Feeling hungry? There are plenty of foods you can eat that won't pile on the pounds
Exercising
and getting good amounts of sleep are great shortcuts to weightloss and
living a healthy lifestyle. Though certain foods can also aid in the
process, they work by speeding up your metabolism and giving your body
all the nutritious benefits it needs. The super foods below are ones to
add in your diet and are sure to give you that extra push in your
fitness goals.
Fruit and veg
Fruit and vegetables are unlimited and great sources of
vitamins and potassium, it can prevent any digestion problems and help
maintain a healthy gut. Fruit and vegetables are also low energy foods,
so you can plenty of it without consuming too many calories, as they are
also high in water.(When it comes to vegetables such as white potatoes,
which have a high content in starch, don’t fill up too much on these –
swap for them for antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes or legumes such as
kidney beans, lentils... for healthy good carbs).
Popcorn
Popcorn is easy to make and they can make a healthy snack as
they provide whole grains,fibre and antioxidants. Just place the corn in
a saucepan, close the lid, turn up the heat and wait for them to start
popping! If you want a bit a flavour sprinkle some xylitol (for
sweetness) or salt or both!
Brown rice
Brown rice is whole grain and is has a low glycemic rating,
it’s packed with nutrients such as fibre and selenium and will fill you
up for a longer period of time too. It'll help lower cholesteral, high
blood pressure and or other signs of cardiovascular disease- you can eat
as much as you like.
Pulses
Pulses and beans keep you fuller for longer and maintain your
energy levels (as well as being a great source of nutrients and fibre).
They make a great choices for vegetarian and vegans. Pop them into
homemade soups, add to casseroles, or add to canned tomatoes, onions and
herbs for a hearty (wholemeal) pasta sauce.
Sugar alternatives
Fancy something sweet? If you are a bit of a baker, make cakes
or cupcakes or even like your tea sweet, replace the sugar with
xylitol, agave nectar or even honey. For carbohrydrates and fats, use
wholemeal resources, (wholemeal bread, wholemeal self-raising flour,
brown rice) and use low-fat butters/margarine.
Yoghurt
Avoid butter icing. Warm cakes, especially spicy versions, are
lovely with a dollop of 0 per cent fat Greek yoghurt. Grate an apple and
add some seed mix. This is very nutritious and fills you up, and gives
you a sweet hit when you need it.
Get spicy
Chilli has a thermogenic effect on the body, meaning that when
it's consumed it actually stimulates the body's own process of burning
fat. Although it's not enough to help you drop a dress size, adding a
bit of spice to your food could rev up your metabolism enough to burn a
few extra cals each day.
