When it comes to weight loss, the first thing that comes to mind is cutting out foods, but actress Vanessa Hudgens says she saw the biggest difference when she revamped her diet to eat more of a certain type of food. In a recent interview with Women’s Health, Hudgens reveals that by switching over to a high-fat diet, she was able to shed 10 pounds in just a month, noting that’s a lot for her petite build.
Her healthy fat of choice? A daily avocado.
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“If I’m not getting enough fat, my body holds on to calories,” Hudgens says. “We’ve been trained to think that fats are bad, but they’re so good—a source of energy and sustenance that keeps you going through the day.”
She notes that eating a high-fat diet helps keep her sustained enough to avoid carbs, which in addition to help with weight loss, has also helped significantly with her daily well-being. “[Eating a high-fat diet] is the only way I can not eat carbs. When I ate carbs, I would get that dip in the afternoon where I felt really sluggish. When I’m off them, my energy stays consistent throughout the day,” the actress says.
“While I wouldn’t recommend that everyone eat an entire avocado daily, it’s true that fat is very satisfying, which helps avoid that ‘hangry’ feeling people often experience on a calorie-restricted diet,” says New York nutritionist Jessica Cording. “A very low-carb diet may not be appropriate for everyone, but putting an emphasis on foods that make you feel satisfied and energized is key to achieving your weight and health goals, and maintaining that success.”
While a healthy diet is key to weight loss, a regimented workout routine is also important. To lose the 20 pounds she gained for her role in Gimme Shelter, Hudgens hit her local SoulCycle for spin class twice a day. “Put me on a bike in a room with loud music, and I’m happy,” she says. “It’s like dancing without the stress of worrying if you look good.”
