The 5 Best Fruits And Vegetables For Weight Loss

The fruits and vegetables most strongly linked to weight loss.

The fruits and vegetables most strongly linked to weight loss.

Eating more fruits and vegetables is often recommended for weight loss, but not all fruits and vegetables are equally beneficial, research suggests.

In general, fruits may be more effective for weight loss than vegetables, according to a recent study of over 100,000 nurses.

The study found that the fruits and vegetables most strongly linked to weight loss are:

  1. berries,
  2. apples/pears,
  3. tofu/soy,
  4. cauliflower,
  5. and cruciferous and green leafy vegetables, like broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

The reason these foods are linked to more weight loss is probably because they make people feel fuller while containing fewer calories.

Researchers analysed dietary data from 133,468 nurses to reach these conclusions.

The nurses took part in a survey which tracked their weight, diet and intake of specific fruits and vegetables.

Twenty-four years of data showed that people eating fruits saw the greatest weight loss, while some vegetables were also linked to weight loss.

The study’s authors write:

“Thus, an increase in total fruit intake was associated with a change in weight over a 4-y interval of -0.53 lb (a weight loss of 0.24 kg) for each extra daily serving, and an increase in total vegetable intake was associated with a weight change of -0.25 lb (-0.11 kg) for each extra daily serving.”

Some vegetables linked to weight gain, however, included potatoes, peas and corn.

Even among vegetables that were linked to weight loss, the amount of weight loss depends on the glycaemic load, the authors write:

“Notably, higher-fiber, lower-glycemic load vegetables (for example, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) were more strongly inversely associated with weight change than lower-fiber, higher-glycemic load vegetables (for example, carrots and cabbage).”

The study’s authors concludes:

“Our findings support benefits of increased fruit and vegetable consumption for preventing long-term weight gain and provide further food-specific guidance for the prevention of obesity, a primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and many other health conditions.”

The study was published in the journal PLOS Medicine (Bertoia et al., 2015).

2 Delicious Foods Linked To Weight Loss

Making these dietary changes can lead to long-term weight loss without dieting.

Making these dietary changes can lead to long-term weight loss without dieting.

A diet high in legumes like beans and peas can lead to sustainable weight loss, research suggests.

This is because vegetable sources of protein are more filling than animal sources, the study found.

Adding beans, lentils and chickpeas to the diet has been shown to boost weight loss, without the need to make any other dietary or lifestyle changes.

Pulses like these can increase feelings of fullness by 31 percent.

The present study included 43 men who were served meals with either beans and peas as the key ingredient or pork and veal.

Both meals contained the same number of calories.

The results showed that they ate 12 percent fewer calories during their next meal when they had previously eaten beans and peas.

In other words, the beans and peas were more satisfying and reduced subsequent food intake.

Professor Anne Raben, study co-author, said:

“The protein-rich meal composed of legumes contained significantly more fiber than the protein-rich meal of pork and veal, which probably contributed to the increased feeling of satiety.”

Study participants reported finding the beans and peas just as tasty as the pork and veal.

Professor Raben said:

“It is somewhat contrary to the widespread belief that one ought to consume a large amount of protein because it increases satiety more.

Now, something suggests that one can eat a fiber-rich meal, with less protein, and achieve the same sensation of fullness.

While more studies are needed for a definitive proof, it appears as if vegetable-based meals — particularly those based on beans and peas — both can serve as a long term basis for weight loss and as a sustainable eating habit.”

Increase soluble fibre intake has repeatedly been linked to weight loss.

Adding just 10 grams of soluble fibre per day has been linked to reducing belly fat by 7 percent in one study.

The study was published in the journal Food & Nutrition Research (Kristensen et al., 2016).

The Reason Poor Sleep Is A Barrier To Weight Loss

The brain’s pleasure centre begs for more food when you repeat this habit.

The brain’s pleasure centre begs for more food when you repeat this habit.

Poor sleep can block weight loss, a new study finds.

Only a few days of being short on sleep is enough to make you feel hungry even after eating a big, high-fat meal.

Additionally, the digestion and absorption of fat during a high-fat meal will change after poor sleep and put you at higher risk of obesity and diabetes.

Poor sleep has been shown to affect the metabolism and now a study demonstrates that lack of sleep changes the fat metabolism from food.

These changes weaken or damage the breakdown or storage of fats for energy.

We know if the metabolism is higher then we will burn more calories and so it is easier for our body to maintain or lose weight.

The study created a restricted-sleep schedule similar to the American work week, ensuring that participants slept only 5 hours in the sleep lab.

After a few nights of limited sleep, participants were given a high-fat dinner that was a bowl of chili mac and contained 1,041 kcal.

Dr Kelly Ness, the study’s first author, said:

“It was very palatable — none of our subjects had trouble finishing it — but very calorically dense.”

Surprisingly, after that large meal they were still felt hungry and unsatisfied.

The fullness feeling was slightly improved after one night of recovery sleep, although they didn’t get back to the healthy level from the start of study.

Then, the participants’ blood samples were tested and the researchers saw that limited sleep affected the postprandial blood lipids.

This was causing a rapid clearance of lipids in the blood after a meal — this makes people more susceptible to putting on weight.

Professor Orfeu Buxton, study co-author, explained:

“The lipids weren’t evaporating — they were being stored.”

The subjects in this study were healthy young people and the study was highly controlled to create an imperfect model.

Professor Orfeu Buxton, study co-author, said:

“This study’s importance relies on its translational relevance.

A high-fat meal in the evening, at dinnertime — and real food, not something infused into the vein?

That’s a typical exposure.

That’s very American.”

The study was published in the  Journal of Lipid Research (Ness et al., 2019).

The 3 Biggest Barriers To Weight Loss (M)

One of the best ways of fighting cravings is to work out ways to cope with barriers in advance.

One of the best ways of fighting cravings is to work out ways to cope with barriers in advance.


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The Best Weight Loss Technique Treats The Emotions

What is missing from most weight loss treatments?

What is missing from most weight loss treatments?

The best therapy for weight loss involves treating both obesity and depression, research finds.

People lose more weight when they are treated in an integrated way than if they are treated ‘as normal’ by their physician, the study revealed.

Part of the integrated treatment involves seeing a counsellor and a health coach.

Integrated treatment also reduced depression, which ‘as normal’ treatment did not.

Depression and obesity often occur together.

Over 40 percent of people with depression are obese; obesity is also a risk factor for developing depression.

Usually the two conditions are treated separately, involving multiple appointments that may increase the risk of dropping out altogether.

Professor Jun Ma, the study’s first author, said:

“Treatments exist that are effective at treating obesity and depression separately, but none that address both conditions in concert, which is a critical unmet need because of the high prevalence of obesity and depression together.

We have shown that delivering obesity and depression therapy in one integrated program using dually trained health coaches who work within a care team that includes a primary care physician and a psychiatrist, is effective at reducing weight and improving depressive symptoms.”

The study included 409 people with depression who were also obese.

Half of the people in the study were treated as normal by their physician.

This involved being given information on standard health care services for obesity and depression in the clinic.

The other group, though, were given integrated care that involved nine counselling sessions, a health coach and information on living a healthy lifestyle.

The results showed that people receiving integrated care lost 6 pounds in comparison to no weight loss in the comparison group.

The group receiving integrated care also saw reductions in depression, which the control group did not experience.

Professor Ma said:

“For patients, this approach is an attractive alternative to seeing multiple practitioners each charging for their services as is done traditionally.”

The study was published in the JAMA (Ma et al., 2019).

The Most Surprising Weight Loss Technique

This technique makes people bored of sweet and salty foods.

This technique makes people bored of sweet and salty foods.

Looking at endless images of sweet or salty foods can actually turn people off eating them, psychological research reveals.

While looking at one or two pictures makes people feel hungry, after the first few, it has the opposite effect.

Perhaps one answer to weight loss, then, is to start scrolling through pictures of food on Instagram.

The effect relies on the fact that people generally get tired of anything after they have too much of it.

Psychologists find that nothing beats the first mouthful of food, because we naturally get bored as we eat.

Professor Ryan Elder, who led the study, said:

“In a way, you’re becoming tired of that taste without even eating the food.

It’s sensory boredom — you’ve kind of moved on.

You don’t want that taste experience any more.”

In the study, many hundreds of people were shown pictures of both sweet and salty foods.

The results showed that when people looked at pictures of sweet foods they subsequently rated sweet foods as less tasty.

The same was also true for salty foods.

What is happening is that each time you look at another photograph of some food, you get less pleasure from it.

Like the first taste of chocolate giving you a frisson, the first photograph whets your appetite.

But each subsequent picture — like each subsequent mouthful of chocolate — is less and less exciting, until you get sick of it.

Professor Elder explained:

“You do have to look at a decent number of pictures to get these effects.

It’s not like if you look at something two or three times you’ll get that satiated effect.

That’s good news for food-photo enthusiasts, because, let’s be honest, showing everyone the awesome food you’re eating really is cool.”

The study was published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology (Larson et al., 2013).

The Tasty Food That Boosts Weight Loss

Eating this food, people lost 7 pounds and maintained their weight loss.

Eating this food, people lost 7 pounds and maintained their weight loss.

Eating mushrooms can make people feel fuller than meat, research finds.

Feeling fuller from consuming the same number of calories can aid weight loss.

In one study, people who switched some of their meat intake to mushrooms lost 7 pounds and maintained this weight loss over six months.

Another study has shown that mushrooms are linked to a higher intake of crucial vitamins and minerals.

Other plant-based sources of protein work just as well as mushrooms to increase satiety.

For example, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, peanuts and quinoa are all relatively high in protein and contain many essential nutrients.

Professor Joanne Slavin, the study’s first author, said:

“Previous studies on mushrooms suggest that they can be more satiating than meat, but this effect had not been studied with protein-matched amounts until now.

As with previous published research, this study indicates there may be both a nutritional and satiating benefit to either substituting mushrooms for meat in some meals or replacing some of the meat with mushrooms.”

For the study, 32 people were followed for ten days.

Half the time they ate white button mushrooms for breakfast, the other half of the time they had meat.

The mushrooms and meat were balanced so they contained the same amount of calories and protein.

The results showed that people felt significantly less hungry after eating mushrooms than they did after eating meat.

Ms Mary Jo Feeney, a nutritionist for the Mushroom Council, who funded the study, said:

“This new study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests mushrooms may aid weight management and satiety, and thus contribute to overall wellness.

Consumers are interested in the benefits of protein food choices, so it’s important for them to know that plant-based sources of protein, such as mushrooms, can be satisfying.”

The study was published in the journal Appetite (Hess et al., 2017).

5 Foods Linked To Weight Loss By 20 Year Study

Overall diet quality is more important for weight loss than counting calories.

Overall diet quality is more important for weight loss than counting calories.

Eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and whole grains is linked to weight loss, research finds.

To prevent weight gain, people should eat more minimally processed foods in general.

Weight gain is linked to foods like starches in potatoes, refined grains such as white bread, white rice and breakfast cereals that are low in fibre.

To lose weight, reduce habits like watching TV, increase exercise and leave more time for sleep.

Between 6 to 8 hours is best for sleep — longer or shorter is linked to weight gain.

Overall diet quality is more important for weight loss than counting calories or focusing on total fat or energy density, the researchers concluded.

Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, the study’s first author, said:

“An average adult gains about one pound per year.

Because the weight gain is so gradual and occurs over many years, it has been difficult for scientists and for individuals themselves to understand the specific factors that may be responsible.”

The research included 120,877 people who were tracked for 20 years.

The results showed that, on average, people gained just over 3 pounds every four years.

This meant that over 20 years they had put on almost 17 pounds, on average.

However, the study revealed that certain foods were linked to more weight gain.

Potato chips, sugar-sweetened drinks, meat and potatoes were linked to more weight gain.

Those eating more fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts, though, put on less weight, despite eating more.

Professor Frank Hu, study co-author, said:

“These findings underscore the importance of making wise food choices in preventing weight gain and obesity.

The idea that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods is a myth that needs to be debunked.”

Relatively small changes all add up over the years, said Dr Mozaffarian:

“Small dietary and other lifestyle changes can together make a big difference – for bad or good.

This makes it easy to gain weight unintentionally, but also demonstrates the tremendous opportunity for prevention.

A handful of the right lifestyle changes will go a long way.”

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Mozaffarian et al., 2011).

Weight Loss: This Technique Boosts Exercise Motivation

The technique could help overweight people lose weight and keep it off.

The technique could help overweight people lose weight and keep it off.

Not eating much between meal times can help to increase exercise motivation, new research finds.

Only eating at mealtimes, along with intermittent fasting, both increase the levels of a hormone called ghrelin in the body.

Ghrelin, which increases appetite, boosts the motivation to exercise.

The extra exercise will help overweight people lose weight and keep it off.

It may be possible to use drugs that mimic the effect of ghrelin to increase exercise motivation, the researchers write.

Dr Yuji Tajiri, study co-author, said:

“Our findings suggest that hunger, which promotes ghrelin production, may also be involved in increasing motivation for voluntary exercise, when feeding is limited.

Therefore, maintaining a healthy eating routine, with regular mealtimes or fasting, could also encourage motivation for exercise in overweight people.”

The results come from a study of mice, which compared those given free access to food with those only fed twice a day.

The results showed that both groups ate the same amount of food.

However, the mice that only ate twice a day did more exercise.

Dr Tajiri said:

“These findings and previous reports are based on animal studies; so much more work is needed to confirm that this ghrelin response is also present in people.

If it can be established in clinical practice, it not only opens up new cost-effective diet and exercise strategies but may also indicate a new therapeutic application for ghrelin-mimicking drugs.”

The study was published in the Journal of Endocrinology (Mifune et al., 2019).

Weight Loss: A Proven Technique That Works Without Effort

People in the study lost 4 lbs without making any conscious effort.

People in the study lost 4 lbs without making any conscious effort.

People can lose weight without trying when their partners are trying to lose weight, a recent study finds.

Non-dieting spouses lost 4 lbs despite making no effort to diet, if their partner was on a diet and losing weight.

The psychologists running the study call it ‘the ripple effect’.

One half of a couple automatically influences the other.

Professor Amy Gorin, the study’s first author, said:

“When one person changes their behavior, the people around them change.

Whether the patient works with their healthcare provider, joins a community-based, lifestyle approach like Weight Watchers, or tries to lose weight on their own, their new healthy behaviors can benefit others in their lives.”

The study included 130 couples, one of whom was dieting.

People trying to diet were either given pamphlets and attempted to lose the weight themselves or they were in a structured program, like Weight Watchers.

Six months later, the spouses of those dieting had lost an average of 4 lbs, if their spouse lost weight.

In other words, couples tended to lose weight together.

Similarly, if one member of a couple struggled to lose weight, so did the other.

Almost one-third of people in the study lost 3 percent of their body weight in six months, despite making no conscious effort.

Professor Gorin said:

“How we change our eating and exercise habits can affect others in both positive and negative ways.

On the positive side, spouses might emulate their partner’s behaviors and join them in counting calories, weighing themselves more often, and eating lower-fat foods.”

The ripple effect may also include other members of the household, but this has not yet been tested by research.

The study was published in the journal Obesity (Gorin et al., 2018).