These are my top 10 favourite foods to focus on for helping fat loss and boosting overall health, and they crop up in most of my recipes.
KALE
Kale is part of the brassica family. It has a mellow, earthy taste and its large, waxy leaves provide more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food available. It’s rich in fibre and water to keep you feeling full, to boost fat burning, to maintain a healthy digestive system and to make you less likely to overeat, plus it has an abundance of essential vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting antioxidant compounds. Kale contains a concentration of two types of important antioxidants, called carotenoids and flavonoids. Calorie for calorie, it contains more calcium than milk, more iron than beef, 10% more vitamin C than spinach and is high in amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins A and E and minerals.
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CHICKPEAS
Chickpeas are an excellent fat loss and fitness food to include in your diet regularly. They’re low fat, rich in complete protein and B vitamins to boost energy levels and support a healthy metabolism, and they’re packed with fibre to encourage normal digestive health and banish bloating. They’re also lower in starch than many other types of beans, so they’re easier to digest and they help to keep blood sugar levels stable.
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LENTILS
Fibre is essential for weight loss and effective fat burning, as it fills you up, boosts your metabolism and contains no calories. Lentils are full of fibre, with almost 12g per cup (cooked). They’re also low in calories, high in protein and iron and they contain virtually zero fat. The perfect fitness food.
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BERRIES
Nature’s sweet treats in a perfect package! Berries are amongst the fruit lowest in sugar and calories, and they contain plenty of fibre to keep blood sugar levels and insulin stable. Rich in antioxidants, they assist in reducing inflammation in the body, protect your skin from the early signs of ageing and help to banish sugar cravings.
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SWEET POTATOES
A great source of complex carbs, sweet potatoes are low calorie, with virtually no fat and plenty of fibre to keep you feeling satisfied between meals. They don’t raise blood sugar in the same way that regular potatoes do, making them a reliable and versatile fat-loss food.
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PLANT-BASED PROTEIN POWDER
Protein is so important for burning body fat, as it requires more energy for your body to digest and helps build lean muscle to keep you toned and slim. Hemp powder and other forms of raw, vegan protein powder are excellent sources of complete protein without having excess calories. They also work well in smoothies and protein bars and balls.
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CHIA SEEDS
These tiny seeds can absorb liquid and swell up to 15 times their size, making them a brilliant food for weight loss as they keep you feeling full for hours. With high levels of protein and fibre, chia seeds are also one of the very best sources of omega-3 fats to nourish your skin and help keep your cell membranes strong and supple.
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ALMONDS AND ALMOND BUTTER
Not only are they a good source of easily assimilated plant protein, but raw unsalted almonds are one of the very best food sources of vitamin E to nourish, soften and protect your skin from sun damage. Opt for a handful a day to snack on between meals as they help to stabilise blood sugar levels. Raw almond butter is a great way to enjoy these protein-rich nuts, but aim for no more than a tablespoon per day.
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QUINOA
This naturally gluten-free seed is packed with fibre, complete protein, magnesium, B vitamins, iron and potassium to boost energy and support weight loss and fitness goals. It’s higher in amino acids and minerals and lower in carbs than couscous or rice.
OATMEAL
Oats are simple to prepare and fill you up quickly, helping to keep blood sugar and insulin levels stable. They’re also higher in protein than many other grains, lower in non-fibre carbs and rich in energy-boosting B vitamins. The beta-glucans in oatmeal help to lower bad cholesterol by removing it from the bloodstream.
Do you ever have days or weeks when you feel hungry all the time and no amount of food can satiate you? There can be a number of reasons involved in that feeling of being full enough to stop eating, so it’s important to get used to listening to your body’s hunger and satiety signals.
Food portions served in restaurants tend to be much bigger than they ought to be, and people often think that they need more food than they really do. This can lead to overeating and taking in more calories than the body can burn, which encourages fat storage over time.
If you find yourself constantly snacking and would like to take steps to break the cycle, ask yourself these four questions.
ARE YOU GENUINELY HUNGRY?
One of the most effective ways to gain control of your weight for life is to really pay attention to what your body is telling you. It’s easy to get into the habit of eating out of boredom or emotional eating if you’re feeling upset or lonely. I’ve always encouraged clients I’ve worked with for weight loss to ask themselves if they’re really hungry before they reach for a snack.
ARE YOU PROPERLY HYDRATED?
Try drinking a glass of water first and waiting a few minutes to see if you’re still peckish. Caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee and some fizzy drinks will act as a diuretic and cause more water to be expelled from your body, which can lead to dehydration. Herbal teas can help if you’re looking for a slightly sweeter taste. Try adding a few drops of liquid stevia to sweeten them even more.
ARE YOU EATING ON THE RUN?
Slowing down, being present in the moment and really developing your awareness around food, snacking and the relationship between food and your body can make all the difference when it comes to achieving your ideal weight.
We lead busy, demanding lives, so eating on the run is something we can all be guilty of. But making less healthy choices when out and about and then gulping down food can really impact on your waistline and digestion. I keep a packet of raw almonds in my handbag so that I always have a healthy snack on hand to keep me going until I can eat a proper meal.
ARE YOU FEELING FULL?
Putting down your knife and fork when you’re three-quarters full is my favourite tip for portion control on a plant-based diet, and it means that counting calories isn’t necessary. Low-fat plant-based meals are nutrient dense but low in calorific energy, so you would have to feel seriously stuffed before you overdo it on excess energy. Listening to your body and appetite signals, eating from a smaller plate and finishing when you’re three-quarters full will ensure that your weight will stabilise to what is ideal for your body type and height.
For many people, eating five or six small meals a day and never going for longer than three to four hours without food can help to balance their blood sugar levels, preventing extreme hunger and the urge to binge on calorie-rich foods.
The stomach stretch response
One key reason for being tempted to overeat is linked to the actual stretch and feeling of fullness in your stomach.
When your stomach is full after eating, stretch receptors in its walls send a signal to the vagus nerve, which tells your brain to stop eating because enough food has been consumed. One of the many reasons I recommend a diet based on high-fibre plant foods is because it fills you up so much more effectively than any other type of food, enabling the brain to receive the signal that you’re full.
To use calories as a reference, imagine the difference between 400 calories of vegetables, olive oil and beef in your stomach. You would need to eat plenty of veggies to get 400 calories’ worth (about six cups each of lettuce, aubergine and tomatoes), but they would really fill you up since they’re so rich in water and fibre.
However, just under 3½ tablespoons of oil or just under a cup of sliced beef quickly add up to 400 calories, and without all the dietary fibre to tell your stomach’s stretch receptors that you’ve eaten enough because animal protein contains no dietary fibre. It shows how important it is to fill up on veggies to help with weight management.
What your food cravings really mean
No matter how healthy and balanced your lifestyle is, almost everyone will face food cravings at some stage. But did you know that the type of foods you crave may tell you a lot about the essential nutrients that you could be lacking? Your body may be in need of various nutrients, which the brain interprets as cravings for certain foods. These are often sugary, salty, starchy or fatty snacks.
FULL OF FOOD, STARVED OF NUTRIENTS
Eating a diet that’s high in refined carbs, processed foods and nutrient-depleted foods can often lead to food cravings, as your body struggles to get the wide array of nutrients it requires each day for normal and healthy function. These foods can cause extreme blood sugar fluctuations, which may really impact your mood and energy levels and trigger food cravings. While you may be eating a lot, your body can still be malnourished because it’s not getting the nutrients it needs, so your brain tells you to keep on eating.
Being in touch with your body and your food cravings can make all the difference to your health and maintaining your ideal body weight. When a craving arises, it really helps to know why it’s happening and what foods can ease without impacting your health or waistline.