5 great foods to beat weight loss plateau

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Hitting a plateau after months of lifestyle changes and consistent workouts is challenging and frustrating. While pounds may have shed, there will be a point wherein the body gets comfortable with the allotted diet and number of calories, which means that a change in food consumption and exercise may be needed to move past that number on the scale. Here are a few foods that prove to be great for defeating that plateau.

1. Eggs and other protein-laden foods. Protein is required to build healthy muscles to push through that next run. Eggs are a cheap but nutritious source of protein, and an effective weight loss food. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health showed that those who consumed two eggs for breakfast experienced a 61 percent greater reduction in their body mass index, 65 perecent greater weight loss, 34 percent greater reduction in waist circumference, and 16 percent greater reduction in percent body fat compared to their counterparts who consumed a bagel. Researchers concluded that including eggs in a diet "may offer a nutritious supplement to enhance weight loss."

2. Broccoli and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. Livestrong reports that broccoli is a low-calorie, high fiber vegetable that contains twice the amount of vitamins C and K the body needs in a day. Its fiber also helps in keeping the tummy full for a longer period of time, thereby avoiding hunger pangs and additional snacking.

3. Grapefruit and other fruits high in water content. Dietician Keri Glassman writes in Women's Healththat consuming grapefruit or other fruits that contain high levels of water helps individuals consume less calories in their next meal. A study also showed that consuming grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice contributed to a 25 percent decrease in food consumption and 7 percent decrease in weight among participants.

4. Chili. Earlier this year, CBS News reported that researchers from the University of Wyoming discovered capsaicin in chili peppers may help stimulate the body's ability to burn energy, and convert white fat to brown fat. According to Vivek Krishnan, a graduate student in Dr. Baskaran Thyagarajan's lab at the University of Wyoming's School of Pharmacy, "White fat cells store energy and brown fat cells serve as thermogenic (heat produced by burning fat) machinery to burn stored fat." However, researchers found that capsaicin "induces 'browning' of white fat and stimulates thermogenesis," or the process of burning energy.

5. Water. There's nothing better than hydrating after eating a spicy meal. But remember to hydrate with water instead of sugar-laden drinks. Shape reports that according to a study, adults who drank two cups of water before meals lost 40 percent more weight over 12 weeks and consumed 75-90 less calories.