Diet And Weight-loss Secrets

While you may know that weight loss requires burning more calories than you consume, you're likely less aware of certain strategies that can help you attain this energy balance. Incorporate these tips and tricks into your daily routine, and the pounds will be more likely to melt away. Consult a dietitian for additional strategies to help you lose weight.

Stop Eating Before You're Full

The Okinawans practice hara hachi bu, or eating until you're 80-percent full. The average Okinawan has a BMI of 21.5, while the average American man has a BMI of 26.6 and the average American woman has a BMI of 26.5. Eating until you're stuffed stretches the stomach, so you'll need more food to feel full the next time you eat, warns Bradley Willcox, M.D., co-author of "The Okinawa Diet Plan." He recommends you stop eating as soon as you start to feel satisfied.

Allow Healthy Fats

Follow a Mediterranean-style diet, which emphasizes healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil and avocados. The plan is based on the traditional eating style of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Consume primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Limit red meat to no more than a few times per month, and eat fish and poultry at least twice a week. Mediterranean-style diets may be easier to follow, leading to more weight loss, according to a 2001 study published by K. McManus and colleagues in the "International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders."

Start With Soup

Starting your meal with soup may influence you to consume fewer calories overall, according to a 1999 study published by Barbara J. Rolls and colleagues in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." When study participants were served a chicken rice soup before lunch, they ate fewer calories than when they were served a chicken rice casserole as an appetizer. Both appetizers had the same ingredients, except for the addition of water in the soup. The researchers theorized that the addition of water to food enhances fullness. Stick to broth-based soups, not those made with cream, to save calories.

Boost Your Metabolism

Your metabolism may be sluggish if you're not getting enough B vitamins or magnesium, explains Samantha Heller, M.S., R.D. Foods rich in B vitamins include spinach, asparagus, beans, melon, broccoli, fish, poultry and eggs. Foods high in magnesium include spinach, halibut, nuts, soybeans, whole-grain cereals, oatmeal and legumes. Always eat breakfast, which may increase resting metabolism by 10 percent. Consume regular meals and snacks to keep your metabolism high. Heller recommends snacks that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as hummus and baby carrots.