11 Ways to Rev Your Weight-Loss Engine

Skip processed, go whole.

 

Whole foods — think vegetables, fruits, and whole grains — require your body to work harder during digestion than processed foods like sugary snacks and refined “white” starch. That means your metabolism gets a significant boost when you eat meals containing foods in their natural state. When researchers gave participants either a “whole-foods meal” (whole-grain bread with cheddar cheese) or a “processed-food meal” (white bread with processed cheese slices) containing the same number of calories, those who ate the whole-foods meal burned about 50% more calories digesting their sandwich. To cash in on this metabolic advantage, eat a clean diet that focuses on fresh produce, lean proteins, and whole grains, while minimizing the refined junk like sugary cereals, white breads and pasta, white rice, chips, and cookies. You’ll accelerate your weight loss simply by changing the foods that you eat, even if your total number of daily calories remains the same.