Experts suggest carb switch as part of five food changes for weight loss

02 August 2023 , 11:50

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Switching up your diet can help with your weight loss (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Losing weight can have many health benefits if you're conscious about being overweight, but knowing where to start can be daunting. While exercise can play a key part in living a healthy lifestyle, diet is key. Switching up what you eat and drink can really help you lose the pounds.

Put simply, in order to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit, which means consuming less calories than you burn - and this is much easier to do if you make healthy choices. According to fitness experts at Breaking Muscle, there are specifically five foods that you should incorporate into your diet in order to lose weight faster, especially when coupled with fitness routines.

One switch they recommend making is opting for brown rice, which is a great addition to make the most of your workouts, Liverpool Echo reports. They explained: "Containing fibre, complex carbohydrates, proteins, and antioxidants - and with healthy fat, it supplies your body with long-term energy during workouts."

The high fibre content in brown rice also means that a person is more likely to feel full, which can help prevent snacking and helping with weight loss. Another healthy swap is sweet potatoes, which has high fibre and water content that helps keep you full for longer. The experts explained: "Not to mention, they contain vitamin A, potassium, and riboflavin to name a few, which all aid the muscle building process."

Next, the experts recommend eating eggs, which are both high in protein and have healthy fats, which can also help you feel fuller. When it comes to the best way to have them, boiled or poached will help reach your weight loss goal, as you don't need to add calories due to oil.

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Greek yoghurt is considered "essential" to your diet if you're looking to lose weight, and is also something that is recommended by weight loss expert Dr Michael Mosley. As it's high in protein and low in fat, calories and sugar, it can help you shed the pounds as well as build muscle. The fitness experts added: "As well as this, it contains probiotics to improve your immune and digestive health to contribute to a healthy gut biome."

Lastly, the pros recommend eating oatmeal as a way of getting the most out of your workouts, as it provides "complex carbohydrates and protein" and is also "rich in fibre". Adding berries is also a good way to get anti-inflammatory antioxidants into your diet.

The recommended daily calorie intake for the average person is 2,500 for men, and 2,000 for women, but in order to lose weight, the NHS recommends reducing intake by about 600 calories a day.

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz