One of the biggest obstacles on the journey to weight loss is people’s problem with overeating. This usually happens because we tend to eat faster than our brains can process, which means that instead of feeling full as we should, we don’t feel full because our brains have not processed the fact that we have eaten. Therefore we end up feeling hungry again.
So in order to combat this problem, one of the best things you can do is to eat foods that require more time to chew and digest. This will cause you to have to slow down when you eat allowing your body and brain the chance to process the fact that you are eating and send your body a signal when the hunger has been satisfied. So with that in mind, the following are 5 foods that can help you to lose weight!
H20
Many times we think we are hungry when our body is actually telling us that it is thirsty. Drinking an ample amount of water each day will limit our thirst and help to keep us from making the mistake that we are hungry when water is actually what our body craves. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day should help keep your body hydrated and eliminate those false hunger pangs.
Salads
Salads are a great and healthy meal choice. They are full of all the fresh vegetables that you need and they take a really long time to chew up which is first on our list of objectives. You should include any combination of carrots, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, nuts, and more in your salad. Salads also have plenty of fiber and vitamins so you really get a big bang for your buck with salads.
It is important to note though that many salad dressing are high in calories so this type of salad is best eaten using a little lemon juice for dressing.
Oranges
Oranges provide natural and needed vitamins to your body while only containing about 50 calories per orange. Peeling an orange and eating it is a slow process that allows your body to recognize when it is satisfied therefore helping you to indulge a hunger pang without overeating.
Broccoli
Broccoli has a high concentration of vitamins and minerals that your body really needs to be healthy. Broccoli, whether raw or cooked, takes a little more effort to chew which is why it is included here on the list. It’s also a great source of iron and fiber.
Chocolate Candy Bars
You may be wondering how on earth chocolate made it on to the list but the truth is that hard chocolate bars ( like the kind you can refrigerate), can take a longer time to chew and will help you to satisfy your sweet tooth. Have an occasional 20 gram chocolate bar and see what it can do for you.
No one is suggesting that these 5 foods are all you should eat when dieting. Maintaining a healthy diet that includes all food groups is your best chance of success. However, including these foods as part of a healthy diet will help you eat less and therefore lose weight easier.
Cliff Pape is a Houston Personal Trainer who has helped hundreds of people in the Houston area to lose weight and stay in shape. He recommends changing your eating habits to diets like Medifast to help improve the results of any workout.
