A variety of low-caloric foods can end your reliance on dieting to lose weight because they form a sustainable, balanced eating plan. Low-calorie meals derived from the five food groups fulfill your nutritional needs and limit "risky" dietary elements such as fat and sugar that can cause weight gain. With this type of steady nutrition and regular exercise, your weight won't fluctuate. Build healthy meals with a changing roster of these low-caloric foods to lose and maintain weight.
Whole Grains
A weight-control diet doesn't have to exclude whole classes of foods, but instead should include foods with relatively low calories per suggested serving within a group. In the grain group, this means items with the best nutrient-to-calorie ratio. The USDA points out that whole grains such as brown rice and whole-wheat breads and pastas have greater fiber, iron and vitamin B contents than white rice, breads and noodles, for the same calorie amounts. Low-sugar whole-grain wheat, oat, corn, rye and barley cereals offer high nutrition and low calories.
Protein Foods
Plan your meals around a variety of protein foods in order to get all the amino acids and to regulate caloric intake. Low-calorie choices include less-oily fish such as haddock and sole, lean meats such as beef and pork loin and skinless chicken, and legumes such as kidney beans, split peas and peanut butter. To keep calorie counts low, limit animal-based protein foods to 6 oz. total per day and legume servings to ½ cup cooked beans and 2 tbsp. peanut butter.
Dairy Foods
Your body needs the calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients in milk, yogurt and cheese every day. A balanced diet should include milk instead of soda or caffeinated beverages for the greater nutritional benefits. Even if you're still losing weight or are watching your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, the American Heart Association suggests choosing 1 cup portions of 1-percent or non-fat dairy products instead of avoiding them to save calories.
Fruits
Fruits contribute major amounts of fiber and vitamin C to a balanced diet. At under 100 calories for most servings, you can't go wrong by adding whole fruits or ½-cup portions of peaches, berries, grapes, kiwis, apples and citrus fruits or juices to all of your meals.
Vegetables
Vegetables offer the remaining vitamins and minerals that a balanced diet requires, along with significant fiber contents in ½-cup servings. Get a wide range of nutrients from a wide selection of low-caloric vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, spinach, peppers, squash, tomatoes and salad greens.
