17 Best Weight Loss Foods People Swear By
If you’re trying to lose weight, these are the best weight loss foods.
From salmon to sweet potatoes and spinach, you’ll get so many healthy food ideas to incorporate into your diet.
Would you believe dark chocolate is on this best foods for weight loss list?
Yes, you really can have dark chocolate and lose weight! I’m just as happy about this too. There are also some awesome weight loss tips included throughout this post as well.
Best Foods For Weight Loss
Just a few things to keep in mind with this list:
Eating these foods does not mean you will lose weight.
If you’re chowing down on these foods, plus eating tons of ice cream, you’re not going to lose weight.
I wish that were the case though, don’t you?
Some of these foods may not be for everyone.
For example, some people find they lose weight easier not eating carbs, while others are just fine. Pick the foods that work for you and your lifestyle.
There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to food. This list doesn’t just cater to one diet, it is a general list.
Don’t eat food you don’t like just because it might help you lose weight.
There are so many healthy options for you to enjoy. With so many weight loss foods out there (even beyond this list), there is no need to pigeon hole yourself and eat foods you hate.
If you don’t like what you’re eating, it will be harder to stick to a diet.
Let’s agree to disagree when it comes to foods.
We are all individuals and some foods may be healthy for you, but not for me.
For instance, citrus fruits are healthy, but some people may stay away from citrus because it causes heartburn.
Sometimes even experts debate upon if a food is good for you or not and both sides can have compelling arguments.
The bottom line is always doing what’s best for you!
Try new things. What do you have to lose (except weight)??
There might be food on here you have never tried before.
I encourage you to experiment with your diet, you never know you may discover some new yummy food ideas (but you won’t know unless you try it).
Maybe make a goal to try one new food a month. Then you can build up a list of weight loss staple foods. These are go-to foods you can stock up on.
Best Weight Loss Foods
One thing to keep in mind about this list of weight loss foods is that no one food alone will help you lose weight.
An overall balanced and healthy diet and exercise will help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Berries
Need something sweet but healthy? Berries are an excellent way to get your natural sugar fix.
Swapping out refined sugar from your diet and replacing it with berries or other fruit will help you lose weight, not to mention be healthier.
Here’s a list of twenty types of berries and their health benefits.
Dark Chocolate
You may be surprised that chocolate is on this list. Studies have found that eating some dark chocolate will help control your appetite.
In addition, dark chocolate is also good for your gut.
Now, this is one you don’t want to overdo because it is high in calories. Overeating chocolate may lead to weight gain.
But it’s nice to know you can indulge in something healthy that may prevent you from overeating junk food.
Beans & Lentils
Beans and lentils are amazing for weight loss because they are one of the most fiber-rich foods on the planet. Both cooked lentils and beans have around 15 grams of fiber in one cup.
Having fiber will keep you full longer.
Eggs
Eggs are one of the healthiest foods out there. Low in calories, yet high in protein, eggs will keep you full longer than many other foods.
This, in turn, will help you from overeating throughout the day.
Here are some tasty egg muffin recipes to make. They are a great on the go breakfast idea, just reheat them in the microwave.
Ginger
This small study found that overweight men who ate ginger stayed full longer.
Ways to add ginger to your diet:
- Grating fresh ginger into a stir fry. Ginger goes especially well with pork or chicken.
- Straining fresh ginger and a squeeze of lemon in warm water.
- Straining fresh ginger in green tea for a little zing!
Avocados
If you’re looking for a natural appetite suppressant, avocados just might be your answer.
One study from Nutrition Journal found that when participants ate just half an avocado with their lunch had a 40% lower desire to eat more for hours than the other participants who didn’t eat any avocado.
Oatmeal
The fiber in oatmeal combined with the liquid you put in it fills you up.
Add fruit or nuts to your daily bowl of oatmeal, and you’ll be full for hours. It makes such a hearty breakfast.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts have numerous health benefits, like being packed with nutrients and antioxidants.
They’re filling and delicious roasted.
Regular or Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened)
Yogurt is high in protein and is packed with probiotics which can help boost weight loss.
Hummus
This is one of the few foods on this list that isn’t a whole food. Hummus is primarily made of chickpeas, which is high in fiber and other nutrients.
Dip fresh veggies in hummus for a healthy snack.
Green Tea
Well not a food but drink, this one was too good to leave off the list.
Green tea is rich in antioxidants that are very healthy for you. One antioxidant in particular called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can improve metabolism.
Not only that, but caffeine is an appetite suppressant. So having a cup or two a day will help you to eat less.
Just make sure you don’t drink green tea too late because it may affect your sleep.
Nuts
For so long people would say nuts are bad for weight loss because they’re high in fat and calories.
If you don’t overeat nuts, they can be very beneficial for weight loss because they are so high in protein.
And as mentioned again and again in this post, high protein equals being full longer. Being full longer equals eating less. Eating less equals losing weight.
Sweet Potatoes
You may be shocked to learn that potatoes have a higher amount of potassium than bananas.
One cup of sweet potatoes has a whopping 448 mg of potassium!
One great thing about potassium is it gets rid of belly bloat. If you’re bloated from eating too much salty food, potassium evens out the sodium in your system.
Salmon
Salmon has many good things going for it, like being high in omega-3 fatty acids. Not only that, but it’s also a great protein source for how low it is in calories.
Salmon may also help fight belly bloat because it’s high in potassium, which counteracts the effects of sodium.
Apples
You may want to eat apples not just to keep the doctor away but for weight loss! Apples are loaded with fiber,a medium apple has 4.4 grams.
Spread some nut butter on apple slices for a healthy snack that’ll keep you satisfied for hours.
Spinach
High in iron, vitamin A, folic acid, and so many other nutrients, spinach is by far one of the healthiest foods out there.
Since spinach is so low in calories, it is a perfect choice when trying to lose weight.
Watermelon
Staying hydrated is necessary for weight loss and health. Watermelon is made up of 90% water which will not only help hydrate you but will keep you full.
It’s also a very low calorie fruit, a 100 gram serving has only 30 calories.
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