When searching for the optimal diet plan to lose weight, make sure it suits both your lifestyle and tastes, while taking into account any health goals that need to be accomplished.
Popular diets include the Mediterranean Diet, Weight Watchers’ (WW), DASH Diet and Flexitarianism; each has been demonstrated to help people shed excess pounds while simultaneously improving overall health.
Eat More Veggies
Many veggies are naturally low-cal, packed with filling fiber that can help curb appetite. Plus, many vegetables boast high water contents which add volume and satiation, according to dietician Yulia Brockdorf.
Add as many vegetables as you can into your diet by increasing vegetable portions at mealtime and snack time.
Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are rich in both fiber and protein while being relatively low-cal. Plus they contain indole-3-carbinol which may assist with fat-burning!
Mushrooms are another power food packed with the protein shiitake, which has been shown to promote weight loss by increasing metabolism and decreasing belly fat. You can enjoy them roasted, grilled or sauteed.
Eat More Lean Protein
Protein can help lower harmful fat accumulations while keeping you full and increasing metabolism. A diet rich in lean proteins typically includes nutrient-rich vegetables, berries and whole grains along with servings of lean proteins at each meal and some low-fat snacks like nuts, Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese or small portions of low-fat string cheese as snacks.
Choose lean proteins trimmed of excess fat, such as skinless chicken breast or white-fleshed fish (tilapia, cod and flounder). Eggs are another good choice and offer high-quality sources of protein at minimal calorie and cholesterol intake, according to Kleiner. Studies indicate that diets rich in protein may help people feel more satisfied after meals while helping with weight loss by curbing appetite control; additionally, digested proteins take longer than other food to break down and can prevent sudden blood sugar spikes while helping build and maintain muscle mass over time.
Eat More Healthy Fats
Diets that focus on restricting fat can help people shed excess pounds quickly, but recent research indicates that diets rich in healthy fats may also help people shed excess weight quickly and sustainably. Focus on eating more unsaturated fats such as olive oil, nuts and avocado while cutting back on saturated fats found in red meat, fatty cheeses, processed dairy products, doughnuts or frozen pizzas. Replace mayonnaise on sandwiches and salads with mashed avocado, and drizzle olive oil onto veggie-based dishes instead of butter. Consider switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet at least a couple nights per week; even better is to adopt a flexible vegetarian plan which permits fish. These diets tend to offer greater nutrition than their standard American counterparts.
