Calories can add up quickly. So it matters which foods you select on a low calorie diet. Choose wisely and you will not only achieve a calorie deficit for weight loss but you can take care of your health and effectively manage your hunger at the same time. Not feeling hungry on a low calorie diet is a good deal!

So, what are the best weight loss foods for women? Narrowing it down to just 10 was difficult. However, calorie for calorie, the foods I’ve chosen are nutritional powerhouses that show up often on the lists of so-called “superfoods.” Each of these foods is packed with healthy nutrients. The plant sources of food also include fiber and antioxidants. At the same time each of these foods is low fat and low calorie.

Keep in mind that fat is not bad. There are certain essential fatty acids that we need in our diet. However, the calories from fat add up fast. A gram of protein or carbohydrates has 4 calories whereas a gram of fat has 9. There are some nutritious foods that I highly recommend for your health such as nuts, avocados, and olive oil. But I am not including them in the list of the top ten for weight loss because of their calorie count.

Here’s my list. Include these foods in your diet often and you will dramatically increase your chances for weight loss success.

Berries:

Nutritious and delicious, you just can’t go wrong with berries. Some of nature’s very best foods, unsweetened berries are low fat, low calorie, a great source of antioxidants and most are a good source of fiber. Some berries such as blueberries are also low sugar. Even the strictest low-carb diets such as Atkins allows blueberries after the first two weeks or so.

When purchasing berries look for organic whenever possible. Berries not organically grown may have significant and potentially harmful amounts of pesticides.

For calorie and fiber counts see Low Calorie, High Fiber Summer Fruits and Vegetables.

Salmon:

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids seem to play an important role in reducing inflammation and risk for heart disease. Recent research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may also improve insulin sensitivity and decrease belly fat. Stabilizing blood sugar is important because it helps to reduce food cravings.

Salmon can be low calorie, low carb, low sodium, low saturated fat, and heart healthy depending on how it is prepared. When you buy salmon look for wild salmon rather than farm-raised.

Low-fat Plain Yogurt:

Low-fat plain yogurt has a healthy mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. This kind of balance can help keep blood sugar steady, which reduces food cravings.

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and protein, which makes it a great choice for women. Getting enough calcium on a low calorie diet can be quite a challenge. Although numerous studies have suggested that the calcium in milk products promotes weight loss, the evidence remains unclear. Yogurt is a good choice regardless. If new research confirms that there is indeed a relationship between the calcium in milk products and weight loss, so much the better.

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (8 oz container) – 154 calories, 12.9 grams of protein, 448 mg of calcium

Eggs:

Eggs are an excellent choice for any meal, especially breakfast. Getting enough high quality protein is particularly important for your first meal of the day.

To begin with, having a well-balanced nutritious breakfast can get you off to a good start. Balance matters for your health and satisfaction and sets a standard for eating healthy the rest of the day. Getting enough protein helps to kick-start your metabolism and keep you feeling full and satisfied longer than a high carb breakfast.

If eating eggs often does not fit with your need to be on a low-saturated fat and low-cholesterol diet, then choose an egg substitute. You’ll come out ahead because the egg substitute products made with 99 percent egg whites are high protein and lower in calories than whole eggs.

See Healthy Low Calorie Breakfast Ideas for breakfast menus that include eggs.

Broccoli:

Broccoli is loaded with vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of dietary fiber. In addition, broccoli provides a source of naturally occurring plant chemicals that have been linked to reducing risk for cancer overall and specifically breast cancer. Broccoli also contains lutein, which is important for healthy eyes.

1 cup chopped broccoli = 31 calories, dietary fiber = 2.4 grams
1 stalk broccoli = 51 calories, 3.9 grams dietary fiber

Beans (legumes):

Loaded with fiber, protein, and other nutrients, beans can be fantastic. Beans provide soluble fiber, which helps to stabilize blood sugar. (Are you picking up on the theme of choosing foods that keep blood sugar in line? Think healthy food sources of omega-3 fatty acids, balanced nutrition, and soluble fiber.)

Stabilizing blood sugar keeps you from overeating by managing your hunger. Preventing insulin spikes can also reduce your bodies attempt to store more calories as fat than you need especially in the abdomen.

Add beans to salads, soups, stews, salsas, and sauces. Edamame beans can be eaten plain or with a low calorie dip. Look for edamame beans in the frozen foods section at your grocery store.

For more on fiber and weight loss read: Dietary Fiber: Can it Help You with Weight Loss?

Spinach:

Spinach is very low calorie and an excellent source of many important nutrients such as Vitamin K, Vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, and iron. It is also a rich source of fiber and of healthy antioxidants, the benefits of which are still being uncovered.

1/2 cup cooked spinach = 21 calories, 4.3 grams of fiber

Whole Grains:

Oats, barley, whole wheat, and quinoa are just a few examples of the healthy grains to include in your diet. Whole grains have more fiber and a complete and balanced array of nutrients just as nature intended unlike processed and fortified grain products such as white bread. Look for the 100% whole grain stamp, a symbol of approval by the Whole Grains Council for packaged foods.

Whole grain foods are a rich source of fiber both soluble and insoluble. The fiber in whole grain foods can fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied as well as stabilize blood sugar. Watch your portion sizes with whole grains. Calorie counts vary so read the nutrition label and be aware of how much you eat.

Citrus Fruits:

Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit are a good source of soluble fiber and water as well as other nutrients such as vitamin C. Once again, the soluble fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Also, eating nutritious foods with a high water content can help you fill up while keeping your calorie count down.

Picking just ten foods was difficult. Here are some of the many other excellent foods you will want to consider including in your diet:

Apples
Bell Peppers
Carrots
Pumpkin
Sweet Potatoes
Tea
Turkey
Vegetable Juice
Soy
Coffee
Pomegranates
Spicy foods (Spicy foods burn extra calories for a short time but more importantly these foods are difficult to eat fast. Eating slowly can give you more time to register that you are getting full and keep you from overeating.)

See how often you can include the top ten weight loss foods for women in your diet. When eating these foods becomes a habit, it’s time to expand your repertoire. If you choose to eat healthy foods and follow the weight loss tips and strategies I’ve shared with you on this site, you have a formula for success!

[Have you had a chance to explore some of the latest additions on this site? I’ve now created a page specifically for everything you need to know about going on a healthy 1200 calorie diet. I’ve also created a toolbar that you can download for free to stay informed about my latest posts and recommendations. Look for it on the 1200 calorie diet page.]

Till next time, watch those calories and eat healthy!

Is it possible to eat low calorie healthy food at a Fast Food restaurant? The answer to that question may depend on your definition of low calorie and healthy. What is low calorie for one person may not be for someone else. What is healthy on the other hand may be a little more universal.

The healthiest foods are rich with nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. These foods are minimally processed and have no unnecessary added chemicals or dyes. The best way to get healthy food is to buy fresh, local, and organic whenever possible and to prepare the food yourself. However, that ideal situation is simply not a reality for most people.

More likely than not you are busy. You work hard as a student or employee or business owner. In addition you may have a home or family to take care of. Often there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do what you might prefer to do if the circumstances were different.

Fortunately, the average American consumer is more aware than ever of the importance of eating healthy and has a better understanding what is healthy food as opposed to what is not. As a result, nutrition conscious consumers have been speaking up when it comes to having healthy restaurant meals that can be prepared and served quickly yet don’t have an unreasonable number of calories.

Fast food restaurants have been paying attention to this trend for healthier food and have come a long way in making improvements in what they offer. The restaurants that have made the most changes with providing healthier menu items along with smaller portions sizes are doing well while other restaurants that have been slow to change seem to be losing market share.

I first wrote about healthy low calorie restaurant food items more than a year ago when a relatively small number of “healthier” menu items were available . Since then, there’s been an increase in the number of “healthier” menu items. The biggest spike, however, seems to have been in just the past few months. Maybe it has something to do with the changes in menu board calorie labeling in New York City.

New Yorkers have been astonished by the actual calorie content in some of their favorite fast food choices. A new study discovered that when customers knew the calorie counts as a result of the prominent display on menu boards in New York, they ordered an average of 52 calories less. (American Journal of Public Health, August 2008) What may be even more revealing is another study in which customers ordered meals with fewer calories when the menu was labeled but ONLY on Mondays and Tuesdays! (The Economist, 2008)

I’ll leave it up to you to decide if a menu item is healthy or not. I prefer to simply be thankful that Fast Food restaurants are making an effort and offering “healthier” choices. Just like everyone else I have times when I am away from home and need to eat quickly. Fast food is a necessity. What’s exciting is that we now have a bigger selection.

I’m not advocating eating fast food often. However, when you do you’ll want to be armed with the knowledge to make your best choices. An informative article I came across recently may be of help “12 Rules of the Road for Your Favorite Fast-Food Restaurant”. Although the suggestions in this article are good they may not be enough if you are on a low calorie diet. What I prefer to do is keep a list in mind of the restaurants with better choices (healthier and low calorie) and know which menu items are the best bet.

Image via Wikipedia One of the newest and least expected restaurants to join the ranks of those offering healthier fare is Dunkin Donuts. The Dunkin Donuts Company has listened to their customer’s recommendations for change and responded with new menu itmes! They now offer a Dunkin Donuts Smart menu called DDSMART.

In addition to reduced calorie beverages and a healthier multigrain bagel (not low calorie), the highlights of the new menu are two Egg White Flatbread sandwiches. One of the sandwiches features turkey sausage with spinach and reduced-fat mozzarella. The other is a Veggie with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Both sandwiches have less than 300 calories each, nine grams of fat or less, and are served on a toasted multigrain flatbread.

The town I live in no longer has a Dunkin Donuts restaurant. So I guess I won’t be able to give these a try for a while. Someone let me know if they actually taste good.

Starbucks has changed the standard or “default” milk added to drinks from whole milk to reduced-fat milk. That’s a significant reduction in calories but you can take that a step further. If you want milk with your coffee ask for the non-fat milk. Don’t make my mistake and ask for skim or the person you order from might misunderstand and give you “soy” milk instead of “skim” milk. Soy is a good choice but typically has more calories. (Healthy Low Calorie Beverages 100 Calories or Less)

New menu items at other restaurants to look for include:

Chicken Fajita Pita on Whole Grain (Jack in the Box, 307 calories)

Tortilla Soup Trio (Vegetarian tortilla soup, soft taco, and diet beverage for 360 calories, Qdobe Mexican Grill)

Naked Taco Salad (Choose chicken or grilled veggies for about 340 calories with the fat-free picante dressing for 45 calories at Qdobe Mexican Grill)

Chargrilled and Fruit Salad with Reduced Fat Berry Balsamic Dressing (290 calories, Chick-Fil-A’s)

Thin Crust Medium Cheese Pizza (2 slices for 280 calories from Domino’s Pizza)

For more low calorie restaurant choices read my previous articles. Menu items do change but hopefully most of the recommendations are still available:

1. A Low Calorie Restaurant Food Guide
2. Low Calorie Sample Menu and More
3. Healthy Restaurant Food: Is it Low Calorie?