Reducing calories and increasing physical activity are proven ways to lose weight, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Including certain foods in your diet, while also exercising and decreasing your calories, may accelerate your weight loss by helping you to curb cravings and feel satisfied. The CDC cautions that weight loss should not exceed two pounds a week or it will likely be regained.
Grapefruit
The grapefruit diet may be classified as a fad diet, but fresh grapefruit can help you lose weight, according to a Spring 2006 issue of the "Journal of Medicinal Food." In a study by researchers at Scripps Clinic in California, half a fresh grapefruit or 8 oz. of grapefruit juice consumed before each of three meals correlated with statistically significant amounts of weight loss after just 12 weeks. Grapefruit eaters lost 3.5 pounds, grapefruit juice drinkers lost 3.3 pounds, and those who took a placebo lost just over a half pound. A standard serving of grapefruit has only 76 calories, so it fits easily into a low-calorie diet.
Cereal
You may adhere to your diet all day, but late-night snacking can ruin your efforts. If you're one of those snackers, cereal can augment your weight loss, says a study in the August 2004 "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." Researchers at Wayne State University in Michigan studied adults who described themselves as late-night snackers. For four weeks, half of the participants ate a serving of ready-to-eat cereal with low-fat milk 90 minutes after their evening meal. The others continued their normal eating routines. Those in the cereal-eating group reduced their daily intake by almost 400 calories, leading researchers to conclude that a late-night cereal snack can help augment weight loss in habitual snackers.
Soup
Having an appetizer of soup can diminish your appetite, leading to fewer overall calories eaten at your main meal. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University reported in a study in the November 2007 issue of "Appetite" magazine that participants who consumed soup before their meals ate, on average, 20 percent fewer calories overall. Choose broth-based soups to keep your calories under control. Options include minestrone, chicken noodle and gazpacho.
References
- Journal of Medicinal Food: The Effects of Grapefruit on Weight and Insulin Resistance: Relationship to the Metabolic Syndrome.
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition: Evening Ready-to-Eat Cereal Consumption Contributes to Weight Management.:
- Appetite: Soup Preloads in a Variety of Forms Reduce Meal Energy Intake.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Losing Weight
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