“There is no ‘miracle food,’ supplement, pill or portion that will magically melt off the pounds,” says Gayl Canfield, director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in Miami. Rather than seeking a magic bullet, you should simply eat nutritious foods that are high in fiber.
Counting calories is important, but so is checking out what what a food is made of, says Canfield. Choose foods that are both low calorie and dense — i.e., those that are high in water and fiber content — which makes them filling. “The two lowest-calorie dense foods on earth are fruit and vegetables. Make them a bigger part of your daily intake,” says Canfield.
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Veggies, whole grains and fruits are all high in fiber and can lower blood sugar and cholesterol, adds Dr. Danine Fruge, the spa’s associate medical director. Fruge tells her clients to aim for 30 mg of fiber a day for satiety. “You should feel full [enough] so you don’t overeat, but you don’t starve [either],” she says. “That way you achieve healthy weight loss and maintenance.”
Here’s a list of high-fiber foods recommended by the Mayo Clinic to help meet your daily needs:
- Raspberries, 1 cup, 8 g of fiber
- Pear, 1 medium, 5.5 g of fiber
- Whole wheat spaghetti, 1 cup, 6.2 g of fiber
- Oatmeal, 1 cup, 4 g of fiber
- Split peas, 1 cup, 16.3 g of fiber
- Artichoke, 1 medium, 10.3 g of fiber
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About the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa:
Where It Is: Miami, Fla.
The Vibe: Guests at Pritikin are given personalized exercise and meal plans based on the center’s three “intricately interconnected” core components: nutrition, exercise and mind-body health.
What It Costs: Prices vary by season, but all-inclusive packages run from $3,200 to $8,200 depending on length of stay.