Smart Foods to Eat When You're Trying
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Aug 7, 2019
- 2 min read
What are the food should you consume when slimming down is your goal? Use this guide to find out which foods are likely to fill you up, provide essential nutrition, and keep you satisfied during your weight loss journey.
Protein rich food:
Protein is needed to build muscles and to burn fat.
In addition protein food is satisfying to eat. So it is important to add protein to each individual meal.
Lastly, protein foods help you to burn (slightly) more calories due to the thermic effect of food. The thermic effect of food (TEF) contributes to your daily metabolism or the number of calories you burn each day.
Your body requires energy (calories) to chew, digest, and process the food that you eat. Protein requires more energy to process than other foods.
Look for choices that are naturally low in saturated fat and calories, those that are portion-controlled, and foods that you enjoy.
Smart Protein Choices:
Skinless chicken breast
Ground or sliced turkey
Lean cuts of beef
Eggs
Greek yogurt
Green peas
Spinach
You may try smoothies or protein powder if you find yourlsef unable to get enough protein from your diet.
Food with fiber:
Food rich in fiber improves satiety and prevent cravings.
Most of these foods also provide other nutritional benefits that you'll enjoy during the weight loss process, like vitamins and minerals.
Fill your shopping cart with some of these foods.
Pears
Whole wheat crackers
Plain popcorn
Whole wheat bread
Brown rice
Whole wheat pita
Hummus or chickpeas
Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with some of these staples to keep your hunger at bay.
Food that are naturally low in calories:
In fact, you'll find fat-free foods, low-calorie foods, foods that advertise that they contain no trans fat, foods lower in saturated fat, lower sugar foods and other foods with health claims on the label.
But some of these foods are not necessarily good for everyone who is trying to lose weight.
For example, some fat-free foods are higher in sugar than their full-fat versions. Some salad dressings, sauces, condiments and other foods remove fat but add sugar for flavor and consistency. They may not necessarily be lower in calories and if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake they can do more harm than good.
So should you avoid low-calorie foods? No! Just try to find foods that are naturally low in calories. Consider some of these options.
Celery
Raspberries
Blueberries
Jicama
Kale
Asparagus
Kale, arugula and other leafy greens
Broccoli
Grapefruit
Cucumber
Choosing these foods that are naturally low in calories will help you to get the nutrition you need when you are trying to slim down. You may also be able to save money as well.
Diet friendly convenience and snack food:
Nutritious foods are always the best choice when you're trying to slim down. But sometimes you want more than whole grains, lean protein and fresh fruits and veggies.
If you're like most dieters, you occasionally crave comfort foods like pasta, chocolate and other diet no-nos.
If you're going to stay on your weight loss plan for the long-term, you may want to enjoy a treat or an indulgent snack from time to time. And there might also be times when you need to grab a quick bite on the go.
Thankfully, there are ways to stick to your weight loss plan and still allow for certain convenience foods.
Consider any of these foods to eat when you're trying to lose weight.
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