Rapid Weight Loss by Eating Fruits & Veggies
Many people look to diet fads and trends for ways to lose weight. However, many of these programs aren't sustainable; even if you do shed a few pounds, you'll likely gain it all back. More traditional efforts like adding fruits and vegetables to your diet can provide you with speedy weight loss with results that are much more likely to last. To accelerate the weight loss process,you may need to approach fruits and vegetables in a more extreme way, but keep it healthy and sensible.
A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. (Image: Jasmina81/iStock/Getty Images)Types of Fruit & Veggie Diets
There are several kinds of fruit and veggie diets out there. The most common would simply be adding several servings of fresh produce to add valuable fiber and nutrition to your diet. However, others are more stringent. Some people make a majority of their diet fruits and veggies with just small amounts of chicken and fish. Other people don't eat meat at all, but do indulge in eggs, yogurt, milk and cheese alongside the vegetables. The most strict of all fruit and veggie diet is the vegan diet, which requires that you eat only foods that come from plants. Nothing derived from animals is allowed. All of these diet choices in some way help you lose weight, though going vegan may be the quickest way to accomplish your goals without putting your health at risk.
Nutrition
Fruits and vegetables offer numerous health benefits, besides assisting in your weight loss efforts. They can contain everything from vitamin E (apples, bananas, blackberries), vitamin A (tomato, kiwi, sweet potato, spinach) and vitamin C (orange, kale, lemon, potato) to iron (grape, avocado, peas, carrots), folic acid (strawberry, cantaloupe, broccoli, asparagus) and zinc (corn, lima beans, squash). Plus, they are instrumental in promoting a healthy digestive system, which is important to prevent a build up of toxins and waste in the body. By adopting a fruit and veggie diet, you ensure that you'll be getting the nutrients you need while you're losing weight. Unlike crash diets, you won't be putting anything harmful into your body, just the best fresh produce the earth has to offer.
Fiber
Consuming fruits and vegetables provides your body with enough fiber to keep your digestive system functioning properly. Especially good sources include green leafy vegetables. As an added benefit, fiber makes you feel full, which means you don't have to eat as much to feel satisfied. This directly impacts your caloric intake and ability to lose weight.
Water
Another benefit of fruits and vegetables is that they're filled with water. The high water content is good for your body and digestive system, to be certain, but it also works to fill up your stomach faster than other foods. Feeling fuller faster means you eat less and more of the exercise you do goes toward burning off stored fat, rather than calories from what you've just consumed.
Snack Alternatives
Having fresh fruit and vegetables on hand offers another benefit for those seeking to lose weight. It provides you with a handy and healthy snack that won't fill you up with calories, cholesterol, fat, salt or sugar like other snacks but that will still satisfy your hunger. Fresh produce allows you to never feel like you're depriving yourself but still reduce your caloric intake for fast weight loss.