While warmer weather might not seem remotely plausible in most of the country at this present moment, it IS on the way! Pretty soon you’ll no longer be able to hide under those saggy sweaters or jumbo jackets. Before you know it, it’s going to be shorts and T-shirt time. And shortly after that—swimsuit time. NOT cover-up time. SWIMSUIT TIME!
But if the thought of baring your arms, legs, and midsection gives you the heebie jeebies, don’t fret, we’re here to help. And help fast!
You are what you eat. You’ve heard it a million times before, to be healthy and lose weight you’ve got to eat more veggies, drink more water, and lay off the processed foods, sodas, and sweets.
But what can you eat that tastes good, is quick and easy to make, fills you up, keeps you full, and provides your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs? You know, human food. Not rabbit food. Not fancy food. Not ridiculously expensive food. Just normal food. Stuff you can get in any grocery store, anywhere in America.
Glad you asked… Here are our top 5 food that will actually help you lose weight:
1 — BEANS
We’re talking real beans, not the refried slosh that you get at a taco stand. These magical little treats are inexpensive, extremely filling, low in calories, and are an incredible source of protein and fiber. Actually, if you’re looking to add a lot more protein to your diet without adding a lot of calories or saturated fat (like you would with meat), we’ve got to spill the beans on beans…they’re the 2nd highest source of protein after animal-based foods. Depending on the type of beans you choose (and there are a ton of varieties to choose from), a 1-cup serving has between 15 to 17 grams of protein, and between 9 to 17 grams of fiber. Because fiber takes awhile for the body to digest, beans will keep you feeling full longer. Plus, beans are also packed with iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate, and vitamin B6—which are all key nutrients that help your body thrive.2 — EGGS
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who knows? And who cares? Just know and care that eggs are one of the healthiest things on this planet that you can feed your body (after Shakeology®, of course). That’s because 1 egg contains 77 calories, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of HEALTHY fats, plus a ton of vitamins and other ridiculously healthy stuff that your body desperately needs. And that makes eggs a very eggcelent choice for a meal or a snack (think hard-boiled eggs) A lot of people shy away from eggs (or veer toward egg whites only) simply due to the fact that the egg yolk is high in cholesterol. But remember, cholesterol consumed in a diet doesn’t necessarily raise the cholesterol in one’s blood; scientifically speaking, those are two totally different things.3 — NUTS
You’d be nuts not to go nuts over nuts. Besides being packed with protein, most nuts contain good fats, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and a ton of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Eating nuts on a regular basis has been proven to help people lower the bad cholesterol in their blood (aka LDL) which makes nuts a great food for your heart. Plus, nuts are fairly inexpensive, easy to cart around when on-the-go, and they have an extremely long shelf life.4 — GRAPEFRUITS
You’ve probably heard all about the infamous Hollywood Grapefruit Diet, but it’s not all smoke and mirrors. There’s something about grapefruits that do help people lose weight. A study at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego revealed that obese men who ate half of a grapefruit, or drank 8 ounces of grapefruit juice, before each meal lost an average of 4 pounds in 12 weeks. And that was without changing anything else in their diet. But how? First of all, grapefruits are loaded with soluble fiber, which keeps your belly feeling full for an extended period of time. Plus, they’re loaded with lycopene (an antioxidant that helps protects your body’s cells against free radical damage), and they give you a full day’s supply of vitamin C. And if that’s not enough, grapefruits are packed with enzymes that can help reduce your body’s insulin levels while regulating your metabolism. However, there are certain medications that forbid you to consume this glorious fruit, so check the Rx label.5 — BANANAS
Beyond the fact that bananas help make your Shakeology incredibly creamy and delicious, a banana will fill you up and boost your metabolism with its 12.5 grams of Resistant Starch. Resistant starches are great for our bodies because they make it all the way through our small intestines without getting digested, functioning more like fiber. The powerful health benefits of resistant starches are that they help improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, reduce one’s appetite, and most importantly, they feed the friendly bacteria in your intestine while increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. Bottom line is, the greener the banana, the more resistant starch it has, and the healthier it is for your body. When a banana ripens (turns yellow) the resistant starch degrades into regular starch. But that’s still okay, a ripe banana still provides your body with about 5 grams of resistant starch—which is still very good.
There you have it. Our top 5 food picks for a healthier, hotter you.
Now, don’t JUST eat those 5 foods day in and day out. Your body still needs other stuff to operate at optimal capacity. But if you do incorporate these 5 foods into your daily diet, chances are, you’ll drop a few pounds without even trying.
Author: Beachbody
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