Losing weight is all about discipline and having the correct motivation to see through the different stages of a comprehensive weight loss program. This is particularly true for individuals who seek the services of a dedicated Memphis diet doctor who will design for you a dietary plan that takes into consideration your overall health and wellness and not only your weight loss goals. For these professionals, it is imperative that a dietary program be tailor-made to an individual and not provided as a one-size-fits-all kind of program. At the very least, you can rest fully assured that your diet plan will be highly personalized to achieve the best possible results.
Sensible Food Choices: Key to Losing Weight
Experts agree that a better weight loss solution is to combine diet and exercise to improve your chances of achieving your weight loss goals. Just imagine, lowering your food intake while increasing your body’s metabolism will force your body to use any stored energy molecules – fat – in your body.
Unfortunately, not many people can sustain increased physical activity for a long time. They often feel tired after an exercise workout which tend to make them eat more, thinking that their bodies are still burning the fat that is stored. If they are not careful, they will not lose weight. They are not gaining weight either. Their weight tends to remain the same. To shift the equation to weight loss, they need a sensible dietary plan which can be designed by a professional diet doctor.
This diet practitioner will help you determine the right kinds of food that you need to consume to optimize your weight loss efforts. The key to losing weight is to make sensible food choices. As much as possible you will need to choose healthier versions of fats and carbohydrates as well as plenty of proteins.
High protein diets are very helpful in losing weight as these are very large molecules and as such will require substantially greater amounts of energy to digest and process them. They are also more satisfying than carbs and fats making you feel full for a significantly longer period of time. Healthy versions of fats like essential fatty acids as well as medium chain fatty acids have been shown to be particularly beneficial to burning fat. As for carbohydrates, diet doctors will often recommend taking in low carbohydrate foods as well as those that are rich in fiber. These increase the bulk of food in the digestive tract without increasing calorie or carbohydrate intake. Because of this, you will feel a lot fuller so you will be eating much less.
What Your Weight Loss Grocery List Should Include
In choosing foods to include in your weight loss grocery list, it is often advisable to seek the recommendations of your weight loss doctor so he or she can determine the best possible foods for your case. Generally, your grocery list should look something like the following.
- Starches, legumes, and grains
These foods should contain high fiber as well as resistant starch. This kind of starch is beneficial to weight loss because it prolongs the time of digesting the carbohydrates making you feel full a lot longer. As such, you should include oats, high fiber cereals, yams, or even sweet potatoes in your selection. You may also want to include quinoa, gluten-free pasta, brown rice, and whole wheat. If you’re not sure, you can always ask your doctor about these food items.
- Meats and other proteins
As we have already described above, proteins are the best foods to have when it comes to weight loss. As such, you should always include in your grocery list skinless and boneless chicken breasts, beef filet, sirloin, hanger steak, turkey bacon, wild salmon, tempeh, tofu, and even frozen edamame.
- Farm produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables should always be included in your list as these are high in fiber, not to mention antioxidants and phytochemicals that can help in weight loss. Just make sure to include a berry and a leafy green vegetable in your list whenever you go grocery shopping.
- Dairy
You may not know it but many of these food items are nutrient-dense but low in calories. They are also rich in healthy versions of fat which further aids in weight loss. Include nonfat milk, regular yogurt, non-dairy milk, and of course eggs in your list. You can also include low fat cheese or even Parmesan cheese if you like.
- Canned goods
As for canned goods, you need to have tomato sauce for its lycopene as well as other ingredients that can help in weight loss. You can also include other canned goods as long as it contains no salt or has low salt in it.
- Condiments, oils, and vinegars
Always go for low calorie oils with essential fatty acids as well as medium chain fatty acids. You can use coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Some diet specialists recommend canola oil. Make sure to include white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, light soy sauce, and mustard. Balsamic, rice, and red wine vinegar can also work.
- Seasonings, dried herbs, and spices
The limonene in limes or lemons are superb for weight loss. Garlic and black pepper should also be included in your list. You can also add kosher salt, capers, and sea salt. As for the herbs and spices, you can add to your grocery list cumin, thyme, cinnamon, turmeric, red pepper, and rosemary as these have modest weight loss benefits.
- Frozen foods
If you cannot obtain fresh foods, then you can go for frozen ones such as frozen vegetable, fruits, and berries. Just make sure there are no additives involved, especially sugar. Shrimp, extra-lean turkey meat, and vacuum-sealed fish can also be included.
There are a lot of food items that you can consume while still ensuring adequate weight loss. If in case you are lost as to which of these foods is right for you, you can always consult with your diet doctor at Mediplan Diet Services.
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