On a diet? Eat these foods, experts say – and make sure they feel right for life. You should like them. Enjoy them. Wish them. “When food needs decrease, it’s easier to stay within a calorie deficit to lose weight,” says Melissa Mitri, MS, RDN, owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition, LLC. Your body also needs to work harder to break down protein than carbohydrates or fats, which burns more calories. The best “diet” is one that you can maintain for life, where you can eat nutritious, energizing foods that will help you meet your weight loss goals. “With this in mind, Mitri and Lorraine Kearney BASc, CDN, CEO of New York City Nutrition and Certified Dietitian Nutritionist, provided us with their best foods to eat when we are on a diet. Read on – and to ensure your health and the health of others, do not miss them 19 ways you destroy your body, say health experts.
“Many of my clients are afraid to eat bread when we first start working for their health goals, but bread can be part of a balanced diet,” says Kearney. “Glucose from bread and other carbohydrates is the body’s main source of energy and also helps support brain function. Pairing a slice of wholemeal bowl with avocado and an egg is a good breakfast option because it contains healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and protein.”
“Tuna is a low-fat, low-calorie protein source. Research shows that diets that are higher in protein are most effective for weight loss, says Mitri. Tuna contains as much as 29 grams of protein with only 132 calories per serving. To reduce added calories and fat, choose tuna packed in water, not oil. “
“Frozen vegetables are great to have on hand to whip up a delicious meal at home,” says Kearney. “Frozen vegetables are picked with high potential and then blanched to preserve their bright colors and retain their nutritional value. Just put them in a saucepan with a little olive oil and season with garlic and onion powder and pair with a cereal and lean protein.”
“Eggs are one of the best foods to eat when trying to lose weight.” says Mitri. “Eggs are packed with high quality protein and are therefore very filling. And if you do not have high cholesterol, you can eat the whole egg without worries. Studies has shown that eating eggs especially for breakfast increased weight loss on a calorie-restricted diet. Eating breakfast puts your metabolism on track for the day, so you are happy longer and experience less cravings. “
“Yes, fruit is not a bad food and does not cause weight gain! Fruit has gained such a bad reputation nowadays, with many popular diets adding fruit to their ‘do not eat’ list. However, there is no research to support this.” Mitri. “In fact, studies have shown that those who eat more fruit actually tend to weigh less! Therefore, the old adage “one apple a day to keep the doctor away” still applies today. “
“Dark chocolate contains 3.4 g of iron per 1 oz. Serving and rich in a polyphenol called flavonols that help support insulin sensitivity, increase HDL and lower LDL,” says Kearney. “When buying dark chocolate, remember to read the ingredient list because some brands contain added sugar, artificial flavors and can process chocolate with an alkali. This alkali processing is also called Dutch processing and can significantly reduce the antioxidant benefits of flavonols. Choose a dark chocolate that is 70% or more. “
“Leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, collard vegetables and Swiss chard are some of the best vegetables for weight loss,” says Mitri. “They are naturally low in calories and carbohydrates, but packed with fiber to keep you full. Fiber is an important nutrient in all weight loss diets and can also support a healthy gut and heart. In fact, several studies has shown that fiber-packed foods such as leafy vegetables can increase weight loss. “
“Eating more lean protein foods such as chicken can support weight loss and reduce cravings. A study showed that consuming at least 25% of your calories from protein can reduce food cravings by up to 60%,” says Mitri.
“Bananas are a great source of fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C,” says Kearney. “They are a good pre-workout snack because potassium helps prevent muscle cramps and is needed for muscle contraction, plus the glucose from the banana helps with endurance. I love pairing a banana with 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter before sweating.”
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“The diet culture has created a fear of eating fruit because it contains sugar, but there is nothing to fear about eating fruit,” says Kearney. “Fruit has many wonderful health benefits for the body because it contains the fibers, vitamins and minerals needed to support your body. A cup of raspberries contains 8 g of fiber and helps stabilize blood sugar. The fiber keeps you measured longer and can reduce the need or desire to talk later. “
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Many diets on the market focus on limiting foods that you love and make you think you need to omit them to achieve your health goals, but restriction can lead to an unhealthy relationship with foods where we see food as “good” or “bad” . says Kearney. “This can lead to eating later and promoting guilt. If you consume foods that taste good to you, enjoy them and move on! All foods can be part of a balanced diet, and when we say to ourselves, we’ll never eat that XYZ food again, it’s causing an all or nothing mentality – I’ll eat all this food now, because I’ll never get it again. This will make us eat past our natural signs of hunger and fullness to there we feel uncomfortably drunk. ” Keep reading for another piece of advice.
“The next time you eat, pay attention to how hungry you are when you start, and how your body reacts when you start to get drunk,” says Kearney. We all have a natural filling scale to where our body identifies when we have consumed enough food, but sometimes we do not listen to it because we are too distracted when we eat, or the “rules” of many fad dictate when and how much to The best way to work towards your health goals is to be careful with yourself, listen to your body’s needs and pay attention to how food makes you think and feel. “As now that you have a good foundation, do not miss these further 19 weight loss foods that really work, experts say.
