When trying to lose weight (the healthy way), you’ll often hear about all the foods that are off-limits. This can immediately put you in a mindset where you’re so focused on what you “can’t” and “shouldn’t” eat that you give up before you really start. So it’s time to learn how to eat more to lose weight without starving!
Your body is an intelligent, complicated system that needs you to feed it unprocessed, whole ingredients to run smoothly. If you know you’ve been eating too many empty calories, but still feel tired, hangry, and unhealthy – it’s time to try something different!
The following categories of foods can help you see that when you want to lose weight or manage your weight, you don’t have to cut out an entire food group or starve yourself. Focus on what you can add to make healthy choices!
Eat More Vegetables (All of Them)
If you change just one habit, it should be to add more vegetables to your day.
If you’re struggling with portion control and trying to phase out unhealthy processed foods, this is where adding in more food can help you lose weight without starving.
Are you really craving junk food because you’re bored, sad, happy, whatever? Try this trick: Eat at least one serving of vegetables first. Then give yourself 5 minutes and reassess how hungry you are. Most likely, you won’t find yourself eating as much junk food if you hadn’t added those vegetables in. Repeat this action as much as needed!
Try baby carrots or bell peppers with a few tablespoons of hummus, roasted buffalo cauliflower, PB2 drizzled celery sticks, or a leafy greens salad.
To make it easier on yourself, make sure you have vegetables chopped, diced, and ready to eat. When you’re short on time, it’s easy to overlook a healthy choice that may take a few more minutes to prep and grab an unhealthy snack from the pantry, or heat up a salty frozen meal instead.
Adding more vegetables to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner plate is also a huge help with learning portion control. You’d be surprised at how full you can feel when you fill your plate with fibrous veggies, crowding out a heavy side or a too-big serving of meat.
High fiber vegetables include:
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Artichoke
- Brussels Sprouts
- Kale
- Spinach
- Beets
- Sweet Potato
- Pumpkin
Eating a variety of vegetables is as important as eating them in the first place. Dark red beets are rich in flavonoids and Vitamin C, and leafy greens are rich in potassium and folic acid. Carrots and pumpkin provide Vitamin A, which can help strengthen your immune system.
When’s the last time you added a brand new vegetable to your plate? Seriously, try it!
Eat More Healthy Carbs
So many women are scared of carbs or think it will make them gain weight. To be clear, when I say healthy carbs, I don’t mean white pasta or white bread. Think old-fashioned oats, brown rice, 100% whole wheat bread, and beans.
Healthy carbs (or complex carbs) fuel your brain and give your body the energy it needs. They also take your body longer to digest than simple carbs.
Try to spread your servings of complex carbs throughout your day, instead of just having a serving at dinner. An example for breakfast could be whole wheat bread topped with eggs, salsa, and arugula. A great idea for lunch is a brown rice power bowl filled with chicken, beans, and veggies. End your day with a whole wheat tortilla filled with ground turkey and sauteed bell peppers flavored with your favorite spices.
When choosing pre-packaged complex carbs, watch out for added salt or sugars!
Complex Carbs Include:
- Farro
- Quinoa
- Black Beans
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Chia Seeds
- Sprouted Grain Bread
- 100% Whole Wheat Pasta
It should be noted that fruits can be considered a “simple” carb because they are fairly easy for the body to digest. However, whole fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, unlike processed simple carbs.
Eat More Protein
I’m sure you’ve heard that you should be eating protein, but how much are you supposed to eat? The answer varies on activity level, weight, age, and who you ask, but a general guideline for women is at least 50 to 60 grams of protein a day.
If you want to lose weight without starving and tone up with strength training, it’s important to take in at least 100 grams of protein a day. Protein can help your body recover from your workouts, all while building muscle and burning fat.
The best way to provide your body with protein is through whole foods. The less processed the better.
Instead of trying to load up on your protein consumption in just one meal, space it out through the day! High protein foods can help you feel fuller and give you energy, which aids weight management.
Protein Sources Include:
- Lean ground turkey or chicken
- Pork tenderloin
- Eggs, egg whites, (and plant-based Just Egg)
- Greek Yogurt (try nonfat, low-fat, low sugar)
- Cottage Cheese, non-fat or low-fat (be mindful of added sodium and sugar)
- Fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, shrimp, scallops)
- Tofu (watch for added sodium)
- Edamame
- Tempeh (plant-based protein easily flavored or marinaded)
One example of a nutrient-rich, calorie-conscious breakfast that includes an ingredient from the veggie, healthy carb, and protein category is a sweet potato hash. Roast some cut sweet potatoes sprinkled with cinnamon. Add it to a pan of scrambled egg whites, black beans, and spinach. Add or subtract ingredients to taste. Enjoy it for the next few days (or share)!
Eat More Water-rich Foods
A lot of water-rich foods are fruits and vegetables, so some of these foods have been covered already. However, being aware of a food’s water content and how nutrient-dense (or calorie-dense) a food is can have a major impact on your weight loss or weight management goals.
Imagine an entire bag of salty potato chips. You could mindlessly zone out and eat that entire bag and still feel hungry (and sluggish) because you’re essentially eating empty calories. There is nothing in that bag to nourish your body and signal to your brain, “I’m full.”
Now picture that same size bag, but instead of being full of potato chips, it’s full of cucumbers, broccoli, lean chicken, watermelon, strawberries, and non-fat plain yogurt. Firstly, that’s a lot more weight in food for the same number of calories than that bag of chips. Secondly, you probably couldn’t even finish eating all that food in one sitting!
Not only will water-rich foods help you stay hydrated, but they can also help you feel more full and lower your feelings of “starving yourself”.
Water-rich food sources include:
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Watermelon
- Peaches
- Cantaloupe
- Jicama
- Tomatoes
- Cauliflower
- Lettuce
- Plain, non-fat yogurt
- Low or no-sodium broth (add some veggies for a water-rich soup!)
- Potatoes (keep the skin on for extra nutrients and bake, boil, or grill them to stay healthy)
Tea can be an asset in your weight management goals and is quite water-rich. Read 11 Amazing Benefits Of Drinking Tea Every Day.
Final Thoughts
Too many women are taught that they need to drastically cut calories to lose weight. While you might lose some weight this way, what’s your end game? Eating 1,000 calories a day is not sustainable (or healthy).
By learning how to eat more to lose weight without starving, you’re on a path to making healthier decisions and nourishing your body. Anything I missed or that you would love to hear more about? I’d love to hear your thoughts!