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It may come as a surprise, but eating certain foods can actually have a profound effect on the success of your weight loss journey, even more than depriving yourself of calories. Just as certain foods can expedite weight gain such as sugar and highly refined carbohydrates, others are actually able to provide your body with a natural metabolism boost which can help to fight back against inflammation and allow you to lose weight with ease over time.
While it’s not possible to target specific areas of the body to lose weight from, promoting full-body weight loss can help you to slim down overall so that you can feel better in your body as you continue to eat the foods you love. Next time you’re building your grocery list, these are the four essential foods you should be including in your cart for full body weight loss without depriving yourself–health expert approved.
Whole Grains
High in fiber to help increase satiety and limit overeating throughout the day, including grains such as oats and whole wheat pasta and bread in your diet can be a great way to consume carbs without overdoing it on calories and sugar. Carbs often get a bad rap for being the cause of weight gain, but this is actually far from the truth and they can make a valuable addition to your diet even as you work to lose weight.
Mayo Clinic reports, “Compared with other types of grains, whole grains are better sources of fiber and other important nutrients, such as B vitamins, iron, folate, selenium, potassium and magnesium. Whole grains are either single foods, such as brown rice and popcorn, or ingredients in products, such as buckwheat in pancakes or whole-wheat flour in bread.” Instead of cutting carbs from your diet all together, make swaps to include more whole grain items and you’ll enjoy healthy weight loss in no time.
Berries
Antioxidants are essential for beating inflammation and bloat while also boosting your metabolism to make your body more efficient at burning fat. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are all great options to satisfy your sweet tooth naturally while improving your chances of weight loss, so throw a handful in your morning oats and you have a metabolism boosting dish that will keep you full for hours. “The antioxidants found in these berries help burn fat, prevent it from forming and boost workout benefits by increasing blood flow,” says nutritionist Shanda Sullivan. Smoothies are another great way to include ample berries in your diet in order to achieve healthy weight loss.
Salmon
Including a variety of lean protein in your diet each day is essential for full-body weight loss, and salmon is one of the best for providing healthy fat as well. “A 3-ounce serving of salmon provides about 40 percent of daily protein needs in about 150 calories. And research suggests
that omega-3s may not only help with brain and heart health but may also help promote belly fat loss,” explains registered dietitian Rima Kleiner, MS, RD. “Up your protein and omega-3 intake by adding grilled salmon to your salad. Plus, those healthy fats help you better absorb those fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A and K in your veggies.”
Avocado
Another great source of healthy fat, avocado is one of the best foods to include in your day to day diet for effortless weight loss. Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals, but avocado is also rich in fiber, boosting your metabolism and keeping you full for longer after eating. While avocado can be high in calories and should be eaten in moderation (typically 1/2 per day is plenty), adding this fruit to toast or a salad is a great way to keep you satisfied and allow you to lose weight easily. “Avocados are low in carbs and a great source of fiber. Each serving contains only 9 grams of carbs, 7 of which come from fiber,” reports Healthline. With ample fiber, your digestion will thank you for adding more avocado into your diet.
