Are you desperately trying to lose those extra pounds you piled on over the holidays? Hate to break it to you but those crash diets and weight loss pills aren’t a good idea! Eating right is really all you need to get back in shape the healthy way.
Including soup and salad in your diet can help you to lose weight. Filling up on high-fiber and low-calorie broth-based soups or salads without rich dressings can help you to eat less at meals and reduce your total calorie intake, according to Eating Well. You can also opt to replace your usual meals with satisfying broth-based soups and fresh salads for a lighter but still delicious meal.
Types
Choose low-fat, high-fiber and low-calorie soups and salads when dieting. Opt for broth-based soups or vegetables purees rather than creamy ones. Eat soups with lean meat for a main dish, or healthy and high-fiber beans. Salads should include plenty of leafy greens and fresh vegetables, but go light on cheese, nuts, eggs, and high-fat dressings. Opt for lemon or lime juice, balsamic vinegar or lower fat dressings or order your dressing on the side and use a small amount.
Function
Soups and salads are rich in fiber and water, helping to fill you up before a meal or between meals. A first course of soup or salad may reduce your total calorie consumption by 12 percent to 20 percent, according to Eating Well. Main dish soups and salads can be quite filling, while still controlling your calorie intake, whether you opt for a 1,200, 1,500 or 1,800 calorie.
Considerations
You can make a low-calorie and high-fiber soup at home by customizing it to your tastes and meal preferences, recommends Good Housekeeping. Combine broth, tomatoes, and cabbage with herbs or spices, and any non-starchy vegetables you like. Skip the tomatoes and add soy and ginger for an Asian flavor or add chilies, cumin, and cilantro for a Tex-Mex taste. Include a protein component to make a more satisfying main dish soup.
Features
Adding salads before meals or opting for a salad as a meal can help you to fill up on low-calorie and nutrient-dense foods which are associated with successful weight loss, according to Reuters. Move beyond just basic green salads and explore cold salad options that integrate beans, cauliflower or even roasted vegetables, suggests Eating Well.
Warning
Adding soups and salads to your diet or even opting for a well-balanced soup or salad as a meal is a diet strategy recommended by Good Housekeeping. There are also fad diets such as the Cabbage Soup diet, which rely on light and high-fiber soups but are not nutritionally complete, may not have adequate calories and should not be used long-term.
