Lose Weight the Healthy Way

Consume fewer energy-dense, high-calorie foods

Energy-dense foods tend to be high in fat and added sugars and low in fiber. Perhaps the best example of energy-dense foods in the traditional American diet is fast food items – cheeseburgers, fried chicken, French fries and ice cream shakes. Most processed foods are also energy-dense because fat and sugar are often added to enhance taste. Fatty foods – like meats, cheese and butter, pastry and oils – are all high in energy density.

The best way to limit energy-dense foods is to increase the proportion of low-energy dense foods on your plate – namely vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains. High in water and often fiber, plant foods tend to fill you up thanks to their bulk – not their calories.

Substituting energy-dense foods with plant-based, low-energy dense choices can benefits your waistline and decreases you risk of developing cancer. It helps reduce your cancer risk in two ways:

It will likely help you lose weight
It will provide cancer-fighting substances found naturally in plant foods: vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

To help transition away from energy-dense, high calorie meals, follow AICR's New American Plate approach to eating. Look at your plate every time you sit down to a meal.

Your plate should have two-thirds (or more) vegetables, fruits, whole grain, and beans, and only one-third (or less) animal protein.