“Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health.”
Julia Child
Lose weight with these delicious and readily available superfoods. Replace high-calorie items with low calorie, high fiber foods for a healthier you!
I’ve gained some quarantine pounds, I don’t feel bad about it at all and neither should you. Simple basic swaps is such a simple painless way to drop a few pounds.
There is no trick or secret to losing weight, just a basic equation. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume, plain and simple. Turning to drastic measures like starvation diets and manufactured diet pills deprive your body of the nutrients it needs and loads your body with chemicals that don’t work.
So, although there is no magic potion that will help you lose weight, there are natural and healthy foods that will help you on your way. Protein-rich foods keep you feeling full longer, and therefore less likely to snack. Low-calorie foods let you nosh away guilt-free. While other natural foods rev up your metabolism, helping you to burn more calories.
Weight Loss Shopping List
Eat Protein-Rich Eggs
Because eggs are high in protein, they keep you feeling full longer, and therefore you are less likely to snack in between meals. Studies have shown that foods high in protein suppress spikes in blood sugar levels, which can, in turn, lead to food cravings. Keep the cravings at bay by having two eggs at breakfast instead of a white bagel that your body will all too quickly digest, leaving you feeling hungry in no time.
Choose Low-Calorie Broth-based Soups
Choose broth or tomato-based soups rather than cream soups. There are delicious, full of healthy vegetables (just watch how much sodium is in each serving), and contain a fraction of the calories than cream soups.
Studies have also shown that eating a small bowl of broth-based soup before a meal reduces hunger and increases the feeling of fullness, making you less likely to overeat during your meal.
Fill Up On Green Salad
The same hunger suppression side effect also is true for low-calorie green salads. Eating a small bowl of green salad before a meal will keep you feeling full during your entrée and less likely to go back for seconds.
Just be sure the salads you are eating are low-calorie varieties and aren’t loaded up with cheese and creamy dressing. A fresh vegetable salad topped with healthy seeds, berries and dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar is delicious and good for you. Salad is also a high-volume dish, meaning that you can eat a lot of it without taking in too many calories. However, your mind is tricked into feeling like it has consumed a lot of food.
Beans Are Filling and High in Fiber
Beans are high in fiber, which can lower cholesterol levels. They also contain cholecystokinin, a digestive hormone that acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Some studies have also shown that beans, such as kidney and pinto beans, help keep blood sugar levels steady, making you less likely to have a food craving later in the day.
Beans also have a lot of health benefits while remaining fairly low in calories. For example, a half-cup of unsalted black beans contains 7.5g of protein, 7.5g of fiber, is virtually fat and sodium-free, at only 113 calories per serving.
Whole Grain Cereals that are High In Fiber
Studies have shown that eating a bowl of cereal that is high in fiber helps to curb cravings. Try varieties like General Mills Fiber One, which contains 14g of fiber per serving, or Kellogg’s All-Bran with Extra Fiber, which clocks in at 13g of fiber per serving. When choosing your morning cereal, check the nutritional label, and be cautious of how much sodium and sugar each serving contains.
Grapefruit Melts Away Fat
Remember the grapefruit diet? Well, it may not have been that far off base after all. Grapefruit contains phytochemicals that reduce insulin levels. Studies suggest that this, in turn, forces your body to convert calories into energy rather than fat.
And although the jury is out whether or not the enzymes in grapefruit actually melt fat away, the truth stands that it’s a healthy, low-calorie item to include in your morning routine, rather than a high-calorie latte or smoothie.
Cinnamon Controls Cravings
Sprinkling cinnamon on fruit, oatmeal, or in your cooking helps manage your weight because cinnamon controls insulin levels. When your insulin levels spike, you feel hungry. Studies are also revealing that there may be many other great health benefits to cinnamon as well.
Hot Red Pepper Suppresses the Appetite
Finally, say yes to spicy food, like a hot bowl of chili or a low-fat spicy curry. Hot red pepper contains capsaicin, which may help suppress the appetite.
