Thanks to Dr. Al Sears for these great ideas!
I've seen and read a lot of media stories and advice columns on how to drop weight since the new year began. They all seem to have a lot of warnings about what not to eat. But I don't think it's a very good idea to constantly deprive yourself.
Even worse, I see a lot of advice from so-called experts who, when they do tell you what to eat, want you to eat less protein and more fake "health" foods like whole grains.
In my opinion, that's a recipe for being tired and hungry all the time.
A better idea would be to upgrade what you eat. Replace some of the nutrient-poor, processed, starchy foods common to the Western diet with a few alternatives.
I think you'll find your food tastier, and your body will get the nutrient-dense and energizing foods it needs so you can have optimal health all year.
One way to cut down on the bread without feeling like you're depriving yourself is to chop up or crush sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of breadcrumbs to coat chicken and fish. The seeds have healthy fat, fiber and protein.
Cauliflower is a great way to replace starch with natural fiber, and to add essential B vitamins and vitamins A, K, and C. Cauliflower also has the essential nutrients choline and calcium.
People who eat low-carb, high-protein diets lose fat and gain muscle.1 Plus, red meat is your only good, natural source of vitamin B12, which studies have shown can protect your cognitive abilities as you age.2
To me, avocado is almost a superfood.
In every cup of avocados there's 2.89 grams of protein, 10.79 grams of carbohydrates, and 7.3 grams of dietary fiber. They have amino acids, linoleic acid and 12 different minerals.
Avocados also have 13 different vitamins, and each cup gives you 20% of the vitamin A, C, B6 and folate you need every day. And one cup of avocados also gives you 160 mg of omega-3s.