All the best foods for weight loss should generally be....
- Fresh natural food
- Nutritionally dense food
- High in fiber
- Low in calories
- Low in fat
- Low in refined sugars
- Low in sodium
Many good weight loss foods may also contain...
- Complex carbs
- High quality protein
- Fiber
- High water content
Examples of some of the best foods for losing weight...
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- Wholegrain foods (muesli, oatmeal, wholemeal pasta, etc)
- Baked potato
- Boiled brown rice
- Fresh fish
Top Weight Loss Foods:
PUMPKIN – I wanted to start with something less obvious. Believe it or not, pumpkin is an excellent weight loss food. It’s high in fiber and we all know that fibrous foods are important not only for GI health — but in terms of fat loss — to help promote satiety, keeping you comfortably full longer.
You can get the canned version and throw in some walnuts and sprinkle cinnamon on top… for a great tasting snack that’s still very low in cals, but packs a big punch.
GRAPEFRUIT – No, I’m not encouraging you to start a “grapefruit diet.” I am, however, suggesting that a couple servings of this taste bud-tantalizing fruit can help curb your appetite and potentially help to slow down the digestion (and absorption) of other foods… which is awesome, since rapid carb uptake and subsequent insulin spiking will wreak havoc on your waistline.
SALMON – Who doesn’t like salmon? I love this stuff. And it loves me (and YOU) right back, by boosting blood levels of leptin — this is the exact effect we’re trying to achieve when doing the cheat day concept. Reread that article if you need a refresher on the importance of strategically “resetting” your leptin levels during a weight loss diet.
EGGS – Boring, right? Everyone knows eggs should be a staple in your weight loss dieting plan — not only are eggs one of the very best sources of protein you can get from your diet foods — but it’s also SO important that you’re getting a high serving of protein with breakfast.
After fasting all night while you slept, you’re setting the stage for lean muscle loss… something you want to avoid at all costs. It’s critical that you shuttle much needed, high quality amino acids to your starving muscles, first thing upon waking. As an added benefit, protein also helps to keep you full and craving-free later in the day. Study after study confirms this…
VEGGIES – Sorry, but I couldn’t pick just one. I mean, they’re all so good, right? Okay, so it’s probably a rare occurrence that you find yourself salivating over the thought of a celery stick… but there are so many reasons you should be loading up on veggies all day, every day… that it’ll make your head spin.
Let’s not even worry about discussing all the internal benefits you’ll receive from eating a large variety of vegetable foods throughout the day… and let’s just think about the fact that you can eat as much of [most all] of these as you want, without ever having to worry about counting carbs/calories.
That reason alone can be your weight loss savior, since most people let themselves get so hungry that they end up losing control and binging unexpectedly, which totally cancels out all the clean eating they may have done the prior however many hours/days…
You MUST have veggies on hand and snack on ‘em throughout the day, just to keep yourself full and to allow you to go “through the motions” of putting food into your mouth often, despite being on a weight loss diet plan. Capiche?
WATER/GREEN TEA – Not technically a food, but I recommend you start thinking of it as one… water in itself will help your body to “operate smoother” and free it to become more efficient at fat-burning (to be very non-sciency about it). Keeping with the obvious theme, sipping water around the clock will also help you to feel fuller and sidestep the munchies.
Green tea, as we all know, has been linked time and time again with pro-weight loss effects, via multiple mechanisms… although, some studies indicate that you need to drink a LOT of it each day to get maximum fat loss benefits.
Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the top weight loss foods… but again, it’s a very good start and if you sprinkle in other lean meats, fresh fruits, healthy fats and low-fat dairy products… you’ll be cooking with gas and well on your way to a top level diet plan.
Some foods make it really difficult to lose weight. They create their own self-sustaining cravings ("Betcha can't eat just one!") and play havoc with your blood sugar and, ultimately, your waistline. But other foods do just the opposite. You might have heard that certain foods can help you shed pounds. It's true! Here are some other tasty options that will fuel you up and generate weight loss. Make these foods a part of your daily diet and watch the pounds come slipping off.
1) Grapefruit. Ever tried the grapefruit diet? Turns out there may be some good research to back up grapefruit's reputation as a fat fighter. In a 2004 study at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California, researchers investigated the effect of grapefruit on weight loss and found that eating half a grapefruit before a meal can actually help people drop weight. The researchers studied the effect of grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice and real grapefruit. All three seemed to help, but the folks eating the real grapefruit got the best results. The mechanism isn't completely understood, but the results speak for themselves. As an added benefit, grapefruit contains cancer-fighting compounds like liminoids and lycopene, and red grapefruit has been shown to help lower triglycerides. And half a grapefruit has only 39 calories.
2) Sardines. Sardines might just be one of the greatest health bargains of all time, and they're a boon to anyone wanting to lose weight. First of all, sardines are loaded with protein, which helps stabilize blood sugar, makes you feel full and helps stimulate metabolism. Second, they're a great source of omega-3s, which not only strengthen the cardiovascular system but also are helpful in boosting mood. (And when you're in a good mood, you tend to crave less junk food!) Third, sardines are convenient, easy to find and cheap. And because they're very low on the food chain, they're remarkably free of contaminants, such as mercury and heavy metals.
3) Pumpkin. You may know this vegetable for its central role in Thanksgiving celebrations, but it's also one of the greatest weight-loss foods ever. Plain old canned pumpkin is absolutely loaded with fiber and has a mere 40 calories. Dozens of studies confirm that high fiber intake is associated with a host of health benefits, including weight management. Pumpkin is also among the easiest food in the world to prepare. You can sweeten it with your favorite low or 0-calorie sweetener, sprinkle it with blood-sugar-lowering cinnamon and nutmeg for good measure, throw in some healthy almonds and make it one of the best tasting weight-loss treats around. It's filling and delicious.
4) Grass-Fed Beef. Meat is a great diet food -- if it doesn't contain antibiotics, steroids and hormones. Eat grass-fed beef and avoid the health concerns that go along with eating meat while getting all the terrific benefits. Buffalo burgers are a good alternative if you can't find grass-fed beef. High-protein diets are associated with weight loss for a variety of reasons: Protein stimulates metabolism, helps you feel full longer and helps decrease the desire to overeat. Grass-fed beef has a high omega-3 content, giving you multiple health benefits into the bargain.
5) Green Tea. This natural weight-loss stimulant might not be a food, but green tea is still a great slimming solution, not to mention that it's rich in antioxidants, promotes heart health, aids digestion and regulates blood sugar and body temperature. It raises the metabolic rate and speeds up fat oxidation, thus helping people lose weight. Drink it daily to boost your metabolism. Some research has shown that five cups a day is the magic number for fat loss. As an added benefit, the theanine in green tea is also a great natural de-stressor.
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