Not all meals are created equal, at least not when you are trying to lose weight. Foods make different contributions to your body. Some provide healthy fats. Others bombard you with cholesterol that could block your arteries and cause severe heart and weight problems.
If you want to lose weight, you can’t be careful enough about what foods you eat. Below is a roundup of the best meal plans and how they help you lose weight.
Leafy Greens
You’ve probably been told this one many times. You must incorporate greens into your meal plans if you want to lose weight. It could be kales, spinach or cabbage. Or it could be broccoli and lettuce.
Leafy greens are rich sources of fibre, vitamins, and carbohydrates. As such, not only do they make you feel full, but they also provide vital nutrients in your weight loss journey. Some even offer minerals such as calcium, which helps burn fat.
Lean Beef, Eggs or Legumes
Once associated with adding weight, lean beef and poultry are having a comeback. That’s because they are excellent sources of protein, something you need to keep your body healthy. Of course, the right portion of meat is required.
Alternatively, you can source your proteins from whole eggs or legumes. A couple of boiled eggs can keep you feeling full for hours. What’s more, it can provide a wide range of nutrients and proteins.
Legumes, on the flip side, provide protein, fibre and starch. That means they give the satiety you need to stay off food for several hours and provide healthy nutrients.
Soups
So, you love drinking soup? Nutritionists believe you’re in the right direction when it comes to losing weight. Soups keep you fuller for longer without adding saturated fats to your body. Crucially, you don’t need to prepare special soup to get its benefits.
Adding water to everyday meals can help you reduce meal portions without feeling like you are not eating enough. You could even replace entire dishes with soup. You’ll get nutrients, feel full and reduce your carb or calorie intake.
In case you are wondering, there are various ways to incorporate mouth-watering, nutritious soups in your meals. Check with a chef or consider a weight loss meal delivery provider. The latter is prepared by experts so that all you do is to place an order online and deliver it to your doorstep.
Fruits
Fruits are increasingly becoming a controversial topic among weight-loss experts. On the one hand, some people defend their nutritional value. On the other, some gurus highlight fruits contain sugar and cholesterol, both of which increase weight.
So, to eat or not to eat fruit? Eating fruits in small amounts is alright. They provide fibre and nutrients, after all. What’s more, some fruits can give you these nutrients without offering lots of carbohydrates or calories.
Take berries as an example. They are small in size and hence give you low dosages of fibre, sugar, and calories. In contrast, eating a few bananas can provide up to 400 grams of carbs, making your weight loss effort a tad difficult.
Dairy Products
Contrary to popular belief, dairy foods aren’t bad for losing weight. Similar to many healthy dishes, milk, cheese and yogurt can help you stay fuller for longer. But more importantly, they also provide nutrients and help in burning fat.
According to WebMD, dairy foods contain high supplies of calcium, a key ingredient when it comes to burning calories. Crucially, taking dairy meals as opposed to calcium supplements is more effective for weight loss.
Nutritionists admit fairy foods also contain high levels of fat. In fact, they provide more cholesterol than a lot of carbohydrate sources. However, their ability to burn this fat makes them much better to consume than most carbs.
Water
Water adds zero nutrients per se, but it acts as a catalyst to enhance digestion and improve mineral absorption in your body. It also keeps you hydrated, suppresses your appetite and can keep you going before your next meal.
So, how much water should you drink per day? Up to eight glasses of water are recommended for keeping you hydrated as you try to lose weight. Of course, it’s easier said than done. But once you understand how water helps you burn fat, you will learn to appreciate it.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Ever heard of people who dilute apple cider vinegar in water to drink it? Many of them are healthy, and we now know why. For one, it gives you a feeling of satiety, which in turn helps you eat less.
Vinegar is best taken alongside meals. That way, you don’t have to consume a lot of it. Ideally, 15 to 30 ml of apple cider vinegar can burn up to 3.7 pounds or 1.7 kilograms over twelve weeks.
Nuts
Nuts might contain fat, but they have non-fattening fats. They also consist of fibre and protein. If you’re looking for something to take for breakfast or snack, consider having them.
Of course, don’t go overboard and overeat nuts. Like everything that contains fats, nuts should be consumed in small portions. In case you are wondering, some nuts are better than others. Almonds, for example, offer almost everything your body needs: calories, fat, protein, carbs, fibre and vitamins.
Pistachios, Walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans and macadamia nuts also offer these natural nutrients. However, they differ in the amount of fibre, protein or carbs they provide. As such, consider eating a blend of different nuts to get the best of everything.
To Conclude
Losing weight takes a lot of effort both in exercising and minding what you eat. For starters, you must reduce your carb intake. Again, you need to get your protein and vitamins from healthy, lean beef and green vegetables. Sometimes eating soup or nuts can be all you need to stay full and still help your body to burn fat.
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