4 ways to lose weight without giving up your favorite foods

Lisa Money, RDN

Apex Athletic Performance

You want to lose weight, but the idea of no longer grabbing your favorite takeout pizza or cheeseburger has you giving up before you even begin. Does eating healthier mean you have to give up your favorite foods? Registered dietitian nutritionist Lisa Money said no.

“That’s what people think, but the research shows that the more a person cuts out all the foods they think are bad for them, the more likely they are to engage in yoyo dieting,” Money said. “They may avoid a food for a certain period of time, but then when their body craves the food, they may end up binging on it.” 

She offered four ways you can lose weight without sacrificing your favorite foods.

• Don’t label food as “good” or “bad.” The only “bad” food is food that is spoiled or will make you sick. You can eat what you want but be aware of how much of that one food you’re eating over the course of a week. Money said to make sure most of what you’re eating is healthy.
  
  “You have a chance to eat three meals a day plus one or two snacks, so you’re eating 21 to 30 times in a week,” she said. “You have a chance to eat healthier foods like fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy and high fiber foods.”

• Choose foods that are filling. Think about what foods help you feel full longer. It can help to have a little bit of fat in the morning, such as avocado with your eggs or peanut butter on your toast, so you feel full. If you’ve had a more satisfying breakfast in the morning, you’re less likely to binge at lunchtime.

• Eat mindfully. “If you’re trying to lose body fat, it’s important to eat mindfully,” Money said. “That way you remember the foods you’ve eaten. Pay attention to the taste, texture and crunch, and you’ll get more satisfaction out of that food. When people do that, they eat less.”

• Eat from all the food groups. “People will cut out all of their carbohydrates, but I remind them that having some of the resistant starch found in potatoes and bananas will actually work to your benefit in the long run for your gut health and keep you feeling more satisfied,” Money said. “And you’ll have more variety in your diet.”

To be successful in your health goals, Money said to seek advice from your doctor or dietitian. “I really encourage people to pay attention to the research.”