I’m a weight-loss and anti-aging specialist, so I’m incredibly choosy about what I eat. I want the food I put on my plate to help me stay slim, young, and healthy. Oh… and of course, I want it to taste fabulous, too! That sounds like a tall order, I know. But over the years, after digging deep into the scientific literature and seeing what works in the real world for my patients and me, I’ve pinpointed the powerful superfoods that work weight-loss and anti-aging magic.

I call these “SLIM-Gestion” foods because they optimize your digestion, revving up your metabolism so you get more nutrients and burn way more fat. At the same time, they reduce your inflammation, lower your blood sugar, and even erase your wrinkles. And guess what: I’m not talking about the no-fat, no-taste foods that the grocery store labels as “healthy.” Nope—no yogurt loaded with artificial flavors and colors, no dry rice cakes that stick to the roof of your mouth, and no boring freezer meals that taste like the cardboard boxes they come in. Instead, my SLIM-Gestion foods come straight from Mother Nature. They’re clean, pure, and natural… and they taste awesome. Here they are:

Collagen.

If you aren’t feeding your body collagen every single day, you need to start right now. That’s because each year after you turn 20, you lose one percent of your collagen—the “glue” that holds your body’s tissues together. This is why you start to sag and wrinkle. Luckily, you can replace that collagen, which is why rich, creamy collagen shakes are a cornerstone of my own daily diet. In addition to fighting wrinkles and cellulite, collagen heals your joints, soothes your gut, and builds strong hair and fingernails—so if you want to stay young, healthy, and beautiful, it’s a must.

Bone broth.

You saw this one coming, didn’t you? Everyone knows that I love bone broth—and with good reason! This “liquid gold” is rich in inflammation-fighting glycine, joint-healing glucosamine and chondroitin, and gut-healing, wrinkle-blasting gelatin. In addition, bone broth fills you up and satisfies you on a cellular level. As a result, it stops the cravings that make you reach for sugary, high-calorie junk.

Lean, natural proteins.

These days, millions of people—and women in particular—are seriously shorting themselves on protein. That’s bad news, because you need a good supply of protein to build lean muscle, keep your body slim, stabilize your blood sugar, boost your energy, and keep your brain working well. So seriously… don’t skimp on this important macronutrient! My favorite choices include wild-caught salmon and other fatty fish, pastured beef, free-range poultry and eggs, and grass-fed lamb.

Veggies—a feast of non-starchy, plus a dash of starchy.

Non-starchy veggies are rich in nutrients that battle inflammation, sweep out toxins, and revitalize your cells. In addition, they have tons of fiber to keep you “regular.” They also fill you up, making it easier to resist a cookie or candy bar. So load your plate with non-starchy veggies every day. Also, be sure to include fermented vegetables like kimchi and sauerkraut in your diet, because they supply your gut with healthy microbes that make it glow. Starchy veggies like carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes are also packed with nutrients, but I want you to eat them more sparingly because they’re high in carbs. Enjoy them on days when you need a little extra burst of energy—and think of them as accents for your meals, not as the stars of your plate.

Healthy fats.

Uh huh… I bet you saw this one coming, too! If you know me, you know that I’m on a crusade to overturn the decades-old idea that “low-fat” means healthy. In reality, healthy fats help you burn more fat—and in addition, they build strong skin cell walls (bye-bye, wrinkles) and optimize your hormones. The trick here is to make sure you avoid seed oils that are high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (and often rancid to boot). Instead, reach for fats like coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and clarified butter. Olives, avocados, unsweetened coconut chips, canned coconut milk, nuts, hemp seeds, flaxseed, and chia seeds also are great sources of healthy fats.

Fat-blasting grapefruit and berries.

I recommend limiting fruits because they’re so high in sugar. However, two fruits are such fantastic superfoods that I add them to my meals nearly every day. Here they are: Grapefruit: This tart, tasty fruit is packed with a compound called nootkatone, which burns fat like mad.

Berries (especially blueberries): These are loaded with nutrients that lower your blood sugar and blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and even protect your skin from sun damage. One note: Grapefruit interacts with many medications, increasing their potency. If you’re taking any medications right now, check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it’s safe for you to include grapefruit in your diet.

How to Build a Perfect Plate

Now that I’ve introduced you to my SLIM-Gestion foods, it’s time to talk about something that’s the downfall of many people—even people who eat natural, healthy food. It’s portion size. These days, restaurants have wildly distorted our idea of what a proper serving size is.

For instance, go to your local steakhouse, and what do you get on your plate? Half a cow, a baked potato as big as your head, and a tiny thimble-full of veggies. This kind of “portion distortion” is one of the biggest reasons why so many people who think they’re eating wisely are singing the big-belly blues these days. The key to staying slim is to eat my SLIM-Gestion foods in the portions that Mother Nature intended—not the portion sizes that most restaurants serve. Here’s what your plate should look like.

HOW TO BUILD A PERFECT PLATE

PROTEIN PORTIONS

A serving of meat, fish, or poultry should be about the size and thickness of your palm. A serving of eggs is as many as you can hold in your hand (that’s two or three for women, three or four for men). A serving of egg whites alone is double the serving for whole eggs. Each meal should include a serving of protein.

NON-STARCHY VEGETABLE PORTIONS

A serving of non-starchy vegetables should be at least the size of a softball. These are fabulous for you, so, if possible, fill your plate with at least two or three softballs’ worth!

STARCHY VEGETABLE PORTIONS

A serving of starchy vegetables (such as sweet potato, jicama, kohlrabi, or winter squash) should be about the size of a baseball for women and the size of a softball for men. Eat these sparingly, saving them for when you need an extra shot of energy.

FRUIT PORTIONS

A serving of fruit is half an individual piece (half an apple, half an orange) or a tennis ball–size serving of berries, grapes, or tropical fruits. That’s a closed handful, or about 1/ 2 cup, if they’re diced. Eat no more than two servings of fruit per day, and break them up across meals and snacks to distribute your sugar intake. Remember: Grapefruit and berries are best!

FAT PORTIONS

A serving of oil or clarified butter is 1 tablespoon. A serving of nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, or olives is about 1 closed handful. A serving of nut butter is 1 tablespoon. A serving of avocado is 1/ 4 to 1/ 2 an avocado. A serving of coconut milk is 8 ounces, or 1/ 3 to 1/ 2 the can. A serving of almond milk is 8 ounces. A serving of chia seeds is 4 teaspoons. A serving of flaxseed is 2 tablespoons. A serving of hemp seeds is 2 tablespoons. So there you have it. Build your meals using my SLIM-Gestion superfoods and following my SLIM Plate guidelines, and you’ll burn off those extra pounds like crazy. In addition, you’ll get gorgeous skin, beautiful nails, shiny hair, happy joints, and glowing health from head to toe. It’s like getting a beauty and anti-aging makeover… right in your own kitchen!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!