Trying to lose weight or stay in shape? Here are some of the best low calorie foods to start adding to your diet right away! These foods helped me lose a lot of weight and I still eat them regularly to keep my good looks! (lol) I know how hard it is to lose weight because I have been trying my whole life but it’s possible if you work towards it.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to see a dietician and get your vitamins and hormones checked before starting your weight loss journey. That way, you can rule out the medical causes of your obesity and start following a weight loss plan successfully.

15 Low Calorie Foods For Weight Loss

I spent all of my teenage years obese! I used to watch my friends get into skinny jeans, and sleeveless tops during summer while I wore t-shirts and baggy pants to hide my excess fat. Those were the worst years of my life! To make matters worse, I kept on eating all the wrong foods because they made me feel better.

As I grew older, I started having all kinds of health issues, I was suddenly prediabetic, my cholesterol levels were through the roof, and I was always tired and out of breath. I knew it was time to do something, I needed to take action and change my life for the better.

That’s when I went to see a dietician, she gave me a whole list of all the foods I could and couldn’t eat. I am so glad I did because I was able to lose over 100 pounds in just six months. My sugar and cholesterol levels are back to normal, I feel healthy and I am happy. Here are some of the foods I was able to eat while dieting.

Popcorn

Who doesn’t love popcorn on movie night right? Guess what, you can eat all the popcorn you like while dieting because popcorn alone doesn’t cause weight gain, it’s the salt and butter that causes water retention and fat. If you want flavor, add a pinch of Himalayan pink salt or a teaspoon of raw organic honey.

To pop your corn, you can use a low-calorie cooking spray or rub the bottom of your pot with low-calorie butter. This way, you can enjoy a bowl of popcorn without a care in the world! 

• 3 cups of popcorn = 93 calories
• A pinch of Himalayan pink salt = 0 calories
• A teaspoon of raw organic honey = 20 calories
• A teaspoon of light unsalted butter = 15 calories

Celery

I’ve always hated celery since I was a kid! I have never gotten used to the taste or the smell but it’s one of the best weight loss foods on the planet! Celeries are very low in calories, rich in fiber among other vital nutrients, and are natural diuretics. 

One of the best ways I found to add celeries to my diet without puking was by adding them to my smoothies. Beetroot, carrots, and celery smoothie is one that I can drink and keep down so try it if you feel the same way about celeries because they are really worth it! 1 Cup of chopped celery has:

• Calories– 14
• Sugar– 1 gram
• Protein– 1 gram
• Fiber– 1.6 grams
• Vitamin A 10%, C 22%, & K 29.59 ug
• 12 Types of Antioxidants

Eggplant

Eggplants are probably one of my favorite vegetables of all time! I don’t care how you make it, I’ll eat it all day long! One of the ways I like adding eggplants to my diet is by making baba ganoush (Mediterranean dip). It’s really tasty but I reduce the amount of sesame paste because it’s high in calories.

Adding eggplants to your soups, grilled vegetables, or cooking them with rice are some of the best ways to get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients into your diet. Eggplants are amazing for us dieters because they are rich in water-soluble fiber, low in calories, and contain the following:

1 medium-large unpeeled eggplant contains:

• Calories– 136
• Potassium– 35%
• Fiber– 16 grams
• Vitamin C– 20%
• Vitamin B-6– 25%
• Magnesium– 19%
• Iron– 7%
• Protein– 5 grams

Oranges, Grapefruits, & Tangerines

Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines are so rich in vitamins and minerals like fiber, flavonoids, and vitamin C. These substances help keep you feeling full longer during the day and promote a healthy digestive system, improve liver function and skin health.

Adding these fruits to your diet can help reduce oxidative stress which is one of the main causes of obesity. Another amazing reason to eat citrus fruits is that they help reduce bad cholesterol and unhealthy fat cells in the blood. You can add them to your smoothies or drink a glass in the mornings. Just make you consume them fresh. 

1 large orange/grapefruit/tangerine contains the following:

• Orange– protein 1.7g, cal 84, vitamin c 163%, fiber 4.4g
• Grapefruit– protein 1.8g, cal 97, vitamin c 119%, fiber 3.7g
• Tangerine– protein 1g, cal 64, vitamin c 53%, fiber 2.2g

Melon & Watermelon

I love having melons handy during hot summer days, weight loss aside, these fruits are so rich in antioxidants and help keep you hydrated throughout the day. As you may already know, to lose weight, you need to consume a lot of water and melons are 95% water. Melons also help reduce water retention and satiate you.

Eating foods that have a high water content helps reduce food and sugar cravings therefore adding them to your diet will help with weight loss. Watermelon is my favorite type of melon, I use them in smoothies or eat them in slices whenever I feel thirsty.

1 large wedge (286g) of watermelon contains:

• Protein– 1.7 grams
• Vitamin C– 38%
• Calories– 87
• Fiber– 1.1 grams

Greek Yogurt

Especially tasty during hot summer days and healthy as heck to eat while trying to lose weight, greek yogurt definitely needs to be on this list of low-calorie foods for weight loss. There are so many benefits of adding Greek yogurt to your diet daily.

Greek yogurt is filled with probiotics (good bacteria) which reduces the number of bad bacteria in your body. It is very rich in protein which helps you feel full longer during the day and prevent overeating or sugar cravings. Adding a cup of fresh Greek yogurt mixed with blueberries to your daily menu is a good weight loss strategy.

1 cup of fresh Greek yogurt contains:

• Protein– 17 grams
• Calories– 100
• Calcium– 20%
• Vitamin b-6– 5%
• Magnesium– 4%

Zucchini

Zucchini is a very tasty summer squash that is great for us dieters. They are easy to cook and can be added to so many types of recipes. One of the ways I like adding zucchinis to my diet is by roasting them with a splash of olive oil, salt, and black pepper, with a little bit of flour in the oven.

Zucchini is very low in calories and filled with water. They are also rich in dietary fiber which helps you feel full longer. They are known to help improve intestinal function and keep the digestive system healthy. 

1 large zucchini contains:

• Calories– 54
• Fiber– 3.2 grams
• Protein– 3,9 grams
• Vitamin C– 96%
• Vitamin b-6– 25%
• Magnesium– 14%

Cucumbers

I love eating cucumbers a lot! I have lost so much weight over the years by snacking on cucumbers that I love recommending them to anyone who’s trying to lose weight. These little green bad boys are so rich in fiber that eating them daily will help you get rid of all your water weight quickly.

They also help keep you feeling full longer during the day and help reduce constipation. Cucumbers are rich in antioxidants and vitamin K which helps reduce belly fat! I like having a glass of cooled greek yogurt with cucumber slices and a pinch of salt as a snack. Try it! Oh, and eat the skin plus the seeds, that’s where the nutrients are!

1 Large cucumber (280g)with peel & seeds contains:

• Protein– 1.8 gram
• Calories– 42
• Vitamin C– 13%
• Vitamin K– 57%
• Fiber– 1.4 gram
• Vitamin A– 5.9%

Beetroot 

When I was obese, I used to feel tired all the time, my energy levels were extremely low! I used to think that my weight was to blame until I had my vitamins checked. My iron levels were very low, that’s why I was always tired! When I told my dietician, she recommended a glass of beetroot juice daily.

I tried my first glass but hated the taste so I added in apples and carrots which turned out amazing. After 2 weeks of drinking beetroot smoothie, I had so much energy, my iron levels were back to normal and I started losing weight faster than before. 

Beetroot juice helps burn fat by increasing your iron levels, building up your energy, increasing your muscle mass, and regulating your blood sugar levels. I honestly recommend this root vegetable for weight loss because it really helped me.

1 cup (136g) beetroot contains:

• Calories– 58
• Protein– 2.19 grams
• Iron– 17%
• Fiber– 3.8 grams
• Vitamin c– 7%
• Vitamin B-9– 37%
• Manganese– 19%

Eggs

Did you know that one of the best ways to get rid of belly fat is by eating a hard-boiled egg in the morning for breakfast? Boiled eggs are at the top of my list for weight loss foods! This research shows that eating a hard-boiled daily can help you build lean muscle around your belly and prevent hunger pangs by 15%.

It also shows that people who eat boiled eggs daily lose more weight than those who consume bread or cereals. Boiled eggs are really low in calories, high in vitamin d, and will definitely increase your energy levels and boost your metabolism. 

1 large hard-boiled egg (50g) contains:

• Protein– 6 grams
• Calories– 78
• Fiber– 0
• Vitamin d– 10%
• Iron– 4%
• Vitamin b6– 5%

Pineapples

This delicious mouth-watering tropical fruit contains an enzyme known as bromelain which has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce belly fat very fast. If you have a lot of stubborn fat around your waistline, try adding more pineapples to your diet.

Bromelain also helps your body metabolize protein easily as a fuel source, this ensures that excess protein is not stored in your body. Adding fresh chunks of pineapples to your vegetable smoothies is the best way to get all of its amazing nutrients.

1 Cup of pineapple chunks (165g) contains:

• Calories– 82
• Protein– 0.9 grams
• Fiber– 2.3 grams
• Vitamin c– 131%
• Vitamin b6– 10%

Apples & Plums

I am sure you’ve heard the saying an apple a day keeps the doctors away right? Well, it’s true, not only can you lose weight by eating apples, they help keep your digestive system and heart-healthy too! Plums are so rich in fiber, potassium & vitamin c which are all amazing for digestion, weight loss, and strong heart vessels. 

Eating an apple daily will help keep you feeling full longer so you eat less junk food. They also help keep you regular similar to plums. Prunes are one of the best types of plums for weight loss because of their high fiber content. Just make sure not to eat too much because they contain a lot of calories.

1 large apple/prune contains the following:

• 1 large apple– protein 0.6g, cal 116, vitamin c 17%, fiber 5g,
• 100g prune– protein 2.2g, cal 240, vitamin b-6 10%, fiber 7g, potassium 20%

Salad

During my weight loss journey, I had to eat a plate of salad every single day before my main meal, I asked my dietician why? She said that eating a plate of green salad before lunch helps with getting enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also helps you eat less and makes you poop daily. (very important for weight loss)

Lettuce, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes, green onions, spinach, and cabbage, are some of the main ingredients for a weight loss salad. You also want to use only olive oil in your salads and try not to use store-bought salad dressings because they are filled with artificial flavoring, and preservatives and are very high in calories. 

100 grams of the following salad ingredients contains:

• Lettuce– protein 1.4g, cal 15, vitamin c 15%, fiber 1.3g
• Cucumber– protein 3g, cal 30, vitamin c 10%, fiber 2g
• Tomatoes– protein 0.9g, cal 18, vitamin c 22%, fiber 1.2 g
• Green onions– protein 2g, cal 32, vitamin c 31%, fiber 2.6g
• Spinach– protein 2.9g, cal 23, vitamin c 34%, vitamin k 402%, fiber 2g
• Cabbage– protein 1g, cal 25, vitamin c 60%, fiber 2.5g
• Parsley– protein 3g, cal 34, vitamin c 221%, iron 34%, & fiber 3g

Berries

Berries are known as some of the best superfoods for weight loss because they are filled with important antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C. Berries like currants and cranberries help your body get rid of excess water so if you suffer from water retention, try adding them to your smoothies 3-4 times per week.

Strawberries help with digestion and keep your heart healthy. They are also known to help reduce belly fat and regulate blood sugar levels. Try snacking on a bowl of strawberries daily or add them to your smoothies if you prefer drinking them instead.

100 grams of Strawberries/currants/cranberries contains:

• Strawberries– protein 0.7g, cal 32, vitamin C 98%, fiber 2g
• Currants– protein 4.1g, cal 283, vitamin c 10%, fiber 7 gram
• Cranberries– protein 1 gram, cal 46, vitamin C 22%, fiber 4 grams

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are so rich in fiber and low in calories. They are great for reducing water retention, improving digestion, regulating blood sugar levels, and strengthing the heart vessels. Cabbage, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts & Cauliflower are some of the best cruciferous vegetables for weight loss.

Having a bowl of cabbage soup or making a cauliflower dip are some of the easiest ways to add these amazing vegetables to your diet. I also like to make a simple shredded cabbage salad mixed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of salt as a side dish to my basmati rice. Try it and you won’t regret it!

100 grams of Cabbage/cauliflower/broccoli/Brussel sprouts/ contains:

• Cabbage– protein 1.3 g, cal 25, vitamin C 60%, fiber 2.5 grams
• Cauliflower– Protein 1.9g, cal 25, vitamin C 80%, fiber 2 grams
• Broccoli– protein 2.5g, cal 31, vitamin c 57%, fiber 2.4 grams
• Brussel sprouts– protein 3.4g, cal 43, vitamin C 141%, fiber 3.8 grams

Conclusion

There you go! All the best low-calorie foods for weight loss that you can start adding to your diet right away and lose weight faster! If you liked this post, please share it with your friends and you can also find me on Pinterest for more awesome weight loss posts when I publish them!