Healthy foods are vital for losing weight.”You are what you eat” is a popular saying that’s become more and more relevant over the years. We’re learning more and more about how our food affects our bodies, and how important it is to pay attention to what we consume. The most common causes of obesity are from eating too much processed or fast food, which we all know is less than healthy.
HEALTHY FOODS TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT WHILE DIETING …
One way that I like to help people diet easier is by showing them healthy foods to lose weight that are simple, can be bought anywhere, and don’t cost an arm and a leg! Being on a diet can feel so incredibly overwhelming and difficult at times. If you’re buying expensive pills, bars, shakes, programs, pre-planned meals, or juices, let all that go and hear me out. You don’t need all that to lose weight. All you need are real, simple, and healthy foods to lose weight. Here they are below, and they should be your go-to sources at the supermarket, instead of those dieting products.
1. FISH
Fish is by far one of the best healthy foods to lose weight you could eat. I know many of you are vegetarian or vegan, but if you’re not, try fish to lose weight. The special composition of fats, protein, B vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients of fish are fantastic for your heart, brain, and for weight loss. Fish has a “constricting” effect, as I like to say. It leans you out quick, so long as you eat it baked, broiled, steamed, or in canned form.
2. GREEN VEGETABLES
All green vegetables are good for weight loss. Don’t get caught up in which one is better for you, or the best “superfood.” There’s nothing wrong with plain green vegetables like green beans, green peas, zucchini, asparagus, plain lettuce, herbs, spinach, and yes, the almighty kale. Just don’t forget broccoli, and even non-green vegetables like cauliflower, which are fantastic for weight loss and your heart. These fill you up and will do much more for appetite control than some pricey product.
3. COCONUT OIL
I know coconut oil gets a lot of hype about weight loss, but there’s really no magical thing to this oil except for one factor: satiety. Coconut oil’s fats are not stored by the body, which makes it a great fat to eat to lose weight, but don’t douse your food in it in abundance. Doing so might make you gain weight. The beauty of coconut oil is you don’t need a lot to satisfy your appetite. That’s what makes it such a great healthy food to help you lose weight. Coconut oil will decrease your appetite, increase your energy, and enhance the taste of almost any dish you use it in.
4. ALMONDS
All nuts are fantastic for you, but almonds stand out in a few ways. First, almonds help you get a nice dose of protein, magnesium, and B vitamins, all for no saturated fat at all. They’re also high Vitamin E, which keeps your skin pretty! Use almonds to top salads, smoothies, meat dishes, and use slivered almonds in oatmeal, salads, or even roasted veggies as a sweet, crunchy topping. Almonds help lower sugar cravings, blood pressure, and heart disease, but are best eaten when in raw, unsalted forms.
5. ORANGES
6. RASPBERRIES
7. NONFAT GREEK YOGURT
Love dairy or not, this food will help you lose weight and can be bought anywhere. It has such an incredible mix of protein, Vitamin B12, calcium, Vitamin D, potassium, and only has 90 calories per five ounces, so it’s almost unbeatable in nutrition. Yes, I know dairy is controversial, but Greek yogurt stands alone from regular dairy. The probiotics in Greek yogurt aren’t all that make it special, though they can help digestion immensely. Recently, this one food has been linked to lowering blood pressure and blood sugar, more than any other source of protein. Plus, I’ve found it really helps with hormones and stress. I always suggest buying organic nonfat and plain Greek yogurt to avoid hormones, added sugars, pesticides, and unhealthy antibiotics in traditional forms of yogurt, or sweetened varieties.
Healthy foods that’ll help you lose weight
Rather than experimenting with all kinds of diet and causing your body more harm than good, a balanced diet is your best option.
For good, long term results choose a weight loss diet programme that understands your lifestyle and caters to it.
You don’t have to splurge tons of money in order to buy some very exotic variety of food or skip food all together in order to lose weight.
All you need is healthy and nutritious food.
Red beans
It’s a good source of protein. It keeps you full and helps you avoid binge eating unhealthy fat. A go-to food for slimming down.
Almonds
It is a powerhouse of nutrition. It provides a good variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to the diet.
Low in calories and high on fibre — it’s the perfect weight loss snack.
Yogurt
The calcium in yogurt makes your bones stronger.
The minerals in yogurt help to curb production of the stress hormone cortisol, which is responsible for accumulation of abdominal fat.
Green tea
Unsweetened brewed green tea is a zero-calorie beverage.
It contains much less caffeine as compared to milk tea/coffee. It’s also known to have different health benefits which are helpful in avoiding stress, chronic fatigue, etc.
Brown rice
A fibre packed alternative to white rice. It is a low energy density food, which means that it’s heavy and filling, but low in calories.
Apples
It is a complete snack; a soluble fibre that helps you to feel full and satisfied.
Lemon water
This high source of Vitamin C helps in better absorption of calcium and increases the fat burn process.
Have one glass of warm water with lemon and honey the first thing in the morning for best results.
Vinegar
It reduces body fat deposit (including visceral fat), lowers blood pressure and reduces blood sugar spikes from consuming high glycemic index foods.
Since it is not very easy to consume vinegar, here are some ways in which you can do it:
- Use it as salad dressing.
- Dip your multi-grain bread in it.
- Add a tsp of white vinegar in your soup.
- Marinate the meat in vinegar.
- Have 2 tsp before meal (try apple cider for better flavour).
Lots of veggies
The healthiest sources of nutrition, vegetables are great for weight loss.
Low calories, high fibre, low glycemic index — everything that you could ask for!
The benefits of eating vegetables are numerous, especially if you are aiming at becoming skinny — the healthy way.
Foods for Your Healthy Weight Journey
Whole grains
Recent studies show that a diet rich in whole grains can help support healthy weight loss
Cereal grains can be wholesome parts of your diet and may benefit your metabolic health
That’s because they’re loaded with fiber and contain a decent amount of protein. Notable examples include oats, brown rice, and quinoa.
Oats are loaded with beta-glucans, which are soluble fibers that may increase satiety and improve metabolic health
Both brown and white rice can contain significant amounts of resistant starch, particularly if cooked and then allowed to cool afterward.
While white rice is certainly OK, brown rice packs added nutrients — especially fiber — which may support your healthy weight loss journey.
Keep in mind that refined grains (i.e., white bread and most commercial baked goods) are OK, as long as you eat them in moderation and don’t make them the foundation of your diet.
Also remember that sometimes, foods with “whole grain” on the label are ultra-processed, and they can contribute to unwanted weight gain when eaten in excess.
Chili pepper
Eating chili peppers may be useful on a weight loss diet.
They contain capsaicin, a substance that makes hot peppers like chilis spicy.
Some studies show that capsaicin can improve how fast your body metabolizes fat and can increase your sensation of fullness. Together, these may support your healthy weight loss journey
The substance is even sold in supplement form and is a common ingredient in many commercial weight loss supplements. That’s because studies show that capsaicin supplements may increase metabolism.
A review study found that this effect only yielded an average of 33 calories more burned per day than those who did not supplement with capsaicin, though. More research is needed to learn about this effect, especially in regards to capsaicin from food sources
Plus, there was no effect in people who were accustomed to eating spicy food, indicating that a certain level of tolerance can build up
Fruit
Most health experts agree that fruit is healthy.
Numerous population studies have shown that people who eat the most fruit and vegetables tend to be healthier than people who don’t
Most fruits have properties that make them great for helping you achieve or maintain a healthy weight. So, there’s no need to shy away from them in your health journey.
Even though fruits contain natural sugar, they have a low energy density and are loaded with micronutrients. Plus, their fiber content helps prevent the sugar from being released too quickly into your bloodstream.
People who may want to avoid or minimize fruit are those on a very low carb diet or who have an intolerance. Most fruits can be effective and delicious additions to your healthy weight journey.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is high in fiber and nutrients and can promote feelings of fullness.
In an older study from 2006 following 91 individuals with obesity for 12 weeks, eating half of a fresh grapefruit before meals led to weight loss of 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg)
The grapefruit group also had reduced insulin resistance, a metabolic condition.
Therefore, eating half a grapefruit about half an hour before meals may help you feel more satiated and eat fewer overall calories. However, since this is not a sustainable practice, you’re better off eating a variety of fruits and vegetables at each meal
Avoid grapefruit and its juice if you’re taking certain medications, like statins or blood pressure medications, as it can augment or interfere with their effects
We still need more human research into the effects of grapefruit on weight loss and weight management.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds may be among the most nutritious foods on the planet.
They contain 12 grams of carbs per ounce (28 grams), nearly 10 grams of which are fiber
Therefore, chia seeds are a low carb food, yet it’s one of the best sources of fiber in the world at 35% fiber by weight
Because of their high fiber content, chia seeds expand and turn gel-like in your stomach
One study in 24 adults found that those who ate either 0.33 ounces (7 grams) or 0.5 ounces (14 grams) of chia seeds with yogurt as a mid-morning snack had increased feelings of satiety
What’s more, chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may further support weight management .
Given their nutrient composition, chia seeds could be a useful part of your healthy weight journey
Full fat (whole) Greek yogurt
Yogurt is another excellent dairy product.
Greek yogurt is especially great for weight management, as it has twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt
What’s more, certain types of yogurt, including Greek yogurt, contain probiotic bacteria that can improve the function of your gut
Look for labels that include the language “live cultures” or “active cultures” for an added gut health boost. If you don’t see these, look in the ingredients list for a mix of probiotic strains, such as S. thermophilus or Bifidus.
Having a healthy gut may help protect against inflammation as well as leptin resistance, which is one of the main hormonal drivers of obesity.
Make sure to choose yogurt with live, active cultures, as other types of yogurt may contain virtually no probiotics.
Also, consider choosing full fat yogurt. While the evidence is still mixed, some studies show that full fat dairy — but not low fat dairy — is associated with a reduced chance of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes over time
Flavored or sweetened low fat yogurt typically has fillers or added sugars to compensate for texture, so it’s best to eat it only occasionally and to check the nutrition label if you’re trying to avoid those additives.
The bottom line
Many foods are delicious, nutritious, and supportive of your goals to reach or maintain a healthier weight. These are mainly whole foods like fish, lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Some minimally processed foods, such as probiotic yogurt and oatmeal, are also excellent choices.
Along with moderation and regular exercise, eating these nutritious foods should help pave the way to a healthy life.