Friday, June 01, 2007

The Best Foods for Losing Belly Fat

All of the foods listed below are proven to help you lose belly fat, get fit, and be healthier. Try to incorporate a few of them into each meal and snack you eat. For even better and faster fat loss results, eat nothing but the "fat burning" foods listed below for a few weeks. You'll lose weight and feel better faster than you probably thought possible. No matter what, try to diversify your meals to prevent "meal boredom," eat a combination of protein,carbs, and fats at every meal, and make sure to get some protein into each meal and snack.

Fresh and frozen vegetables - Packed with fiber as well as important vitamins and minerals -- yet low in calories -- these are simply the healthiest things you can eat. When it comes to losing abdominal fat they can't be beat because they fill you up without adding significant amounts of calories to your overall diet. You can basically eat as many veggies as you want each day, as long as they're not cooked in or smothered with fats or high-calorie sauces, dips, etc.

Nuts and seeds - These are full of "good" monounsaturated fats as well as protein, fiber, vitamin E, and several important minerals. Most importantly, a handful of nuts and/or seeds can fill you up quickly and keep hunger at bay for several hours. Just be sure to avoid highly salted and smoked versions. Peanut butter and other nut butters are great choices too as long as you choose "natural" versions with no added fats or sugars.

Beans and legumes - These are packed with protein, fiber, and healthy nutrients... plus they taste great and keep you feeling full for a long time. Just watch out forrefried beans, which often contain lots of unhealthy fat, as well as baked beans, which usually contain large amounts of added sugars.

Low-fat dairy products -- There is lots of evidence that consuming plenty of calcium helps to get rid of belly fat and keep it off. Dairy products are full of the stuff. Low-fat yogurts,kefir , cottage cheese, and other cheeses are good choices.. but the best choice may be low-fat milk simply because drinking liquids tends to make you feel fuller. Plus milk is one of the best-tasting bases for whey protein shakes.

Oatmeal - This is one of the few truly "great" grain products you can eat, especially when it comes to losing belly fat and improving health. It's a complex carbohydrate that's packed with appetite-reducing, health-promoting fibers... including soluble fiber which does all kinds of good things for your body. Studies have shown that eating oatmeal helps to control blood sugar levels and insulin product better than most other foods, which is extremely important when you're trying to lose weight.

Lean proteins - It's very important to include lots of low-fat proteins in your diet when you're trying to lose stomach fat. Besides building muscle, eating protein helps to make you feel fuller, boost metabolism, burn more body fat, stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels, and ensure that you're getting the nutrients you need to be healthy. Lean steak, poultry, fish, eggs, and whey protein powders are all good choices. Eating fish once or twice a week also ensures that you're getting the super-healthy, metabolism-boosting omega 3 fats into your diet.

Healthy oils - Believe it or not, you need to eat some fat in order to burn fat... and you definitely need some fat in order to enjoy great health. The key is eating the right fats. Olive oil is one of the best choices because it's full of monounsaturated fat, speeds up your body's natural fat-burning processes, lowers bad cholesterol levels, and can be used in a variety of ways. Other good oils are peanut oil, sesame oil, and canola oil. Be sure to avoid all refined fats and oils that contain trans fatty acids, such as hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Fresh fruits - Some diet experts feel that fruits should be avoided when attempting to lose belly fat because they contain sugars. But, for the most part, one or two servings of fresh or frozen fruit per day is going to boost your health and help you lose weight. Great choices are berries, apples, and citrus fruits. They all contain lots of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and other good stuff. Frozen berries make a great-tasting addition to protein shakes.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So helpful!!! Thanks!