Dieting takes a lot of work. It can be confusing and time consuming to prepare meals. You need the best diet foods that are easily prepared, fit into your daily grind, and taste good all at the same time! That can be a hard combination to find. Many healthy foods taste great, but take forever to make. Diet foods can be hard to fit into your busy schedule. Over the last ten years I’ve compiled this diet food list of my favorite healthy foods to add to your weight loss diet. The diet foods list is not in any particular order.
1. Rotisserie Chicken
These freshly cooked chickens are available in most grocery chains. They are inexpensive and provide unlimited healthy meal options. Just shred up the chicken and add it to any meal. Some of my personal favorites include chicken salads, chicken fajitas, and chicken sandwiches.
2. Healthier Fast Food
Most restaurants now have healthier options. The trick is finding them. Look for foods with a high protein like chicken or fish and a high fiber carb like mixed vegetables. Avoid appetizers, combo meals, and soda to keep your meal guilt free.
3. Low-Fat and Fat-Free Dairy Products
Milk, yogurt, cheese, and my personal favorite cottage cheese make great snacks. In between meals have a glass of milk, yogurt (greek is the best), cheese sticks, or cottage cheese.
4. Frozen Entrees
TV Dinners” have come a long way. Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, and Kashi all make healthy and convenient frozen meals. Not all frozen meals are good for dieting though. Read the labels! Select meals with vegetables that have between 300-400 calories and 10-20g protein.
5. Beverages
Water will always be the best drinking choice, but we are human and require variety. Some of the best calorie-free options include flavored waters like Crystal Light or G2 powdered packets, unsweetened tea; coffee; sparkling water; or diet soft drinks. If you’re going to drink alcohol, then liquor is your best choice. Vodka, rum, scotch, whiskey, tequila, and gin are all carb free. Diet soda makes the best mixer.
They are the ultimate convenience food. Throw it in your bag and it is there when you need it, whether it’s later that day or two weeks. There are a lot of options on the bar food market. The best choices will have at least 12g protein and will be low in sugar. Dieters should stay away from “Energy” bars because they will be high in carbohydrates and calories.
7. Lean protein
Lean protein is important for dieters because it helps us manage our sugar levels and makes you feel satisfied. The best sources of protein include cottage cheese, eggs, skinless chicken, legumes, beans, nuts, tuna, shrimp, fish fillets, lean cuts of beef like ground sirloin or filet mignon, and pork. Quick tip: your portion size should be equal to the size of your fist.
8. Brown Foods
Brown rice, wheat pasta, wheat bread, and oatmeal. These whole grains foods are high in fiber, will fill you up, and have low glycemic index levels so they will not spike your sugar / insulin levels. For successful dieting avoid all white foods including white potatoes, white bread, white rice, white pasta, and sugar.
9. Fruits
Many dieters fall victim to eating too much fruit. Fruit is filled with anti-oxidants and vitamins, but it is also filled with sugar. Eat one serving of fruit each day to get the added health benefits without the added pounds. The best fruit options are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and honeydew. Tropical fruit like bananas, oranges, and mangos are the worst because they are the highest in sugar.
10. Vegetables
Eat a variety of veggies to ensure you are getting the proper nutrients. Get in the habit of including vegetables at lunch and dinner. Mixed greens, sweet potatoes, mixed frozen vegetables, squash, kale, and spinach are some of the best options. Stay away from white potatoes and corn.
In order to be successful dieting one must be prepared and being prepared starts at the grocery store. Make sure you’re shopping along the outside of the grocery store. The best diet foods are fresh and not processed. Plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. Stash healthy snacks in your office, car, and bag to prevent long periods of time without eating and temptation to cheat in a vending machine. Diet foods should have a lot of protein and a low glycemic level. The best diet foods taste good and are convenient at the same time.
Add comment