Cardiologists have been saying it for years: the Mediterranean diet is the gold standard for longevity. Based around olive oil, vegetables, oily fish and minimally processed foods, it consistently outperforms every flashy trend that comes along.

They're not wrong. The science behind the Mediterranean approach is some of the most robust in nutrition. Extra virgin olive oil as a primary fat source, plenty of vegetables and legumes (I only learned this week what legume means. I’m too old to lie to you about what I do and don’t know. It’s seeds, beans and peas), regular servings of oily fish, quality proteins, wholegrains, minimal ultra-processed foods and added sugar. It's been followed for thousands of years and it shows: some of the highest life expectancies in the world are found in the regions that eat this way.

So when I was building ATLAS, the Mediterranean diet was one of the first places I looked. A huge amount of it made it straight into the framework. The fish, the olive oil, the vegetables, and 100% the heart-first thinking.

But there's a problem with the Mediterranean Diet. And it's a significant one.

The Mediterranean diet, as typically followed, will not keep you in ketosis. Wholegrains, legumes, sweet fruits - these are carbohydrate-heavy foods. For general longevity, that's fine. But that’s not what we’re going for. We want our bodies to stop relying on carbs for fuel and start doing what they’ree supposed to do with stored fat: use it for energy. We want to drop or maintain our weight whilst also dropping our body fat percentage.

That's the gap ATLAS fills.

I personally have a very specific reason for caring about the heart-healthy side of this. I survived a sudden and unexpected aortic tear - one minute I was watching TV with my cat, next I was fading out on the floor in agony. After that, ‘I want to lose a bit of weight’ became I need to protect my heart for the rest of my life.’ Every food choice I make now, I'm thinking about my arteries and my blood pressure. You might think that sounds like a lot of work, or that I might be anxious about food, but that’s not the case at all. I’ve always seen my survival and recovery as ‘bonus time’, and when I follow the Atlas Diet it takes away the anxiety because I know I’m literally doing everything I can to stay healthy for as long as possible.

ATLAS takes the Mediterranean principles that cardiologists actually agree on: oily fish like salmon and mackerel for omega-3s, extra virgin olive oil for its anti-inflammatory properties, green vegetables for fibre and micronutrients, and a strong emphasis on quality protein. All of that is in.

What ATLAS removes or reduces: the high-carbohydrate elements that prevent ketosis. The wholegrains, the legumes in volume, the fruit-heavy approach. We replace those with higher-quality protein sources, healthy fats that sustain energy, and a low enough carbohydrate intake to keep you burning fat.

The result is a diet that gives you the heart-protective, brain-supporting, longevity-focused benefits that make the Mediterranean approach so compelling, while adding the fat-burning engine that keeps you lean.

ATLAS: Lean, clean and in ketosis.