These 7 Foods Could Help You Lose Weight

When it comes time to lose weight you are going to have to do two things – exercise more and change your diet. Extreme diets that promise you will lose maximum weight in a short period of time should be avoided. These are dangerous, and your body still needs calories to fuel it each day. Speak to your doctor about how many calories you need to eat daily to remain healthy but lose weight. Once you have this number, you can set up your new eating plan. Here are seven foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help you drop those excess pounds.

1. Soup

There are a number of benefits to eating soup. It can be prepared quickly, you can drink it on the go, and it is still a tasty meal to be enjoyed. The two things you need to watch out for when choosing a soup are its salt content, and its base ingredient. Choose a low sodium soup so that you are not putting your kidneys under pressure. Additionally, choose a soup that is broth-based rather than cream based. A cream based soup is high in calories so that negates the point of eating it.

2. Nuts

Nuts are a wonderful snack when you are looking for a mid-afternoon treat. They contain fiber and unsaturated fats. The best nuts to choose are almonds as these are the lowest in calories at 160 calories per ounce. Cashews and pistachios are also a healthy choice. Look for nuts that are oven roasted and not fried in oil for the healthiest choice.

3. Beans

Besides being the butt of flatulence jokes, beans get a rough deal in the food world. It is time to change your thoughts about beans though as they are very filling and take some time to digest through your system. This means they will help you feel fuller for longer. They are also full of fiber and protein which make it a great choice for your new eating plan.

4. Vegetables

Vegetables are wonderful because they have far less calories than fruit per ounce eaten. This is because fruits contain more natural sugars than vegetables do. Salads are a great choice for your diet plan as you can fill up a large bowl of salad ingredients, and it will curb your hunger while containing low calories. Watch out for the extra toppings though that does add calories to your salad such as dressing and croutons. Both of these should be used sparingly if you are serious about losing pounds.

5. Eggs

Eggs are full of protein so they make a great breakfast choice. Eggs should be served hard boiled or poached for maximum health benefits. Fried eggs are off your menu for now. It is argued that if you are really serious about losing weight you should only eat the egg white. This is because the white of the egg only has 17 calories, whereas the yolk has an extra 55 calories. The egg white is also the source of most of the protein. Others argue that since a whole egg only has around 70 calories anyway, the entire thing should be enjoyed. In the end this decision is going to come down to personal choice.

6. Yogurt

When you are dieting and eliminating foods from your diet, it is important that you do not miss out on your daily requirements of calcium. While you should certainly cut down on the amount of cheese that you eat, be mindful not to give yogurt the boot completely. Yogurt can be purchased in low fat options that only contain 90 calories per tub. It can be eaten alone, or dolloped on top of your morning cereal with fruit. Whichever way you choose to eat it, yogurt provides you with up to 20% of your daily calcium requirements.

7. Dark Chocolate Treats

Losing weight is tough, and you need to be realistic about the days ahead. There are going to be times when you are craving something sweet, and the temptation to eat a bag full of gummy bears may be preying upon your mind. Instead, turn to a few squares of dark chocolate to tame the savage beast that is a sugar craving. Dark chocolate is proven to be good for your heart and your brain. It also contains antioxidants that can keep cancer at bay, and slow down the effects of aging. If you must have a sweet treat, this is the healthier choice for you.

Once you have started to make changes to your diet, make sure you keep up your intake of eight glasses of water per day. Not only will this help your body to feel fuller for longer, it will also help to flush the toxins and impurities from your body on the regular basis. The more toxins you get rid of, the better you will feel.

You are not going to lose 50 pounds in a month, it does not matter what diet or exercise regime you decide to take on. However, if you aim to lose 2 pounds a week, this is a much more realistic goal. Each time you raise a piece of food to your mouth, ask yourself whether this is going to help you or harm you with your goals. When you do this, you will truly be more aware about what you are eating, and that is how the best weight loss is achieved.