4 Types Of Foods To Eat And Avoid That Will Help You Lose Weight
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If you are trying to get rid of some extra weight, you might assume that the easiest solution is to burn more calories than you take in. Unfortunately, weight loss is not always that simple. There is more to weight loss than simply cutting back on your caloric intake.
Along with cutting calories, some people try to remove fat from their diet, limit their intake of carbohydrates, or eat more protein. Some people try to exercise to lose weight, without making changes to their diet. It turns out that all of these methods could be ineffective and unhealthy for weight loss.
What Is The Healthiest Way To Lose Weight?
Instead of counting calories, you should focus on two parts of your life—eating a wholesome diet and getting regular exercise. You can exercise your way out of a bad diet, but regular exercise can help you build muscle and boost your metabolism, which will help with your weight loss goals.
While exercise is important, you also need to watch what you eat. This does not mean counting calories. By eating certain foods and avoiding others, you can start losing weight. Learn how to eat yourself thin with these 4 foods that will actually help you lose weight—plus 4 foods that you should avoid.
1. AVOID: Processed Foods
It can be difficult to completely cut processed foods from your diet, especially if you are used to eating a diet that revolves around processed foods. Processed foods include anything that has gone through some form of processing. Essentially, anything on the grocery store shelves that is not whole or organic is processed.
Processed food tends to have more sugar and potentially unhealthy additives. Additives are often used to increase shelf life or add flavor to a food, but they can be harmful to your health.
INSTEAD EAT: Whole Fruits and Vegetables
The healthiest food is the food that Mother Nature gives us. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be a major part of your diet. They contain vitamins and minerals that can boost your metabolism, improve cardiovascular health, and provide other benefits that could assist your weight loss. There are so many ways to incorporate more produce into your diet.
2. AVOID: Sweeteners
Sweeteners serve no purpose when it comes to your health. In fact, artificial sweeteners can actually trick your body into storing additional fat. Studies have shown that using artificial sweeteners does not help people avoid sugar cravings—these studies actually showed the opposite. Using sweeteners can lead to unhealthy eating.
INSTEAD EAT: Natural Sweeteners
If you are looking for a replacement for your sweeteners, then try using raw honey or other natural sweeteners. Raw honey has a sweet taste that can be used in coffee, tea, and any meal that requires a moderate amount of sugar. It is also a great source of antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. Look at other natural options that don’t contribute to weight gain.
3. AVOID: Meats From Confined Animal Feeding Operations
Meat can be beneficial for your health, providing you with a complete source of protein. While meat can be healthy, meat from animals that have been grown in a confined animal feeding operation tends to contain potentially harmful substances. This is due to the genetically modified grains that are often fed to the animals, and the way the animals are raised.
INSTEAD EAT: Organic Grass-Fed Meats
Instead of eating the meat typically available at your local grocery store, look for meats from grass-fed animals. These organic meats come from animals that have been fed the natural grass. Wild-caught fish can also fall into the organic meat category.
When you eat organic meats you know that you are not receiving any of the harmful substances found in non-organic meats.
4. AVOID: Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as vegetable oil, margarine, canola oil, corn oil, and soy oils contain a lot of transfats. Transfats are artificially created fats that have no nutritional value and can hinder your weight loss goals. In some countries, transfats have been completely banned.
INSTEAD EAT: Healthy Oils
You should never completely cut fat from your diet. There are plenty of healthy sources of fat, such as healthy cooking oils. Olive oil and coconut oil are great replacements for vegetable oil or corn oil. Read more about cooking oil.
Time Your Meals To Boost Weight Loss
In addition to eating the right foods, timing your meals could be just as important. Recent studies suggest that eating meals throughout the day can increase your risk of obesity and diabetes. Researchers believe that intermittent fasting may be a healthier solution.
What is intermittent fasting? This typically refers to short periods of fasting, where you do not consume any solids. When it comes to timing your meals, try to limit your meal times to a short window during the day. Choose a six to eight-hour timeframe during the day to consume two or three meals.
Losing weight is not always easy. There are many obstacles that typically stand in your way. With so much information available online, it can be hard to choose which options are best for your situation. It may be best to throw out everything you know and focus on two things—a healthy wholesome diet and regular exercise.
If you are having trouble deciding which foods you should eat and which ones you should avoid, use the recommendations provided. You do not need to make major changes to your diet immediately. In fact, you have a better chance of weight loss success if you make gradual changes to your diet.
Sources:
https://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2015/11/06/diet-exercise-calories.aspx
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