Super Foods For Weight Loss

Sheree ♦ April 16, 2012 ♦ 1 Comment

As of today I should have lost a total of 23.1 pounds.  I’m way behind.  It’s time for a new perspective on foods and dieting.

When I decided that I wouldn’t do any more fad diets because all I do is lose and then gain it all back (plus some) every time I try, I wasn’t kidding.  It seems to me that there must be a way to lose weight without cutting calories to 1,200 (and completely avoiding anything I enjoy) or exercising 5 hours a day or eating crazy things or taking pills or paying bunches of money to sprinkle stuff on my food so that I won’t feel like eating it.  According to the calorie counter, I have to eat 1,200 calories each and every day between now and December 31 in order to reach my goal.  No.

This morning I was reading “Super Foods for Weight Loss” at Health.com.  It seems that there are certain foods that I need to incorporate into my diet.  The following are foods that they said would kick up your weight loss.

Beans:  black beans, kidney beans, lentils, garbanzo beans

Grains:  oats, brown rice, pearl barley, quinoa

Fruits:  avocado, blueberries, pears, grape fruit, bananas, plantains

Fish:  salmon (wild Alaskan)

Vegetables:  broccoli, potatoes

Nuts:  almonds, pine nuts

Drinks: red wine (or grape juice with resveratrol), green tea

Other: Eggs, dark chocolate, cheese (in particular feta and goat cheese), and low fat milk are also included in the list.

OK… so here comes the change in perspective.

OLD PERSPECTIVE/NEW PERSPECTIVE (At least I can try it and see what happens with my weight)

Beans:  I avoid beans (as much as possible) for obvious reasons (although I do enjoy lentil stew on occasion).

If I eat them enough, my body will get used to them… or Beano can become my best friend.

Grains:  I have huge containers of  various kinds of grains… but they’re a pain in the… well, they’re a pain to make and whole grains are not my family’s favorite foods.

A while back when I was thinking of getting on a health kick I bought all kings of whole grains, including quinoa (which is not really a grain).  Since they’re there, I need to start using them and finding ways to prepare them.  I enjoy cooking and baking, why not experiment with these grains.

Fruits:  I absolutely love fruit, but never thought of plantains and avocado as fruit since they aren’t sweet.  I have to sweeten plaintain by cooking with butter and brown sugar.

Look up ways to make plantains that don’t include frying in butter and sugar.  Why not try it?  Find creative ways to use avocado.

Fish:  Wild Alaskan Salmon isn’t exactly inexpensive.

My family likes it. If it’s good for us, why not spend that little bit extra and make it more often.  Find ways to make it that are creative.

Vegetables:  I love broccoli and potatoes.  But, I read that potatoes are not as healthy as sweet potatoes so we use sweet potatoes more often.

Find healthy ways to prepare potatoes, keep servings small, and enjoy.

Nuts:  Well… I love them, but don’t eat them often because of the fat content.

They contain a healthy kind of fat.  Small servings are good for me.  Eat them!

Drinks:  I don’t care for red wine.  Grape juice has too much sugar.  Green tea is not my favorite.

I don’t care for red wine.  Grape juice has too much sugar (even the specialty ones that have high levels of reversatrol).  Get used to green tea.  It’s good for you.

Other:  I avoid eating eggs (for the most part) because of cholesterol concerns.  I honestly have never thought of chocolate as a diet food.  I never thought of cheese as a diet food.   I drink low fat milk, but not often.

Eat eggs.  New research shows that they don’t give you higher cholesterol.  Get some dark chocolate and eat one little piece every day.  Enjoy feta and goat cheese… heavens knows the hubby and boys won’t eat it.  It will be all mine! Drink more milk… at least 2 eight ounce glasses every day.

OK… so here we go.  This week I will be incorporating these foods into our diet and finding interesting and creative ways to enjoy them.  Let’s see if they help me lose some weight.

Have a blessed week!