We all know how important it is to keep our body healthy, but losing weight isn't always easy, and keeping on track can be a nightmare with so many products out there tempting us away from our veggies.
To help make the dieting process easier to manage, diet expert Doctor Michael Mosley has shared the five food groups you should be incorporating into your everyday life if you want to shed some weight.
Dr Mosley - who founded the 5:2 diet and the Fast 800 diet - said that simple switches to your diet can "make a real difference" to your weight loss goals, and recommended swapping fatty meats for lean ones like chicken and fish, and piling your plate with healthy veggies over potatoes.
And what's more, you don't even need to cut out dairy - as the expert claimed full-fat milk could be better for your body than the skimmed alternatives.
Dr Mosley highlighted the five food groups in a post on his Fast 800 website, where he said that "non-starchy vegetables" such as broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and cucumbers were a healthier option than things like potatoes.
He wrote: "They contain a host of vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients like phytochemicals that help to aid digestion, lower cholesterol, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. With such brilliant health benefits, there's no need to count the (very minimal) calories when adding to your plate – which we encourage with every meal!"
The diet guru then suggested swapping to "lean protein", which he defined as fish, turkey, chicken breast, and tofu.
He added: "[These meats] are low in saturated fats and high in Vitamin B-12. A diet which is high in lean proteins has many health benefits: it reduces hunger, lowers blood pressure, assists with weight management, improves muscle mass and strength, and lowers the risk of osteoporosis as lean protein is great for bone health."
Dr Mosley also praised nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and pistachios as being some of the "top healthy foods" for weight loss, as they are high in "good fats" as well as protein, fibre, and Vitamin E. Nuts also help to lower cholesterol and are great for heart health.
While you might think using oil is a no-go if you're dieting, the expert claimed that incorporating olive oil into your diet can actually be a good thing - as it can help lower your blood pressure.
He said: "Use it in your cooking, as a dressing on a salad, or as a dip; olive oil is a 'good' fat, containing anti-inflammatory compounds such as oleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols. It is known to reduce effects on depression and gut health, reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and lower blood pressure."
Dr Mosley's final tip will come as a surprise to many, as he told people to stop buying low-fat dairy options - as buying the full-fat product could actually be better for you.
"It may come as a surprise to those who were told to choose the low-fat option to be healthier," he explained, "but full-fat dairy like Greek yoghurt or full-fat milk is arguably the healthier option. It contains more essential fatty acids like omega-3, high levels of protein, Vitamin B-12, and iodine, all of which have been recognised to slow cognitive decline, reduce anxiety and depression, control energy levels and improve metabolic rate."
If your days are far too busy to be spending time in the kitchen cooking up healthy meals, Dr Mosley suggests his Fast 800 shakes, which operate as meal replacements.
He said: "While these are our top five healthy foods for weight loss, we know that in a busy lifestyle, it's not always possible to cook, prepare meals in advance, or even source them while at work or on days out.
"For this reason, The Fast 800 Shakes offer convenient nutrition with no artificial ingredients or added sugar. Packed with fibre, protein, healthy fats and 26 vitamins and minerals, The Fast 800 Shakes complement a Mediterranean diet and are especially great for fasting days."
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