You do not have to starve yourself in order to lose weight. When you know what to eat to lose weight you can enjoy a varied and satisfying diet and shed pounds.
In fact, experts agree that starving yourself is not an effective way to lose weight. When you do not eat enough your metabolism, which is your body’s calorie burner, slows down. When it slows down your body uses up fewer calories, so you reach a point where you stop losing weight.
Another problem with not eating enough is that your body goes into starvation mode. When your body thinks it is starving, you get strong cravings that are hard to resist. You may wind up binge eating on foods–high-calorie foods.
The basic weight-loss diet is a balanced diet of lean protein, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. Now, let’s take a look at the specific foods that can help you lose weight.
Low-Calorie Foods that Fill You Up
- Fruits and Vegetables.Fruits and vegetables give you a full feeling without empty calories. And they keep you feeling full longer than highly processed foods. An entire pound of green salad with mixed vegetables and a low-calorie dressing is less than 150 calories! Even with so few calories, vegetable salads are full of the disease-fighting nutrients vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, lycopene, and carotenoids.
Apples and pears have particularly high amounts of fiber, which makes you feel full. As an added bonus, the fiber in apples and pears is pectin fiber, which decreases blood sugar levels, which means you are less likely to feel the need for an unplanned snack. Blueberries are rich in both fiber and antioxidants.
Fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables are better choices than dried fruit and fruit juices, which have more sugar and therefore more calories. Plus, whole fruits and vegetables add fiber, water, and bulk to your diet—all of which make you feel fuller, and with fewer calories.
- Soup. Soup is satisfying. Have a cup of broth-based (not cream-based) soup before a meal and you are likely to feel more full and less hungry.
- Beverages. Choose the right beverage and it can fill you up without calories. If you just can’t down eight glasses of plain water a day, add a squeeze of lemon or lime. Try unsweetened tea, hot or iced, to fill you up. Green tea is especially good for dieters; besides filling you up, it provides antioxidants that speed up the metabolism. If you drink a glass or two of water or tea before a meal you will start the meal feeling full and eat less.
Proteins for Losing Weight
Lean proteins help you lose weight without losing muscle. You need to keep your muscles strong when you diet because muscle burns calories. Also, you need muscles to exercise, and exercise is an important part of any plan for long-term weight loss. Here are protein sources experts recommend for dieters.
- Beef, chicken, fish, dairy. These protein-rich foods contain the amino acid leucine, which helps you burn fat without losing muscle. Choose lean beef, skinless white meat chicken, and low-fat dairy. Sardines and salmon are high in omega 3 fatty acids, which help keep muscle healthy.
- Beans. Besides being full of protein, beans have a digestive hormone called cholecystokinin that suppresses appetite. Like pears and apples, beans seem to keep blood sugar levels low, which keeps hunger pangs at bay.
- Eggs. Eggs have gotten a bad reputation, but they are back on the list of healthy foods. They are packed with protein, and will keep you feeling full longer than a bagel and cream cheese.
- Nuts. Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts—even though they are full of calories they seem to have a slimming effect. Snacking on a handful can boost your metabolism and help keep your blood sugar down.
- Tofu. It may not have much taste, but this protein-rich soy product seems to dull the appetite.
What Else to Eat to Lose Weight
- Olive oil. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, which is the good kind of fat. It helps you lose weight by boosting your metabolism. It’s also full of antioxidants. Try olive oil on toast instead of butter.
- Chiles. Chiles are rich in the compound capsaicin, which boosts the metabolism and speeds up calorie burning.
- Cinnamon. Just a sprinkle of cinnamon helps lower blood sugar and sugar cravings.
- Grapefruit. Eating half a grapefruit before each meal seems to lower insulin levels, turning calories into energy instead of fat.
- High-fiber cereal. If you start the day with a high fiber cereal you are less likely to crave sweets mid-morning. Add a few nuts for protein and an even fuller feeling. Doctors and nutritionists say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for dieters. A bowl of high-fiber cereal with low-fat dairy is a good way to start the day.
- Oats. Oatmeal is another filling choice for breakfast. Steel cut oats have more fiber than instant oats, which means they are more filling.
- Buckwheat or multi-grain pasta. You can get healthy (complex) carbohydrates plus protein from buckwheat and multi-grain pastas.
Enjoy Your Food and Your Diet
People stop dieting when they get hungry between meals and when they get bored with their food. When you know what to eat to lose weight you can choose foods that will keep you feeling full. Plus, you have many options for varied meals and snacks. Incorporate these healthy, filling foods in your meal plans and you will have no reason (or desire) to splurge on a fattening snack.