1. Kale

In recent years Kale has ruled as King of weight loss foods. 1 cup of raw kale contains just 33 calories and so will fill you up without increasing your calorie count! Kale also includes lots of good vitamins and mineral, including around 80 mg of Vitamin C (MORE than your daily requirements) and LOADS of Vitamin A and Vitamin K.

2. Avocado

Don’t avocados have loads of fat in them? Won’t it send my cholesterol through the roof? Wrong. In fact in a study published in the Journal of American Heart Association they trialed 45 overweight people on a number of diets. In one diet they had a lower total fat intake but did not eat Avocado. In the second diet, there was more fat but each participant ate an avocado a day. The results were astonishing – despite eating more fat the LDL (bad cholesterol) results in the avocado group were lower than the other groups.

3. Tuna

Tuna is low calorie but high Protein meaning you stay fuller for longer.

4. Eggs

Eggs can a great way to get lots of essential nutrients in. We also tend to eat them in the morning – the perfect time as they are a source high in protein. Typically eating a high protein breakfast can promote weight loss because you feel more full and are less likely to be reaching for the snack drawer at 11 am.

5. Salmon

Another fish that makes the list is Salmon. Again (there’s a theme here) its a rich protein source meaning you stay fuller for longer and don’t reach for snacks. But apart from that, it’s a great source of omega-3 which has been shown in certain studies to leave people more satisfied with their meals. It’s also an easy dish to prepare so is perfect for those with a busy lifestyle.

6. Popcorn

Seems like an odd one but Popcorn is a great snack that doesn’t have a high-calorie count. In fact, a bowl of popcorn might only be about 100 calories. If you can’t break the habit of snacking then switching to popcorn as a snack is probably a good idea. It will allow you to slowly wean yourself off snacking but without taking in loads of calories. It’s also a great source of fiber – which can help gastrointestinal transit and is great for people who suffer from things like Irritable Bowel Syndrome!

What about a program?

If all this is a bit confusing – and you aren’t quite sure about cholesterol, fats, protein nutrients and everything in between then maybe it’s time to call in the professionals. There are a number of specialised programmes across the country that can help you make an individual weight loss plan tailored to your exact goals. Many of these aren’t backed by science – so make sure you pick a plan such as Medifast – that has a number of trials about its weight loss effects.