Ask any doctor, dietitians, or other health experts how to diet, and really keep the weight off and they will tell you to have a workout regimen of at least five times a week and most importantly, proper nutrition. Why? Because in addition to physical eating healthily is vital in achieving, maintaining the right and appropriate weight because you are essentially, feeding your mind and body with the right balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fats that are all crucial in maintaining fitness.
It is a no brainer that you must take care of your body first for it to take care of you whether you are looking to achieve total fitness, how to lose belly fat fast, or simply to improve overall health. The right healthy foods to eat should not only help you control weight issues, but well-balanced meals also have other additional benefits that span from improving your mood to boosting your energy levels, including combating diseases even improving longevity.
Even if you are not trying to lose weight, eating a calorie-managed diet combined with some level of physical exercise will, by all means, keep excess weight at bay, and when you are at your optimum weight, you can say goodbye to various health issues.
You are not alone if you have done a handful of researches on “how to lose weight” or even looked at “healthy foods to eat when trying to lose weight.” Fad diets come and, well, fade away, even worse, people today are treating eating habits like fashion trends that come and go with time. But if you are looking for a weight loss strategy that stands the test of time, look no further than to foods that will energize you, keep you sated, bump up your calorie burn, while not compromising on nutritional benefits.
Foods to avoid
We all are guilty of having a preconceived notion of what a healthy diet for weight loss should be like, forget that for a moment and consider healthy eating as a way of life that emphases on eating foods that have proven to work better for thousands of years. You may not know, but there are certain foods that you should limit or altogether avoid them like the plague if you are on a weight loss journey. For example, the following foods should not feature anywhere in your diet:
Addictive and fattening sugar-ridden foods and artificial sweeteners
Gluten grains like white bread and pasta
Processed vegetable oils and chemically modified fats
Processed foods that are low in nutrients and high in unhealthy and unnatural chemicals
Low fat and diet products like soda are highly processed and loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners
Healthy Foods to Eat for Weight Loss
Does the thought of eating of foods like raw Kale salad, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, radicchio, etc. make you squinch up your face or run the other direction? You are not alone. Veggies frighten a lot of people, in fact; some wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. Unfortunately, you need to include vegetables into your diet if you want to lose weight healthily because they are not only bursting with free radical-fighting antioxidants, they are also excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients that help you avoid deficiencies consequently, keep you healthy.
Understanding the health benefits of each food group can help you forge a good relationship with food, and within no time you will begin to create a healthy diet plan for yourself. Forget following extreme “fad” diets that are not only difficult to maintain, but they also are the hardest to adapt to long term plus most of them deprive your body and mind of the abundance of essential minerals, nutrients, vitamins, and fats. Start healthy eating habits basing your diet around the following science-backed weight-loss-friendly foods on earth;
Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber but low in calories, leafy greens like microgreens, kale, collard greens, spinach, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, beet greens, watercress, endives, Bok choy, and arugula are great for weight loss
Protein-packed meals are highly recommended when it comes to weight loss because they are nutrient-rich, high in omega-3 and keep you sated. Therefore, go for lean beef, lamb, pork, chicken, including eggs, Oats, avocado, soy, beans, seafood, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy. For a good source of dietary omega-3 fatty acids, eat fish like salmon, mackerel, striped bass, tuna, trout, herring, or sardines
Healthy fats for weight loss include antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil, plant-based omega-3 from canola oil, coconut oil, avocado, natural-style butters. Keep in mind that all fats contain twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein, therefore use them sparingly.
Use avocados in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches or blend into smoothies to get a good dose of fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin E and C. Because they are cholesterol-free makes avocados an ideal source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
The best nuts to indulge in while on a diet omega-3 fatty acid-rich flaxseeds and hemp seeds. Eating raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts have been shown to lower total cholesterol levels plus they are a great source of dietary fiber, protein and a variety of minerals and vitamins
Most fruits are naturally sweet low in calories, high in fiber and antioxidants and rich in micronutrients and antioxidants, which may boost your fullness and aid weight loss. The best fruits to eat include avocados, grapefruit, berries, kiwi fruits, melons, and oranges
Takeaways – You can say goodbye to the days of Googling “how to lose weight”or“how to lose belly fat” because now you know some of the healthy foods to eat that will accelerate your weight loss in a healthy way. Keep in mind that the number of calories you should eat will largely depend on how active you are, your age, sex, and overall weight loss goals, therefore, consider consulting with a nutritionist who is better placed to advice you on this.
Carl Clay is a health blog author who has been writing about nutrition, fitness and healthy living for over 10 years. He also loves to run, hike and bike with her wife.
