Many Britons who set out on a weight loss journey fall into the trap of restricting their calorie intake, causing them to derail further down the line.
But one New Zealander shed 40lbs by embracing potatoes and other filling, low-calorie foods rather than following restrictive diets.
Chelsea Mae documented her weight loss journey on YouTube, where she often reveals the foods and cheat codes that helped her achieve her transformation.
In a recent clip titled 'Five foods that helped me eat more to lose 40lbs', she broke down her approach, which centres on choosing foods that provide volume and satisfaction while naturally limiting calorie intake.
Chelsea recommends eating foods that provide volume and satisfaction
YOUTUBE / CHELSEA MAE
"The number one reason most women will consistently gain weight throughout their lives is not because they're eating too much on a day-to-day basis," Chelsea explained in a recent video.
"It's because they're eating too little and then having massive binges, so they constantly vacillate between losing and gaining."
Her preferred strategy focuses on selecting foods that enable dieters to eat larger portions whilst staying satisfied, making consistency easier to maintain.
"So you're going to be working smarter, rather than harder, and more effectively," she explained.
The potato tops her list of dietary staples, which she credits for helping her lose the weight.
"Potatoes are low in calories for the weight they are. They are only 400 calories per pound," she told viewers.
"They have another factor which is high satiety, which means that when you eat them, you get very full and very satisfied."
This combination of high satiety and low calories creates what she describes as a "natural boundary that happens to overeating".
"Even if you were to massively overeat in terms of volume and stuff your face, you'd still not be eating all that many calories," she noted.
A recent body of research from scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Centre found that potatoes can support weight loss and improve insulin resistance when prepared properly.
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Scientists continue to challenge the misconception that potatoes are empty carbohydrates
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The findings challenge widespread misconceptions about potatoes being empty carbohydrates, revealing they have remarkably low energy density compared to other starchy foods, making them suitable for weight management.
Beyond potatoes, Chelsea highlighted several other foods that support her approach.
"I love broccoli and the reason for this is it has water volume, it is naturally low in calories, so you can eat a lot of it and you are never going to overeat," she says.
Dark leafy greens like kale also have the potential to "change the game", according to her method.
Soups and stews feature prominently in her diet because they "will naturally lower a person's calorie intake during the day, even if they're eating as much as they want".
She also incorporates berries, noting "they're amazing because they are so low in calories and help to stop the sugar crash".
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