Transitioning to the Mediterranean diet: practical steps, meals, and dining out

[Justin.G]

After my recent cholesterol results came back higher than I'd like, my doctor suggested looking into the Mediterranean diet for its heart health benefits, but I'm finding the transition from my typical processed food diet more challenging than expected, especially with meal planning and sourcing some of the key ingredients. I understand the emphasis on olive oil, fish, and vegetables, but I'm unsure about the practical day-to-day execution, like portion sizes, frequency of red meat, and how to incorporate enough legumes and whole grains without getting bored. For those who have successfully adopted this way of eating long-term, what were your first steps and go-to recipes that made the shift enjoyable rather than restrictive? How did you handle dining out or social gatherings, and did you notice improvements in other areas beyond cholesterol, like energy levels or digestion, that helped motivate you to stick with it?