Losing just a few pounds will help you feel better, provide you with more energy and make it easier to manage your diabetes. One of the best ways to lose weight is by managing the foods you are putting into your body, but what is the best place to start?
When it comes to losing weight, certain foods have a reputation for being all-stars, providing for a body’s nutritional needs while helping keep a person fuller for longer.
“You’re looking at plant foods,” says Connie Diekman, a nationally known food and nutrition consultant and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “You’re looking at whole grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds.”
Though certain diets or special eating plans may limit some of these foods, a healthy diet can include all of them, with an eye toward portion size.
Here are some foods to eat to lose weight:
Whole grains
Whole grains haven’t been stripped of nutrients in processing, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston.
Whole grains can also provide a nice balance between protein and carbohydrates, Diekman shares.
From a weight-loss perspective, these foods contain fiber.
“Fiber fills us up and so therefore that blood sugar curve doesn’t drop as rapidly, so you don’t feel the need to eat as often,” Diekman explains.
Choices in this category can range quite a bit. There are lesser-known grains like