5 Foods You Want To Eat For Weight Loss
All calories are not created equal. Some foods will leave you hungrier than before you ate them and some will leave you satiated and full. Learn the five you want to eat for weight loss and reach your goals quicker.
Have you ever been watching television and eating potato chips? Have you had your hand hit the bottom of the bag and wondered where the chips went? The bag was nearly all air or so you tell yourself.
Maybe its popcorn for you or ice cream or french fries. We never eat a large salad get to the bottom of the bowl and wonder where it went. Why? Because a salad is nourishing us. Its full of nutrients and fiber.
That’s what I mean when I say, “All calories are not created equal.” Man-made calories are not as satisfying and satiating as God-made or natural calories. So, which calories are going to help us lose weight?
5 Foods You Want To Eat For Weight Loss
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Broccoli –
Yep! Those little trees are powerhouses of nutrition. Have you ever heard of chromium? Its a mineral our bodies use for digesting food. It helps move blood sugar from the bloodstream into the cells to be used as energy and to turn fats, carbs and proteins into energy. It also slows the loss of calcium, so it may help prevent bone loss.
One cup of the green superstar has half your recommended intake of chromium, therefore your cravings will be under control when you finish eating it. Remember, it’s best to steam it or eat it raw.
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Avocado –
Did you know they contain more potassium than bananas? They are full of nutrition, fiber and loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. That’s the type of fat you want to eat because it keeps you satisfied and can even lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Try eating them on toast and in salads. Use an avocado to replace mayo on your sandwiches. Here’s my Shamrock Shake recipe full of avocado goodness. You could also try these 3 Amazing Avocado recipes (you’ll adore the 3rd one!)
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Berries –
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that eating a little less than a cup off mixed berries daily for 8 weeks helped decrease blood pressure and increase HDL (good cholesterol). A mix of berries including raspberries, strawberries and blueberries gives you polyphenols – a health-promoting plant compound.
I wouldn’t limit it to just those berries. Have you tried blackberries, goji or white mulberries? They are great in this Superfoods Trail Mix!
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Nuts –
Remember the monounsaturated fat found in avocados? Well, its in nuts, too. Actually they have polyunsaturated fats as well. What does that mean? It means you will feel full, have less cravings and they can even lower your bad cholesterol levels.
Nuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids (found in many kinds of fish) which keep your heart healthy. Good news! You don’t have to eat fish, just eat nuts. They contain fiber (unlike fish) which plays a role in preventing type 2 diabetes.
The key to eating nuts is to eat unsalted, unroasted, raw nuts. You only need 1.5 ounces or 2 Tablespoons of nut butter. Almonds, macadamia, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil and pecans are all heart healthy. Peanuts — which are technically not a nut, but a legume, like beans — seem to be relatively healthy.
Keep in mind, you could end up canceling out the heart-healthy benefits of nuts if they’re covered with chocolate, sugar or salt.
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Greens –
I’m not talking about iceberg lettuce. I mean kale, spinach, chard, mustard greens, collard greens, romaine and arugula just to name a few. They are great for weight loss because they are low in calories and high in fiber, low in fat, and rich in folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, as well as containing lots of phytochemicals. One study showed that eating one daily serving of green leafy vegetables, lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11 percent.
Greens are great for people with type 2 diabetes because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index. An increase of 1 daily serving can lower your risk of diabetes by 9 percent. Plus they are full of vitamin K, iron and calcium all of which can decrease your risk of bone loss.
Like I said before, you don’t get to the bottom of your salad bowl and wonder where it went. You know you are eating a salad. You have to chew and it slows you down, creating a more thoughtful dining experience. You become satiated and full. All of the things you want to feel when you are focusing on weight loss.
If you are focused on nourishing your body into weight loss rather than dieting and starving your body of nutrients, I recommend these 5 foods. Best of all, you could make one large salad full of greens, broccoli, avocado,topped with berries and nuts and you have all 5 foods at one sitting!
If you want more recipes using these 5 Foods You Want To Eat For Weight Loss try this one from Cookie and Kate
or check this out from Hummusapien.
I would love to hear how you are incorporating these 5 Foods. Keep me posted!
Intentionally Eat,
Cindy
