Best Foods to Eat for Weight Loss

When you are trying to slim down it is often said that 20% of your results will come from exercise and the other 80% is the result of what you eat. Therefore it is obvious that food plays an important role in weight loss. If you are wondering what foods you should eat, start by first eliminating artificial and processed foods from your diet. After you take this step you should aim to eat foods that promote weight loss. So, what are these foods?

​Related: Meal and Diet Tips for Weight Loss

Foods that Boost Metabolism

Green Tea: Green tea is one of the most popular ingredients in natural weight loss supplements and detoxes. The reason being is that green tea is rich in ECGC and flavonoids. Both of these are powerful antioxidants that will help increase the metabolism

Related: Best Teas to Drink for Weight Loss​

Almonds: Nuts and seeds are a great source of protein and healthy fats. Almonds in particular are high in fatty acids and fiber. Unlike other nuts, these are higher in natural fat content. Your body will use this fat as a source of energy, increasing your body's fat burning potential and cause your metabolism to start looking for more types of fat it can burn.

Grapefruit: High in vitamin C but it also has another powerful property. Grapefruit will help your body stop producing too much insulin. In turn, this will reduce your chances of storing food in the form of fat. Grapefruit is made up of 90% water which can make you feel fuller.

Beans: Beans are a great natural source of lean protein. Unlike meats, this source of protein it wont give you access fats that come from eating animal meats. Your body will also have to work harder to break down and digest beans meaning it will use up more energy and burn more calories.

Turkey: Since we are on the topic of lean protein it would be beneficial to include turkey in the list. Turkey is very high in protein that is essential to building lean muscles. Muscles use more energy to maintain meaning as your muscle mass increases your body will be using more calories 24/7 to maintain them. Turkey meat contains more protein than chicken meat and it is also packed with folic acid, vitamin B, and zinc.  

Apples: Apples are great diet foods. They are full of nutrients and adding them to your diet can also help keep fat away. Green apples are the best choice because they are lower in sugar content than other apples. Green apples can boost your metabolism and even prevent hunger cravings. Apples are a low calorie food that is packed with dietary fiber and overall promotes better health.

Oats: Oats are a source of good carbohydrates. These carbohydrates help release a hormone known as serotonin. Serotonin is know to help the body relax and burn fat. ​

Broccoli: Metabolism boosting nutrients that are found in this veggie are vitamin C and calcium. Vitamin C can help the body become a better absorber of calcium and calcium can help your body burn fat more efficiently. ​Another metabolism boosting nutrient is chlorophyll and this is also found in broccoli.

Chili Peppers: This spicy food ​is great for your metabolism. They contain capsaicin which will help your body continue to burn calories even after you've eaten them. Another spicy pepper that gives you a metabolic boost is cayenne pepper. Capsaicin will speed up your metabolism and boost your energy.

Yogurt: Greek yogurt is your best option because it is high in protein and calcium. I've already mentioned that calcium is great for the metabolism. Yogurt also takes your body a while to digest, burning more calories in the effort. ​

Blueberries: This powerful berry is very high in antioxidants and vitamin C, increasing your metabolic rate. ​Blueberries are also high in fiber and can keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time.

Salmon: This fish in high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. It is also a food that is low in saturated fats. ​

Spinach: This is a great veggie that is packed with important vitamins and minerals. It will speed up your fat burning rate. ​

Pomegranates: This fruit is high in antioxidants, folic acid, fiber and are low in calories. ​

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene which can accelerate the fat burning process. ​

Related: How to Lose Belly Fat​

​These foods listed above are great to help you lose weight. Fruits and vegetables should be a high percentage of your diet. Here is a quick reference guide to when certain fruits and veggies are in season.

SPRING

• Apricots
• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Grapefruit
• Green onions
• Leeks

• Mint
• Mushrooms
• Parsley
• Spiniach
• Strawberries
• Lemons
• Lettuce

SUMMER

• Apples
• Avocado
• Basil
• Bell Peppers
• Berries
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Cherries

• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Mangos
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pineapples
• Tomatos

FALL

• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Chiles
• Cranberries
• Grapes

WINTER

• Avocados
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Citrus
• Clementines
• Garlic
• Kiwi

• Mandarins
• Onions
• Pears
• Sweet potatos
• Turnips

Foods Most Effective at Burning Fat

Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein and increasing your intake of eggs can help aid weight loss efforts. Eggs are unique because they contain all nine essential amino acids that are needed by the body in order to build up lean muscle tissue.

Whole gains: These are the good type of carb to consume. They are more difficult to digest and will provide you with a longer release of energy. Your body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole gain foods. This is especually type in foods that are also rich in fiber. Examples include oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice

Avocado: Avocado is a food that is a healthy source of fat, but this is the good type of fat and the type of fat in this food will help increase your fat burning potential. It stimulates fat burning by releasing monounsaturated fat, pumping up the cell membranes.

Peanuts: These are another nut that has fat burning properties and a health source of good fat. ​

Honey: This natural sweetener has a number of health promoting properties but it also is effective in reducing calories. Honey uses the extra fat deposits in your body and uses it as energy. ​

Lean Meats: Lean meats activate a thermogenic effect in the body. They can help you burn about 30% of the calories during digestion. ​

Foods to Curb Appetite

Often times you might find yourself craving foods or feeling hungry when you know you shouldn't be. Here is a quick list of great snacks that are healthy and will help curb your appetite!  

• Bananas
• Oranges
• Yogurt
• Popcorn
• Almonds
• Oatmeal
• Grapes
• Watermelon
• Carrots
• Sunflower seeds

• Protein Bars
• Hummus
• Peppermint tea
• Yogurt
• Pears

Bonus: Foods to Boost Your Mood

Did you know that the foods you eat are also responsible for your mood and how you feel. Here is a quick reference list of foods you can eat to improve you mood:

• Corn: Naturally improves mood with it's high content of vitamin B1
• Cantaloupe: Has carotene which can promote long-lasting positive feelings
• Asparagus: Contains the mood boosting chemical of serotonin
• Oranges: Vitamin C triggers increases in energy
• Almonds: good source of tyrosine which stimulate good feelings
• Spinach: The folic acid in this veggie can help improve your mood
• Salmon: Omega-3 in salmon can help prevent mood swings
• Avocado: also contains serotonin
• Green tea: contains theanine which has calming properties
• Strawberries: This berry can reduce stress since it contains anthocyanines
• Tomatos: have the chemical lycopene which has been shown to reduce irritation
• Pineapples: boosts energy with it's vitamin B and thiamin content
• Dark Chocolate: triggers the body to release serotonin

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