Anyone who has read any of my former Yahoo articles knows that I’m on a weight loss kick. Therefore, since we’ve entered the spring season of 2014, my thoughts are focused on eating and writing about the foods that can help foster fast and effective weight loss, all the while providing our bodies with the healthy nutrients we need to keep strong.
Protein, protein, protein!
A good amount of protein is a great thing. WebMD says that I need at least 46 grams of it per day – a fact I want to remain supremely conscious of seeing as though protein can help us build muscles that assist in fat burning, and because protein-rich foods like lean meats can help us feel fuller longer.
As such, for the past four months I’ve delved into the green smoothie craze, enjoying a kale and spinach fruit smoothie with a whey protein boost nearly every morning. They were filling and yummy – especially the ones loaded with non-fat Greek yogurt. For a change, I plan to eat a two-egg spinach omelet nearly every morning this spring, decorated with flourish like diced tomatoes, bell peppers and dill seasoning to keep it interesting. I tend to choose the omega-3 version of eggs to garner the long list of benefits of the fatty acids.
Other sources of protein can be had in places we don’t often expect. Take for instance my lunch today: a totally yummy salad loaded with turkey, cranberries and avocado. Man, I love avocado. And I just found out that it was a fruit. Not just any fruit, mind you, but one of a handful of high-protein fruits, so that was quite a score for a healthy meal.
Fiber, fiber, fiber!
Speaking of the beautiful protein-rich salad that I enjoyed for my late lunch today, I plan to chow down on plenty of the same kinds of cruciferous vegetables every day this spring. Sure, there could be some nights when I give in to the calling of a piece of thin crust pepperoni pizza from Donatos (their veggie pizza is amazing) coupled with a glass of bubbling Moscato and some spicy Doritos, but I find that adding bulky fiber-filled foods as my mainstay helps to control hunger and keep the calories down, all of which results in fast weight loss.
I’m talking nutritional mixed greens and wonders like Romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumbers and colorful veggies and fruits that toss well together in salads while “keeping things moving” in the bathroom, one of the biggest benefits of a diet high in daily fiber.
That’s my eating plan for the warmer seasons. Combined with all the strength building and high-intensity interval training I get at boot camp classes and my health club sessions, I pray it keeps working.
