When it comes to losing weight, most people believe that running on a treadmill for countless hours a week is the answer, WRONG! Although exercising plays a huge part in losing weight and getting fit, it is only part of the equation. What people concentrate less on, which is much more important than how many hours you spend in the gym, is their DIET! They believe that just because they got a workout in, they can go out and splurge on whatever they want to eat, and that is why they fail to achieve the physique they want.
If you want health and fitness success, you need both equal parts exercise and proper nutrition, along with proper rest. Along with these concepts, you must also be in the caloric deficit to lose weight as well, too find this out use the following equation: (Bodyweight X 15 – 500), and that is how many calories you should be eating in order to lose weight. Concentrate on clean and lean proteins, green veggies, low to moderate complex carbs, and healthy fats to get you there.
Start with these fat burning super foods to get you back on track:
#1 WHOLE GRAINS: Whole grains take more effort to break down than processed grains and therefore help your body burn more fat. They are also rich in proteins, thiamine, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium. Some examples of whole grains you should be consuming are: Wild Rice, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Whole Wheat, Whole Oats, Barley (BEER DOES NOT COUNT), Whole Rye, Bulgur, etc.
#2 PROTEIN: Of all the things that you eat, protein is at the top of the list in foods that require effort to digest – even more than common fats. While you’re body and digestive system is working hard to process and digest the protein that you take in, it’s throwing calories into the furnace.While there is no real magic weight loss pill, the clean sources of protein come pretty close. Some examples are:
Egg Whites: High in protein, low in calories, and have no cholesterol or fat. They are also rich in branched-chain amino acids which keeps your metabolism stoked. They also provide riboflavin — also known as vitamin B-2 — which can help metabolize carbohydrates, fats and protein.
Chicken Breast: A lean meat; lean meats are full of iron. Eating about three to four servings of iron-filled foods will help avoid an iron deficiency, which can cause your metabolism to slow down. Chicken has little fat and a lot of protein. If you are trying to add bulk to your muscles, grilled chicken can help!
Tilapia (Fish): Tilapia is a super learn source of protein and seafood, and high in protein. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied two different tribes, one of which frequently ate fish as a part of their daily routine and another tribe that consumed very little.
Greek Yogurt: Non-fat greek yogurt is AWESOME! Super high in protein, and no fat at all. Compared to most other protein sources, greek yogurt is comprised of Casein Protein, which digests slower, and keeps you fuller longer. This is a great, healthy bedtime snack or just a snack in general. Throw some fresh berries in and enjoy!
#3 Chili Peppers: Are you a fan of spicy? I know I am! Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a chemical compound that can kick metabolism into higher gear. Capsaicin also helps minimize blood glucose and cholesterol levels, lowers high blood pressure, and triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin, brain chemicals that counteract depression and mood swings. If that wasn’t enough, peppers can also aid in curbing your appetite, reduce your unhealthy cravings, and even enhance your sexual performance.
#4 Green Tea:
There are actually a number of benefits to switching out sweetened coffee and other beverages with green tea, whether hot or cold. First and most important, green tea can help improve metabolism by as much as 4% in a 24 hour period. That might not seem like much but it becomes a regular part of your diet it has the potential to keep your metabolism in a higher gear throughout the day.
Another benefit is the caffeine content in green tea. While lower than a cup of coffee by volume, the small amount of caffeine still carries the same affect where the heart rate increases, thus elevating circulation and causing the heart to work just a little harder. This can improve calorie burn over the course of a day.
Green tea is also known to reduce appetite to some degree, varying from person to person.
#5 Grapefruit: Grapefruit actually lowers the insulin levels in the body – not by a great degree, but by some. This slightly decreased insulin level prevents the body from storing as much sugar as fat. Those lower insulin levels also help curb appetite, as a high insulin level is what turns the brain on that it’s time to bring some energy into the stomach.
Another added benefit here is that grapefruit is one of the many super foods that are high in fiber with very few calories (a half grapefruit is only about 40 calories, usually a little less). The amazing thing about grapefruit is that it’s one of the well-known “negative calorie” foods – meaning it takes more calories to digest it than exist in the fruit.
#6 Water: Your body is made up of 70% water, so you might as well drink it! A study published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that the consumption of water (about 17 oz.) can increase the metabolic rate by 30 percent in healthy men and women. Drinking a healthy amount of water helps the body’s fluid balance, which in turn can aid in digestion and the transportation of nutrients in the body. Further, drinking water can help you finish that last rep. When you sweat at the gym, you lose water. When your muscles don’t have enough water, they get tired. Hydrate your muscles properly, and you’ll have extra energy to complete your workout.
#7 Apples and Berries: Apples and other water-rich fruits (like Berries) can help make your diet plan far more effective as the pectin contained within the apples can limit how much fat your cells can absorb. A wide variety of fruits, especially little berries, contain a large number of antioxidants and soluble fiber to aid in digestion.
It’s important to limit the intake of fruits because some fruits do have a high natural sugar count which can create insulin spikes in the body. The natural acids within fruits can also create intestinal upset if taken in large quantities.
#8 Healthy Fats: These include: Avocados, Olive Oil, Nuts, and Natural Nut Butters (Like Almond and Peanut Butters). These monounsaturated fat sources can actually aid fat loss. But be careful, fats are really a calorie dense source, 1 gram of fat is 9 calories.