Are you facing the problem of putting on weight or excess fat? Do you want to stay slim, through a proper diet, rather than by unhealthy methods such as fasting or popping slimming pills? Then, it is better you follow a diet pattern which helps you to stay slim, without sacrificing your nutritive intake.
A slimming diet, or a weight-loss diet, basically consists of foods which are low on fats and calories, but have high fibre and other essential minerals. Listed below are common foods which give you the needed energy, however, make you eat a little less so that you remain slim.
1. Citrus Fruits: The high Vitamin C and fibre content of citrus fruits like lime, orange, papaya help in processing fat faster. Also, they have a good amount of water which, together with the fibre, makes the stomach feel full.
2. Green Vegetables and Raw bananas: Green leafy vegetables like Amaranthus, Spinach, Broccoli etc. too have high water and fibre content which gives the feeling of fullness. Another notable advantage of greens is that most of the calories provided by them do not get stored as fat, but are burned off during the digestion process. Raw (green) Bananas is very nutritions, besides having the fibre content required to make the stomach feel full.
3. Fresh fruit juice/Milk shakes: A glass of fresh fruit juice or milkshake taken daily, preferably without sugar, keeps you slim. However, too much of fruit juice consumption is unhealthy and would not give the desired results.
4. Yoghurt and low-fat milk: These dairy items are rich in calcium- with yoghurt topping the list. Calcium-rich foods help to break down the fat cells, thereby keeping you slim. As they are also high in water content, they give the feeling of fullness.
5. Pulses, beans, lentils and eggs: All these food items are high in protein and also provide a lot of fibre - beans, in particular. As proteins take long time to digest, hence you do not feel hungry soon. Also, eggs taken once or twice a week, preferably with less yolk, help in lowering the body cholesterol and dissolving the existing fat.
6. Apples and watermelons: High in water and fibre content, they make your stomach feel full. One apple is enough to make you forget your hunger for about 3-4 hours. You, therefore tend to eat less, which helps you stay slim.
7. Whole Nuts: Nuts such as almonds and walnuts have lot of proteins which take longer to digest, and fibre which helps fill your stomach. They also give you a good amount of energy. However, consuming low-fat nuts such as chestnuts, pistachio and peanuts is preferable for effective weight-loss. Further, the constant work to the teeth while chewing nuts makes your stomach feel full soon.
8. Barley and Oatmeal: Oats are also a good source of fibre. These are heavy food items which take a long time to digest, besides being rich in soluble dietery fibre. Hence, a plate of oatmeal would be sufficient to satisfy your hunger needs for a sufficiently long time. Further, oat bran has lower fat and calorie content; hence, is an ideal food for losing weight.
9. Dates and apricots: Another food item which is good source of fibre and calcium is dried dates. Also, dates contain very little quantity of fat, and thus do not cause obesity. Apricots, similarly, contain lot of insoluble fibre, which gives the feeling of fullness to the stomach.
10. Whole wheat bread and brown rice: Bread from whole wheat and brown rice with only the outermost hull layer of the rice grain removed) have lot of fibre in them and thus help in weight loss, simultaneously providing more nutrition.
Also, an Ayurvedic preparation for weight loss is as follows:
Mix the juice of Arni/Agnimandha (Botanical Name: Premna Integrifolia) leaves/flowers with an equal quantity of honey. Take one teaspoon an hour before lunch. Alternatively, drink a glass of herbal tea after mixing 2 teaspoons of honey in it. This helps in fighting obesity.