Did you know you can lose weight by eating good food? It probably sounds too good to be true. Changing what and how you eat will improve your overall health, help you lose weight, and allow you to feel better every day. To maximize the benefits, don't forget to exercise!
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Eat the Right Foods
Step 1. Eat more fresh foods
Choose foods that are fresh, nutritious, healthy and lean.
- Adding plenty of fruits and vegetables to your diet will prove very beneficial. Learn to hide vegetables in your dishes to reduce calories while still enjoying their taste. Research shows that by adding vegetable purees to your recipes (for example, a puree of cauliflower with cheese pasta) you can be able to reduce the number of calories ingested. In fact, vegetables add volume to dishes without causing a significant increase in the number of calories.
- Put various colors on your plate. Make sure your meals are multicolored; the easiest way to do this is to add multiple fresh vegetables, such as eggplant, beetroot, cabbage and yellow peppers. Usually this color scheme allows you to eat more vegetables and make your meals appetizing and tempting at the same time!
Step 2. Choose high-fiber foods
They'll keep you feeling full for longer, helping you stay away from those nasty snacks that only make you fat.
Beans, for example, are an excellent source of protein, stomach-filling and high in fiber. They are also digested slowly, thus prolonging your sense of satisfaction (sometimes enticing you to stop eating!)
Step 3. Avoid juices, prefer whole fruit
Instead of drinking juices and smoothies, which tend to be quite caloric, opt for whole fruit, for example eating an apple.
Eating pieces of whole fruit makes you more satiated, thanks to the greater amount of fiber contained in raw fruits compared to juices. Furthermore, the act of chewing tells the brain that it has ingested something substantial
Step 4. Choose foods rich in water, such as fruits and vegetables
Some studies claim that those who eat water-rich foods have a lower body mass index. The organic water contained in fruits and vegetables helps to make you feel full for longer, encouraging you to eat less.
- Watermelons and strawberries are composed of water for about 92% of their volume. Other fruits rich in water are grapefruits, melons and peaches. However, remember that many fruits are also highly sugary, so try to limit the quantities you consume daily.
- Among vegetables, cucumbers and lettuce have the highest water content, around 96%. Zucchini, radishes and celery have a water content of 95%.
Step 5. Include in your diet those foods that are capable of burning fat.
By choosing the ingredients of your meals carefully, you will be able to lose weight without feeling hungry. Foods known to help you lose weight are varied, including chili, green tea, berries, and whole grains. By avoiding insulin spikes and keeping your metabolism active, each of these ingredients can help you lose weight.
Step 6. Incorporate good fats into your diet
It has been clinically proven that monounsaturated fats promote fat burning, especially in the middle part of the trunk. Then add avocado, olives, extra virgin olive oil, walnuts and flax seeds to your diet, and watch the scales drop.
Step 7. Eat superfoods
The term "superfood" is used to describe highly nutritious foods, which some believe to be beneficial to health for this reason. Some claims related to superfoods are backed up by scientific evidence, while others are simply widespread without any real proven benefits.
- Quinoa, for example, holds the legitimate name of superfood, being a complete protein (i.e. containing all eight essential amino acids that our tissues need). It also contains more protein than most cereals, and is richer in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and iron.
- Before including some self-styled superfoods in your diet, do the necessary research.
Step 8. Avoid harmful foods, which provide empty calories
Foods that contain "empty calories" are those that despite being caloric (from sugar to solid fats) have minimal nutritional value.
Among the foods and drinks that provide the most empty calories we can include: cakes, cookies, pastries, treats, carbonated, energy and fruit drinks, cheese, pizza, ice cream, bacon, hot dogs and frankfurters. In some cases it is possible to identify alternative versions of these foods, for example frankfurters and low-fat cheeses. Similarly, you can choose sugar-free carbonated drinks. However, for many choices, such as regular desserts and classic carbonated drinks, most of the calories are empty
Step 9. Eat more soups
The soups are relatively low-calorie. Also, by starting your meal with soup, you will likely be led to eat less later on.
Choose a broth-based soup, which contains around 100-150 calories per serving. You can choose to blend it completely or leave a few small pieces of vegetables whole. In any case, avoid adding cream or milk to your soups
Step 10. Occasionally you give in to a temptation
Indulge in a portion of dessert or a slice of pizza. Occasionally indulging may help you avoid any binge eating episodes. If you really feel like eating something, allow yourself a small amount. Remember that the greater the restrictions imposed, the greater the attraction to them will be.
Before indulging in what you want, eat some raw vegetables or drink a large glass of water. Partially filling your stomach will give you less room for your much-needed temptation
Part 2 of 2: Eating the Right Way
Step 1. Eat slowly
Your brain takes about 20 minutes to register the feeling of satiety. This suggests that at the table it is good to slow down, so that communication can take place correctly and effectively.
If you don't feel full immediately after a meal, wait. The chemicals released by the brain when you eat or drink take time to build up and communicate a sense of satiety. As they increase, hunger dissipates, which is why you should take a short break after ingesting a first portion of food
Step 2. When you eat, sit at the table and use the cutlery
Eating with your hands involves taking in more food with each bite.
Some studies have found that those who eat using large cutlery eat less food than those using smaller cutlery
Step 3. When you feel full, stop eating
As soon as you feel satisfied enough, stop and place the cutlery and napkin on the plate, signaling that you are done. In addition to those around you, the signal will also be perceived by yourself.
Remember, once you feel satisfied it is not necessary to finish what you have on your plate. Eat until you feel 80% full. Nobody should feel too full and nauseous after eating
Step 4. Drink more water
We often confuse thirst with hunger, even eating when it is not necessary. By staying well hydrated you will feel less hungry and enjoy a brighter complexion and shinier hair.
If you are not sure if you are really feeling hungry, try drinking a large glass of water and then wait a few minutes. If you stop feeling hungry, your body currently needs water, not food
Step 5. Keep track of what you eat
It is an exercise as simple as it is powerful, capable of opening your eyes and showing you if you are really sticking to your eating plan. We often tend to neglect the snacks ingested between meals, only to complain that the diet is not working. Most people underestimate the amount of food they eat daily by around 25%.
- You may also discover some useful information about your habits and be able to effectively calculate the number of calories actually ingested. By gaining a better understanding of your behavior patterns, you can begin to change those choices that hinder your progress.
- Keeping a journal helps you be more responsible.
Step 6. Learn how to manage meals outside the home
Eating in a restaurant or at someone's home can be a real challenge. You want to enjoy your meal, but at the same time you don't want to eat the wrong foods and jeopardize your progress.
- Choose grilled or steamed or baked ingredients, leaving out anything that is fried. Avoid dishes described as "breaded", "battered" or "crunchy" - these are code words for "fried".
- Don't be afraid to ask. For example, ask for the regular potato garnish to be replaced by a salad, or for the sauce to be served as an accompaniment to the dish, rather than added to the kitchen. You will then be able to eat something delicious while avoiding a large intake of extra calories.
- If the restaurant is known for its large portions, share your plate with a friend.
- To avoid binging on the go, have a small, healthy snack before you go out. You can opt for hummus and carrots or an apple. It will be easier to hold back, both physically and mentally, by being able to make healthy choices when ordering.
- Take excess food home. At the beginning of the meal, ask for a container to store leftovers, and transfer portion after portion of what you do not intend to eat right away.
- When ordering a salad, ask for it to be served plain and dress it yourself. Many ready-made toppings are very fatty and high in calories. An apparently healthy choice could contain as many calories as a hamburger if it is over-seasoned. Also look out for other possible additional ingredients, such as bits of bacon and cheese.
Step 7. It is normal for you to fall into temptation from time to time
You may end up bingeing one evening. After a difficult day, you may find solace in junk food. Do not despair by noticing the mistake made. It has taken a lifetime to reach your current body weight, and it will take time to get a new one, and cross the line of your goal.
In order not to lose optimism, reward yourself after achieving small goals. For example, buy yourself a gift every time you lose a couple of pounds. The prospect of a reward will become a real form of motivation
Advice
- Losing weight can be reduced to a simple formula. Take in fewer calories than you consume.
- Exercise every day! You will improve your body's overall health and reach your goals faster. Burning more calories also means you need to eat more.
Warnings
- If you need to lose more than 10% of your body weight, consult your primary care physician before starting any diet.
- You need to work out and eat healthy, otherwise you won't notice any improvement.
