What Foods To Eat If You Want To Lose Weight

When, you want to see the number on the scale go down. It doesn’t really matter what you eat just as long as pay attention to how much of it you eat. In other words if you eat fewer calories than you burn can be the most effective diet you can choose, not necessarily the lifestyle. Here are some of the best foods for reducing the number of calories you take in.

Nutrient Dense Food

One of the best ways to decrease your calorie intake is to chose more nutrient dense foods. Nutrient dense foods are foods that contain the most nutrients per calorie, this is compared to the other food options that will contain more empty calories, sugars and added fats.

Most of the nutritious low calorie foods tend to be found in non-starchy vegetables. This group of foods includes just about all types of vegetables. However, these do not include some vegetables such as peas, corn and white potatoes. Some other great sources of nutrient dense foods can include whole grains, fruit and lean proteins.

Here are some good ideas on nutrient dense foods to add to each meal:

Asparagus

Asparagus is fantastic source of iron and folate. It is also found that asparagus also has a high content of vitamin K. Just 4 spears of asparagus only contains about 17 calories.

Eggs

A single egg will contain roughly 70 calories. Eggs are food that are packed full of protein, iodine and vitamin D. An egg will also contain large amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin A and selenium.

Kale

Kale is also put in the classification of a super food by most dietitians. Just 2 cups of kale is worth only about 50 calories. Nutritionally it contains fiber, potassium and vitamins such as vitamin K, A and C.

Oysters

Oysters are a lesser known nutrient dense food. For the nutrients they contain they can be known as somewhat of a nutrient powerhouse. They contain protein, choline, iron and selenium. Also, they contain approximately 300% of your intake of zinc and vitamin B12 needs. This will of course depend on the size of the oyster. Eating just 2 oysters has the calorie worth of about 40.

Healthy Fats

While traditionally it is thought that cutting out fat will help you to lose weight, this is not always the case. Fat is both satiating and flavorful. It will help you to feel more satisfied after eating your meals. Some research does suggest that reducing your fat intake too much will cause you to have a tougher time sticking to your diet plan.

Here are some suggestions for healthy fatty foods:

Fatty Fish

Contrary to popular belief salmon is not the only type of fish that will provide you with a high amount of omega 3. There are other types that will help you. For example herring, mackerel and sardines also have a high content of omega 3. Having a varied diet will also help you as you won’t get bored with eating the same foods. Helping you to stick to your diet plan.

Avocado

Avocados are a fruit that contain a high amount of healthy fats some of which will help to keep your heart healthy. They also contain some other nutrients to maintain a healthy diet such as fiber, vitamin C and potassium. Avocados are a very versatile fruit which can be add to a wide range of meals and snacks to help keep a meal plan interesting.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter or anything that classes as a nutty butter really is a high fat food favourite for many. It is also packed full of vitamin E and protein. It is a really good alternative to help with snacks to get you through the day without sacrificing a healthy and balanced diet.

Protein

Protein is probably one of the most important food groups when it comes to weight loss. The reason is that it will help you to feel more full throughout the day and therefore less prone to snacking or breaking your meal plan. High protein diets have for a long time been associated with helping to control your appetite. Protein is the least likely of all the different food groups to be stored as fat by the body. It is also thought to help reduce cravings and an aid to improve body composition. This is that it will support your lean muscle mass while you are dieting.

Here are some examples of high protein foods:

Lean Beef

Grass fed beef will provide all the health benifits of red meat. It is nutritious as it provides the body with iron, vitamin B, zinc and of course protein. Grass fed beef will on average contain fewer calories for the body to store as fat and will aid on your weight loss journey.

Chicken

For a long time chicken has been the most popular type of protein in diets that promote weight loss. Skinless chicken breast is arguably the best part of the chicken as it is really low in fat and high in nutrition. Although, don’t be afraid to use different chicken cuts in different meals. For example using skinless chicken thighs are also a very flavorful addition and will only cost a few extra calories.

Turkey

Turkey is probably the second most popular white meat to use while on a meal plan. It is very similar in many ways to chicken and is packed full of protein. It can be used instead of chicken to provide you with a different flavour to keep meals interesting.

High Fiber

Eating high fiber food is a good way to promote health and aid with appetite control. Plant based foods can contain two different types of fiber. These two types are soluble and unsoluble. These types have different health benifits.

Soluble fiber is the type that dissolves in water. When it dissolves it forms a gel like substance that is easily absorbed by the gut. It then expands in the gut helping you to feel more full. Research has concluded that this type will help to draw the colesterol out of the body. This provides a number of health benifits to your heart.

Unsoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. This makes it a lot more difficult to absorb into the body. It will still have to pass through the body and will help to keep things moving through your digestive track.

Here are some varieties of high fiber foods:

Whole Wheat Pasta

Although pasta is widely regarded as an anti diet food this is not entirely accurate. Whole wheat pasta contains nutrients such as fiber and protein within it. A single serving of whole wheat pasta will contain about six grams of fiber.

Beans

Beans are a very popular variety of plant based proteins. They are very nutritious and can be used in a wide scope of recipes to aid with a varied meal plan. About half a cup of beans will provide the body with seven grams of fiber.

Conclusion

While there is no single food or type of food to add to your diet to help you lose weight. There is no real type of food that you shouldn’t have either. The most important thing is to build a healthy and balanced diet plan that you can stick to.

Please feel free to leave a comment below or if you have any questions you want me to answer.