The following foods are known for aiding weight loss. If you’re experiencing a weight loss plateau, why not try adding some of them to your nutrition plan?
1. Water. Filling up with water can suppress hunger and the more water you drink, the less you’ll retain. Forget the eight 8 ounce glasses of water rule. Get yourself a 2 liter or a half gallon jug, fill it with fresh water every morning and make sure you’ve drunk all of it before going to bed at night.
2. Green Tea. You’re seeing it everywhere. I’ll admit, I drink green tea in the morning and I supplement with a Green Tea capsule when I take my daily vitamins. A 1999 study at the University of Geneva noted that green tea extract caused an increase in fat metabolism and a slight decrease in carbohydrate metabolism. (Meaning that green tea would cause a person to draw upon more fat than stored carbohydrates for energy.) A 2002 study observed obese individuals taking green tea extract containing 25% catechins over the course of three months and noticed a median weight loss of 4.6%. 4.6% weight loss over three months isn’t exactly a miracle but if the anti-cancer and heart disease prevention properties of green tea appeal to you, it may be worth a try.
3. Soup. The same size serving of soup will fill you up with far fewer calories than say a serving of lasagna or macaroni and cheese. Whether you start your meal with two glasses of water or a bowl of soup, you get the same result.
4. Grapefruit. Grapefruit has been shown to reduce insulin levels. If you are one of the many who are insulin resistant and your body is overloaded with insulin, try having half a grapefruit before each meal. As with green tea, you may not notice a miracle but the combination of the grapefruit and a healthy, low fat, lower calorie diet just might net some results.
5. Apples. Apples have plenty of fiber and that is just plain good for you. Nobody can really prove why, but the scent of apples has been said to have an appetite suppressing quality.