Meals That Create Energy & Promote Weight Loss

In order to have energy and lose weight at the same time, your body must be properly fueled with vitamins and nutrients obtained from healthy foods. When you consume five to seven smaller-portioned meals a day, eating every two to three hours, you will keep your energy level high and your hunger at bay. To improve your energy levels and promote weight loss, each of your meals should consist of a healthy source of carbohydrate, protein and fat.

Protein

Protein can come from plant or animal sources. Animal sources are considered complete protein sources because they contain all the essential amino acids needed to build new proteins. Plant sources are incomplete proteins lacking one or more of the essential amino acids. The best animal sources of protein comes from fish, poultry, eggs and diary. Red meat tends to be higher in saturated fat and only should be consumed occasionally. Plant sources of protein come from fruit, vegetables, grains and nuts. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that adults consume .8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Consuming 20 to 25 percent of your total daily calories in protein will help with weight loss.

Carbohydrates

Include a serving of slow-digesting carbohydrates in each meal throughout your day to maintain your energy level. A serving of carbohydrate is 1 medium piece of fruit or a serving of vegetables or grains about the size of your fist. Foods that are slow digesting are low on the glycemic index. The book "New Glucose Revolution" states that foods with a low-glycemic index reduces your insulin and cholesterol levels, controls your appetite and gives you more energy. Low-glycemic carbohydrates that should be included into your meal plan are sweet potatoes, oatmeal, apples, whole grain rice and vegetables.

Fats

Your total fat intake should consist of no more than 35 percent of your daily total caloric intake and less then 10 percent of your fat intake should come from saturated fat or animal sources. Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that you should consume on a regular basis. These types of fats come from olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, flax seeds and cold water fish. A serving of fat consists of 1 tsp. of oil, 1/2 oz. of nuts or 1 tbsp. of seeds. A 3-oz. serving of salmon in your meal gives you both a serving of protein and a serving of fat.