9
Foods to Help You Lose Weight
Losing weight is a matter of simple math. 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 fiber 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 doesn’t matter if the soup is chunky or pureed, as long as it's 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. Pureed 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 pureed 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-cal 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 applesauce 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 fiber. Plus, chewing sends signals to
our brain that we’ve 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."
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