Posted by: Thomas - Category: Diet & Fat Loss Tips

Foods to Help You Lose Weight

Don’t Believe Everything You Read

I just read an article that listed over 300 foods to help you lose weight and I was just thinking are you serious.  Someone actually took the time to list foods that they think will help lose weight.  Now I haven’t posted on the blog in awhile but this made sit down for a moment and think.

Foods to help lose weight

Do people really think there are certain foods that can help them lose weight?  I mean I’m just curious to know if people are actually going out and buying food that they think will help them lose weight if they eat it.  I remember seeing something where oatmeal will help you lose weight fast. Come on now are you kidding me?  Oatmeal! 

Foods for Losing Weight

I won’t disagree that some foods aren’t healthier and nutritious than others but aside from that there are not any foods that you can simply eat to help you lose weight.  The concept of eating a so called “fat burning food” gets to me.  I don’t want my readers thinking all they have to do is buy some food that is the “fat burning food” and they will lose weight.

The truth is that losing weight does come from the foods you eat, however, it is more about how much you eat as oppose to what you eat.  Yeah people will say stay away from dairy, fatty foods, alcohol and all this other stuff.  I must admit I have even said it in the past, but it’s not because they are bad foods!

The Problem with Losing Weight and Foods

One of the biggest problems people face when trying to lose weight is eating foods that are high in calories.  The foods aren’t actually bad for you however it’s the amount of calories per serving that makes you gain weight.  Think about alcohol for a minute, one mixed drink could contain as much as 400 calories and that’s just liquid which means you are still going to be hungry.

High Calorie Foods

 

High calories foods aren’t bad for you they are just what they are, HIGH CALORIE FOODS!  This means eat less of them and still enjoy them.  Don’t think just eating peanuts and broccoli are going to help you lose weight.  Make sure you know the facts.

So now you eat food while you are out and you have consumed over 1500-2000 calories in a few hours.  It’s not that the foods you ate were bad it’s the fact you ate so many calories.  My point is that I want you to be aware when someone tells you they have a special food that will help you lose weight.  

The One Way Foods Help You Lose Weight

Though I have not foods that will help you lose weight I do have a suggestion for people who wish to use foods to lose weight.  It’s nothing I haven’t written before and you will hear it over and over again because it’s the truth.  The key to foods and you losing weight simply comes down to how much of it you are eating.  In other words the only way to get foods to help you lose weight is to “EAT LESS FOOD!”

List of Foods that will Help you Lose Weight

  1. All whole grain or unprocessed foods
  2. Oatmeal
  3. Brown rice
  4. Grits
  5. Muesli
  6. Cassava
  7. Wheat Bagel
  8. Plain Popcorn
  9. Pita Bread
  10. Soybeans
  11. Spinach
  12. Rappini
  13. Pumpkin
  14. Carrots
  15. Beets
  16. Broccoli
  17. Tomato
  18. Apples
  19. Apricots
  20. Bananas
  21. Cherries
  22. Grapes
  23. Figs
  24. Protein Bars (really?)
  25. Whey Protein Shakes (come on!)
  26. Organic Beef
  27. Chicken
  28. Bison
  29. Eggs
  30. Rabbit
  31. Deer/Moose/Elk
  32. Tuna
  33. Sardines
  34. Trout
  35. Salmon
  36. Bass
  37. Cod
  38. Unsalted Cashews
  39. Unsalted Peanuts
  40. Pecans

My view of the List of Foods

Those were just 40 of the so called foods that will help you lose weight and fast as they put it.  The sad part is that I know people who will see the list and immediately go out and buy this stuff.  However most will forget that they already eat these things on a regular basis and are still not losing weight.  In fact I know people who eat this and are still overweight and in some cases gaining weight.

Okay so it ended up being longer than expected

Actually this post was supposed to just be brief but it really bothers me that people will tell you just about anything when it comes to weight loss.  I’m not saying just listen to me do your own research and pull from your own experiences.  Have you had success losing weight from eating a particular food?  Let me know, post a comment!

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8 Comments

  • ChicaDieta March 14, 2011 at 10:31 am

    I’ve had succes by NOT EATING a number of foods and EATING the most part of the foods in your list (among other healthy foods). So I’m sorry to disagree but I do think people can benefit from eating certain foods. Imagine someone who doesn’t eat healthy foods… if they changed at least half of those foods and added the healthy options, I bet they’ll loose some fat.
    There’s so much to it that I cannot put it in a simplistic way for this comment’s sake, but I’ll point to an article from Dr. Mercola’s site were he explains why Weight Watchers is changing their take on the “a calorie is just a calorie” point of view (kind of the same I can sense in your post). Yes, eat less and you’ll loose weight, but IMO that’s not all there is.

    • admin March 14, 2011 at 12:16 pm

      @ ChicaDieta,

      Certain things work for different people. My intent in posting is simply to point out that just eating certain foods will not make you lose weight. You are correct thats not all there is but the seems to be the first people. Eating healthy foods does not help you lose weight unless you stay under your needed calorie intake. Most women are looking to “lose weight” not eating healthier. I have done posts on eating healthy but find they people tend to still overeat healthy foods and tend to get discouraged.

      Disagreement is fine since there is no one perfect or absolute…but no matter in the end you will be eating fewer calories or burning more if you wish to lose weight.

      Thanks for the comment!

      -Thomas

  • Dave - Not Your Average Fitness Tips March 15, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    I think calories are what ultimately matter but certain foods can help you feel more satiated than others thereby allowing you to eat less calories. It looks like a lot of these foods at the top of the list are pretty good sources of fiber. However, something like protein shakes can instantly add 500 calories to your daily intake if you’re not careful.

    • admin March 16, 2011 at 4:45 pm

      @Dave

      I agree that some foods will make you feel fuller and you might essentially eat less. That would still bring me to the point of you are still eating fewer calories. Protein shakes tend to be a killer for women who think they need more protein to lose weight when like you said the shakes could easily add another 500 calories to their day.

      -Thomas

  • Fly Girl March 18, 2011 at 6:19 pm

    This list is funny. I know I lot of people who never knew that grits are a secret weight loss weapon!

    • admin March 24, 2011 at 8:58 am

      @ Fly Girl – Good to see you again! Yeah all these years growing up in the south and I never knew it myself. I guess people will be running to the store to stock up on grits from now on.

      -Thomas

  • Jen April 15, 2011 at 7:42 am

    I don’t know how many times i have changed my grocery list to fit some diet or workout plan only to fail. I really you to think it was all about the foods I ate until recently. Up until 8 months ago nothing was working and then I started a journal and tracked my calories.

    When I lost weight it was because I was eating less calories but I really hadn’t changed my diet. If I wanted to lose weight faster i simply ate fewer calories. Never starving myself but at 5’1 I didnt need to be eating 2500 per day every day.

    • Thomas April 17, 2011 at 3:20 pm

      @ Jen – The thing about diets is that they all try to be different and so they require you to make another list and different workout plan. I have been subjected to this myself. Like you I found keeping a journal and eating fewer calories was the key to me losing weight and living a happier lifestyle.

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