Achieving healthy weight loss can be done in a number of ways. Rather than doing a complete overhaul of your diet and changing every aspect of your eating plan, the most sustainable way is often making little changes to your diet that will reduce the calories you’re eating while also helping you feel fuller longer. Slowly transitioning your habits to help contribute to your goals will make it easier to achieve lasting weight loss that doesn’t end up making you feel worse. If you’re unsure where to start as you work to change your diet for healthy weight loss, there’s one change that experts agree can help to transform your eating plan for results.
To learn more about the one diet change you should make to lose weight by summer, we spoke with Amy S. Margulies, a registered dietitian and founder of the Rebellious RD. She says that people should eat more fruits and vegetables if they want to lose sustainable weight. Margulies emphasizes that they should make up “50% of every plate, meal, [or] snack.” This is because fruits and vegetables have a high fiber and water content while they are low in fat and calories. Read on to learn more about the weight loss benefits of adding more fruits and vegetables to your plate!
Women Are Swapping Their Boring Water For This Ice Pop Electrolyte Mix!
Eat More Fruits And Vegetables To Help With Weight Loss
Adding more fruits and vegetables (along with a healthy balance of whole grains, lean meats, nuts, and beans) to your diet is a safe and healthy way to lose weight. Not only are they fat-burning, but fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are important for your overall health. And, according to the American Cancer Society, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases.
"Fruits and vegetables supply lots of fiber, water, and nutrients, helping you to feel full after a meal or snack, for fewer calories and unhealthy fat than if you grab a bag of chips, candy bars, or even certain granola bars," Margulies says. Furthermore, she says that when it comes to fruits and vegetables, they should make up, "50% of every plate, meal, [or] snack."
"I recommend always including a fruit and/or vegetable as part of every meal and snack," Margulies continues. "Your produce should be at least half of your plate or meal, leaving less room to go too heavy on carbs, and enough room for a healthy dose of proteins, like lean meats and other protein sources."
Instead of worrying about what you should be eating less of before summer, Margulies suggests focusing on what you need to eat more of. "Produce will help you feel full and satisfied with your meals and snacks, so you are not looking for more. When your mindset is to eat less, your brain automatically is looking for more," she notes. "So go for more, just make your low-calorie, high-fiber, nutrient-dense, fruits, and veggies!"
The Bottom Line
So, there you have it! If you want to achieve lasting weight loss goals, Margulies recommends adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. And, just remember that healthy eating alone will not result in substantial weight loss. You also have to consistently work out, drink enough water every day, and get plenty of sleep.
