Diet Menu : What to Eat to Lose Weight

This question keeps coming back. Who wouldn’t like to combine the useful with the enjoyable – that is to say, eating without depriving yourself while still losing weight? Dietitians have pondered this issue and provided us with answers that point us in the right direction. Generally speaking, it’s best to break our meals or snacks up to ensure that our body has a regular intake to prevent our blood sugar levels from falling. The two watchwords, therefore, are: avoid eating too much and eat regularly. However, you shouldn’t neglect physical activity either!

A diet based on clear principles

The key to everything: motivation and a healthy diet! When starting a diet, it’s best to be open to preparing food that will contribute to your success.

Don’t deprive yourself. Instead, choose nutritious foods and get moving! Remember that a balanced diet and a little working out will improve your metabolism. Between breakfast and dinner, you’ll burn all your calories from the day. In the evening, therefore, opt for light meals, since you’re less active at night! Vegetables and legumes, such as chickpeas or lentils, which are sources of protein and fibre and high in antioxidants, red kidney beans or black beans, and quinoa are ideal. Prepare soups or – better yet – broths.

If you struggle to go without meat, choose lean meats, such as chicken or turkey. Make varied salads for yourself, focusing on dark leafy greens, which have more nutrients, and peppermint, which suppresses your appetite. However, pay attention to the dressings, which should remain light and absorbed in small quantities.

While dried fruits are good for your health and your diet, it’s best to avoid them at night, as they’re too rich. Vanilla is also an appetite suppressant. A vanilla-scented candle or infusion will dissuade you from snacking on sweets after meals!

Low-calorie foods with high nutritional value

As for drinks, green tea is recognized as a fat burner. That’s not its only asset. Low in calories and high in fibre, it’s also an antioxidant. In addition, it contains catechins, which burn fat and make it a diet partner of choice. Drink 4 to 6 cups a day and go for a walk. You’ll be amazed!

Certain foods are also success factors in your weight loss endeavour.

• Grains such as oats and barley, if they’re whole grains, are a perfect accompaniment to losing weight. Dietitians recommend three portions of these per day. Along the same lines, flax seeds, which are high in lignans, garlic, dried apricot, sunflower seeds, and pistachios reduce body mass.
• Low-fat dairy products provide you with calcium, a necessary and essential nutrient. If your calcium levels are low, your body will tend to retain fat so you don’t lose it. A good calcium intake is an appropriate response to the cells in your body.
• Fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, peppers, onions, and leeks promote energy expenditure, much like green tea. Bursting with flavonoids, they effectively burn fat. Bananas are another appealing fruit due to their high potassium and carbohydrate content, which promotes energy, and their fibre, which suppresses the appetite. It’s also a good antioxidant.
• Fatty fish, especially sardines, help melt away fat. Excellent for your health, they’re high in vitamins B12 and D (eat the thin edges!) and omega-3 fatty acids, but low in calories. They help cover a good portion of your energy needs. Salmon, mackerel, and tuna also help reduce body fat while filling you up.
• Contrary to all expectations, dried fruits such as dried apricots and sources of protein such as almonds and walnuts promote the elimination of fat! They’re high in fibre, but should nevertheless be consumed in small quantities.
• Finally, eggs help protect your muscle mass thanks to their protein content. They also promote weight loss while filling you up.

Don’t punish yourself with overly strict diets. The better you eat, the more weight you’ll lose!