Food Choices That Promote Weight Loss

As a part of our expanding world of 6 Pack Bags Ambassadors, we're proud to have one of our favorites, Amber Sperling, making contributions to our blog. In this blog, the fitness fanatic expounds on the virtues of some healthy foods that will help you lose weight. Check it out! If you are a physique competitor, I'm sure these food choices are in your prep, and probably make up a majority of your meals. When I was prepping for my first bikini show I felt like this was the only thing I ate. I can also admit I looked forward to my 4 oz of sweet potato. Now, here is the low down on some great fat burning food choices, which promote weight loss.

Asparagus

Is considered to be a great vegetable for weight loss, because it is low in calories (40 calories per cup) and is a great source of dietary fiber which will help in suppressing your appetite. Asparagus is also a natural diuretic, which flushes your bodies fluids and helps deplete the body of excess sodium.

Sweet Potatoes

While sweet potatoes have a naturally sweet taste, they contain natural sugars which are slowly released into the blood stream ensuring a balanced source of energy, and enabling the body to stay in a fat burning mode.

Brown Rice

Like the sweet potato, brown rice is a low-energy-density food, meaning its filling but low in calories. Brown rice creates a feeling of fullness, meaning smaller portion sizes. In addition, the side hull and bran on brown rice are nutrient rich, allow for quicker cooking times, and are also lighter in the stomach, making it easier for your body to digest.

Quinoa

Did you know quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat? Quinoa is a seed, but is often mistaken as a grain; quinoa is often cooked like a grain which causes the confusion. This protein rich seed is considered to be a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. Fiber regulates digestion, and makes you feel fuller for longer and is less "energy dense" which means it has fewer calories for the same volume of food, which makes it a great weight loss food.

Celery

Since celery is so low in calories (16 calories per cup), it makes it a valuable food which promotes weight loss. Celery is also filling because it stores a relatively large amount of water. I've always enjoyed eating my celery with peanut or almond butter and raisins, as a daytime snack.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is very low in calories (53 calories). Grapefruit is also know to have a compound that improves your insulin sensitivity, which prevents your body from releasing excess or unnecesewsary insulin that can contribute to unwanted fat storage. Thus, grapefruit is considered to be a fat burning food and a great food for weight loss. I eat half a grapefruit every morning with a serving of nuts. The food choices listed above will not only help you loose inches around the waist, but will provide you with the needed energy to propel you through the day. Your diet should consist of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. Which means the food will break down slowly, creating a balanced source of energy, causing your body to stay in fat burning mode. Other low glycemic foods to incorporate in your diet are vegetables, whole grains, fruits and nuts.