Last week, I explained how eating certain foods can help you lose weight. I received a lot of thank-you’s and questions about my article. So I decided to share a little more about this topic. Plus, I will list some more foods that help you lose weight.
How Eating Helps You Lose Weight
The key to losing weight is achieving a caloric deficit. That simply means that you must burn more calories than you take in. You can achieve that goal several ways. Obviously, you can just simply eat less than you usually do. Or you can exercise more to burn more calories. Exercise will improve you health in any case. So more of that is not a bad idea. But you can also lose weight by eating differently. How does that work?
First, certain foods increase your metabolism. Increasing your metabolism makes you burn more calories, which makes you lose weight. You can read all about that in my article How to Increase Your Metabolism and Burn Fat. And second, certain foods help you feel fuller and more satisfied. So eating these foods prevents you from snacking or eating too much. And that way, you manage your calorie intake more easily. I discussed nine of them in my previous article. Now, here are 7 more foods that help you lose weight.
1. Quinoa
Quinoa has become quite known as a health food in the past decade. Why is it good? It is high in fiber and protein and rich in vitamins B and E. And in addition, it’s one of the rare plant foods that contain a large amount of all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also low on the glycemic index so it does not disrupt your blood sugar levels much. These properties of quinoa will make you feel fuller for longer and stop you from eating too much. They will prevent you from having unhealthy snacks after your meal.
2. Nuts
There are a lot of studies that show people who consume nuts regularly are fitter and healthier than those who do not. Nuts seem to have a great effect on metabolisms. That is just one of many benefits though. Nuts are a great source of protein, manganese, selenium and contain the right kind of fat. You can add nuts to your breakfast with Greek yogurt. Or you can eat them when you feel a craving for snacks coming up. They are a healthy subsitute for movie snacks like chips and popcorn. So get some hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts and others and dig in!
3. Peanut Butter
This kind of fits into the nuts category, obviously. But how does peanut butter help you lose weight? Peanut butter kills hunger, controls your appetite, and keeps your blood sugar in check. Peanut butter is full of protein and fiber and the right kind of fat. And you can eat it with lots of other foods. For example, have some peanut butter on your lunch sandwhiches and put it in your Asian meals. If you feel a craving coming up, put some peanut butter on a rice waffle or a wholeweat cracker and you’re good to go.
4. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are a great energizer. Lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits, etc. are loaded with vitamins, fiber and water. They fill you up easily to prevent hunger and manage your calorie intake. They also contain a good amount of potassium to reduce bloating and antioxidants that fight inflammation.
But be careful. Though citrus fruits are healthy, the same is not true for a glass of orange juice. No matter how delicious orange juice is, a glass of juice contains way more fruit sugar than is good for you. And processed juices even contain additional refined sugars on top, to make things worse. Eating an orange as an actual fruit is not the same as having a glass of juice squeezed out of as many as 6 oranges. In fact, people who drink lots of juice usually put on weight and can develop problems with their blood sugar levels. It’s best to choose water instead.
5. Leafy Greens
This category is probably not surprising. If you want to lose weight, you can help yourself reach your goal more easily by adding more leafy greens to your meals. Spinach, kale, lettuce, cabbage and others are superfoods loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You can easily add them to your salads or as a side dish. Eating leafy greens will add volume to your meals without adding a large number of calories. It will help you feel fuller throughout the day and make it easier to keep your weight in check.
6. Bananas
Bananas are hardly every considered a superfood. But they actually kind of are. Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium and a great addition to your diet if you want to lose weight. Bananas counteract the effect of processed foods. They help eliminate the retention of much water associated with eating too much salt. They are also good for your gut and the healthy bacteria in there. You can have a banana with your breakfast or in a smoothie or even on a cracker with peanut butter. Or how about some protein panackes with banana and blueberries for breakfast? Try it!
7. Pumpkin
Pumpkins are not just a fun decoration in Autumn. Pumpkins are really healthy. They contain a lot of fiber and are rich in potassium, even more than bananas. Pumpkins contains antioxidants too, which protect against cell damage. Eating pumpkin can help you lose weight. And just like with many of these healthy foods, you can eat it in many ways. Have you had a punpkin soup lately?
Foods That Help You Lose Weight
So, to lose weight you do not necessarily have to eat less. And you certainly do not have to feel hungry or unsatisfied at any time. You just have to make the right choices in food. And there is an abundant variety to choose from. The 9 nine foods in my previous article and the additional 7 in this one are just a tiny selection from all the healthy foods you can eat to lose weight. The key is to find foods that are rich in protein and fiber. Because they will make you feel more full and help fight cravings, thereby decreasing your calorie intake.
Generally speaking, you should stay away from all processed foods and choose fresh foods instead. And keep an eye on the ingredients whenever you buy something in your supermarket. Keep away from foods with added sugar, even though that means cutting back on a lot of delicious stuff. When it comes to losing weight, switching to a healthier lifestyle is more important than anything else. But there is more to it than just eating specific foods. Find out more in my blogs about Health and Fitness.
More Than Foods that Help You Lose Weight
- Check out my list of 20 food types that will increase you protein intake
- Click here if you want to increase your metabolism and burn more fat
- Click here for nine more foods that will help you lose weight
- Find our four easy ways to eat yourself to a better metabolism
- Find out more about my personal clean eating program