15 POWERFUL SUPER FOODS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

 POWERFUL SUPER FOODS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Super Foods are also known as “nutritional powerhouses” that keep our minds and bodies sharp. For years, researchers have been able to link super foods to the maintenance of our bones, improved eyesight, the ability to keep our minds sharp, and the prevention of various chronic diseases. In more recent studies, research and evidence now suggests that foods which fall into the “super food” category can also help you get slim and stay slim!

In this article we are going to review some of the top super foods that promote weight loss, and show you just how easy it is to incorporate them into your daily routine. Better yet, most of them are also delicious!

Black Beans

One cup of black beans contains as much as 15 grams of protein and yet cuts corners from the saturated fats found in protein sources such as red meat. Try swapping out red meat for black beans every now and then.

Oats

Resistant starch is a healthy carbohydrate and can be found in oats. This healthy carbohydrate is responsible for boosting metabolism and burning fat. Since oats are quite rich in fibre, you will feel noticeably fuller for long and surely this feeling of fullness will eliminate any need for snacking throughout the day.

Avocados

Not all fats are bad fats. Avocados contain the compound oleic acid, which are healthy mono unsaturated fats. These fats have the ability to trigger your body to eliminate hunger cravings. A regular dose of avocado will help melt away unwanted body fat, and also offers loads of healthy fibre and protein.

Salmon

Salmon is a great source of lean protein and is also loaded with monounsaturated fats. Past research has shown that those who eat a rich monounsaturated fat diet lost 9 pounds on average. So load up on these good fats and start enjoying seafood again!

Broccoli

With cancer preventing powers, loads of fibre, and just 30 calories per serving, this green veggie serves as a staple side dish or salad booster, and is bound to help you in the weight department!

Pears

Did you know that just one pear contains your daily recommended serving of fibre? Treat yourself to a pear a day, and you will most certainly keep the doctor away. Keep in mind, the majority of fibre can be found in the outer layer, so refrain from peeling this delicious fruit.

Wine

Wine contains a very powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. This antioxidant can be found in the skin of grapes and has been proven to stop the storage of fats in the body. By drinking wine moderately, you can burn steady calories for up to 90 minutes after drinking a glass.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit contains a compound that has the ability to lower insulin levels (a fat storage hormone), which will in turn lead to weight loss. Not only does grapefruit act as a fat buster, it is also a great source of protein, and will fill you up leaving you eating less (grapefruit is 90percent water). Eating half a grapefruit before meals can help you lose up to one pound of body fat per week!

Green Tea

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants which aid in fat and calorie burn. This hot beverage actually hydrates the body just like water, which will give you a sense of fullness for longer, allowing your body to drop excess pounds. Research has shown that drinking 5 cups of green tea daily will help you lose double the weight mainly off of your stomach.

Bananas

Snack on a slightly green banana and fill yourself up with just 12.5 grams of resistant starch. Bananas also double as great metabolism boosters!

Dark chocolate

Since dark chocolate has been proven to slow down digestion, you will be left feeling fuller for longer. Small portions of dark chocolate for desert will tie you over until your next meal. Since dark chocolate is loaded with monounsaturated fats, having a little now and then will turbocharge your metabolism and burn more fat and calories. In addition to these wonderful benefits, dark chocolate will also curb various other cravings for fatty, salty, and sweet foods.

Oranges

Oranges are a great day time snack because they are loaded with fiber, yet contain only 59 calories. The fiber will keep you feeling fuller longer, and eating less throughout the day!

Pine nuts

Pine nuts are another guilt free snack packed with healthy fatty acids that you can enjoy while burning off belly fat. Pine nuts contain only 95 calories for approximately 80 nuts.

Cheese

Swap out your regular old cheese for fresh goat or feta cheese. These cheeses contain a specific fatty acid that helps you feel full for longer, and will help burn more fat than other types of cheese. When purchasing either of these, go for a “grass-fed” brand since those will contain higher amounts of healthy fats.

Plantains

Cooked plantains serve as a great snack! Half a cup of plantains contain approximately 4 grams of resistant starch which will help burn fat and boost your metabolism.

With such a wide variety of super foods available, you are bound to find a few that will satisfy your cravings. Swap in a few of these delicious super foods in exchange for some of your “go to” bad foods, and you will be able to not only feel but also see the positive impact they have on your body in no time.

Article Source:battlefat.com

Read More

Sufficient sleep is essential to fuel weight loss efforts

We all understand the importance of sleeping seven to nine hours each night to allow for adequate cellular housekeeping, as the body metabolizes and synthesizes enzymes and proteins that are critical to our survival. In the past, a sound sleep has been shown to lower incidence of heart disease, diabetes and dementia in direct relationship to the number of hours slept each evening.

Canadian researchers publishing the Canadian Medical Association Journal have released the result of a study showing that adequate sleep is an important part of a weight loss plan and should be added to the recommended mix of diet and exercise. In addition to lowering caloric intake and increasing physical activity, the research team led by Dr. Jean-Phillippe Chaput of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in Ottawa has provided sufficient evidence to show that inadequate sleep is an independent risk factor for overweight and obesity.

Scientists determined that lack of sleep increases the stimulus to consume more food and increases appetite-regulating hormones. Dr. Chaput explained "The solution to weight loss is not as simple as eat less, move more, sleep more... however, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity."

Seven to nine hours of sleep are needed daily to aid weight loss efforts

Many different factors affect body weight including predisposition to handling stress, depression and genetic individuality. Adequate and sound sleep can improve or eliminate each of these risk factors, and can also regulate the hormones leptin and ghrelin to lower food cravings and naturally promote a normal weight range. Naturally, reducing or eliminating insulin-producing processed carbohydrate foods and cutting sugar from the diet are necessary to stimulate weight loss in many people.

The authors of this study did not provide an exact mechanism to explain how adequate sleep assists weight loss, but they did explain that a lack of sleep affects the parts of the brain that control pleasure eating. Further, the scientists indicate that levels of the hormones leptin, ghrelin, cortisol and orexin, all of which are involved in appetite or eating, are affected by lack of sleep.

Dr. Chaput concluded "An accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity." Continuing research studies validate the critical importance of a sound night's sleep of between seven and nine hours each night to protect against chronic disease and to aid weight management efforts.

Article Source:www.naturalnews.com

Read More

THE 20 BEST DIET TRICKS OF ALL TIME

New diet fads come and go, but if you simply get back to the basics in terms of a healthy lifestyle, you will be doing yourself a huge favor while at the same time, giving yourself the ability to drop unwanted pounds. Let’s take a look at 20 of the easy tips and tricks that have proven successful weight loss and have literally stood the test of time, while other fads have come and gone showing little to no success.

Never Skip Breakfast

Allowing yourself to enjoy a healthy and well balanced breakfast, will not only give you the energy you need to make it through the day, but will also keep your current diet in check.

Nibble Your Food

Slow down and actually enjoy your meal. Research has shown that the more we chew our food, the better it will metabolize in our bodies. When it comes to dessert, always use the three bite rule. Choose a smaller sized dessert or a half sized portion, have three small bites, then walk away and don’t look back.

Burn Baby Burn

When exercising, make sure you take a 30 second rest between sets. Stick to right around 30 seconds, and you will see a huge difference in your overall calorie burn.

Say No to Late Night Snacking

When it comes to late night eating, make sure you are done snacking at least two to three hours before you hit the sack for the night. Your metabolism dramatically slows down during periods of sleep, during this time, your body starts to store fats rather than burn them.

Question Your Cravings

Before you grab for that unhealthy snack, ask yourself if you are actually hungry. Oftentimes, you are eating out of boredom not hunger. So next time your body is tricking you into snacking, pick up a book, or go for a walk in the park instead.

Get Your Zzzzzzz’s

Get a solid six to eight hours of sleep each and every night. Without proper sleep, the appetite hormone in your body known as ghrelin will increase. This increase of ghrelin can result in unwanted weight gain.

Prepare Your Lunch At Home

Go old school and dust off your lunch box. Recent studies have shown that people who choose to eat at a restaurant or fast food establishment even once a week, tend to lose less weight than those who pack a lunch daily.

Don’t Forget Your Greens

Eat your veggies at the beginning of your meal to insure that you are eating more of them and less of other high calorie items that come later on in the meal.

Don’t Be Scared To Snack

Snacking isn’t always terrible; in fact, you should aim at eating every three hours. Splitting up meals and snacks will help you say no to those unhealthy temptations throughout the day.

Set Goals

If you set weight loss goals, you will be more apt to stay motivated for the duration of your program.

Allow For A Cheat Day

Resist cravings like a pro knowing that you have set one day aside to indulge in whatever you wish. As time goes on, your cravings for unhealthy foods will soon start to fade.

Take Notes

Keeping a food journal forces you to be in charge and responsible of exactly what you are putting into your mouth. Those who keep a food journal tend to lose more weight than those who don’t since they are fully aware of what they are eating at all times.

Avoid The Grocery Store When You’re Hungry

Be sure to always do your shopping on a full stomach with a detailed list of what you need. There is nothing worse than going into a grocery store on an empty stomach.

Goodbye Soda

Did you know that drinking soda on a regular basis can actually make muscles less likely to burn fat? Next time you are craving that cola, walk away and opt for water infused with fresh fruits.

Load Up On Fibre And Protein

Fill up on lean protein, vegetables, seeds, and nuts, until you’re fully satisfied.

Ditch The Bubbles

Cut the carbonation! Carbonated drinks will make your stomach bloat, making it appear ballooned for hours created an illusion of weight gain.

The Apple Test

If you’re hungry, snack on an apple, if you don’t want that apple, you’re not really all that hungry.

Cut The Carbs

If you make it a rule to cut the carbs after lunch, you will lose weight and see results in little to no time.

Add It Up

Wondering how many calories you should be eating daily? Weight yourself and add a zero to that number. This number the correct amount of calories you should be having daily. For example: If you weigh 130pounds, you should aim to eat around 1300 calories.

Take A Walk

Get out and take a 10-15 minute walk after each meal and you will quickly burn at least 100 calories.
These simple strategies may not necessarily be as exciting as the most recent diet fad, but each and every one of these tips and tricks are guaranteed to never let you down!

Article Source:battlefat.com

Read More

THE TOP DIET MISTAKES YOU’RE MAKING

Who ever said diets were easy, was right, as long as you’re well educated and prepared before jumping into any unknown territories. The word diet isn’t necessarily a foreign word, so why does it end up feeling so foreign when trying to wrap your mind around it? Yes, we are all quite familiar when it comes to having the very best of intentions, and we have all gone through one or even many disappointing experiences that ultimately caused more harm than good. If your diet keeps stalling and you have no idea what you’re doing wrong, you may be making common mistakes that you can easily undo today. Let’s look at four common factors that could be preventing you from fully fulfilling your diet.


Are You Gluten Free?

Did you know that when you remove wheat and other grains from your foods, they are often replaced with high calorie oils and sugars? We see this a lot when it comes to gluten free foods which have been processed. Always be aware of what you’re ingesting, and take a look at the label before purchasing foods that have been processed, you may just be in for a huge surprise. If you are really serious about going gluten free, start by becoming informed and surround yourself with information about what’s out there. Whether you have already done the switch to a gluten free lifestyle, or you are considering the switch, always remember, when it comes to going gluten free, there are far better ways to get whole foods into your diet then settling for low grade processed foods. Try out some gluten free whole foods such as; buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth, buckwheat.


Be “Choosey” With Your Fruit

Fruit is a great food to have in the house when you’re dieting, but like any other food, you must not overdo it. The vast majority of fruits rate quite high in fibre, and therefore they scoring low on the glycemic index. What many of you might not know is that some of your favorite fruits which you may be eating daily, contain a fairly higher rating therefore, may be causing spikes in your blood sugar. Oftentimes, the healthiest of people struggle with weight gain, simply because their diet includes far too many highly ranked “sugary” fruits. Unfortunately, many of us have fallen victim to this epidemic. In order to slip past this hazard, you want to aim for filling up on fruits that rate low on the glycemic index such as; apples, and pears. In addition, you want to limit your intake of fruits rating high on the glycemic index such as; dried fruits, melons, and pineapple.


Filling Up On Protein Bars

Many of us are already getting more than enough daily protein, yet we don’t even know it. In fact, maybe scarfing down that protein bar after the afternoon trip to the gym, isn’t necessary after all, and could be doing nothing more than adding extra sugar, fat and calories to your diet. If you are looking for a pick me up to help you until your next meal, skip the protein bar and try snacking on a handful of nuts, a boiled egg, or even some beef jerky. These mid day snacks are packed with fibre and low in sugar. Since many of us aren’t fully aware of the abundance of protein out there, filling up on protein without even realizing has become quite common. It’s a fact that you get a large amount of daily protein from a variety of different foods such as; fish, meat, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and nuts. So ditch the sugary treats, and fill up your protein tank with a variety of clean, healthy choices.


Swapping In Too Much Juice

When on a diet, many people commonly like to swap in juice as a replacement for soda’s, as an attempt to eliminate all of those extra calories. What many people don’t take into consideration is that the majority of juices are jam packed with sugars. Have you ever heard the saying “too much of a good thing may be a bad thing”. Well, in the case of swapping soda’s for juices, people often tend to end up consuming far more than the “suggested” serving, ultimately crashing their diet plan. If you really want to ditch the sugary and calorie filled drinks, go with a nice glass of chilled water loaded with fruit slices. This way you can enjoy the fruity flavors, while knocking out those extra sugars and calories.

Become a little bit healthier today by simply implementing these quick and easy four steps into your daily routine. You may just see results before the week ends!

Article Source:battlefat.com

Read More

Burning The Right Calories For Weight Loss

Burning calories is great for weight loss! But what happens if they’re the wrong calories? Meaning, what happens if we’re burning calories from muscle mass and not from fat? I’ll tell you what happens; we end up losing the wrong type of weight. Sure, the short term goal of weight loss is realized, but the long term goal of weight maintenance is never fully attainable because we just keep making it harder on ourselves. Unfortunately, in our quest to lose weight, and to lose it as quickly as possible, we might make decisions that could negatively impact us for the rest of our lives. Some people might starve themselves to the point where the body has an extremely hard time burning stored fat. Other individuals might perform the wrong types of exercise and/or at the wrong intensity or volume, causing harm to their metabolism, and making it easier to accumulate fat. In many cases people might not consume enough protein, which in turn makes it harder for the body to preserve muscle mass during a caloric deficit. All of the above examples are very real problems currently happening to many people searching for that holy grail of weight loss. Let me first start by saying the term “weight loss” should really be considered “fat loss”. Weight loss is the more popular phrase, but if we start thinking in terms of fat loss, we start training ourselves to create the right habits. When we’re educated on the correct fundamentals of fat loss, we set ourselves up for success. Here at Nuviva, we stress the importance of the correct fundamentals to create the right habits and achieve optimal fat loss. Thankfully at Nuviva Medical Weight Loss we educate our patients in a manner where these fundamentals are understood, practiced, and realized in a fashion conducive to both short term and long term success. The principles of nutrition are of utmost importance, and patients are educated properly within each phase. In my next blog, I will touch on the reasons why patients at Nuviva avoid the detrimental effects caused by some of the decisions mentioned above. It’s really as simple as following the nutritional principles, exercise guidelines, and using hCG as a tool for utilizing stored fat as an energy source for optimal fat loss.

Article Source:www.nuvivaweightloss.com

Read More

I don’t want to bulk, I want to tone.

I hope this week’s fitness tip finds you all doing very well. If I were given a dime for everytime I have been asked this following question, I would surely be a multi-millionaire right now. Female OR Male Speaking; “I don’t want to bulk or build, I want to tone.” CLASSIC. Okay, you will not build and bulk as a female due to estrogen, the female hormone. For a man, it’s easier to build due to testosterone. So relative to your own body weight, you need to be lifting weights that are heavy that you can still maintain good form on. Trust me, I have seen way to many women use light weights over and over and they are still struggling to lose weight and tone their body. The answer, lift hard, lift heavy and watch your body change and tone! It’s also good for the bones to strengthen! Example, if walking lunges with your own bodyweight become easy, don’t you think it is time to grab some 5 lbs weights and hold them as you do them? Feel that soreness? Yes, you do. Don’t believe me? Go up and ask a woman at the gym who is very toned and solid and ask her if she lifts light and easy so it’s not a challenge and she doesn’t get a good burn from the weights? You might get a strange look though.

Article Source:www.nuvivaweightloss.com

Read More