Losing weight is a matter of
simple maths. To drop pounds, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn.
There’s no way around that. But what you eat can have an impact.
"Certain foods can help you
shed body weight," says Heather Mangieri, a spokesperson for the Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics, "because they help you feel full longer and
help curb cravings."
Some even kick up your
metabolism. So consider this list when you go to the supermarket:
1. Beans
Cheap, filling, and versatile,
beans are a great source of protein. Beans are also high in fibre and slow to
digest. That helps you feel full longer, which may stop you from eating more.
2. Soup
Start a meal with a cup of soup
and you may end up eating less. It does not matter if the soup is chunky or
puréed, as long as its broth based. You want to keep the soup to 100 to 150
calories a serving. So skip the dollops of cream and butter.
3. Dark Chocolate
Want to enjoy chocolate between
meals? Pick a square or two of dark over the milky version. In a Copenhagen
study, chocolate lovers who were given dark chocolate ate 15% less pizza a few
hours later than those who had eaten milk chocolate.
4. Puréed Vegetables
You can add more veggies to your
diet, enjoy your "cheat" foods, and cut back on the calories you’re
eating all at the same time. When Penn State researchers added puréed
cauliflower and zucchini to mac and cheese, people seemed to like the dish just
as much. But they ate 200 to 350 fewer calories. Those healthy vegetables added
low-calorie bulk to the tasty dish.
5. Eggs and Sausage
A protein-rich breakfast may help
you resist snack attacks throughout the day. In a study of a group of obese
young women, those who started the day with 35 grams of protein -- that’s
probably way more than you’re eating -- felt fuller right away. The women were
given a 350-calorie breakfast that included eggs and a beef sausage patty. The
effect of the high-protein breakfast seemed to last into the evening, when the
women munched less on fatty, sugary goods than the women who had cereal for
breakfast.
6. Nuts
For a healthy snack on the run,
choose a small handful of almonds, peanuts, walnuts, or pecans. Research shows
that when people munch on nuts they automatically eat less at later meals.
7. Apples
Skip the apple juice or the
apple sauce and opt instead for a crunchy apple.
Research shows that whole fruit blunts appetite in a way that fruit
juices and sauces don’t. One reason is that raw fruit contains more fibre.
Plus, chewing sends signals to our brain that we have eaten something
substantial.
8. Yogurt
Whether you prefer Greek or
traditional, yogurt can be good for your waistline. A Harvard study followed
more than 120,000 people for a decade or longer. Yogurt, of all the foods that
were tracked, was most closely linked to weight loss.
9. Grapefruit
Yes, grapefruit really can help
you shed pounds, especially if you are at risk for diabetes. Researchers at the
Scripps Clinic in San Diego found that when people ate half a grapefruit before
each meal, they dropped an average of 3 1/2 pounds over 12 weeks. Drinking
grapefruit juice had the same results. But be careful: You cannot have
grapefruit or grapefruit juice if you are on certain medications, so check the
label on all your prescriptions, or ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Shop Smart
Remember to load your shopping
cart with lots of lean protein, fresh veggies, fruit, and whole grains, says
food scientist Joy Dubost, PhD, RD. "The overall nutritional composition
of your total diet remains the most important thing when it comes to lasting
weight loss."
No comments:
Post a Comment