One of the most common questions that I get from people who want to lose weight is: what are the best foods for dieting?
After all, we have an obesity epidemic in this country and it’s really hard to make good choices when there are so many good-tasting but not-so-good-for-you foods out there.
It’s hard not to feel guilty if you indulge in a bowl of ice cream or eat some fries on your lunch break because you tell yourself that you can work it off later.
But that’s the key to losing weight: burning more calories than you ingest.
It’s a pretty simple concept but one that is difficult to execute in practice.
That’s why I’ve rounded up some of the best foods for dieting so that you have new options to consider when you want to lose weight.
I won’t be providing calorie or nutrition information here (you can find that in other places online).
But, I will discuss the food groups, serving sizes, and how these foods can help you achieve your weight loss goals by helping you consume fewer calories without even thinking about it!
- Veggies.
Not all veggies are created equal.
This is a generalization, but vegetables that have a high water content tend to be lower in calories and carbs.
So if you’re looking for the best foods for dieting, think about going for the green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli and romaine lettuce.
They contain high dietary fiber which can help your body to feel full longer just by eating fewer calories. 1
By contrast, veggies like celery or carrots are higher in calories and carbs.
In fact, they only have a few calories less than an equal weight of sugar!
So if you do eat them, remember to measure out a cup or half cup when you’re getting ready to cook and to limit their number in your daily diet.
The best part about these types of meals is that you can add them into your diet without really trying.
Simply adding a little spinach and kale to your lunch or dinner can boost the health factor of your meal and reduce the amount of unwanted fat that you would otherwise consume.
2. Meat and poultry.
You might think that eating meat and poultry is a big deal.
But if you don’t prepare it the right way, meat and poultry can contain more calories than fruits and vegetables.
And in most cases, eat too much of it without portion control, you’re not actually doing your body any favors by eating animals!
This type of food is high in protein which can help in weight management control as it can increase satiety and people tend to eat fewer calorie intake during their subsequent meal. 2
Most meats do contain some protein, but most people aren’t getting enough of this important nutrient in their diet because they are eating them in the wrong forms.
For starters, there is a huge difference between lean ground beef (which is low in fat) vs. red meat (which has tons of saturated fat).
3. Fish and other seafood.
Omega-3 fatty acids are the most important type of fat that you can get in your diet.
They’re essential for our brain and eye health – among many other important functions – and are found almost exclusively in fish and other seafood. 3, 4
So, simply going to the grocery store (or the fish market) and buying a serving of salmon, trout, tuna or mackerel every couple of days will be enough to get a good portion of these nutrients each day.
And it doesn’t take much!
An ounce or two is about all that you need.
4. Nuts.
This may come as a surprise to you, but nuts are a good source of protein (and low in calories) and other important nutrients like folate, copper, magnesium and fiber.
Nuts are also good sources of healthy fat which can help in lowering the cholesterol level in the body.5
So by simply enjoying them occasionally, you can reap all these benefits without making any sacrifices in the kitchen.
You don’t even have to do anything special for them to add up to your diet; just eat one or two at a time!
And always remember that the best storage option is to keep nuts and seeds in the freezer so that they stay fresh longer.
Other good foods for dieting.
Some of the other good foods for dieting that you should consider adding to your diet are lean cuts of meat, fish and poultry; low-fat dairy products like Greek yogurt; foods fortified with fiber-like wheat bread or cereal; and nuts.
These are the best types of food for you if you’re trying to lose weight – but remember that most important is how much, not just what types of food that make the difference in your efforts to shed unwanted pounds.
*important* By taking a look at your diet, you can make simple changes by replacing a few meals per week with healthy alternatives such as salads and other reduced-calorie dishes.
Now that you know the ingredients that make up the best foods for dieting, the next step is making sure that you’re using them in the right ways.
Here are some of the best ways to use them:
1. Cooking with healthy food ingredients. If you’re cooking daily, just by adding these foods into your meals and desserts, you’ll be able to reduce your caloric intake dramatically.
And if not, at least you can enjoy more of them in a reduced-calorie setting than if they were in their original form!
2. Choosing foods based on their health factor. All you have to do is choose the best foods for dieting based on the healthiness of what they are made from.
For example, a serving of chicken is better than a serving of hamburger, because chicken is lower in fat and higher in protein.
3. Making your own simple salads. Just by adding some quality foods like fresh fruits and vegetables to your salads, you’ll be able to cut down on the calories from those items – as long as you forego the dressing.
4. Setting portion control limits. If you’re eating out, it can be hard to know how much is too much of something like buttery mashed potatoes or fried chicken.
One trick that helps with this is to set a limit on how many times you can have those items in one week.
When you sit down for a meal, eat until you’re satisfied – but not stuffed or overstuffed – and then move on to the next part of your day.
5. Using low-fat options to cut calories. The trick to cutting a lot of calories from food is to use high percentages of the product, but use low percentages of the fat.
That way, you get just enough calories from the item, but not very much fat.
This works in foods like salad dressings and dips, as well as ice cream and other desserts where you’re eating only a small amount at a time.
6. Turning to low-calorie, high-fiber foods. For healthy people, fiber is a must to keep your body from absorbing calories, but it also keeps you full. 6
For instance, whole wheat pasta counts as a high-fiber food, but not very many calories.
Similarly, if you’re on a diet and need to cut down on carbs or find alternatives for starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, you may want to use beans instead of these items when they’re in season.
7. Adding healthier fat options to foods you normally eat. If you’re trying to cut back on the amount of fat in your diet, try adding a low-fat dressing to steamed veggies instead of liberally pouring oil-based dressing over them.
A little bit of fat is good for your body, but too much can be dangerous to your health.
8. Using small amounts of low-fat or nonfat items in place of higher-fat versions. These can be in salads, as a spread for bread or crackers, and even as a beverage to substitute for sodas like cola and fruit punch.
Another way to cut back on calories is by reducing the amount of sugar or syrup you use when making pastries like cookies and cakes.
You can also reduce the amount of sugar you add to canned peaches and pickles.
Finally, think twice before you reach for that extra container of chocolate milk in the lunchroom.
It probably contains more fat and sugar than your child needs.
Making healthy choices is a lifestyle change that takes commitment, but it’s one that’s entirely worth it in the end.
Instead of a marathon, consider your weekly run a sprint, and you can get to where you want to be much faster—without having to worry about what to eat next.
References:
- Al Hammadi, E. (2017). Effects of dietary fiber intake on body weight and waist circumference. Arab Journal of Nutrition and Exercise (AJNE), 1(2), 77. https://doi.org/10.18502/ajne.v1i2.1225
- Te Morenga L, Mann J. The role of high-protein diets in body weight management and health. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108 Suppl 2:S130-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512002437. PMID: 23107524.
- Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2012, Vol.53, 2256-2265. doi:https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.11-8569
- Reimers, A., & Ljung, H. (2019). The emerging role of omega-3 fatty acids as a therapeutic option in neuropsychiatric disorders. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 9, 2045125319858901. https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125319858901
- Del Gobbo LC, Falk MC, Feldman R, Lewis K, Mozaffarian D. Effects of tree nuts on blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure: systematic review, meta-analysis, and dose-response of 61 controlled intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2015;102:1347–56
- Burton-Freeman B. Dietary fiber and energy regulation. J Nutr. 2000 Feb;130(2S Suppl):272S-275S. doi: 10.1093/jn/130.2.272S. PMID: 10721886.