
Dinner: Grilled lamb chops (8 oz) with roasted vegetables (1 cup) and a side of couscous (1/2 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 74g protein | 63g carbs | 55g fats
Total Macro Breakdown 3:
- Protein: 225g | Carbs: 162g | Fats: 83g
Day 4:
Breakfast: Egg white scramble (8 large) with smoked salmon (2 oz) and avocado slices (1/2 medium).
- Macro Breakdown: 42g protein | 10g carbs | 18g fats
Lunch: Grilled chicken (4 oz) wrap with whole-wheat tortilla (1 large), avocado (1/2 medium), lettuce (1 cup), and tomato (1 small).
- Macro Breakdown: 43g protein | 33g carbs | 23g fats
Snack: Protein shake with whey isolate protein (1 scoop) and almond milk (1 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 26g protein | 10g carbs | 5g fats
Dinner: Grilled shrimp (8 oz) with whole-wheat pasta (1 cup), cherry tomatoes (1/2 cup), and a basil-pesto sauce (1 tbsp).
- Macro Breakdown: 63g protein | 56g carbs | 13g fats
Total Macro Breakdown 4:
- Protein: 174g | Carbs: 109g | Fats: 59g
Day 5:
Breakfast: Smoothie bowl with whey isolate protein (1 scoop), Greek yogurt (1/2 cup), mixed berries (1/2 cup), granola (1/4 cup), and chia seeds (1 tbsp).
- Macro Breakdown: 45g protein | 33g carbs | 14g fats
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast (8 oz) with chickpea (1/2 cup) salad, cucumber (1/2 cup), bell peppers (1/2 cup), and olives (1/4 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 76g protein | 31g carbs | 13g fats
Snack: Cottage cheese (1 cup) with a handful of grapes (1/2 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 25g protein | 21g carbs | 10g fats
Dinner: Baked cod (8 oz) with roasted sweet potatoes (1 cup) and a side of sautéed kale (1 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 57g protein | 26g carbs | 10g fats
Total Macro Breakdown 5:
- Protein: 203g | Carbs: 111g | Fats: 47g
Day 6:
Breakfast: Greek yogurt (1 cup) with whey isolate protein powder (1 scoop), mixed berries (1/2 cup), and chia seeds (1 tbsp).
- Macro Breakdown: 51g protein | 21g carbs | 5g fats
Lunch: Grilled turkey burgers (8 oz total) with whole-grain buns (2 small), spinach (1 cup), and tomato (1 small).
- Macro Breakdown: 77g protein | 60g carbs | 43g fats
Snack: Hard-boiled eggs (4 large) with a sprinkle of paprika.
- Macro Breakdown: 24g protein | 2g carbs | 21g fats
Dinner: Chicken stir-fry (8 oz chicken) with brown rice (1/2 cup), broccoli (1 cup), bell peppers (1 cup), and a sesame-soy sauce (1 tbsp).
- Macro Breakdown: 79g protein | 44g carbs | 10g fats
Total Macro Breakdown 6:
- Protein: 231g | Carbs: 127g | Fats: 79g
Day 7:
Breakfast: Greek yogurt (1 cup) parfait with whey isolate protein (1 scoop), honey (1 tsp), granola (1/4 cup), and pomegranate seeds (1/2 cup).
- Macro Breakdown: 58g protein | 47g carbs | 11g fats
Lunch: Grilled fish tacos (8 oz fish) with whole-wheat tortillas (2 small), avocado (1/2 medium), cabbage slaw (1/2 cup), and a lime crema.
- Macro Breakdown: 71g protein | 61g carbs | 46g fats
Snack: Sliced vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers – 1 cup total) with hummus (2 tbsp).
- Macro Breakdown: 5g protein | 15g carbs | 5g fats
Dinner: Grilled steak (8 oz) with roasted Brussels sprouts (1 cup), mashed sweet potatoes (1 cup), and a side salad (1 cup mixed greens).
- Macro Breakdown: 70g protein | 77g carbs | 68g fats
Total Macro Breakdown 7:
- Protein: 204g | Carbs: 200g | Fats: 130g
What You Can Eat on the Mediterranean Diet
Not that you have a picture of what a week of eating on the Mediterranean diet could look like, but we’ll try to give you a bunch of options to mix and match to your heart’s delight. Bear in mind that these are approximations, so you’ll need to do a little digging to get 100% accurate numbers.
Proteins:
Lean Meats
Chicken breast, turkey, lean cuts of beef, and lamb.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 8 oz serving):
- 47-53g protein | 0g carbs | 5-13g fats
Fish and Seafood
Salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, shrimp, and mussels.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 8 oz serving):
- 40-47g protein | 0g carbs | 13-20g fats
Dairy
Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, feta cheese, and other low-fat dairy products.
- Average MacroBreakdown (per 1 cup):
- 15-20g protein | 8-12g carbs | 4-10g fats
Legumes
Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 cup cooked):
- 15-18g protein | 30-40g carbs | 1-3g fats
Eggs
Whole eggs and egg whites.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 2 large eggs):
- 12g protein | 2g carbs | 10g fats
Carbohydrates:
Whole Grains
Quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, barley, and bulgur.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 cup cooked):
- 5-8g protein | 40-45g carbs | 2-5g fats
Vegetables
Leafy greens (spinach, kale), tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower).
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 cup cooked):
- 2-5g protein | 8-15g carbs | 0-1g fats
Fruits
Berries, apples, oranges, grapes, and pomegranates.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 medium fruit):
- 0-1g protein | 15-25g carbs | 0-1g fats
Legumes (Yes, we know this is on here twice)
Lentils, chickpeas, and beans (also a protein source).
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 cup cooked):
- 15-18g protein | 30-40g carbs | 1-3g fats
Fats:
Olive Oil
The primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 tbsp):
- 0g protein | 0g carbs | 14g fats
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1 oz):
- 4-6g protein | 5-7g carbs | 15-18g fats
Avocados
This is a great way of getting healthy fats in if you don’t feel like having olive oil with your morning meals.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 1/2 avocado):
- 2g protein | 12g carbs | 15g fats
Fatty Fish (those omega acids make these worth having on the list twice)
Salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
- Average Macro Breakdown (per 6 oz serving):
- 30-35g protein | 0g carbs | 10-15g fats
Wrap-Up
The Mediterranean diet can be a delicious, heart-healthy way to achieve your bodybuilding goals. While we did add in the protein powder, the focus on whole foods and a balanced macronutrient intake is setting you up for long-term success. Yes, there are going to be tweaks to make if you decide the week-long diet plan looks good, but stay as close as possible to what’s written. If you feel you can do a better job, use our list of macronutrient breakdowns to customize your menu. Whatever you choose, this diet can help you build muscle, lose fat, and recover from your workouts. Happy eating!
Check out our full collection of meal plans!
References
- Godman, Heidi. “Harvard Study: High Olive Oil Consumption Associated with Longevity.” Harvard Health, 1 Apr. 2022, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/harvard-study-high-olive-oil-consumption-associated-with-longevity.
- Laffond, Ana, et al. “Mediterranean Diet for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: An Updated Systematic Review.” Nutrients, vol. 15, no. 15, 1 Jan. 2023, p. 3356, www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/15/3356, doi.org/10.3390/nu15153356.
- Tsigalou, Christina, et al. “Mediterranean Diet as a Tool to Combat Inflammation and Chronic Diseases. An Overview.” Biomedicines, vol. 8, no. 7, 8 July 2020, p. 201, dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fbiomedicines8070201, https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8070201.
