The 15 Best Foods to Help You Lose Weight:
(If you want to improve your confidence on the pitch, make sure you read the full article)
Having your stomach gurgling and being hungry and angry at the same time (millennials call it ‘hangry’ I think) is definitely not a fun experience and I wouldn’t recommend it for many.
You may be here reading this article for a number of reasons, but I definitely know that you’re interested in losing weight.
Maybe you’re looking to shed off some extra fat before preseason, maybe you’re looking to shed off some extra fat during the season, or maybe you’re just trying to look good at the beach.
Either way, you are in the right place!
Within this article, I will give you 15 of the best foods to help you lose weight and let you know exactly why they will help you shed off those last couple of pounds.
But, before I get into the 15 Best Foods to Help You Lose Weight, you need to know there is no such thing as a “magic food” that will help you lose weight, despite what the marketers tell you.
Telling the Truth & Stopping the Lies:
I must admit that the marketers do an excellent job of tricking you into thinking that some packaged food, some kind of pill or belly wrap will help you lose weight….
But it’s not the truth! If it was that easy, everyone would be fit and healthy.
Marketers have beautiful models’ as paid influencers advertise their product, they do a good job with before and after’s, etc.
If you don’t know and me and haven’t followed me by now, you need to know that I’m here to tell you the truth.
I don’t care how much it hurts to hear it in the beginning because I know that the truth will help you in the long run. The truth is not easy to take in, it won’t be comfortable, but it will WORK, as long as you’re willing to put in the work.
It’s one of the biggest reasons I got into this industry and a huge reason why hundreds of people that I’ve worked with have gotten such great results.
If you don’t believe me, check out the Success Stories Here:
How to Lose Weight:
Anyways, the only way to actually lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit, which means you have to eat less calories than you burn.
When you do that consistently, you will “magically” lose weight (it’s science, not magic ;)).
Do You Need to Count Calories?
If you have a specific body composition goal or you are new to the “nutrition thing”; you may want to do it to get a sense of how many calories certain foods that you eat often have, and how large of a calorie deficit you need to be in to hit your goal, etc.
About 95% of my clients don’t count calories because they don’t want too.
The main reason they don’t count calories is because my main focus is to help them create a good relationship with food through proper habits, routines and behaviors.
I have found when players’ start to count calories they can over-obsess on the numbers.
Instead of over obsessing on counting calories, I would rather put that energy towards smart & hard training.
But like I said, for some, counting calories is the best way to hit their individual goal. As I always say, there is no one-sized fits all approach. Everyone needs to find what works for them.
How do you count calories?
Without going to out of the scope of this article, I will drop 5 key tips for you to start your weight loss journey.
If you are interested in counting calories and finding out how how large of a caloric deficit you need to be in to lose weight, here are a couple of steps:
- First of all, you need to write down what your weight loss goal is and the time frame you want to lose this amount of weight in.
3,500 calories is equal to one pound. Therefore, if you want to lose one pound per week (which is a little on the aggressive side), you need to be in a caloric deficit of 500 calories (500 calories x 7 days in the week = 3,500 calories). If you hit this consistently, you will lose one pound per week, as long as you are calculating properly.
- Calculate your BMR; which is your basal metabolic rate. This is the number of calories you burn just living (not training, etc.)
3. You will also want to roughly estimate how many calories you burn during training.
If you wear a fitness tracker, that’s a good start, but unfortunately, they aren’t the most accurate. Generally, the calories you burn during training are estimated higher than they actually are, so you can’t rely solely on that.
I recommend cutting off 30% of calories that you burned, so you can be a bit more accurate.
How do you do that?
If your fitness watches estimates that you burn 1,000 calories during training; your estimate would be about 700 calories burned during the session.
- Use my fitness pal to track your calories throughout the day of all the food you eat.
- Be Consistent and Patient.
The 15 Best Foods to Help You Lose Weight:
Like I said before, these foods will not instantly cause weight loss, but they will help you lose weight indirectly due to the high protein content, high fiber content, amount of volume of food/how “well” the food fills you up the filling effect).
These foods will fill you up which will cause you to eat less and have you end up in a caloric deficit for the day.
1.Chicken Breast:
Tons of protein with little fat and very filling (but it can be bland).
Experiment with ways to keep it moist and flavorful.
I generally cook it in the oven (keep the oven on the lower side, at about 350 Degrees Fahrenheit) with some lemon, tiny bit of olive oil, and some herbs and spices.
You can also top it off with some hot sauce! A good hot sauce never hurt anyone 😉
I highly recommend Tabasco Siracha (sponsor me homies!)
6 Ounces of Boneless, Cooked, Skinless Chicken Breast:
About 185 Calories, 38 Grams of Protein
2. Lean Steak:
When cooking steak, aim to buy the leaner cuts (Sirloin Tip Side Steak, Top Round Steak, Eye of Round Steak, Bottom Round Steak, Top Sirloin)
If there’s any extra fat, cut it off.
I have been doing something lately that I learned from a good friend (who is a steak chef at a restaurant).
How to Cook a Mean Lean Steak:
- Turn the oven to 350-375 Degrees Fahrenheit, and let it heat for 20 minutes.
- Heat an iron skillet for about 5-7 minutes with NO OIL!
- Sear the steak on one side for about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the steak. Finish it off in the oven for 18-20 minutes (depending on the cut of the meat).
3.5 Ounces of Lean Steak:
About 250 Calories, 40 Grams of Protein
3. Eggs:
They’ve been called the “healthiest food on the planet” by many and they sure are tasty and easy to cook.
When you buy eggs, buy organic, cage-free eggs and eat the whole egg! The yolk should be dark orange in color.
Side Note: I had the best eggs I’ve ever had in Latvia. The captain of my team had a house out in the woods and he had his own chickens. He fed them great food and let them roam free (wow, tasted nothing like the supermarket eggs). If you can get out to a farm and get some fresh eggs, I would highly recommend it.
Eggs are super nutritious; besides a ton of protein and good quality fat, eggs have tons of great micronutrients and amino acids (B Vitamins, Vitamin A, Selenium).
One Large Egg:
About 77 Calories, 7 Grams of Protein and 5 grams of fat.
4. Greek/Turkish/Bulgarian Yogurt:
Yes, I have to include all, otherwise I get yelled at in the comments 😉
All three yogurts taste very good and are all very similar. They have a smooth, tangy flavor. For those of you that are not into that, you can add some raw honey, couple of nuts (be careful of portion size) and some berries to the mix to make yourself a delicious yogurt parfait,
Anyways, these yogurts are quick, convenient, low in calories, very high in protein and contain a lot of good bacteria inside (which is essential for your gut and brain health).
If you live in the US, I’m a big Fage or Oikos guy.
100 Grams of Greek Yogurt:
About 100 Calories and 16 Grams of Protein.
5. Cottage Cheese:
Similar to Greek/Turkish/Bulgarian yogurt, but might actually make you even fuller (it makes me fuller).
You can make a similar type parfait that I suggested with the Greek Yogurt.
Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese are excellent night time snacks due to the casein protein found inside, which is a slow-digesting protein that will feed your muscles and help you recover as you sleep.
100 Grams of Cottage Cheese:
About 100 Calories and 13 Grams of Protein.
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6. Leafy Greens:
Very low in calories but they contain tons of antioxidants and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Will definitely keep you full when dieting.
Obviously, please add other vegetables and make yourself a nice big salad. I’m not saying to buy spinach, arugula or kale and stuff it in your mouth just to lose weight. That would be absurd (even though I’ve done it multiple times, but I’m different, LOL).
Use different colors and textures to keep it interesting and top it off with some lean protein.
Make your own dressing with some lemon, olive oil and some herbs and spices and please stay away from store bought dressings (which are generally laden with tons of additives, sugars, and other things you don’t want to be putting into your body).
7.Cucumbers:
Cucumbers make you very full and are highly nutritious and hydrating. Chop them up and add them to your salads.
You can even eat them as a snack with some hummus (but be careful with portion size of the hummus).
By the way it’s pronounced ‘chooooooomus’ not ‘hummus.’
8. Protein Shakes:
These are an excellent way to fill yourself up and keep yourself full on a diet. They are convenient, easy to drink and will hit you with a beautiful dose of protein for low calories.
If whey protein bothers your stomach, go for plant-based protein. Sun Warrior is my brand of choice (even though they haven’t sponsored me yet).
You can use water or even unsweetened almond milk (if you’re in the US, go for Khalifa Farms; WOW!).
Protein shakes are an excellent “supplement” to your whole foods diet to up your protein intake. They are not a replacement.
1 Scoop of Protein Powder (On Average):
About 150 Calories and 25 Grams of Protein.
9. Strawberries:
An entire pound of strawberries is only 150 calories and has tons of nutrients. Come on now..
Strawberries are packed with vitamins, fiber and tons of antioxidants to keep you healthy and free from disease.
They are specifically excellent for your heart, they increase for HDL (good) cholesterol, lower your body pressure and protect you from cancer.
10. Watermelon:
Similar to strawberries, but even lower in calories! An entire pound is only 140 calories!
Watermelon is an excellent way to stay hydrated, and is also packed with L-Citrulline which has been proven to improve your performance.
11. Oatmeal:
One of the best complex carbohydrates that exists and packs a ton of fiber. I guarantee that this will keep you full for hours!
Just make sure you add some protein inside, like Greek or Turkish yogurt or even a scoop of protein!
Oatmeal is also packed with tons of important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Oatmeal will lower your blood sugar and cholesterol levels and help you reduce constipation (if you don’t go to the bowl enough).
One Cup of Cooked Oatmeal:
About 160 Calories, 27 grams of Carbohydrate, 13 Grams of Protein and 5 grams of fiber.
12. Potatoes:
NO! Potatoes don’t make you fat. As long as you cook them right, and don’t fry them in deep oil, you will be fine! They will do an excellent job of keeping you full.
-Potatoes are also an excellent source of fiber.
-Go for sweet potatoes or regular potatoes. They both are very good for you and provide different unique benefits to your body.
1 Medium Potato:
About 160 Calories, 38 grams of Carbohydrates 5 grams of fiber, and 5 Grams of Protein.
13. Fish:
Tilapia, Haddock, Shrimp
Fish generally tends to be lower calorie than other high protein options, so you can eat it in much larger portions.
-White Fish tends to be high in B-Vitamins and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
White fish such as Tilapia and Haddock have very low-calorie content but you have to make sure to season your fish well, because plain fish absolutely sucks!
White fish will also smell your house or apartment up, so you better make sure to open up those windows and vent the place well.
1 Filet (about 90 grams) Grams of Tilapia:
About 110 Calories and 23 Grams of Protein.
14. Beans
-Chick Peas, White Beans, Black Beans, etc.
Beans are very high in fiber and protein and are incredibly satiating.
-Beans are also known to be high in antioxidants and incredibly good for your heart.
1 Cup (About 170 Grams) of Cooked White Beans:
About 242 Calories and 17 Grams of Protein.
15. Carrots
Carrots are higher in calories than most other vegetables, but they are extremely tasty, nutritious and excellent to eat as a snack!
I don’t know about you, but if I pop on a movie with a friend or a girlfriend, I will always bring carrots to the table.
She would much rather buncha’ crunch or some kind of chocolate or gummy but I would rather carrots 😉
An entire bag of baby carrots has about 200 calories and will make you very full.
They are also excellent for dipping into hummus and other nutritious dips.
Carrots are also very high in Vitamin A and will help your skin glow effortlessly.
100 Grams of Carrots:
About 41 Calories and lots of skin glowing Vitamin A 🙂
I will be opening up a restaurant someday where I include 15 of the best foods to help you lose weight on the menu, as long as you are willing to stop by 🙂
But until then you will have to be experimental and make your own tasty recipes.
If you do make something tasty and great, make sure that you sure the recipe or at least a picture so I can share the goodness with my audience.
Anyways, I hope this article has helped you out and you can take out the advice I’ve laid out in put it into practice immediately.
If you do that, I can guarantee that you will be able to lose weight in a more enjoyable and sustainable way.
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