American lifestyles are best described as being supersized: supersized cars, supersized homes, supersized TVs and supersized diets. And no, I’m not simply talking about eating meals from McDonalds and Burger King, but rather, the entire diet craze is supersized. 

"Calorie Consumption on the Rise in United States, Particularly Among Women", an article published in 2004 on the Center of Disease and Control’s Web site, said that Americans are eating more calories than they were 30 years ago. In fact, the article said that, from 1971 to 2001, caloric intake among women has gone up 22 percent and men increased from 42.4 percent to 45.4 percent.

Unfortunately, these statistics probably won’t mean anything to the average American since a couple of numbers won’t really change anyone’s mind about their eating habits.

So let me just put this in laymen’s terms for everyone out there: Americans are fat and we keep getting bigger.

Maybe it’s some sort of manifest destiny for American’s to grow old and get fat but this doesn’t have to be the case because there may be a few economical solutions. Granted, these solutions may not get you as completely thin as some model on a runway but they will definitely help you feel better and won’t break the bank.  

Here are 8 power foods that won’t bleed you dry and are good for your health:

8. Green Tea: When looking for a healthier caffeine alternative, try green tea. Black tea and coffee aren’t particularly bad for you, but the overall health benefits of green tea far exceed the other two traditional morning options. Green tea holds more vitamins and a mineral than black tea and is proven to aid in weight loss. Apart from its advantages for weight loss, green tea also helps to boost your immune system and may help to fight against certain types of cancer.

Finally, one of the more interesting components of green tea is that some studies show that it can boost mood and make a person feel less stressed; it’s said that a person should consume about 6 cups of green tea.

 7. Tuna: Probably the cheapest food on the list is tuna: a nutritional powerhouse. Not only does tuna cost about a dollar a can but it’s also a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. I know the word ‘fat’ conjures up skepticism but these are the types of fats the body craves; in fact, Omega-3 can help aid in fat loss among other things. If you are a person with high blood pressure, tuna will surely aid your diet and promote healthy weight loss.

Tuna is also a high source of healthy proteins, helps to prevent cancer, improves moods and helps to prevent Alzheimer’s.

The merits of tuna alone could make for an entire article. 

6. Brown Rice: When it comes to diet, I cannot stress enough the importance of whole grain foods. Most Americans see a successful dieter as being someone who restricts carbohydrates from their diet. This is simply not true; a successful dieter is someone who knows how to make carbs work from them. One carb that is most commonly used for weight loss is brown rice.

Brown Rice is a healthy alternative to white rice and costs about the same price. Brown rice (as opposed to the white variety) contains many nutrients and doubles as an antioxidant meaning it aids in digestion and preventing illnesses.

And according to an article in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” a study done at Harvard Medical School showed that women who ate whole grain foods, like brown rice, weighed less than those that didn’t.

5. Balsamic Vinegar: One solution for people trying to lose weight is to eat more salad, which is a good idea for dieters. However, eating salad alone does not guarantee success at weight loss. Something you can do to improve the performance of your salad is to eat it with balsamic vinegar instead of regular salad dressing.

This ‘superfood’ has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and is a good source of polyphenols which help prevents illnesses. Balsamic vinegar boosts digestion and helps to suppress a person’s appetite, two things that are helpful to the weight loss process.

4. Wheat Germ: Being more of a supplement than an actual food, wheat germ is a nice little addition to any food because it has almost zero taste and costs very little. Rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, wheat germ is high in fiber which helps to relieve the body of waste and controls weight. Wheat germ contains octacosanol, which can increase muscular strength. It also contains arginine which is important for muscle synthesis.

3. Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a card the body digests slowly and registers low on the glycemic index. Basically, oatmeal keeps your blood sugar in check. One of the most important things about weight loss is blood sugar regulation and anyone who knows somebody with Type 2 diabetes can back me up on this.

Not only does oatmeal control your blood sugar, but it’s also high in fiber and can make you feel full longer. However, you must buy regular or original oats because instant and quick oats are more refined and aren’t as good for you.

2. Apples:  Apples are high in fiber; they contain polyphenols and help boost energy. The fiber and polyphenols in apples are great for weight loss, but the boost of energy that apples give you are great to get a person up and off the couch and into the gym. Perfect for a pre-workout meal, apples will help give you that slight boost of energy to squeeze out that last rep on the bench press.

1. Whole Wheat Pasta: I put whole-wheat pasta on here because (like every American) I like a supersized meal. I love to eat spaghetti, which is generally considered a ‘no –no’, but like I said earlier, the secret of weight loss is making carbs work for you.

If I’m craving my favorite pasta dish, I can safely reach for a box of whole wheat pasta knowing that I’m still in control of my diet despite what my taste buds are telling me. If you’re going to spring for the Italian food, ask for whole-wheat noodles.  

GCM photos by Elodie Gerard

By Jared Leatzow

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