What (Not) to Eat When Trying to Lose Weight?

Reviewed by PhDr. Barbora Matějčková
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What (Not) to Eat When Trying to Lose Weight?
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  • Losing weight does not require eliminating entire food groups from your diet. Instead, it’s about understanding which foods should be eaten more frequently and which should be enjoyed in moderation.
  • In addition to diet, other factors that contribute to weight loss can greatly help or hurt your efforts.

How to achieve effective and sustainable weight loss?

Weight loss is undoubtedly a challenging goal, and you need to prepare yourself for the fact that you won't achieve your dream weight or body composition immediately... But if you were expecting a never‑ending list of foods you won't even be able to look at in this article, let us reassure you because that's not how sustainable weight loss works.

It's important to understand the principles of weight loss before you even start. It's not about cutting out baked goods, side dishes, meat or treating pizza and hamburgers as a luxury that's forever out of reach.

Rule 1: Calorie deficit

Simply put, weight loss works on the principle of a caloric deficit, where your energy intake is 15‑20% less than your energy expenditure. So it's not just your food intake that plays a role, but also the amount of energy you expend on training, walking or even housework.

Rule 2: A balanced diet based on quality foods

Can you achieve a calorie deficit while eating fast food? In theory, yes, but... although calorie deficit is essential for weight loss, the quality of your diet matters just as much. Consider this: the caloric equivalent of a single large fast food meal — such as a double hamburger, fries, and a litre of cola — could provide enough energy for three well‑balanced meals that would not only keep you full for longer but also supply your body with essential macronutrients and micronutrientsLet’s be honest — fast food contains little to no fibre, vitamins, minerals or antioxidants.

So think of food not only as a source of calories that fit on a spreadsheet but also about how processed it is, what important substances it contains and how it can fill you up.

Rule 3: Sustainability is about finding a balance

As mentioned earlier, losing weight does not mean giving up your favourite foods forever. Enjoying pizza, chips, or even cake occasionally will not sabotage your weight loss efforts or cause immediate weight gain. The key lies in balance and moderationMany indulgent meals can also be made at home in a lighter, more balanced version. For example, a homemade pizza can be the perfect low‑calorie dinner. Just replace some of the flour in the dough with courgette or cauliflower, add psyllium and top it with high‑quality ham, mozzarella or cheese instead of fatty sausage and pizza sauce.

That said, you don’t have to avoid traditional pizza, either. While its nutritional values may not be ideal, and the portion size is often larger than necessary, eating it occasionally won’t harm your progress — in fact, it may even helpDuring weight loss, the body naturally tries to conserve energy, and prolonged low food intake can lead to a slowdown in metabolism.

So, once every 2‑4 weeks, you can include a refeed or cheat day when you have something that you crave but wouldn't normally fit into your weight loss plan. Not only does this help prevent metabolic slowdown, but it also provides a psychological boost, making your weight loss journey more sustainable. However, moderation is key — it’s fine to enjoy a reasonable portion, but eating six pizzas in one day will likely undo your progress rather than support it.

Rule 4: Can't stay on a "diet" for the long term?

Many weight‑loss programs promote"shake‑based diets", often combined with low‑carb or ketogenic eating plans. While low‑carb and keto diets can be effective for some people, they aren’t suitable for everyoneThe key is to stick with a 'slimming' style of eating for the long term, not just a few weeks. So, whatever dietary style you choose, make sure it can become part of your life. If you're a lover of pastries or pasta, for example, the keto diet definitely won't be right for you.

But back to the shake diets for weight loss. Can you realistically survive on shakes alone, without eating traditional meals, for months or even years? Physiologically and psychologically, the answer is no. Shake‑based diets don’t teach you the principles of healthy eating — they simply replace meals with a temporary fix. The moment you stop the diet and return to regular eating, you’re at high risk of experiencing the yo‑yo effect, where lost weight is quickly regained.

So, which foods should you eat more of when losing weight?

As mentioned above, you don't have to give up anything in your diet when losing weight. However, it is, of course, advisable to include some foods more often and in larger quantities and others less often. 

1. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are an irreplaceable source of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, as well as antioxidants and other bioactive substances. Moreover, most fruits and vegetables are composed primarily of water, meaning they help with hydration while also being low in calories. Their high volume and fibre content make them essential for satiety, helping you stay full longer and reducing post‑meal cravings — a common challenge during weight loss. And how much fruit and vegetables should you eat? 200g of fruit and 400g of vegetables a day is recommended.

2. Fibre

While fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fibre, there are many other fibre‑rich foods you should include in your diet, such as wholemeal bread, oatmeal, wholemeal pasta, buckwheat, bulgur, paddy rice, pulses or potato skins, fruit and vegetables (just don't peel them).

For maximum fibre benefits, eat fruits and vegetables whole instead of blending them into smoothies. Blending disrupts the fibre structure, making it easier to consume a higher amount of fruit than you would typically eat in one sitting. 

3. Protein

Protein will be your best friend during weight loss because by adding it to your food, you're promoting a satiating effect, but you're also helping to protect (and maybe even build) your muscles. After all, losing weight isn't just hard on you; it's hard on them too. The best quality proteins are animal ones, not only in meat and fish but also in eggs and dairy products.

Plant sources are a bit more complicated, as they contain a limiting amino acid, which is so low in a given food that it prevents the use of other amino acids. But this problem can be solved by combining legumes and cereals, so vegans won't miss out either. The best sources of protein from the plant kingdom are quinoa or fava beans.

4. Complex carbohydrates

If you can't imagine life without carbohydrates, I have great news for you: they belong to a balanced weight loss diet, too. In terms of not getting hungry soon after a meal, we recommend focusing on so‑called complex carbohydrates, which are found in breads, cereals, pasta, rice or potatoes. These carbohydrates take longer to digest and so provide energy for a longer period of time. Ideally, then, choose whole grain options, as already mentioned for fibre.

What about fats?

Mathematically speaking, 1g of fat contains more than twice the energy of protein and carbohydrates, so high‑fat meals are energy‑dense. However, fats are still an important part of the diet and should not fall below 20% of total daily energy intake. They are important for the absorption of fat‑soluble vitamins but also for the synthesis of certain hormones. Intake of unsaturated fatty acids also has positive effects on the health of the heart and blood vessels.

What (Not) to Eat When Trying to Lose Weight?

Other principles to help you lose weight

The choice and quantity of food itself are undoubtedly important in weight loss, but they are far from all you need to do it. It also depends a lot on other factors that may not seem related but can make losing weight much easier or harder. These include:

  • Eating regularly: there is no universal rule for how many meals per day you should eat for weight loss or overall health. The ideal meal frequency varies from person to person. Some people feel satisfied with three meals a day. Others do better with 5–6 smaller meals. When planning your diet, consider how meal frequency affects portion sizes. Small snacks can help maintain energy levels and prevent intense hunger, which can lead to overeating later on. However, if snacks feel forced, there’s no need to include them — stick to what works best for you.
  • Mindful eating: a very important principle that encourages you to do nothing else at mealtimes. I guess everyone likes to enjoy their dinner with their favourite TV show, but the truth is that you are taking your attention away from the food and not noticing its taste and texture enough. As a result, your sense of satiety is also reduced, as you often cram food in within minutes. The brain doesn't register that you've actually eaten anything.
  • Regular exercise: Can you lose weight without exercise? Technically, yes — but why would you want to? Physical activity isn’t just about burning calories; it’s essential for overall health, mood, and life satisfaction. Whether it’s cardio or strength training, exercise helps regulate energy balance, allowing you to eat more while still losing weight — and it significantly improves mental well‑being.
  • Sleep: Lack of sleep actually increases feelings of hunger, which is obviously not desirable when losing weight. So, if you're wondering where to cram in the activities you missed during the day, cutting back on sleep is definitely not a good idea.
  • Stress management: Stress can lead to sweet cravings or emotional eating, so you need to learn to work with that too.

What should be cut back on?

As mentioned earlier, you don’t have to completely eliminate any foods from your diet when trying to lose weight. However, some food groups provide little nutritional value and shouldn’t form the basis of your diet — though occasional indulgence is perfectly fine.

1. Sugary drinks

Sugary drinks are one of the biggest obstacles to weight loss, especially if they make up a large part of your daily hydration. This includes not only sodas like coca-cola but also sweetened mineral waters, flavoured teas, and even 100% fruit juices.They contain a large amount of sugar and calories but don’t provide satiety, meaning you consume extra energy without realising it. Also, because they are in liquid form, the brain doesn’t register them as food, making it easy to overconsume calories without feeling full.

If sugary drinks are a part of your routine, start by gradually replacing them with water or unsweetened alternatives. Even this one simple change can lead to noticeable improvements.

2. Processed foods

Processed foods and semi‑processed foods often contain a lot of sugar, salt, low‑quality fats and overall energy, while you might look for fibre, quality protein or micronutrients in them with a magnifying glass. This means that although you will take in a lot of energy, this food will only fill you up for a short time, and you will be hungry again in no time.

Everyone will reach for a semi‑proceed meal occasionally but still try to choose the best quality options, and if necessary, improve them by adding fibre or good quality protein.

3. Alcohol

Alcohol consumption should be limited not only in relation to weight loss but also in relation to health — there is no dose that can be considered safe. 1g of alcohol also contains about 7 kcal, which, combined with the sugar in the drink, can really mess with your energy intake. 

Bottom line

If you see weight loss as something that will require you to give up half the foods in your diet, you can stay calm - rather, it's more important to learn which foods to eat on a daily basis and which to include only occasionally. From a reduction point of view but also in terms of overall health, sugary drinks, alcohol and processed foods are particularly risky.

On the other hand, you should increase your dietary intake of fibre, fruit and vegetables, protein and complex carbohydrates. In addition to food itself, don't forget other factors such as quality sleep, exercise, working with stress or mindful eating.

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