Losing weight need not be done the hard and expensive way. Instead of exercising, starving yourself or going for slimming treatments that might not even work, why not lose weight by eating?
Yes, you can eat all you want and lose weight, by eating right. If you’re looking to shed some kilos, here are several foods that you should have for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Breakfast
- High-fibre cereal
If you’d like to reduce your eating throughout the day, have a bowl of high-fibre cereal. Cereal is effective in curbing your appetite, as proven by researchers at the VA Medical Centre and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. They discovered that those who have had some cereal before heading to a buffet table ate less than those who didn’t. So, now you know that cereal isn’t just good for breakfast but as a pre-buffet meal! - Eggs
Start your day with a breakfast of eggs. Rich in protein, eggs fill your tummy for a longer period of time, so you wouldn’t feel hungry quickly. This was revealed in a study which found that respondents who have had eggs for breakfast ate less in the next 36 hours. Protein has also been found to prevent increases in blood sugar which causes food cravings. It is good that eggs can be enjoyed in a variety of ways – scrambled, poached, half-boiled, sunny side up or made into omelette with different fillings, so you won’t get bored of having eggs every morning of the week. - Cinnamon
Cinnamon rolls make good breakfast for weight loss because cinnamon helps to control the insulin spikes that cause hunger pangs, according to researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Not only that, cinnamon benefits diabetics too by lowering their cholesterol, blood sugar and triglyceride levels. If you are not able to get your hand on cinnamon rolls, you can make your own cinnamon-laden breakfast by sprinkling cinnamon on oatmeal or on whole-grain toast.
Lunch
- Lean meat
The University of Illinois revealed that women who had consumed a protein-rich meal of lean beef had lost more weight and fat than those who had consumed the same number of calories but with lesser protein. It is the leucine amino acid found in meat, chicken, fish and dairy products that promote weight loss while staving off hunger pangs. Switch to lean meat if you have always favoured fatty ones and do remove any visible fat from the meat too if you see any. - Soup
Soup may be in the form of liquid but it can be as filling as a meal of chicken. This is because our brains perceive it as filling. So the next time you want to eat less but feel full, ‘cheat’ yourself by having a cup of chicken soup, or just any soup at all. - Salad
Salad has always been the favourite of those who are keen to lose weight but is it really effective? Yes, say the research team at Penn State University who found that those who ate a large low-calorie salad consumed less food afterwards. Salad is effective in reducing food intake because its sheer volume fills up your stomach and makes you feel full enough to resist offers of food. Being lean is not the only advantage of nibbling on salad; the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who had one salad a day had higher levels of carotenoids, folic acid, vitamins C and E and lycopene (an antioxidant). But of course, all these benefits might be void if you continue to have a large dollop of creamy dressing atop your salad.
Dinner
- Tofu
This simple, cheap and easily available source of protein is another food item that reduces eating, thanks to the appetite-quashing protein contained. A study conducted by Louisiana State University discovered that those who have had some tofu before their meal didn’t eat as much as those who hadn’t had a tofu appetiser. - Chilli and pepper
Some slimming centres have introduced “chilli wraps” but while the effectiveness of chilli in those treatments is not known, chilli-and pepper-laced food have been acknowledged as appetite suppressants. Thanks to the capsaicin contained within, a group of Japanese women were found to have had a lighter lunch after consuming omelette filled with red peppers at breakfast. Malaysians have always enjoyed their food spicy, so now there are more reasons for you to fire up your food! - Brown rice
You might be one of those who cannot survive without rice. So how can you still eat rice and lose weight? The answer is by switching to brown rice. Brown rice is rich in fibre, low on calories and contains healthy carbohydrates that enhances metabolism. That combination of factors is what that causes a group of studied women to maintain their weight compared to those who have had high-energy density diets. - Olive oil
Olive oil is so good for your health that you shouldn’t mind your food being drenched in it. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat which speeds up your metabolism and burns more calories. A study conducted in Australia found that women who had eaten a breakfast of cereal laced with olive oil had a boosted metabolism. While cereal in olive oil might not be everyone’s fancy, you can simply substitute your regular cooking oil with olive oil and use it for salad dressings and dips too.
There you have it – food items for every time of the day. You don’t have to go hungry anymore to achieve your ideal weight but instead, you can add all sorts of fun food such as fruits and nuts to your daily diet.
This article was contributed by Lee Sue Ann.
