If you view food as the enemy, here are 36 items that might make you change your mind and have them work for you instead of against you. While they may be pretty super, you shouldn’t put all of your attention on any one of them. Start by introducing a few more foods that burn fat into your diet each week until you find that you’re eating much more of them than you used to.
Tomatoes
Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Who cares? All you need to know is that it’s got a ton of good things for your body for the long term, and in the short term it works to help you lose weight and help keep it off. They’re low on the calorie meter, but they help to give you that full feeling, and contain fiber that keeps things moving.
Like any bona fide superfood tomatoes bring more to the table than just weight loss. The lycopene brings antioxidants that studies are showing to be potentially helpful with a myriad of diseases and conditions. Be sure to add tomatoes to your cart next time.
Oranges
Healthy Vitamin C levels will help to keep you functioning at optimal levels, but if you’re looking to burn fat you might be concerned about the sugar in oranges. There’s no getting around it, oranges do contain sugar, which has the potential to turn to fat if it’s not burned up. But the calorie count is low, and the fiber actually helps to regulate your blood glucose levels.
In order for this to work out for you as a weight loss aid, eat it in moderation and to curb your sweet tooth when you’d otherwise be reaching for a candy bar or other sweet treat.
Oats
Although Paleo Diet followers would disagree, many others state that oats work as part of a weight loss strategy because the amount of fiber boosts your metabolism and helps you feel fuller longer. Everyone from The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper to the American Heart Association says to make a bowl of oatmeal for the best start to your day.
The antioxidants and other minerals oats contain make it a solid choice and not just a source of fiber. Cutting your cholesterol might also be on your list and this is a great way to get those levels down.
Spices
There’s no need to eat bland and boring food when you’re trying to lose weight. This is a great time to experiment with seasonings from different cultures. Many of them have thermogenic properties that boost your metabolism, while making some so-so dishes taste like they’re from a restaurant.
Some examples: Mustard seed will spice up your entree and get your metabolism going, and ginger can help with your digestion. Ginseng can boost up your energy, and black pepper can help burn calories. Like Indian food? Turmeric can help break up fat.
Sweet Potatoes
Oprah likes sweet potatoes, and credits them as part of the reason she lost weight one time. But can you really slim down by swapping a baked potato with its sweet cousin? Turns out sweet potatoes are great for dieting because they have fewer calories and also help you stay satisfied between meals.
If you’re addicted to spuds this can be one way to take out a food that usually gets the no-no when dieting and replace it with a superfoods such as this that has good things for you like fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, and Vitamin B6.
Apples
It’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that you are helping yourself to lose weight when you eat an apple. They are so sweet that they can help conquer sweet cravings, and it’s easy to see why they end up in a lot of desserts. But they are low in all of the things that you want them to be like calories, fat, and sodium. They have a good amount of fiber.
The fiber helps you feel full, and keeps you from going mad in between meals. It also helps keep things moving along digestively. Just be sure to chew your apple up real well before swallowing, and buy organic so you can leave the peel on.
Nuts
This is one food that almost every single diet plan in existence suggests you eat. Nuts are one food that unites the vegetarians and the Paleo followers, and we have yet to find a diet program that says not to eat them. They’re straight from the Earth and a small handful of raw organic almonds, walnuts or pecans can be a crunchy snack that leaves you feeling good for a few hours or more.
If you don’t like eating nuts for a snack, try chopping them up and sprinkling them on main dishes or side items. You’ll still get the good fats they bring and they help flavor up the meal.
Quinoa
This is been known for some time in the vegetarian realm but is now making the rounds to the mainstream. The weight loss benefits usually come in the form of switching out sides with quinoa instead of more calorie-dense foods like rice or potatoes. You’ll still get the benefit of rounding out the meal, with the added bonus of the vitamins that quinoa has.
If you haven’t tried it yet, what are you waiting for? It helps you feel full, doesn’t have a lot of calories, and ranks low on the Glycemic Index. Score!
Beans
Beans are a staple item in The Four Hour Body’s Slow Carb Diet. They are lauded for their ability to help regulate blood sugar levels and help with digestion due to their fiber content. Try adding a can of organic black beans as a side to your next meal, especially if it can replace a more carb-laden item like bread or rice.
Many restaurants keep black beans on hand as a substitute for a side, so they’re a great go-to item when you’re out with friends and want to eat well without looking like you’re on a diet.
Egg Whites
The egg debate rages on with so many gurus saying the yolks are OK, and so many others saying for weight loss you should stick to egg whites. Why all the fuss? Eggs are a good source of protein, and the main argument is on whether the fat and cholesterol in the yolks is worth eating.
Play it safe and get the benefit of the protein without worrying about the yolks. When your weight is where you want it you can start adding them back into the equation.
Grapefruit
No need to go on some whacky grapefruit diet to get the benefits of it, but for most people this is going to require a new purchase at the store. Grapefruit doesn’t tend to make it onto most people’s shopping lists, but it should. In regards to weight loss the long standing myth that they help you lose weight is being proven left and right by clinical studies.
And you don’t have to buy the fruit, you can also simply buy grapefruit juice and start drinking that instead. Tim Ferriss of The Four Hour Body says he uses grapefruit juice on his “free days” in an effort to avoid the food he’s eating from causing weight gain.
Chicken Breast
While not an option if you’re going vegetarian or vegan, this is often used by dieters and bodybuilders alike because of its high protein value and low amount of fat. Dark pieces of chicken just don’t measure up when it comes to quality protein. Most Americans have no trouble adding chicken to the diet, since it’s one of the most popular meats in the country.
Just remember that it should be skinless. Try using different spices like the ones mentioned above to make it more interesting. Combined with strength training this can help tone your muscles leading to a higher metabolism.
Bananas
Perhaps it’s because it takes us back to our simian ancestry that makes eating a banana seem natural. The more studies they do on the effects of bananas in humans, the more attention they get as a definite way to help keep us at our ideal weights. They’re super easy to incorporate into the day, since they’re so versatile.
Cut some up and add it to oatmeal, keep a bunch around as a quick grab when you need something sweet or on-the-go. Just stick to one a day since they are a source of sugar as well.
Pears
Pears often get overlooked as the long lost cousin to apples, but they bring their own unique flavor and host of benefits, including weight loss properties. They help you feel full when you eat them, and they’ve got a different consistency to apples and other fruits, making their fiber even more effective.
They’re also used in plenty of recipes that yield delicious results. If you didn’t use pears in your cooking before, or as a fruit to just have around, now’s the time to start.
Pine Nuts
These contain a phytonutrient that actually helps suppress your appetite. This means you don’t have to resort to expensive diet pills with nasty chemicals that are meant to do the same thing. All you have to do is keep a supply of pine nuts available.
Since they’re tiny and crunchy you get to eat a lot of them without having to worry about ruining your efforts. It let’s the body have it binge time while still helping you lose weight by keeping you away from more offensive foods.
Mushrooms
Opting for mushrooms instead of pepperoni or sausage on your next pizza may do little to help drop the pounds, but increasing your intake of mushrooms along with other healthy foods should yield better results due to their low calories and high vitamin content.
Be sure to branch out when it comes to mushrooms, trying the ones that may look a little strange instead of always opting for the button mushroom used everywhere. They all have their own unique characteristics, but all share the common bond of helping you to lose weight.
Lentils
Lentils are gaining more popularity has a healthy food, and one that can help you lose the weight. The fiber they contain will help keep you feeling good between meals, and will help your blood sugar levels from spiking.
If you’re going vegetarian you can use lentil as a good protein source, or you can use them to compliment a protein and act as a side dish. It helps keep your cholesterol in check and help you process carbs more effectively.
Hot Peppers
If you like your food hot, there may be some good news for you. Hot peppers like habaneros, jalapenos, and chipotles can actually help you to lose weight, while also adding a kick to most any dish. They contain capsaicin which provides several benefits that relate to losing weight.
And if you were worried that eating these hot peppers would make you burn a hole in your stomach, recent research is showing that they may actually help to prevent stomach problems like ulcers by killing the bacteria responsible. Fire away!
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