Food you should love and hate

* Consult your doctor before starting any diet and exercise plan.

You want to eat right but don't have the time to go looking for foods that will help you get results. We'll keep this short to save you some time as you fine-tune your eating plan. Here is a list of foods that will help you make the right choices to get results. Substituting just a few of the foods on the “should avoid” list with some of the foods on the “should eat” list could reduce your weekly calorie intake by upward of 1000 calories. Remember, getting lean doesn't mean cutting food out of your eating plan entirely. It means finding substitutes that will provide you with the high-quality nutrients and right number of calories to help you be active and get the body you want.

\\ Foods that you should eat:

Include fish: A great alternative to chicken and beef, fish has notable amounts of protein and is generally low in saturated fats and carbs (if you avoid the breaded kinds). To give you an idea, 3 ounces (85 grams) of tuna has approximately 0.7 ounces (20 grams) of protein and only 92 calories. And 3 ounces (85 grams) of salmon has approximately 0.6 ounces (17 grams) of protein and 99 calories.

Include plums: These are a great snack. They're packed with flavor and contain only about 30 calories each.

Include whole-grain products: You should be switching to whole-grain sources of carbohydrates if you are looking to lose weight. Whole-grain breads, rice, and pasta generally are higher in vitamins and minerals than processed (white) carbohydrates, will provide you with a longer lasting source of energy, and contain more fiber, which can help make you feel fuller while eating less. The saying “quality over quantity” applies here. The calorie counts will appear similar if you read the nutritional label, but you'll be getting a better quality of nutrients if you choose whole grains compared to the processed (white) type.

Include lentils: This vitamin- and mineral- packed food is also a high-quality source of carbohydrates and fiber. A cup of lentils contains approximately 230 calories (including 15 grams of fiber). Use lentils as a side dish and an option to try instead of whole-grain rice.

Include water: Drinking water is essential for keeping yourself hydrated when you're exercising as part of your weight-loss plan. Aim for 10 eight-ounce glasses per day. You may need more based on your activity levels. Use our water calculator to get a better understanding of your specific needs.

Include sweet potatoes: These are a great substitute for white potatoes, as they have a lower glycemic index (GI), which helps with blood insulin levels and ultimately influences the amount of calories that may become stored later as fat. Sweet potatoes have a GI rating of 53*, while white potatoes have a rating of 121 (the higher the rating, the greater the potential for a faster rise in blood sugar levels).
* The standard reference used is 100 (the GI of white bread).

Include almonds: These snacks are convenient and loaded with nutrients. You'll get protein, unsaturated fats, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. However, avoid choosing almonds that are coated with salt, as this will up your daily salt intake considerably. And remember not to eat too many of these at one time. Twenty almonds will provide you with about 140 calories.

Include watermelon: This gem of a fruit is a great source of water that will help you feel fuller without excess calories and is easy to eat. A cup of diced watermelon contains only about 41 calories and ample amounts of vitamins A, C, and the much talked about Lycopene.

Include salsa: Use this as a topping on everything from sweet potatoes to salmon, it tastes great and adds moisture to dry foods. A two–tablespoon helping has only about 9 calories and no fat.

\\Foods to avoid when loosing weight:

Avoid anything but lean cuts of red meat: If you are eating regular cuts of meat, you could be taking in considerable amounts of saturated fats. Choosing a quarter-pound beef patty that contains 95 percent lean beef over one that contains 75 percent lean beef means you'll get 7 fewer grams of fat (which equals 63 fewer calories per patty).

Avoid soda: The difference between a 12–ounce can of regular soda and a diet soda of the same size is approximately 40 grams of carbs and 151 calories.

Avoid alcohol: If you are planning to lose weight, alcohol should not be part of your fluid intake. It is very calorie-dense; a bottle of beer has 146 calories, and a shot of hard liquor has approximately 97 calories.

Avoid anything but skim milk: While all types of milk have many benefits, if your goal is to cut your calories, you should choose skim milk. One cup of 2% milk has approximately 138 calories while the same amount of skim milk has only about 83 calories. Over the course of a week (having a glass per day), this can total 385 fewer calories.

Avoid mayonnaise: While you may not use a lot of this on a daily basis, even a small amount has enough calories to make a difference. If you must use mayonnaise, choose the low-fat kind (which contains only 3 grams of fat per tablespoon) over the regular kind (which contains 12 grams of fat per tablespoon).