Going on a diet can be difficult on the body, so make sure you choose a program that will keep you healthy while losing those pounds. Fortunately, the best foods for weight loss are also foods that are good for your health, so eating them can help you lose weight, gain energy, and improve your health and mood.
Whole grains – One of the biggest culprits for weight gain is white flour. It is also one of the least healthy foods you can eat. If you are looking to lose weight, you should eliminate any foods made with white flour from your diet immediately. This includes white bread, pasta, and most baked goods. But that doesn’t mean you should stop eating these foods. What you should do is switch to whole grain breads, pastas, and baked goods. Replace your white bread with whole wheat bread, eat whole wheat pasta or quinoa instead of spaghetti and throw white rice in favor of brown rice. Foods made with whole grains have nutrients that foods made with white flour do not and will also make you feel fuller and more satisfied.
Vegetables – It goes without saying that vegetables are probably the healthiest food you can eat: they are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so it stands to reason that a diet rich in vegetables is healthy for you and since they are low in calories, they are also one of the best foods to lose weight. Adding more vegetables to your diet will help you eat a greater volume of food while still shedding pounds. One strategy I like is to increase the amount of vegetables in the dishes you prepare. Sticking with French fries, veggie rice dishes, or even just adding more veggies in side dishes to your plate can help you in your weight loss efforts.
Fruit – Like vegetables, fruits are low in calories and if you are trying to lose weight, it is a good strategy to replace the desserts in your diet with fruits. There are many delicious recipes that use fruit, and you can also replace some of the fat and sugar in your recipes for fruit baked goods like mashed bananas and applesauce to create healthy, low-calorie and low-fat desserts. You can even add fruit to your stir fries and salads to add volume and flavor.
Beans – Beans are incredibly healthy and have a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are also loaded with fiber which can help you feel full. Beans are an excellent substitute for meat in your diet because meat is very high in fat and calories. Changing some of your meals to “meatless” can be a great way to help you in your weight loss efforts. Eating things like chili, rice, and beans, as well as stews and soups that contain beans, can be just as satisfying as a full plate of meat, but it has far fewer calories.
In summary, the best foods to lose weight are those low in fat and calories and high in fiber. Choose foods that have a low glycemic index because these foods will help you feel fuller and help keep you feeling full longer. The fuller you feel, the less you eat and the more successful your weight loss efforts will be.
