Eat Your Way Slim
We’d all love a magic pill or food that makes weight loss
easy and permanent. But until either one comes around, healthy eating is still
your best bet. The trick is to choose foods that do three things:
1. Keep you full
2. Won’t cause major spikes in your blood sugar
(too much sugar in your blood gets stored as fat)
3. Support a healthy metabolism -- your body’s
system for turning what you eat and drink into energy
It’s Important to Eat
If the rule of weight loss is to burn more calories than
you take in, not eating should make you lose weight fast, right? Wrong. Animal
studies show that with less eating, the body goes into “starvation mode,”
burning fewer calories to conserve energy. Also, you’ll be short on nutrients,
making you tired and sluggish. To get your pep back, you might be tempted to
eat sugary or fatty foods, which will pack all those skipped calories back on.
Choose Iodine-Rich Foods
The thyroid gland plays a key role in helping your
metabolism burn calories and control your appetite. To do its job, your thyroid
needs healthy levels of iodine. Most people in the U.S. get all the iodine they
need through a regular diet, but some foods have more iodine than others. Make
sure you get at least some of these common sources:
1. Table salt
2. Egg yolks
3. Milk and dairy
products
4. Saltwater fish, such as cod
Show Legumes Some Love
Legumes, such as beans, peas, and lentils, are rich in
fiber. This makes your metabolism work harder to digest them and keeps you
feeling full longer. Studies have shown that lentils can help you eat less and
lower your body weight and waist measurements. Beans also have something called
resistant starch, which is linked to higher rates of fat metabolism.
Water, Drink Up!
Water supports your metabolism in ways that might
surprise you. The trick is to drink more than usual, or drink it instead of
beverages with calories. Research suggests that water may:
1. Help you take
in fewer calories
2. Boost calorie burning if you’re obese
3. Help your body burn fat
Want to bump up the health benefits of water? Drink it
very cold. Your digestive system burns extra calories -- about eight -- to get
it to room temperature. Eight calories per glass isn’t much, but it adds up
over the course of a day, and especially over a week.
Get Your Calcium
When you think of the role of calcium, strong bones
probably come to mind. You can thank your metabolism for that, as it helps your
body get calcium from food. Some studies suggest calcium can also help you shed
pounds and fat, but it’s too early to know for sure. Still, you can’t go wrong
with healthy, calcium-rich foods in your diet. These include low-fat dairy,
broccoli, and canned sardines or salmon, which have soft, edible bones.
Don’t Be Ginger About Ginger
This funny-looking root packs all kinds of health
benefits: It can soothe an upset tummy and ease arthritis pain and swelling.
Research shows it may also have a powerful effect on body weight and blood
sugar. One study found that drinking a hot ginger drink with breakfast lowered
feelings of hunger and had a strong thermogenic (calorie-burning) effect. You
can savor its spicy kick in tea and Asian dishes such as stir-fries and soups.
Be Less Refined About Grains
Love Chinese takeout? Do your metabolism a favor and ask
for brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice is a whole grain, while white
rice -- which has been stripped of the brown nutrient-rich layer -- is a
refined one. Some studies show that whole grains have an effect on weight loss,
but the jury’s still out on that. Whole grains, unlike refined ones, support
your body in key ways:
1. Appetite
control
2. Nutrient
supply
3.
Sustained energy
Load Up on Low-Glycemic Foods
Low-glycemic index (low-GI) foods are relatively low in
carbohydrates. Your body digests them more slowly than high-carb, high-glycemic
index foods. That means your blood sugar doesn’t surge when you eat them.
Research suggests low-GI diets can help stop diabetes, heart disease, and even
some cancers. Low-GI foods include green veggies, chickpeas, most fruits,
beans, and bran breakfast cereals.
Steer Clear of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks
The obvious reason sugar-sweetened beverages are a no-no
for your waistline: They have lots of calories. Some research suggests they can
also negatively impact your metabolism beyond the “calories in, calories out”
rule. Juice, regular soda, sweet tea, and other sugary drinks may increase the
risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and body fat. Several studies
have shown that sugar also increases cholesterol levels.
Cut Down on Alcohol
It’s easy to forget about calories in what you drink, and
the ones in alcohol add up quickly. A 12-ounce beer has about 150 calories --
100 in a light brew. There are about 100 calories in a 1½-ounce shot of rum,
whiskey, or vodka, and a pina colada packs 490! Alcohol can also stimulate your
appetite. The weight you gain from it tends to settle on your belly, which can
cause heart disease, diabetes, and raise your breast cancer risk.
The Skinny on Fat
Your body needs some fat to work well. But fat is high in
calories, and it doesn’t keep you feeling full. This can lead you to eat more
later, taking in even more calories. And indulging in fatty foods for even a
short time can worsen your metabolism. One study found that just 5 days of
eating a high-fat diet can hurt your muscles’ ability to process glucose. This
can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and other health problems.
