Eating is one of the most important aspects of losing weight. The foods you choose play a key role in how successful your weight-loss efforts are, as well as how quickly you are able lose your desired number of pounds. Chili can be an effective weight-loss food if you select the most nutritious ingredients and eat it in place of higher-calorie and higher-fat fare. Howard M. Shapiro and Franklin Becker, authors of "Eat & Beat Diabetes With Picture Perfect Weight Loss," note that eating chili can help lower your cholesterol and increase your intake of many important nutrients.
Step 1
Eat chili without meat. Chili recipes that contain ground beef or ground pork are often quite high in saturated fat, which can damage your health and impede your weight-loss goals. If you must have meat in your chili, prepare it with the leanest ground beef or pork available, which will decrease the saturated fat content a bit.
Step 2
Choose chili that is loaded with beans and tomatoes. Beans and tomatoes are both low in calories, which helps you reduce your total caloric intake so you can begin to shed pounds. Beans are also high in fiber and protein, two nutrients that contribute to a feeling of fullness, as well as an elevated energy level.
Step 3
Select healthy add-ins and toppings. Sour cream, cheese and corn chips are common accompaniments to a bowl of chili, but are all high in fat and calories. Low-fat cheddar cheese is a healthier alternative that will reduce your intake of fat, but will keep the calcium content of your meal the same. Chopped onions, roasted green chilies and whole -wheat crackers are additional ingredients that will help you achieve your weight-loss goals by reducing the fat and calorie content of your chili.
Browse the shelves at your local library for books that contain healthy chili recipes. Try several different recipes to determine what combination of ingredients you enjoy.
Warning
Make your weight-loss plan with the supervision of your doctor so you can be sure that your goals are healthy and safe for you.
FAQs
Choose chili that is loaded with beans and tomatoes. Beans and tomatoes are both low in calories, which helps you reduce your total caloric intake so you can begin to shed pounds. Beans are also high in fiber and protein, two nutrients that contribute to a feeling of fullness, as well as an elevated energy level.
How to use chili for weight loss? ›
Helps with weight loss
Other studies show that chili peppers can increase metabolism and help you burn off the calories you do eat. While eating them by themselves may not lead to a significant change in your weight, using them with your doctor-approved weight loss plan may help you see results more quickly.
Is chili a healthy meal for weight loss? ›
While not considered to be a low-fat meal, chili is relatively low in calories and provides a great serving of protein, thanks to the meat and beans it contains. A serving of chili is also low in carbs, sugar, and sodium.
What are 3 excellent foods for weight loss and why? ›
Lean protein sources like chicken, turkey and grass-fed lean beef help keep you full, decrease cravings and stabilize blood sugar, says Feit. Plant-based proteins like legumes, beans and lentils have the same benefits, and they're high in fiber as well, so they promote satiety.
What is the 3 times food diet for weight loss? ›
The 3-Hour Diet is a trademarked food plan that involves eating small portions of food every three hours throughout the day. This is a highly controlled plan with a regimented eating schedule. By eating at specific times throughout the day, Cruise says dieters keep their metabolism running on high, reducing body fat.
What to add to chili to make it healthy? ›
Bell peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, and celery help make this chili incredibly nutritious and flavorful. The varying textures of these veggies also create a wonderful chili consistency. Tomato Sauce + Diced Tomatoes. The tomato sauce adds liquid, and both provide rich tomato flavor.
What is the best chili pepper for weight loss? ›
Cayenne pepper is a natural herb that may help you lose weight. This red pepper may curb your appetite, speed up your metabolism, and help you burn calories. Keep reading to learn more about the potential health benefits of cayenne pepper.
Is canned chili healthy to lose weight? ›
“Look for chilis that use turkey, tofu, chicken or beans,” suggested RDN Bianca Tamburello. “Those are leaner proteins that typically have less saturated fat than chili made with beef or pork.” Sodium content can be an issue with canned food, so it's important to check out how much is in your chili.
How many chilies should I eat a day? ›
It is also helpful in providing relief from back pain, headache, nausea and vomiting. One should not have more than 12 to 15 grams of chilli in a day. Overeating this spicing ingredient can lead to acidity, burning sensation in the gut, cramps and pain diarrhoea.
What is the number one thing to eat to lose weight? ›
Fiber is the indigestible component of plant-based foods, like fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains and certain seeds, like chia seeds, and is the No. 1 food you should be eating more of if you're trying to lose weight.
Fat-Fighting Foods
- Greek Yogurt. 1/26. Greek yogurt has almost twice as much protein as other yogurts. ...
- Quinoa. 2/26. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a nutritional all-star that belongs in your weight loss plan. ...
- Cinnamon. 3/26. ...
- Hot Peppers. 4/26. ...
- Green Tea. 5/26. ...
- Grapefruit. 6/26. ...
- Watermelon. 7/26. ...
- Pears and Apples. 8/26.
Five foods that may help burn belly fat include:
- foods with soluble fiber like fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
- foods with protein like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
- fatty fish like tuna and salmon.
- foods with probiotics like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
- green tea.
To lose 10 pounds in 3 days would mean decreasing your calorie intake by 35,000 calories in just 3 days! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a slow and steady weight loss of no more than 1/2 to 1 pound a week. Otherwise you are losing muscle and water, as well as weakening your bones.
What is the biggest meal for weight loss? ›
Most people are brought up thinking that dinner should be the biggest meal of the day, meaning they opt for a light breakfast and lunch. However, research has found that a smaller dinner and larger lunch could be the key to helping you shift those weight.
What is the most important meal of the day to lose weight? ›
Studies show that most people who lose weight and keep the weight off eat breakfast every day.
How do chillies burn fat? ›
Much of the research on spicy foods focuses on capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their kick. Some of that research has found that capsaicin boosts the body's ability to break down fat and burn more energy. “It seems to rev up the body's fat-burning mechanisms,” says Lane.
Do you drain the fat when making chili? ›
The best ground beef for chili has some fat, so 85% lean is ideal. Don't be tempted to use extra-lean beef or drain off the fat after browning the meat. The fat bastes the meat during cooking, which adds richness to the sauce and keeps the meat moist.
Does green chilli burn belly fat? ›
Green chillies may help reduce the buildup of body fat as per animal and human trials. They may improve fat metabolism. Regular intake of green chillies could help reduce body weight and help improve the metabolism of accumulated fat.
