Losing weight can seem daunting, but making simple changes to your daily diet can have a big impact. The key is to focus on eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods that keep you full and satisfied. Here are some tips on what to eat everyday to support weight loss.
Eat Plenty of Vegetables
Vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients. Loading up on veggies at every meal can help you cut calories without feeling deprived. Aim for at least 2-3 servings with each meal. Some easy options include:
- Salads with leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc.
- Roasted or steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc.
- Asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts as a side dish
Going heavy on non-starchy veggies like spinach, kale, tomatoes, cabbage, and mushrooms can provide bulk to meals without weighing you down.
Eat Lean Protein with Every Meal
Protein takes longer to digest, leaving you feeling full for longer. Getting sufficient protein also helps preserve metabolism-boosting muscle when losing weight.Aim for about 0.5-0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Great lean protein sources include:
- Chicken or turkey breast
- Fish like salmon, tuna, tilapia
- Lean cuts of beef or pork
- Tofu, tempeh, edamame
- Eggs
- Low-fat dairy products
A protein serving at each meal stabilizes blood sugar and keeps hunger at bay. Add protein foods to salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, and sides.
Choose Whole Grains
Refined grains like white bread and white pasta are digested quickly, leading to spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Whole grains like whole wheat, quinoa, brown rice, and oats contain more fiber to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Aim to make at least half your grain servings whole grain. Swap out:
- White bread for whole grain toast or sandwich bread
- White pasta for brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta
- White rice for brown or wild rice
Whole grains provide important nutrients and take longer to digest to keep hunger pangs away.
Include Healthy Fats
Not all fats are created equal. In fact, healthy fats play an important role in a balanced diet and can support weight loss. The key is choosing unsaturated, plant-based fats over saturated animal fats. Fill up on:
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans
- Nut butters
- Oily fish like salmon
- Seeds like chia and flax
Healthy fats improve satiety, reduce inflammation, and are linked to better heart health. Use them for cooking, add nuts/seeds to meals and snacks, and eat avocado daily.
Hydrate with Water
Drinking enough water supports a healthy metabolism, and also helps reduce hunger and cravings. Set a goal to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. More if you are very active. Tips for downing more H2O:
- Carry a water bottle and sip throughout the day
- Choose water with meals instead of sugary drinks
- Opt for water when thirst strikes
- Add lemon, mint, cucumber to add flavor
- Set alerts to remember to drink water
Proper hydration will give you more energy, improve digestion, and keep the munchies away.
Load Up on Fiber
Fiber moves slowly through the body undigested, helping promote fullness and healthy digestion. Get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in your diet. Great ways to pack more in:
- Eat fiber-rich veggies like Brussels sprouts, artichokes, peas
- Enjoy berries, pears, apples, bananas with the skin on
- Snack on nuts, seeds, popcorn
- Eat beans and lentils
- Choose whole grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice
- Enjoy chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans
Fiber helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut linked to weight management. It also helps regulate blood sugar and digestion for better all-day energy.
Spice It Up
Herbs, spices, vinegars, garlic and chili peppers can make your meals pop with flavor – with minimal calories. Some tasty ways to jazz up meals:
- Add turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon to lean proteins
- Use herbs like oregano, basil, parsley generously in cooking
- Top salads with vinegar-based dressings
- Flavor veggies with garlic, chili flakes, lemon juice
- Make chili, curry dishes with metabolism-boosting spices
Punching up the flavor helps you cut back on high-calorie condiments, salts, and sauces without sacrificing satisfaction.
Mind Portion Sizes
Controlling portions is key to cutting calorie intake. Some helpful strategies include:
- Measure portions – use measuring cups and scales for accuracy
- Use smaller plates – filling a smaller plate looks like a fuller meal
- Portion proteins – limit to about the size of your palm
- Read labels – be mindful of calorie counts and serving sizes
- Eat slowly – it takes time for the brain to register fullness
With portion control, you can enjoy all foods in moderation – just scale back the amounts. This takes the deprivation out of weight loss.
Limit Added Sugars
It’s smart to cut back on sugar to drop unwanted pounds. Skip beverages like soda, juices, and sweetened coffees and teas. Instead, quench your thirst with water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee. Read labels to avoid packaged snacks and desserts with added sugars. Limit yourself to small indulgences.
Reducing sugary treats helps regulate blood sugar highs and crashes, curb cravings, and trim calories.
Don’t Drink Your Calories
What you drink can really tip the calorie scales. Steer clear of sugary sodas, juices, blended coffees, sweetened teas, and alcohol. Stick with water as your go-to beverage and add slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or mint for flavor. If you crave something fizzy, try sparkling water. Not only will you slash calories, but staying hydrated with water helps reduce hunger as well.
Cutting out empty liquid calories is one of the fastest ways to lean out.
Eat Mindfully
How you eat is just as important as what you eat. Instead of multitasking through meals, make an effort to eat slowly and mindfully. Chew each bite thoroughly. Put down your fork between bites. Notice the taste, textures, smells, and your satisfaction. Using all your senses allows you to enjoy your food more and often eat less. Being more mindful when eating also prevents overeating and emotional eating.
Bringing awareness to your eating habits is incredibly powerful for controlling portions.
Get Enough Sleep
Skimping on sleep can throw hunger hormones out of balance. After a poor night’s sleep, the hunger hormone ghrelin increases and the satiety hormone leptin drops off. This combo spells trouble for cravings and overeating. Make sleep a priority aiming for 7-9 hours per night. Maintain a consistent bedtime routine falling asleep and waking up around the same time, even on weekends. Getting your zzz’s helps regulate appetite and metabolism for improved weight control.
Reduce Stress
High stress levels can take a toll on your waistline. The stress hormone cortisol signals the body to store more fat especially in the belly area. To help relieve stress and anxiety, try tools like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, journaling, and aromatherapy. Getting plenty of social support and good sleep also helps reduce stress.
Keeping stress under control will help take body fat and weight down.
Move Your Body
Regular exercise paired with a healthy diet is the most effective strategy for weight loss and maintenance. Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate activity like brisk walking each week. Strength training counts too. Manageable amounts of activity throughout the day like taking the stairs, walking breaks, or even fidgeting can also impact weight and health.
Moving your body every day boosts calorie burn, builds metabolism-revving muscle, and triggers important brain chemicals that suppress appetite.
Weigh Yourself Regularly
It’s important to monitor your progress to know if your everyday diet is working. Aim to weigh yourself once a week or so. Weighing daily can cause discouragement due to normal fluctuations. Don’t obsess over the scale, but use it as one gauge of progress towards your goals along with how your clothes fit, energy levels, and health markers. This allows you to adjust your eating habits as needed to keep losing.
Make Small, Simple Changes
The best way to stick to a new eating pattern long-term is to make small but impactful changes. Trying radical complicated diets often backfires. Shift your diet gradually using these simple tips:
- Drink water before meals
- Fill half your plate with vegetables
- Measure snacks and cereals into single servings
- Walk or stretch during TV commercials
- Eat off smaller plates and bowls
- Skip the elevator and take the stairs
Making just a few modest modifications creates results that last over the long-haul.
Find an Eating Buddy
Having social support on your weight loss journey is critical. Team up with a friend, partner or family member who also wants to lose weight. You can encourage and motivate each other, share tips, meal plan, and work out together. Having someone to pursue health goals with makes the process so much more rewarding. It’s also key to have support when facing challenges like cravings, setbacks and plateaus. Never underestimate the power of a buddy!
Keep Motivating Yourself
It takes continued motivation and commitment to stick to any eating plan long enough to see results. When self-motivation wanes, use strategies to light your own fire. Remind yourself of your “why” – your reasons for wanting weight loss. Also focus on how terrific you’ll feel being lighter and healthier. Surround yourself with inspirational quotes, photos, and refrigerator notes. Recruit friends and family to cheer you on. Celebrate small milestones.
Staying motivated is what drives you to keep making the eating and lifestyle choices that fuel weight loss success.
Be Prepared
Failing to plan means planning to fail, especially when it comes to healthy eating. Stock your kitchen with healthy grab-and-go options like cut veggies, hummus, hard boiled eggs, nuts, plain yogurt, and fresh fruit. Carry energy bars or shakes for emergencies. Meal prep your lunches to bring to work. Planning ahead takes the guesswork out of what to eat each day and prevents less healthy spontaneous choices.
Allow Occasional Indulgences
Depriving yourself completely sets you up for failure. Allow yourself small treats occasionally like a glass of wine, piece of dark chocolate, bowl of ice cream, or chips and guacamole. Just practice moderation. When you know you can fit in little indulgences in balance, it’s easier to stick with mostly healthy choices and drop pounds.
Track Your Food Intake
One of the most effective strategies for weight loss is tracking your calories and nutrients. Download a food tracking app or use a food journal. Log what you eat and drink throughout the day to keep yourself accountable. Seeing your intake in black and white helps rein in overeating. Look for nutrient-dense foods within your calorie allotment. If weight loss stalls, reassess your food logs to adjust portions or calories. Tracking is essential.
Conclusion
Making smart food choices on a daily basis is the surest way to lose weight and keep it off. Fill up on fiber and protein foods. Hydrate with water. Monitor portions. Spice up flavor to cut calories, not taste. Manage stress and get enough sleep. And be sure to move your body every day. Adopting healthy eating habits you can maintain for life is key for long-term weight loss success.
