There are plenty of gimmicks for losing weight, but nothing works better than the tried-and-true combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise. If you’re trying your best to eat right and work out, but aren’t seeing results, there are several modifications you can make for better results. For example, mixing up your workout to incorporate new activities will keep your body from experiencing plateaus, and infusing your diet with new foods can jump start your metabolism and provide great results.
Certain foods are known to help promote weight loss. For good results, try adding a few of these foods to your diet every week. Healthy, nutrient-rich foods paired with regular exercise should be all you need to lose weight — no crazy supplements or gimmicks necessary.
1. Green Tea — Okay, it’s actually a drink, but you get the idea. Green tea is one of nature’s healthiest products. Adding a couple cups of green tea to your daily diet can boost your metabolism and keep your body burning calories all day. This increase in your body’s energy expenditure is great for weight loss.
2. Yogurt — Experts always go back and worth on how dairy affects weight loss, but most agree that unsweetened yogurt is nearly a perfect food. Its combination of protein, calcium and healthy fats is a great source of nutrition for your body. Yogurt also helps to promote fullness, which results in you eating less, and studies show that people who regularly consume yogurt burn more fat than those who don’t. As an added bonus, the natural probiotics in yogurt help to regulate your digestive system.
3. Almonds — Almonds are high in protein and healthy fats, and even just a handful can stave off hunger. They’re the perfect food for a mid-day snack at the office, and far healthier than anything in your office vending machine. Almonds also contain a property that regulates blood sugar, which is great for maintaining a healthy weight. Spikes and dips in blood sugar can lead to feelings of hunger and higher insulin production, which increases abdominal fat.
4. Quinoa — This whole grain is packed with protein and fiber, something that white rice sorely lacks. Replacing processed carbs like white rice with whole grains like quinoa will infuse your diet with nutrients while also keeping you full longer.
5. Salmon — Salmon is loaded with Omega-3s, healthy fats that actually promote fat burning and metabolism. Omega-3s are also known to keep your heart healthy, which is why they’re often sold in supplement form. An added benefit of eating salmon is that the protein keeps you full while promoting muscle health. And the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day.
Richard Monello is the President and CEO of Custom Health Plans, which offers individual health insurance quotes and provides affordable health insurance to individuals, families, small businesses and the self-employed.
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