Lots of recipes are available online, but if you want more help creating a diet plan for yourself, talk to your doctor or request a referral to a dietitian. They can help you come up with specific meal plans and recipes tailored to your body and needs. Part of the Mediterranean diet is more than what you eat, it’s how you eat. Try to sit down to meals with family and friends at least 2-3 times per week, eat slowly, and — if you’d like — enjoy a glass of red wine. Embracing the culture of leisurely eating can help you identify when you’re full, and taking time to relax and be social can lower stress — both of which help with weight loss and overall health. A healthy diet contains almost no frozen, packaged, or pre-processed foods. Avoid the snack-food aisle and anything premade, which usually contain lots of fat, salt, and preservatives. The healthiest meals come from fresh products — fresh produce (or sometimes frozen, but never canned), fresh meats (not pre-prepared), and uncooked grains that you make at home yourself. Try to make a meal plan at the start of the week and go shopping for fresh ingredients. You're not going to lose weight if you’re eating twice as much food as you need, even if you’re sticking to your diet. Consider some basic portions guidelines to keep in mind when preparing, and plating, your meals:  A serving size of whole grain pasta (cooked) is half a cup — about the size of a hockey puck. This is about 70 calories. 2/3 cup of cottage cheese is about the size of 4 playing dice. This counts as a serving of dairy or protein, and is about 110 calories (if it’s low-fat cottage cheese). You get one serving of fat from 1.5 teaspoons of peanut butter — about the size of two dice. 7 whole almonds is around 45 calories, or a fat serving. A serving of protein (around 110 calories) equals 2 ounces of cooked lean beef, a little smaller than a deck of playing cards. Alternately, 3 ounces of fish (grilled or broiled, not fried), two slices of tofu, or 2.5 ounces of broiled and skinless chicken. 2 cups of raw spinach is about the size of two baseballs — and counts as one vegetable serving; so does a whole red bell pepper. A small apple is a fruit serving. Restaurants often cook with a lot of butter and fat to improve how food tastes. Try your best to stick to your Mediterranean diet while eating out. Request that your food be prepared with olive oil instead of butter, ask for sauces and dressings on the side (these usually contain a lot of fat), and start your meal with a salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar. It’s hard to completely change your diet overnight. Start by exchanging some of your unhealthy foods for those foods preferred in the Mediterranean diet. You’ll find it easier to stick to a diet if you make changes slowly.  Switch out red meat for fish one to two times per week to start, and gradually increase that amount. Begin to decrease serving sizes of meat and increase serving sizes of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Try to limit meat to 3 ounces and base the bulk of your meals on grains, produce, and nuts and legumes (lentils, beans, and peas). Snack on fresh vegetables with a dip like hummus or tahini, instead of eating snack-food aisle junk like potato chips. Have fresh fruit for dessert instead of pastries. Fruit is sweet and healthy. . In addition to eating healthier foods, keeping track of your calories is a great way to lose weight while dieting.  The average adult needs to eat around 2,000 calories per day. However, to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you eat — so to lose about a pound (0.45kg) per week, aim for 1,500 daily calories or fewer. Read food labels, identify serving sizes, and record what you eat in order to tally calories.  Use a notebook, diary, excel sheet, or wall chart — whatever helps you stay organized. The best way to lose weight is to have an overall healthy lifestyle. In addition to the Mediterranean diet, try to get at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping exercise at least 5 days per week.

Summary: Consult your doctor or dietitian for help, if needed. Make meals a social time. Cook from scratch. Exercise portion control. Choose healthy options at restaurants. Exchange the wrong foods for the right ones gradually. Keep a food journal


Sport coats come in two and three button varieties. The more buttons, the longer the line created by buttoning all of them. In general, it's recommended that you button your jacket while standing and you unbutton your coat while sitting. For some people, it's also common to unbutton the coat for walking. How you choose to wear your coat is completely up to you. You don’t have to button it or unbutton it any time, but it usually looks better and helps to slim your silhouette to have it buttoned when you're standing. Button the top button only, if there are multiple buttons on the jacket. , if necessary. In very cold weather, an overcoat might be necessary, even if you're wearing a sport coat. Don't forget to consider the weather and avoid getting caught out underdressed. Woolen overcoats, pea-coats, and trench coats are all appropriately paired with a sport coat. Usually, you'll want these to be muted solid colors: black, gray, dark green, or beige. Sport coats are versatile for everyday wear, but also good enough for formal occasions. Depending on your place of work, it may be acceptable to wear the sport coat to work and to the sports bar afterward. If you’re ever somewhere in which jackets are required, a sport coat should be fine.  The sport coat is at home in the restaurant, at the bar, down the pub and when calling on friends for dinner. Good colors for social events include beige, brown, cream, khaki, tan and white. The lighter colors are always less formal. For formal events, a sport coast, especially a brightly patterned one, might be less suitable. Opt for a suit jacket or a blazer instead. Never wear a dirty or wrinkly sport coat, or you might as well wear a popped collar polo. Sport coats need to be kept in good condition, and dry cleaned regularly to keep them looking nice. In general, you shouldn’t need to have a jacket dry cleaned more than once every six months. Budget tip: In Thornton Wilder’s Theophilus North, the main character has only one suit that he has to keep pressed every night between his bedspring and mattress, to keep it unwrinkled and clean looking. While you might not need to go that far, ironing your sport coat regularly should help to keep it in good standing.

Summary: Unbutton the coat when you sit. Wear an overcoat Wear a sport coat to semi-formal occasions. Care for sport coats properly.


Make sure that the room is devoid of any furniture, window treatments and wall hangings. If the floor continues into a closet, make sure to empty it. Be cautious not to drag furniture across wood floors. Heavy furniture may scuff the hardwood and leave marks. Insert a small piece of wood behind the pry bar to provide leverage, and to prevent damaging the trim pieces. Seal all of the openings–electrical outlets, vents, and light switches–with masking tape. Cover the light fixtures with trash bags, and secure them with masking tape. Separate the room from the rest of the house by taping the door shut or hanging plastic sheeting in the doorway.  You may find gaps or gouges in the wood which need to be filled. Apply wood putty according to the manufacturer's instructions. Allow it to dry thoroughly before proceeding with your finishing. You should also protect yourself from sawdust and stain fumes by wearing a respirator. Any water spots where the wood has turned black can be treated by mixing a 50-50 solution of bleach and water to remove all or nearly all black spots.
Summary: Prepare the area that is going to be finished. Remove trim using a pry bar. Protect the room from sawdust and stain fumes. Vacuum the floor thoroughly to remove any dust and debris.