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Weight loss: Eating more of one food group can help you lose weight and keep it off - 'stay fuller for longer'

An expert discussed protein and fibre for weight loss

GB NEWS
Sarra Gray

By Sarra Gray


Published: 12/05/2025

- 11:41

Updated: 12/05/2025

- 11:42

What you eat can have the biggest impact on your weight loss journey

Following a crash diet can become more appealing as summer approaches, but fitness experts have warned against doing this.

Instead, focus on a diet high in fibre such as leafy greens, whole grains and vegetables.

Eating foods packed full of fibre before a meal, and making sure to eat plenty of the nutrient overall, can keep you full while you lose weight.

This will be more sustainable long-term and lead to better results, according to a dietitian from Food Label Maker, Maria AbiHanna.

The Mediterranean dietThe expert recommended high-fibre foods

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She said: “Most quick-fix diets fail not because people lack discipline, but because they ignore basic physiology.
“If you focus on preserving muscle, regulating blood sugar, and protecting gut and hormonal health, weight loss becomes not just possible, but easy.
“People blame willpower when they can’t stick with a diet. The truth is that your body is built to resist rapid fat loss. So, the key is working with your biology, not against it.”
Crash diets can disrupt your blood sugar levels, according to experts at Food Label Maker, who said: "Many quick-fix diet foods, like juice-based smoothies, cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, followed by crashes that leave you tired and craving more."

This is where filling up on fibre can help. The experts continued: "Start meals with a source of healthy fat or fibre, such as avocado, chia seeds, or leafy greens.

"This helps slow digestion and keep blood sugar steady, keeping you fuller for longer." Eating plenty of fibre can aid weight loss as it will help you to feel full.

A study published in the National Library of Medicine ran a trial of 39 overweight and obese adults to find that those who supplemented with 100 grams of soy fibre daily for 12 weeks, had a significant drop in body weight, BMI and waist circumference.

Fibre also helps your gut, which can be disrupted when following an extreme diet plan.

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leafy greens on a table

The experts suggested eating leafy greens

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The experts continued: "Low-diversity diets, common in quick fixes, often eliminate entire food groups. This can reduce beneficial gut bacteria that help manage how your body stores fat and uses energy.

"Instead, eat a wider range of whole foods such as leafy greens, legumes, nuts, herbs, and whole grains. Aim for 30 or more unique foods each week to support a healthier microbiome and a quicker metabolism."

When trying to lose weight, pair healthy eating with exercise. This will help you burn more calories, maintain muscle mass and speed up results. Experts have shared how far to walk every day to help you burn fat and calories more "easily".

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