Is It Possible to Lose Weight by Eating Salads & Fruit Only?

There is no doubt, fresh natural salads and fruit are great for you and most weight loss diets talk about these. Therefore, many people assume that by eating only salads and fruit they will lose weight and improve their frame, maybe even kick-start their metabolism too.

Can you actually do this for weight loss or is there a trick to it? After all, many individuals are still having a hard time losing weight and nothing seems to work for them. This article is for you, if you wish to avoid being one of them.

The good vs. the bad kinds of salad

Not every type of salad will help you reach your weight goal. You can end up fooling yourself about having developed healthy eating habits, while in reality you’re chugging down high calorie food.

Readily made, fast-food salads these days are not always the healthy type. To make them more palatable and attractive, restaurants include a lot of fattening ingredients such as vegetable oil, high sugar, high sodium sauce or dressing.

In the end, your “healthy salad” may get you as many calories as a serving of pasta. The best kind of salad is the one you make at home, only with slimming ingredients. Use olive oil and vinegar instead of dressing, which will help you lose weight. Add spices and herbs to boost your metabolism.

Fruits – How much is too much

Eating fresh fruit or preparing smoothies and juices is a great habit to develop if you need to lose weight./ However, don’t have more than 5 such juice glasses per day. You will be getting important quantities of precious nutrients in their best form, but at the same time you’ll be ingesting the carbohydrates in fruit, which turn into sugar.

In the end, too much of this will get you fat. In addition, fasting with only salad and fruit can easily make you feel hungry and calorie deprived, thus leading you to overeating (and you may not even notice it). If you’re adopting the juicing diet, then aim to replace at least one meal a day.

The key ingredients for weight loss

The secret is to include foods that promote the satiety feeling. For example, choose watery fruits like melon, peach, cantaloupe, berries, apples, pears etc. or leafy greens such as celery, kale, lettuce, romaine, and so on.

Broccoli and cauliflower are great, too. Add healthy, non-fattening fats like avocado and coconut oil, as well as nuts and seeds, which also have a high nutritional value. Flavor your dishes with cinnamon, cumin, chili peppers, turmeric, oregano – all proven to increase the metabolic rate and promote weight loss.

Should one eat only salads and fruit?

The answer depends on how well you are adjusting to such diet. Some people experience intense hunger, which leads to overeating. Or, it slows don their metabolism, thus making fat loss impossible.

You need to try it first and do so gradually. Although fresh fruit and greens will get you plenty of essential nutrients, you still need whole grains, oils, nuts, beans, lentils etc. for the complete spectrum, so you don’t end up deprived pr deficient. If you’re not going vegan, you can also have eggs, low fat cheese and lean meat (fish especially), which will give you enough healthy fats and protein. You can (and should) have a diverse diet that doesn’t make you fat.

Losing weight with just salads and fruit

Given their high nutritional profile and low calorie count, such foods are ideal in a weight loss regimen. However, it’s best to include at least a bit of the ingredients mentioned above, or to have access to good quality supplements to prevent any deficiencies. Fresh vegetables or greens, along with fruit are very fulfilling through their content of water and fiber.

To have the latter, make sure to keep some of the pulp in fruit, for example (don’t only rely on juicing). However, with this kind of diet you won’t be getting enough protein, which is essential to building lean muscle (and preserving it). You may either rely on protein powder for shakes or opt for lean meats, cottage cheese, lean fish and beans, broccoli, lentils and chickpeas.

Relying solely on salads and fruit to lose weight can make you miss out on important nutrients. If you are up for it however, make sure to supplement with or include sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D, calcium and zinc. Top your salads with quinoa or cooked whole grains like brown rice to ensure proper nutrition.