The goods news is there are plenty of incredible food options that are loaded with protein, vitamins, and minerals, and won’t cause weight gain. Rely on fat-burning carbs or ingredients like these four low-carb foods you should start eating this week to lose weight by spring, according to experts.
It’s important to take your time when you’re trying to lose weight and not to rush and drop too much weight at once. Crash dieting and skipping meals is the opposite of healthy and will only result in you feeling less than your best and yo-yo-ing right back once you begin eating your regular meals and snacks again. A much better way to go is to adopt more healthy, low-carb foods into your diet — like these four foods that dietitians and nutritionists recommend for healthy weight loss.
FISH: UnityPoint Health dietitian Elaine Kay Mitchell, MPH, RD/LD, CDE told LiveWell she recommends two serving of four ounces or one serving of eight ounces of fish each week for optimum health. Why? Because fish is a low-carb food that can lower triglycerides, blood pressure, the risks of heart disease and stroke, and inflammation, which is associated with disease and weight gain.
The best fish to eat are those that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids: salmon, sardines, tuna, and trout are among them. But, if you have to choose just one fish to eat, salmon wins by a mile. “Most people I see with diabetes diabetes have heard me strongly suggest salmon be part of their diet once a week because salmon nutrition helps in the prevention of macular degeneration,” Mitchell told LiveWell.
EGGS: There’s bona fide amazing research that supports the idea that eating more eggs can help you lose weight. According to a study published by the International Journal of Obesity, people on diets who ate two eggs for breakfast for five days out of the week lost 65 percent more weight than those who consumed bagels. One egg contains just 78 calories and 0.6 grams of carbohydrates — plus plenty of vitamins and minerals like B-12 and selenium.
LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES: The more research behind our food choices and their links to weight loss, the better. According to one Australian study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating five daily servings of vegetables — with leafy greens topping the chart as the most healthy — results in more weight loss. The best leafy greens that can accomplish this feat include kale, broccoli, Bok choy, and Swiss chard. If you can’t imagine eating five servings, try incorporating them into healthy smoothies, shakes, and fresh juice blends.
NUTS: We’ve come a long way from the days of believing nuts were bad for us just because they are high in fat. The truth is: this healthy food contains a wealth of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals that help burn fat — fast. When it comes to picking and choosing the healthiest nuts, Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, director of Tufts’ HNRCA Antioxidants Research Laboratory told Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy that you needn’t just stick to almonds (though you should definitely keep a few almonds on hand at all times).
“While there are differences between nuts, such as the relative amount of mono- versus polyunsaturated fatty acids or their different forms of vitamin E, their similarities are more important,” Blumberg said. “These include being rich in good fats (and, thus calories, too), protein and fiber and vitamin E and low in carbs. Dietary variety is always better than monotony, to achieve a broader array of nutrients and phytochemicals, but the overall evidence is that nuts (and most people eat mixed nuts) are good, so you can continue to eat your favorite(s) if you wish.”
Losing weight can be a frustrating experience. Add these low-carb foods to your daily and weekly diet plan and keep your other ingredient choices as natural as possible. With regular exercise, plenty of protein, and fewer processed and sugary foods as your staple diet choices you’ll drop weight fast and will feel healthier.