The Best Foods for Fast Weight Loss

Weight loss is about creating an exercise and diet regime that you can stick with for the rest of your life. Although there are certainly foods that promote weight loss and curb appetite, what you eat or don't eat won't directly affect the scale.
Follow the United States Department of Agriculture food guide pyramid for a nutritional diet, incorporating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy and proteins into your daily menu. You want to create a healthy lifestyle---that includes healthy eating habits and routine exercise---to not only lose the weight, but keep it off.

Healthy Habits

The foods you eat should be beneficial for your health and also help you maintain your healthy weight. Fiber is an important part of your diet because it helps curb appetite and also pulls fat through the digestive system. Vitamins and minerals help your body function, develop and grow. Antioxidants help fight disease and keep you healthy. Healthy fats and proteins are two of your major sources of energy, help fight heart disease, are good for your skin and are some of the building blocks of your body. By consuming the nutrients you need throughout the day, you will lose weight, boost metabolism and increase energy.

Water Benefits

Drinking water is especially beneficial for your body; it boosts your metabolism, gives you energy, curbs appetite and helps all aspects of your body function properly. Thirst is often confused for hunger, but by keeping your body hydrated you can avoid overeating and promote weight loss.
Add water-based foods to your diet to help satisfy hunger while not overdoing the carbohydrate or calorie consumption. Fruits and vegetables like celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, melons and peaches---just to name a few---are high in fiber, help hydrate, and flush excess fat and waste from the body.

Good For You Foods

Incorporate superfoods into your diet---such as blueberries, salmon, green tea, quinoa, beans, millet and broccoli---to satisfy hunger cravings, maintain weight, supply antioxidants and nutrients and fuel your body.
Some of the best foods for fast weight loss are fruits, especially pomegranate, acai berry, apples and kiwi. All offer healthy antioxidant benefits and are packed with vitamins and fiber. Asparagus has folate, vitamins A, C, K and fiber. Eggs are a great source of protein. Yogurt, avocado and olive oil all have healthy fats, carbohydrates and proteins, good for metabolism and energy. You are what you eat, so eat well.

Weight Loss

Fast weight loss is achieved by burning more calories than you consume. Keeping the weight off, however, requires losing the weight healthfully and following a continuous nutritional lifestyle. Choosing to eat foods because of their nutritional value instead of craving or crash dieting will have the best results.
You want to eat three to five small meals throughout the day; integrating foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Skipping meals, fasting or following fad diets will not teach your body how to maintain a healthy weight. Your body functions at its best when its getting everything it needs.

Diet Tips

It is not necessary to eliminate foods from your diet to lose weight. It's all about moderation. Minimize your intake of starches, red meat, sugars and dairy. Eat chocolate once a week. Keep a food journal if it helps you to track progress, organize your diet and create daily goals.
Think long-term and find a diet regime that you can stick with. Don't make unreasonable weight loss resolutions or try unrealistic diet plans to lose quick pounds as this often has the opposite effect. Eat well, create healthy habits and combine this with daily exercise to build muscle and increase metabolism.

References

• Self Magazine: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
• WebMD: Lose Weight Fast
• USDA Food Guide Pyramid