When trying to lose weight, there’s an 80/20 rule. 80% of losing weight is about what you eat while 20% is about exercise. However, that doesn’t mean you have to completely restrict your diet. It is important to control your cravings and up your vegetable, fruit and grain intake. Have a look at our list to see which foods can help you through those crazy cravings and fight your belly-fat.
1) Avocados:
One avocado contains 10 grams of healthy mono-saturated fats, which stop the blood sugar spikes that tell your body to store fat around your midsection. They also absorb cancer-fighting compounds and absorb carotenoids that are bad for you. Not only are they delicious, but they are several healthy ways to eat avocados ranging from dark chocolate avocado cookies or mousse to avocado and chicken salad.
2) Bananas:
Banana is a great superfood addition to any diet that leaves you feeling lighter and healthier. They contain many essential vitamins and nutrients to keep your body in shape and can easily be eaten in overnight oats, pancakes or even smoothies, if not raw.
3) Berries:
Berries are low in calories, full of nutrients and even promote cardiovascular health. Plus, they taste great! You can always have berries in a smoothie, a popsicle, or even with just yogurt (which is also great for weight loss, BTW!).
4) Green Tea:
Just three cups a day can improve your metabolism and burn around 30 calories. While there may not be many different ways to drink green tea, you can always buy flavoured versions, or make your own at home.
5) Almonds:
Almonds can help lower your cholesterol levels and keep you slim while containing lesser calories compared to other nut varieties. You are more likely to lose weight with a daily serving of almonds on a low-calorie diet lost compared to people on the same low-calorie diet eating carb-heavy snacks such as crackers. Almonds can be added to your yogurt, as a nut butter, in your oatmeal, or as a chips or flour replacement!
6) Apples:
An ingredient in apples, called pectin, naturally slow down digestion, leaving you fuller for a longer period of time. A whole apple with a meal is a natural appetite suppressant, leaving you consuming lesser calories. Apples are best eaten with peanut butter, in smoothies, or by dehydrating them into chips.
7) Lean Proteins:
Proteins are extremely important for your diet as eating too little protein can cause you to have too much body fat. To feel full without adding a lot of saturated fat, opt for lean proteins like chicken, turkey, or 97% lean ground beef. There are several ways to eat proteins such as grilling them, skewering them, having them in sandwiches, zoodles, etc.
