What else can I eat for weight loss?

Despite all the discussion to the contrary, weight loss is simple.  You will lose weight when you eat less than you burn.  

So, in order to ensure you get great results from your FastFx, it is helpful to be mindful about what else you eat.

If you replace all 3 meals with FastFx

2 cups of vegetables

If you are replacing all 3 meals a day, then you can also eat 2 cups of low starch vegetables and 1 tsp of oil.  

You don’t have to eat the vegetables, because FastFx has all the nutrients you need, but it can help psychologically and socially to have something you can munch on.  

Below we have listed some vegetables to avoid or minimise.  This is simply because they have more calories than other vegetables.  These high starch vegetables will slow down your weight loss.  Try to stick to the vegetables on the Recommended list for maximum results.

You can, of course, eat vegetables from the Avoid list, but just remember to watch your portion size, especially for potatoes and kumara.

For ideas and recipes for your 2 cups of vegetables, check out our Recipe Book.

1 teaspoon of Oil

If you are replacing all three meals a day and adding the 2 cups of vegetables, we recommend you also add 1 tsp of Oil.  Olive oil works well but, if you prefer, you can use another plant based oil that is low in saturated fats.

Carefully measure the oil - one teaspoon has 40 calories, but one tablespoon has 120 calories - so keep an eye on your proportions so you don’t blow out your calories.

We recommend the oil because FastFx is very low in fat, which is great for your weight loss, but not consuming any fat can potentially leave you vulnerable to developing gallstones.  Rapid weight loss can cause your liver to release more cholesterol into the bile, which can lead to the formation of crystals.  These crystals can occasionally go on to develop into stones.  An active ingredient in Oil reduces cholesterol in the gallbladder and therefore can help to stop gallstones forming.  If you are not replacing all 3 meals with FastFx you don't need to add the additional oil.

Replace dressings and sauces 

A drizzle of mayonnaise or a smear of cream cheese can sneak in hundreds of calories and really sabotage your weight loss.  For example, a tablespoon of mayonnaise has 100 calories and 2 tablespoons of cream cheese has 200 calories!  Save the calories for food that fuels you and try to avoid these high calorie sauces and dressings.  Instead, get flavour by adding herbs and spices or our low calorie dressing.

Drinks

Water is by far the best thing you can drink. It really helps to fill you up and to hydrate your metabolism.  Water also helps energise muscles, hydrate your skin, flush your kidneys and your digestive system, so it’s important to drink as much water as you can.

If you struggle try sparkling water, add lemon, cucumber or mint to your water bottle or drink hot or cold herbal teas.

You can also drink sugar free drinks. While we suggest minimising artificial sweeteners for your health, in terms of weight loss, diet or sugar free soft drinks are fine to drink.

Avoid juice, energy drinks, milk,  wine, beer and spirits, which are high in calories.

If you do choose to drink alcohol, your lowest calorie option is a spirit with a sugar free mixer (eg Gin and diet tonic). Dry white wine and champagne are the next lowest calorie alcoholic drinks.

Tea and Coffee

Tea and Coffee are fine to drink, but try to have them with less or no milk or sugar. Milky coffee can be a real trap for weight loss. In fact, a Starbucks Latte contains 230 calories!  If you are especially attached to your morning latte (we get it), try to limit milky coffees to one per day and use a natural sweetener instead of sugar.

If you replace 1 or 2 meals with FastFx

You can still achieve great results by just replacing 1 or 2 meals a day with FastFx, but your weight loss will be enhanced if you are careful with what else you eat.

Piece of lean protein

Include a serve of lean protein, like chicken, fish or tofu.  Protein is helpful because it takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, so keeps you feeling fuller and is lower in calories than fat - so you can eat more for less calories.  It can also help build muscle, which fuels your metabolism and you are less likely to overeat protein.

Try to avoid processed meats like sausages, mince, chicken nuggets etc which are higher in calories and preservatives. 

To cook your protein, try to either grill, air-fry,  or use a small amount of spray oil in a frying pan.  This will avoid adding extra calories.

Carbohydrates

Try to minimise carbohydrates, like potatoes, pasta and rice.  A small serving is fine, in moderation, but too many carbohydrates can stall your weight loss.  If you do occasionally add carbohydrates to your meal, try to make them a side serve and not the whole meal.  For example, one potato (with a piece of steak and vegetables) would be preferable to a whole bowl of pasta.  

Vegetables

Add a large serving of non- starch vegetables (see list below).  These vegetables help fill you up and add vitamins and minerals without the calories.  If you are struggling with ideas, check out our Recipe Book, which has some lovely, very low calorie recipes that can be added to a piece of protein.

Snacks

Try to minimise snacking in the day - you don't need it for the nutrients, and often it is habit rather than hunger.  If you do snack, try to limit portion size and calories.  Avoid 'health' foods, like protein bars, bliss balls and muesli bars, which are often very high in calories.  For ideas on healthy snacks see our blog on Snacking.

At a glance

Vegetables 

Drinks 

 Snacks