Showing posts with label healthy eating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy eating. Show all posts

Foods to Make You Lose Weight on Your Legs

You can't spot reduce, or lose fat from only one chosen area of the body. You can, however, lose weight from your legs if you lose weight all over. Follow a reduced-calorie diet to lose weight from your entire body, and part of the weight loss will be from your legs. Perform toning exercises, such as squats and thigh lifts, to improve the appearance of your legs.

Fruits

To lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than your body uses. Fruits are a good choice because they are low-calorie but full of water and fiber, so they fill you up. You can have a larger portion size of fruit for fewer calories than many other snacks. For instance, a 1-ounce snack-sized bag of corn chips has the same number of calories as a small apple or a cup of whole strawberries. Add blueberries to your breakfast cereal. Top whole grain waffles with raspberries. Snack on whole or cubed fruit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 2 cups of fruit per day for someone who consumes 2,000 calories a day.

Vegetables

Vegetables are also filling but low-calorie. Substitute some spinach, onions or mushrooms for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your breakfast omelet. Remove some of the meat and cheese from your sandwich and substitute vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers or onions. Prepare pasta or rice with vegetables. Make sure that vegetables take up the largest portion of your dinner plate. Snack on raw baby carrots with light ranch dressings. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, you should eat at least 2.5 cups of vegetables.

Whole Grains

Whole grains haven't had their bran and germ stripped during the milling process, so they are good sources of filling fiber. Eat high-fiber breakfast cereals, such as oatmeal or bran flakes. Choose whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Select whole grain bagels instead of those made with refined flour. Swap white rice for kasha, brown rice, wild rice or bulgur. Prepare soups, stews, casseroles and salads with wild rice or barley. Try to choose grain products with at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving. Look for foods that bear the Whole Grain stamp.

Lean Proteins

Choose lean forms of meat and poultry. When purchasing beef, choose round, chuck, sirloin or tenderloin cuts. Select beef that is labeled "Choice" or "Select" instead of "Prime," which usually contains more fat. Look for beef that is 90 percent or higher lean meat. Lean pork or lamb includes tenderloin, loin chops or leg. The leanest poultry is skinless white meat from the breast. When buying ground poultry, choose ground breast meat or select low-fat ground chicken or turkey. Trim any visible fat from meat and poultry. Western Michigan University recommends eating less 3 oz. of meat per serving, which is about the size of a deck of cards. Alternatively, get your protein from other low-fat foods, such as beans and legumes.

Honey Diet – 6 Pounds Less in Just 7 Days

Sweet and delicious, and also speeds up your metabolism and helps with weight loss. What more could you want? If you want to lose 6 pounds a week, even while sleeping, a honey diet is the right choice for you.

Forget the harmful refined sugar and replace it with natural honey. The main purpose of this diet is to stop your body’s need for sugar.

With just a few tips you will achieve efficiency in burning fat and entering healthy habits in your life. Also, what would make you change the situation in your favor is just a bowl of warm water with a teaspoon of honey.

What You Eat:

Rule 1: Replace the sugar with honey

There is much evidence to show that the culprit accumulation of fat is not only fat but sugar. Exclude all sugars and use the honey as an alternative. You have to start the day with a glass of lukewarm water and a teaspoon of honey. In the breakfast you can insert integral pastry with honey. Remember, half an hour before bedtime, repeat this process!

Rule 2: Choose unrefined carbohydrates 

Whole grain bread, pasta and rice ingredients are rich in fiber and they encourage better digestion. If you want to have a sense of satiety, insert proteins and plenty of vegetables in your meals.

Rule 3: Eat protein

Eat grilled fish, chicken without skin, pork, beef, eggs… These foods will keep you full and reduce your need for intake of sugars in the body.

Rule 4: Salad, vegetables, fruit…

There is no rule in this diet which will limit how much salad you can eat. Eat at least two fruits a day. Also, eat yogurt, cottage cheese and milk.

Prohibited:


  • Fast food, chips, snacks, sweets, soft drinks, fried foods, processed foods, etc…
  • Choose one day a week and that day exclude carbs completely.
  • With this diet forget the potato in any form.

Are There Foods to Eat to Reduce Hip & Thigh Fat?

If you're looking for lean, toned thighs and hips, making some modifications to your diet and exercise routine can help. And while spot reduction -- losing fat from one part of your body, like your thighs or hips -- is a myth, reducing your overall body fat percentage will help you look slimmer. Pair fat-burning foods with workouts that target your hips and thighs for a more toned appearance.

Eat Low-Calorie Fruits and Veggies

Veggies and fruits are your best friend for fat loss. They're very low in calories, so you can eat relatively large portions without making much of a dent in your calorie intake. That's great for helping you feel satisfied while you lose weight, since you'll need to eat fewer calories than you burn. Filling low-cal foods like vegetables can keep you from feeling deprived. Fruits and vegetables are also directly linked to weight loss, according to a study published in Obesity Facts in 2011. The study authors looked at the diet habits of more than 400,000 Americans to find connections between fruit and veggie intake and weight. They found that people who eat the most fruits and veggies were most likely to have a healthy weight, even after accounting for other factors that can influence weight, like physical activity.

Eat a green salad drizzled with a teaspoon of olive oil before your dinner to help you feel satisfied on fewer calories. Add sauteed vegetables to soups, pastas and casseroles. Lunch on vegetable soup or snack on an apple or carrot sticks to feel full between meals.

Lean Protein for a Fat-Burning Metabolism

Adding more protein helps you naturally eat less food, which makes it easier to burn body fat and tone your thighs and hips. A 2008 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that people following higher-protein diets burn more calories throughout the day and reported feeling more satiated after meals than people on lower-protein diets. The study also found that people on high-protein diets retain lean muscle mass as they lose weight. That's essential for getting the toned thighs and hips you want; as you lose fat, those muscles will become more visible, giving you a leaner look.

Make sure you're eating the right proteins for weight loss -- ones that are low in unhealthy saturated fat. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends limiting red meat, as many cuts tend to be fatty. Instead, go for skinless turkey or chicken breast, eggs, beans, fish and low-fat dairy products such as Greek yogurt for quality protein. Nuts provide protein, too, along with a dose of healthy fats.

Reach for Fiber-Rich Fare

Boost your fiber intake, and burn more fat. That's the takeaway message of a 2015 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The study found that just one dietary change -- eating more fiber -- was enough to cause significant weight loss. And if you're looking for the most benefits, pair fiber with protein. A study published in Nutrition Journal in 2011 found that people lost more fat on a high-protein, high-fiber diet than they did on a high-protein, high-carbohydrate diet.

Use especially fibrous fruits and vegetables -- like leafy greens, peppers, apples, pears, raspberries and blackberries -- to boost your fiber intake, and combine vegetables with lean proteins for high-fiber, high-protein meals. Try serving grilled salmon with steamed spinach and baby kale, add chunks of grilled chicken to an arugula salad, or add a handful of black beans to your vegetable soup. You can also get fiber from whole grains, like quinoa, oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta and bread. Just eat grains in moderation if you're following a lower-carbohydrate diet, since they also contain lots of starch.

Workouts to Reduce the Look of Hip and Thigh Fat

While the calorie deficit you create through your diet will help you lose fat all over your body, your workouts can specifically target your hips and thighs to help them look more toned. If your doctor gives the go-ahead for intense exercise, do cardio workouts that challenge your leg and hip muscles -- like sprints, box jumps and lateral skater jumps -- to burn fat while you tone your lower body. Incorporate strength training workouts into your routine two to three times per week, and include squats and lunges, which target several muscles in your hips and thighs. Avoid boredom by incorporating different variations of these exercises -- plie squats, for example, can target your inner thighs, while side lunges shape your outer thighs and butt.

The Best Foods to Eat for Fat Loss in the Butt & Hips

If you have a "pear-shaped" body and want to lose weight from your butt and hips, it can be done, but there are several misconceptions regarding weight loss that you should understand. First, there are no foods that actively burn fat off your body. Second, "spot reduction," or in this case, targeting your butt and hips for fat loss, is not possible. You will have to diet and remove body fat proportionally from your entire body to lose inches off your butt and hips.

Fruit

Fruit is a food that can support your fat-loss goals. This is especially true if you are prone to snacking on foods that are high in sugar, such as candy, ice cream or soda. Fruit is low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber. Even though fruit has sugar, it is not refined or processed sugar that can raise your blood glucose levels, trigger insulin release and promote fat storage. The American Council on Exercise recommends blueberries, grapefruits, oranges and watermelon. Any type of fruit makes a good replacement for high-calorie foods or desserts.

Vegetables

Eating vegetables in place of higher calorie foods can help you lose fat off your entire body and your posterior. The Centers for Disease Control recommends steaming your vegetables and using low-fat salad dressings or herbs if you want to add flavor. Like fruit, nearly every kind of vegetable is a suitable low-calorie, highly nutritious replacement for high-fat or high-sugar foods. The exception to the rule is potatoes. The CDC suggests eating green beans, broccoli and bell peppers. The American Council on Exercise recommends artichokes, spinach and bok choy, but any green vegetable is a good choice.

Lean Protein Foods

Eating lean protein foods can significantly help you lose weight. Replacing high-fat protein foods such as red meat and beef with lean protein foods can significantly reduce your caloric intake. Fish such as salmon, mackerel, flounder and herring are all low-calorie sources of lean protein. The American Council on exercise recommends canned tuna because it is a high-protein food source that has no carbohydrates and virtually no dietary fat. Skinless chicken and turkey are also lean sources of protein. Egg whites, soy products and beans can support your fat-loss goals as well. Saturated fat is the type that you want to avoid and keep below 10 percent of your daily calories with the rest of your fats coming from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that total fat consumption should not exceed 35 percent of your daily calories. On a 2,000-calorie diet, 35 percent equals 65 grams of fat or 700 calories.

Eating Fat Doesn’t Make You Fat

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, in addition to exceeding your daily calorie needs, the type of fat in your diet not the amount of fat is what causes weight gain and increases your risk for disease. A Harvard study published in the June 23, 2011 issue of the “New England Journal of Medicine,” followed 120,000 men and women’s lifestyles and eating behaviors for 20 years. Researchers discovered people who ate more nuts -- a high-fat food -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables gained less weight than people who ate more red meat, processed meats, french fries, sugary beverages and refined grains. Foods that increase satiety, such as healthy fats, may help reduce overall calorie intake.

How to Lose Weight With These Foods

Regardless of how many fruits, vegetables or lean sources of protein you add to you diet, you must understand how weight loss occurs if you are going to lose fat. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. The CDC says the key to achieving this through diet is to replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods. Replace ice cream with fruit. Replace rice or pasta with vegetables. Replace prime rib with salmon. While exercise will certainly help, creating a caloric deficiency by burning more calories than you eat, is the key to losing weight. Weight loss is not particularly complex, but it does require a commitment and often many dietary and lifestyle changes. Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian if you need further assistance with your weight-loss goals.

Top 10 Superfoods for Weight Loss

One of the hardest aspects of losing weight is diet. Sure, you can spend hours a day at the gym, but if you eat garbage -- you’ll never lose any weight.

When making dieting decisions there are a few simple aspects to stick to. Low-fat, low-calorie, high-protein diets have often showed the best results. Below is a list of foods that you can add to your diet that meet all of these requirements, and are delicious and versatile.

1. Black Beans
Black beans are packed with protein, without all of the saturated fats found in animal proteins.

2. Oats
Steel cut oats are an amazing source of fiber and contain Resistant Starch, which is a healthy carb that boosts your body’s metabolism naturally.

3. Avocado
Aside from being another excellent source of fiber, avocados contain Oleic acid. This specific acid is a compound found in avocados’ healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that reduces hunger.

4. Salmon
Any lean source of protein allows you to get healthy calories without adding fat. Salmon is also packed with healthy MUFAs that have been shown to increase weight loss over standard low-fat diets.

5. Broccoli
Broccoli is another vegetable that is full of fiber, but low on calories. Broccoli is also known for its anti-cancer effects.

6. Brown Rice
The process of enriching rice strips it of almost all of its nutritional value. Brown rice is a great source of Resistant Starch that boosts your metabolism and burn fat,

7. Pears
Believe it or not, one pear contain 15% of your daily recommended value of fiber. People who eat more fiber traditionally ingest fewer calories and lose more weight.

8. Red Wine
In moderation, red wine contains Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grape skin that has been shown stops fat storage. Drinking a glass of wine can increase your body’s ability to burn calories for up to 90 minutes.

9. Grapefruits
Grapefruits contain a compound that lowers insulin, which is a fat storage hormone. Grapefruits are also 90% water, and hydration is a key to losing weight.

10. Kidney Beans
Kidney beans contain high levels of Resistant starch, protein, and fiber. They are also extremely versatile when it comes to cooking, so you can work them into any diet plan.

Almonds – Superfood For Weight Loss

Eating almonds helps in the fight with excess weight, because they reduce the appetite for the rest of the day, according to recent studies.

Almonds are really healthy because they are low in glycemic index. Glycemic index provides a measure of how quickly blood sugar levels (i.e., levels of glucose in the blood) rise after eating a particular type of food. Almonds cause slow and steady increasing of blood sugar and insulin, which makes people feel full longer, explain the experts.

“That makes the food with low glycemic index more effective in preventing overeating and is a healthier option for people suffering from diabetes,” says Professor Richard Mathis University of Indiana, who was doing the research. He said that participants who took breakfast with whole almonds, feel fuller longer and was registered lower concentration of glucose in the blood after breakfast and lunch, compared to those who did not have a low-glycemic breakfast.

Also it is important to intake enough calories for a balanced diet, moderate amounts of foods with low glycemic index such as almonds for breakfast, can reduce the amount of food that people need to eat to feel full and to help them to reduce or to maintain their weight.

Top 5 Fruit Diets that Melt Pounds Fast

Why do you spend time on various exhausting diets that drain you both mentally and physically when you can be healthy and get your slim body with a simple reorganization of your meals and regular intake of vitamins through fruit, which will give you enthusiasm and at the same time boost your energy. Try these five detox diets recommended by professional nutritionists, which will not only help you lose weight quickly, but also to cleanse your body of toxic substances.

Fruit contains a lot of fiber and high content of water which makes the metabolism faster and contributes to easier weight loss and burning fats especially in the abdomen area.

Two-Day Apple Diet


If you want to lose a few pounds, remove toxins from your body and feel healthier, all you have to do is to eat only apples. It sounds a little bit scary, but the diet lasts only two days. The advantage of this diet is that you never feel hungry, meaning whenever you feel hunger you can grab an apple because there is no restriction on the amount. Besides apples have a lot of vitamins, and they make you feel full for longer. Our suggestion is that if you want to keep the apple diet various, buy different types of apples in order not to get bored with only one apple kind.

Five-Day Diet with Watermelons


If you love watermelon, then this is the answer to all your prayers for well-shaped body. This diet should follow a simple rule: eat at least a pound of watermelon a day. Also, it is desirable to include five smaller meals a day. While holding this diet it is highly recommended to avoid drinking beverages that have sugar and make sure you don’t have high blood pressure.

Those who have problems with the kidneys or liver, should also avoid this alternative diet plan. If you don’t want to get fed up with eating watermelons during these days you can sometimes make fresh squeezed juice, smoothie or fruit salad.

Pineapple Diet for Seven Days


Offer your body complete detoxification with a healthy and simple diet. With this diet there is no need to deprive yourself of food to reduce excess weight. Instead, all you need to do is to eat three normal meals and consume only two pieces of pineapple a day. Nutritionists who created this diet also recommended a two-day session of completely cleansing the body of toxins when you are supposed to eat only pineapple.

If you decide to take this step, you should do the detoxification of the body in two consecutive days of the week while holding diet. Although this is not a diet that should be followed on the long term, yet this diet can be very helpful for those who want to reduce weight quickly.

Four-Day Kiwi Diet


Kiwi is one of the best weight loss options because of many factors, especially because it is a fruit with a very low glycemic index. This means that it causes slow burning of carbohydrates and gradually release glucose into the blood, which means that it burns fat easier and, equally importantly, it reduces the feeling of hunger.

It contains two times more vitamin C than an orange and it is the only fruit that contains aktinidin, an enzyme that helps create proteins easier and improves the digestive system. It contains about 60 calories in 100 grams and it is rich in fiber.

Eat 3 kiwi on empty stomach before breakfast and 2 kiwi as an afternoon snack. For breakfast and for lunch try to consume light meals or seasonal salads.  The main idea in this diet that you should pay attention to is to avoid eating late at night.

Seven-Day Diet with Berries


Berries are rich in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Therefore, they are great for “disappearance” of your pounds and cleansing your body of harmful toxins. Make juice from your favorite berries ( a cup of them) or you can use mixed berries. Then add a cup of purified water and drink this  beverage on empty stomach as  a substitution for  breakfast. The results will be amazing. It is also advisable to eat “lighter” meals during these seven days in order not to overburden your digestive system during  this detox diet.

This is How to Burn 12 Pounds in Just a Week With This Weird Egg Diet

Here is one of our most popular and effective diets! Lose weight fast and easy – the basis is chemical, not quantity. This weird egg diet is intended for rapid weight loss. it deprives the body of nutrition for extended time so it is not recommended for long term weight loss.

Because they are rich in protein and nutrients, eggs are extremely healthy. You will supply the body with the majority of nutrients and vitamins by consuming eggs. There does not appear to be much food upon looking at this diet. By following this egg diet, you will lose 12 pounds after seven days.

7-Day Diet Plan


Day 1

–         Breakfast: a glass of milk (low-fat), 2 boiled eggs, 2 oranges
–         Lunch: 6 ounces of boiled chicken (skinless), a glass of yogurt
–         One orange and boiled egg, 5 ounces of boiled chicken

Day 2

–         Breakfast: one squeezed lemon with a cup of warm water and 2 boiled eggs
–         Lunch: 1 grapefruit, 5 ounces of roasted fish
–         Dinner: 3 boiled eggs

Day 3

–         Breakfast: a freshly squeezed lemon in a glass of warm water and 2 boiled eggs
–         Lunch: 1 grapefruit, 6 ounces of boiled beef
–         Dinner: 3 boiled eggs

Day 4

–         Breakfast: onion and dill, parsley with 3 scrambled eggs
–         Lunch: salad with 5 ounces of cooked chicken
–         Dinner: 2 oranges and 1 boiled eggs

Day 5

–         Breakfast: 1 tbsp of sour cream, 2 boiled eggs, 2 carrots
–         Lunch: a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 carrots
–         Dinner: 1 boiled egg, 3 ounces of fish (boiled)

Day 6

–         Breakfast: 1 freshly squeezed orange or lemon, 5 ounces of Yogurt (low fat)
–         Lunch: 2 grapefruits, 2 boiled eggs
–         Dinner: a cup of water

Day 7

–         Breakfast: ½ grapefruit, 2 eggs
–         Lunch: 1 orange , 6 ounces of beef
–         Dinner: a cup of water

As we’ve mentioned before, you have to stick to the diet for only 7 days. To maximize the weight loss, you must also consume large quantities of water.

You may start eating normally after these 7 days. In order to prevent shocking the body with food, consume plenty of boiled eggs in the first few days.

Strictly follow the given rules, get rid of the extra pounds and love your body like never before!

The Only Weight-Loss Soup Recipe You Will Ever Need

I think it’s a happy coincidence that January is not only national soup month, but also the peak of people’s efforts to lose weight. Research shows that soups can help you lose weight: in one study, published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, people consumed the fewest calories on days when they ate soup rather than the same ingredients in solid form.

Soup has a high water content, which can help you feel full. Broth-based soups packed with veggies give you the biggest bang for your caloric buck. And, just like salad, soup is a good vehicle for vegetables (the fiber in vegetables also promotes feelings of fullness for few calories). And in a study published in Appetite, people who started lunch with vegetable soup ended up eating 20 percent less than those who skipped the soup.

Joyce Hendley, co-author of the James Beard Award-winning cookbook The EatingWell Diet, developed the ultimate weight-loss soup. The skinny, super-satisfying vegetable minestrone soup is inspired by a favorite Weight Watchers recipe: “I’ll never forget the moment in a Weight Watchers meeting when the conversation turned to ‘The Soup.’ Everyone in the room, it seemed, owed their success to the Garden Vegetable Soup recipe in the program booklet. Words like ‘easy,’ ‘yummy’ and ‘filling’ kept coming up, and the best ones of all: ‘virtually calorie-free.’ I practically sprinted home to make it that night.

“The soup was simplicity itself: carrots, onions, cabbage, tomato and spinach simmered with seasonings in broth. It tasted fantastic. And it worked: I ate the soup for lunch most days (and for dinner some busy nights) and lost 15 pounds in a few months without feeling deprived.”

Joyce’s version of “The Soup,” which she calls Veggistrone, comes in at just 169 calories for a big 2-cup serving that’s packed with at least two servings of vegetables in every bowlful. The recipe makes a big pot of soup, so keep some in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze the rest of the vegetable minestrone soup in single-serve portions. That way you always have an easy, delicious vegetable soup to start your meal or to eat for lunch. Think of this vegetable minestrone recipe as a starting point for other healthy soup variations, too: toss in leftover chopped cooked chicken or whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to make it even more satisfying. Top it with a generous spoonful of Parmesan cheese, bringing the Italian flavor to the forefront and keeping any feelings of diet deprivation at bay.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions (2 medium)
  • 2 cups chopped celery (4 medium stalks)
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 medium)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chopped cabbage
  • 3 cups chopped cauliflower (about 1/2 medium)
  • 2 cups chopped carrots (4 medium)
  • 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, or frozen, thawed
  • 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups chopped fresh spinach or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 10 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese


PREPARATION

  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven (8-quart or larger) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 13 to 15 minutes. Add cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and green beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes more.
  2. Add broth, water, tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in spinach and simmer for 10 minutes more.
  3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in basil. Top each portion with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Just a Slice of Watermelon a Day Helps You Lose Weight Extremely Fast

No one can resist the juicy summer delicacy packed with nutrients that enable proper health and speed up the weight loss process. Drop the unwanted pounds, trim your belly and feel great in your body!

It often happens for you to become dehydrated and what you experience then is fluid retention. That isn’t actually fat gain, but it might cause bloating and even make you feel your stomach bigger that it actually is.

Watermelon consists of 90 percent water and can help you stay hydrated to combat fluid retention. It will also assist in flushing the toxins out of your system and prevent cravings for dessert.

Watermelon is an ideal food to support your weight loss goals because it is so low in calories: 1 cup of watermelon contains fewer than 50 calories. Exercise is important, but weight loss remains a matter of simple math and is a product of consuming fewer calories than you burn.

Watermelon has a low energy density, meaning that it has a small number of calories for a large serving. Foods with low energy densities are especially useful for weight loss because they fill people up without adding too many calories to their daily totals.

Whenever you want to lose some pounds, don’t hesitate and grab the biggest watermelon slice you can get. You will enjoy its taste and burn pounds more effectively than before.

5 Foods You Should Eat Every Day to Lose Weight

Losing weight is all about diet. You can exercise as much as you like, but if your diet isn't right, then your progress will be minimal at best. The most important factor in your diet is calories -- to lose weight, you need a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than you burn. While you can do this by eating whatever foods you like, you will get much faster results, and feel far better, following a diet composed of healthy foods, and five certain foods in particular.

Blueberries

Blueberries are known for being high in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, which all benefit general health, but a 2009 study at the University of Michigan showed that they may help weight loss as well, due to the phytochemicals they contain. You can also snack on blueberries when you have a sweet craving, because they are low in calories, yet still provide you with a small sugar hit.

Grapefruit

The well-known grapefruit diet may now be slightly dated, but that doesn't mean grapefruit doesn't have weight-loss benefits. Grapefruit may help to lower your levels of insulin -- a hormone that when present in the body in high quantities can trigger fat storage. It's also very filling, meaning you can eat a fair amount of it without worrying about consuming too many calories.

Chicken

When you eat, your body has to use calories to digest your food. This is known as the thermic effect of feeding, or TEF. According to bodybuilding diet coach Tom Venuto, the types of food that create the biggest rise in TEF are lean proteins, such as chicken. Aim to have a serving of protein with all of your meals, although if you're not a fan of chicken, go for turkey, white fish, lean red meat or dairy products instead.

Salmon

Like chicken, salmon is also high in protein, which stimulates a higher TEF. Salmon is also higher in fat, and while this may sound like a disadvantage when trying to lose weight, it is actually extremely beneficial. Fat is certainly not an enemy when dieting, and it can help to keep you feeling full for longer. The fat in salmon is omega-3, and according to Charles Poliquin, owner of the Poliquin Performance Institute for elite athletes, omega-3 helps to "turn on" your fat-burning genes and "turn off" your fat-storing genes.

Green Vegetables

The huge advantage green vegetables have in any weight-loss diet is that they're extremely low in calories. Vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, broccoli, celery, kale, cabbage, green beans and zucchini are all high in fiber and nutrients, yet low in calories. Eating lots of low-calorie vegetables helps you to feel full, beat cravings and improves your general health, so eat at least two servings at every meal.