Healthy Foods To Eat To Lose Weight And Stay Skinny

Weight loss occurs when individuals expend more calories through physical activities and bodily functions than the calories they consume per day. Eating smaller portions of healthy meals and/or snacking on healthy foods every three to four hours allows the body's metabolism to work constantly, promoting faster weight loss.

Whole Grains

Eating smaller portion of nutritious, carbohydrate meals, such brown rice and whole-grain breads is healthier than severely restricting carbohydrates. Whole grain foods generally contain enough carbohydrates and high dietary fiber content to help keep the stomach full for longer periods. MayoClinic.com explains that high-fiber foods can aid in weight loss by preventing individuals from overeating since it takes longer to chew, thus allowing the body to respond to satiety quickly. High-fiber foods also tend to have fewer calories, though they may be equal in volume to their low-fiber food counterparts.

Fish

Including fish in a diet regimen helps with weight loss and can also benefit the heart. The American Heart Association states that fish has rich omega-3 fatty acids, substances that can decrease triglyceride level, decrease abnormal heartbeat, reduce plague buildup in the arteries and lower blood pressure. Research has shown that fish can also aid in weight loss as shown in a 2009 study in "Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases" led by Dr. Alfons Ramel and team from Iceland. The researchers found that participants who consumed cod five times a week lost about 3.7 lbs. more weight than participants who had a non-codfish diet regimen. The healthiest fish for a diet regimen should focus on varieties with the least mercury level, such as catfish and salmon.

Vegetables

Eating a variety of vegetables --- green, orange and purple --- will ensure that the body receives the required nutrients for a strong immune system. Carrots, radishes, red tomatoes, yellow peppers, spinach, broccoli and bitter gourds all are a good source of dietary fiber and contain very low saturated fat and cholesterol. These vegetables also contain high levels of antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, E and beta carotenes to help fight off free radicals --- molecules that can damage cells, and DNA, and lead to heart disease, cancer, digestive disorders and skin problems.

Fruits

An effective method of losing weight should start with satisfying hunger and cravings. Because fruits contain loads of antioxidants and sugar, they can satisfy cravings for sweets while providing the body with free radical fighters to keep the immune system strong. Individuals should keep track of the amount of fruits being consumed per day as over-consumption can increase the intake of calories and contribute to weight gain.

Healthy Drinks

Water has zero calories and fat, hence this would make an excellent drink for someone who tries to lose weight. Other healthy drinks that can help with weight loss include aloe vera and green tea. Aloe vera barbadensis contains enzymes that can help increase the body's metabolism by aiding in food digestion and absorption of nutrients. These plants also contain 20 of 22 amino acids, or the building blocks of proteins, and seven of eight essential amino acids that the body can't produce, but need in order for it to stay healthy. Green tea, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, contains the substance, catechins, which may play a role in burning fat. Because green tea has zero calories and fat and contains a very high concentration of polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that can neutralize and even combat free radicals, this drink makes a healthy addition to a diet regimen.