9 Belly Fat Fighting Foods

Belly fat is fast becoming the number 1 trouble spot for people wanting to lose weight. There is a multitude of ways thrown about in the mainstream media regarding the best ways to burn belly fat and fat in general, such as diets right through to fat burning pills. However with all these products out there more and more people seem to be gaining and not losing weight. It doesn't have to be this way.

There are numerous things that you can do to help your body along your journey to burning fat. Most notably including certain foods that help to stimulate your body into fat burning mode.

You're told to stay away from fats and carbs but your body actually HAS to have them, not only in order for it to function at a healthy level but it also needs them to aid the fat burning process.

Yes, you read that right. You get to eat fats and carbs - but the healthy variety. No one needs to give up all fats and carbs. Some of these fat burning food items are so good that when incorporated into a healthy diet and a good exercise routine, you'll have that fat burnt off your belly as well as all other areas in no time.

Now you could base entire meals and snacks around these fat burning food items, but you don't have to. It's pretty easy if you just follow these simple rules:


Incorporate at least three of these food items into each of your meals.
Incorporate at least one of these food items into each snack.
Broaden your horizons at each meal to get a combination of not only protein, carbohydrates, and fats, but also vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.



So lets look at some of the best belly fat burning foods available to us:

Spinach

Benefits - Aids building muscle, neutralizes free radicals, helps slow the aging process and supplies your body with a huge amount of quality nutrients.

** Helps to fight cancer, heart disease, wrinkles,
osteoporosis, stroke and obesity.

Oats (Unsweetened and unflavored)

Benefits - Increases energy, maintains blood sugar levels, reduces cholesterol, supplies the body with a good amount of fiber.

** Helps to fights heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and obesity.

Almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts (Most nuts in general)

Benefits - Aids building muscle, raises metabolism, good supply of healthy fats and reduces cravings.

** Helps to fight heart disease, muscle loss, wrinkles, cancer, high blood pressure and obesity.

Raspberries (Most berries in general)

Benefits - Enhances eyesight, protects the heart, improves balance and coordination, improves short term memory, helps reduce cravings and improves the immune system.

** Helps to fight heart disease, cancer, obesity.

Legumes and beans

Benefits - Aids building muscle, raises metabolism, helps burn fat, regulates digestion, supplies the body with a good amount of fiber.

** Helps to fight high blood pressure, obesity, colon cancer and heart disease.

Chilli

Benefits - Raises metabolism, helps burn fat, aids digestion and helps to relieve migraines.

** Helps to fight cancer, sinus congestion, obesity, muscle, joint and nerve pain.

Eggs

Benefits - Aids building muscle, raises metabolism, burns fat, improves eye health.

** Helps to fight heart disease, obesity and reduces cholesterol.

Olive oil and Coconut oil (Cold pressed and extra virgin)

Benefits - Raises metabolism, aids weight loss, lowers cholesterol, raises immune system.

** Helps to fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

Vegetables

Benefits - Improves overall health and wellbeing, increases energy, aids building muscle, raises metabolism, aids weight loss, improves vitality, aids strong bones, regulates digestion, slows the aging process, removes toxins, reduces risk of most chronic diseases.

** Helps to fight heart disease, cancer, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, osteoporosis, reduces risk for stroke.

There you go. Many amazing health benefits in the foods outlined in this article not to mention that fact that they'll also help burn fat to get you to your weight loss goals sooner.

So add them to your shopping list and make them a part of your daily routine.

To great health,

Paul

Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.


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Foods That You Should Simply Never Eat

Whether you are a man or a woman, trying to gain muscle mass or lose fat, you need to be aware of the foods that you are eating. You could spend half an hour on the treadmill and put yourself through a very intense workout and still find at the end of it, that you've only burned about 300 calories.

But did you know that one doughnut could easily set you back that same 300 calories? This doughnut, which takes only minutes to consume, is about the same as half an hour on the treadmill. It doesn't really seem like a fair trade-off.

Did you also know that a simple hot dog at the food court of one of North America's major retailers has 16 grams of saturated fat? That is almost all of your recommended daily allotment in saturated fat in a single item. If you add fries to that, and many people do, now you're going over your recommended daily allotment of both saturated fat and sodium in a single sitting.

With this in mind, it occurs to me that it is not your fault. You simply didn't know. The aim here, is to outline foods that many people don't even know are as bad for you as you might think.

1. Hot dogs.

Not just the ones at the major retailer that I was referring to, but almost any of them. Most of them contain meat that is mechanically separated. This basically means that all of the good and useful parts of the animal have been removed and turned into steak, pork chops and chicken breast, while the remainder gets pounded and crushed into a pink paste. This is what most hot dogs are made of.

2. Donuts.

I know, they are delicious, but many of them contain type of unsaturated fat known as trans-fat. Trans-fats are artificially created and are far worse for your arteries than even saturated fat. It is used in many junk foods simply because it makes food taste delicious. In fact, foods that contain trans-fat are completely banned in Canada. But if you live in the USA, it is still a very real threat.

3. Potato Chips

First, I need to admit that this was my hardest food to quit. I love my chips, but there is a very good reason for that. Potato chips contain what scientists refer to as the perfect combination of the tasty yet deadly triad of salt, sugar and fat.


Remember that a healthy lifestyle is more than just diet, it requires a healthy diet, an exercise regimen and education. You can diet and exercise all you want, but the challenge is keeping ahead of the advertisers who want to fill their bank accounts at the expense of your health and your wallets.

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Super-Healthy Breakfast Foods That Will Give You a Nutritional Boost

Eating breakfast every morning is one of the healthiest habits to have if you are watching your weight. Several researches have proven that having breakfast prevents overeating later in the day, giving you a nutritional boost and ramping up your energy levels at the same time. Choosing - and keeping track of - the foods you eat at breakfast will dramatically impact your weight loss efforts and overall sense of well-being. While some are packed with zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium, others provide important amounts of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants.

We compiled a list of healthy breakfast foods you should definitely consider eating in the morning.

1. Raspberries

A cup of raspberries packs 8 grams of fiber, which is one of the most important nutrients your body needs. A recent study published in Journal of Nutrition has shown that eating 8 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you take in will result in a whopping 4 1/2 pounds of weight lost over the course of two weeks. In other words, eating one cup of raspberries in the morning can set you up for weight loss success.

Mix them with cereals and yogurt for an absolutely nourishing and delightful morning meal.

2. Oatmeal

Oatmeal has long been one of the healthiest foods available - and it appears that several studies deem it as an excellent choice for breakfast. Packed with fiber that keeps you feeling fuller for much longer, oatmeal contains slow-release carbohydrates that can help burn more fat if eaten 3 hours before exercising. Furthermore, slow-release carbohydrates will not spike blood sugar as high as refined carbohydrates do, resulting in more weight lost over a shorter amount of time.

Consider playing up a slow cooker oatmeal recipe if you are unsure of the best way to cook this food. With just a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, you will have a scrumptious and all-natural breakfast waiting for you when you wake up.

3. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a golden mine of omega-3 fatty acids, which can contribute to improving your health and giving you a sense of well-being. Two tablespoons of flaxseed pack more than your recommended daily intake of omega-3's, as well as fiber and lignan, an antioxidant with potent effects against breast cancer. Add flaxseed to a green smoothie, or sprinkle them on top of your oatmeal for a super-nourishing pairing.

Keep in mind that flaxseed will pass through your body without being digested, so make sure to buy them ground or grind them yourself at home.

4. Blueberries

When added to a glass of unsweetened, fat-free Greek yoghurt, blueberries become one of the tastiest foods for breakfast. Although tiny, these fruits pack a big antioxidant punch that will protect your body against free radical damage, and prevent a wide range of life-threatening conditions including cancer. What's more, studies show that blueberries can improve memory, motor skills, blood pressure and even metabolism, which makes them a must-have for every morning meal.

Throw a cupful of blueberries along with a few spinach leaves, two tablespoons of flaxseed and a sprinkle of cinnamon in your blender, and mix until smooth. Add ice cubes and keep mixing until frothy for a nutrient-packed, refreshing smoothie.

Final Thoughts

Apart from blueberries, flaxseed, raspberries and oatmeal, there are many other healthy breakfast foods that can turn your morning meal into a punch of nutrients. These include grapefruit, eggs, almonds, oranges, wheat germ, and even whole grain cereals. A word of caution: avoid taking in too much fiber in the morning, otherwise you will be having frequent bowel movements later in the day.


Author Deborah White is on her own journey to health and wellness. Remember that you are the only one you have. You deserve the best; always strive to make yourself better and healthier! We at Only the Essentials can help you do that. Get all the information you need about How To Eat Healthy at Only the Essentials. Also check out our FREE report "Better Health And Anti-Aging Through Supplements & Super Foods" for a healthy grocery list!

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How To Diet And Still Eat All The Foods You Love

How to Lose Weight and Still Eat the Foods You Love

Before embarking on any sort of weight loss or fitness journey, it's always a good idea to consult your physician. While this article will provide you with some great weight loss tips, only a doctor will know for sure if the advice is right your lifestyle.

It's a common misconception that losing weight means limiting the types of foods you eat. We've all seen it before; a friend starts a new diet and suddenly all they eat are salads and chicken breast. There's nothing wrong with eating those types of food when you want to shed some pounds, but it's completely incorrect to believe that you must eat those foods for weight loss.

There's really only one rule that you need to follow when you are trying to lose weight. The magic rule is:

Calories In, Calories Out

That's it folks. As long as you make sure that you are consuming less calories than you are expending, then you will lose weight. You could practically fill your calories with brownies and as long as you are expending more calories than your foods, you'll find that the number on that magic scale of yours will decrease over time. Now, do I recommend that you only eat brownies to fill your caloric needs? Absolutely not. The point I'm trying to make is that the notion that you have to eat certain foods for weight loss is nonsensical.

So, how do you know how many calories you must consume?

Simply put, all you need to do is find a calorie calculator. There are hundreds, even thousands of calorie calculators all over the web. A simple Google search will help you find them at ease. The one thing you want to note is you want to find a calorie calculator that gives you the amount of calories needed to lose weight. Some calculators may only give you the amount of calories you need to maintain your weight, so make sure you are careful with your search distinction. Some calculators will even give you the amount of carbohydrates, fats and protein you need to consume per day. Those calculators are even better because with those macronutrient amounts, you can easily pinpoint exactly how many calories of each you need to lose weight.

Do I have to follow macronutrient amounts?

When it comes to down to it, you really don't. As long as you figure out the amount of calories you need from the calculators, you really could just track the calories you are eating and make sure you do not go above that number. However, I will say that following specific macronutrient amounts will support better body composition. Eating a diet that is proportionate to the amount of fats, carbs and protein will result in more muscle mass and less fat.

How do I make sure not to eat too few calories?

This is a GREAT question. The beauty of the calorie calculators, especially from trusted websites, is they'll make sure to give you calories that safely lose weight. Most of them will put you in somewhere around a 250-500 caloric deficit. This is the perfect range to lose weight. At 250 calories below maintenance you will lose anywhere between .5-1 pound a week. A deficit of 500 calories will see you lose anywhere from 1-2 pounds.

What if I want to lose more than 2 pounds a week?

You don't. Besides the first week of dieting where people may lose upwards of 5-6 pounds because of the loss of water weight, you don't want to lose more than 2 pounds a week. The reason being is weight loss of more than 2 pounds would put you at dangerously low caloric levels. These levels may help you lose more weight in the short term, but your body will adapt over time. You'll eventually get to a point where you stop losing weight with your already low caloric values, and then what would you do? You can't go any lower with your calories or else you'd starve.

By sticking to 2 pounds a week, you ensure slow and steady weight loss with a minimal chance of negative health effects.

What happens if I hit a plateau and can't lose any more weight?

With any sort of caloric restriction, your body will eventually adjust and you may see your weight loss come to a halt. Never fear though, there are some things you can do to get over your plateau.

For starters, adding cardio to your weekly workouts can help you get over the plateau. Shooting for cardio about 2-3 times a week can safely add to your caloric deficit and get you back to losing weight.

Another thing you can do is plan a day of "no counting calories" every 2 weeks. On this day, you can simply eat as you choose without worrying about tracking every single piece of food. Just be careful not to go too overboard. The point of a no counting day is to add calories to your diet so your body can reset and begin losing pounds again. Be careful though! You don't want to eat so much that you set your weight loss goals too far back.

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So that's it folks. No longer do you need to follow the salad and chicken diet. Feel free to eat all the foods you want, as long as you stay below your caloric intake needs.


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10 Facts About Healthy Weight Loss Foods That You'll Love

Weight loss and food is always a challenge. What foods are good for you and what foods should you avoid? It can be very difficult trying to buy and eat healthy weight loss foods. Take a look at these 10 facts about weight loss and food.

1. Some Foods Actually Fight Belly Fat.

Cruciferous vegetables contain nutrients that help combat factors that result in the body depositing fat around your stomach. These powerful veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, radishes and kale.

2. Give Your Diet Variety.

Bland food can make you reach for the sweet, high calorie alternatives. You can use spices and herbs for flavouring without adding loads of calories or fat. To add flavor to meat, fish, and poultry cook on an open flame.

3. Eat More Foods That Contain Water.

Foods that are high in water and fibre but low in calories will help your weight loss diet. These include cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, berries and apples.

4. You Can't Just Live On Negative Calorie Foods.

Negative calorie foods are those where you use more calories in eating and digesting the food than it is made actually up of. Celery is the most famous variety but if you ate celery all the time you would not receive the nutritional requirements that your body needs and you might even starve.

5. Don't Forget Healthy Fats.

You do need to eat healthy fats to develop the brain, provide the body system with energy and help to produce hormones. Healthy fats also enable your body system use vitamins more efficiently. Fish and raw nuts provide good sources of healthy fats.

6. Don't Forget Protein.

The protein rich foods for weight loss are fish, beans and poultry. Without protein you will have issues with exhaustion, sleeping difficulties, and weakness.

7. Eat Smaller Portions Of Food More Often.

The body really only needs about 300-400 calories in one sitting. Any more than that is turned into fat stores. Eating smaller portions will help your weight loss plan.

8. Eat At Least One Piece Of Fruit Or Veg With Every Meal.

Eat some fruit with your breakfast, some salad or steamed vegetables with your lunch and fresh vegetables with your dinner. This will provide your body with a healthy stream of natural carbohydrates right through the day.

9. Swap An Unnatural Carbohydrate For A Natural Carbohydrate.

If you eat a candy bar and a bag of crisps on a daily basis, dump one and substitute it with a natural carbohydrate like an apple or an orange. Doing this will reduce some calories from of your day and increase your intake of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

10. Avoid Processed Foods.

Processed foods are those that come in a box, can, bag or carton and often modified to extend shelf life leading to little or nutritional value. Be careful with the 'fat free' versions of processed foods too. Manufacturers remove the fat but often add extra sugar to improve the taste which generally results in additional calories.


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7 Foods That Will Get the Scale Moving

Conventional wisdom says weighing yourself regularly can be a very helpful weight loss strategy. This is likely true for most dieters, but if you truly want to promote an overall healthy lifestyle, you will need to move beyond the scale and focus on what you eat. Check out these seven foods that can get the scale moving. Not only are they delicious and healthy, if you eat them regularly they will help you lose weight.

1. Beans

Inexpensive, filling, and versatile, beans are a great source of protein which helps keep energy and blood-sugar levels stable. They are high in resistant starch, meaning that about half their calories cannot be absorbed. Beans are also high in fiber and slow to digest. They will keep you feeling full longer and help to prevent cravings between meals.

2. Soup

Researchers speculate that soup satisfies hunger because the brain perceives it as filling due to its high water content. Start a meal with a cup of soup, and you may end up eating less. It doesn't matter if the soup is chunky or pureed, as long as it's broth-based. Or soup can be eaten as a complete meal as long as contains a healthy mix of fresh vegetables, whole grains and lean protein such as chicken barley soup with vegetables.

3. Eggs

Having protein-packed eggs for breakfast can help fight weight gain all day long. In one study, researchers found that dieters who consumed two eggs for breakfast five days out of the week lost 65 percent more weight than dieters who consumed a bagel in the morning. Another study showed similar results. Participants who consumed eggs in the morning ended up eating fewer calories at lunch and dinner. In fact, the decreased calorie consumption lasted for the next 36 hours.

4. Salad

Eating a large salad at the beginning of a meal can significantly cut your calorie intake. A salad is full of fiber and low in carbohydrates, but the real secret is its sheer volume. By the time you get to your main entrée, you'll eat less because you're already starting to feel satisfied from the salad. Just be careful of high calorie creamy dressings.

5. Apples and Pears

Both apples and pear are a good source of fiber. A medium-size pear has six grams of fiber and apples have about three grams per medium-size fruit. They're great at filling you up and keeping you from overeating. Both contain pectin, which decreases blood-sugar levels and will help with between meal cravings. Plus, chewing sends signals to your brain that you've eaten something substantial.

6. Nuts

Because they contain fiber and protein, eating a small amount of nut will help you lose weight by keeping you feeling full longer. You will be less likely to overeat and more successful at losing weight. Just be careful to portion out a serving rather than eating them by the handful. A 1 oz. serving of nuts contains between 160 and 200 calories. The size of a 1 oz. serving varies depending on the type of nut. It's about 47 shelled pistachios, 30 peanuts, 24 almonds, 20 pecan halves or hazelnuts, and 14 walnut halves.

7. Grapefruit

According to a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers found that eating half a grapefruit before each meal helped dieters lose weight-up to one pound a week-even if they changed nothing else about their diet. Why? There's a compound in grapefruit that helps regulate insulin, the fat-storage hormone, and anything that helps lower insulin can help you lose weight.


Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS RD, is a food and nutrition expert specializing in weight management and digestive health. She is committed to empowering people through education, support, and inspiration to make real changes that lead to optimal health and lasting weight loss. Take her Free Self-Assessment and learn how you can lose 20 lb. - or more. Jump Start your weight loss today!http://njnutritionist.com/freeassessment

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