Fat burning foods - Apollolife B Positive magazine

BURN FAT, BE FIT !

Each New Year rekindles and resonates the passion for weight loss.  A renewed health outlook is indispensable with shifting focus from fad diets to favour simple food swaps to melt away fat, and balance food, physical activity, exercise that promises long term and permanent solutions to weight dilemma.

Fight fat with the following foods.

Spice it up

Stroke the metabolic fire through the thermogenic effect of these wonder spices.  Curcumin of turmeric, cardamom, cloves, especially cinnamon regulates blood sugars and reduces fat storing hormone - insulin. The capsaicin of chilli peppers adds a fiery flavor that marginally spurs metabolism as it heats the body by raising temperature. Sulphur containing allicin of the garlic helps to cut cholesterol, lower LDL and flushes out body fat.   

Plant power

Nuts and seeds are nutritional arsenals against disease. The satiating power of peanuts can be attributed to its good fats ( MUFA), protein and fiber.  The selenium in walnuts and cashewnuts helps to maintain metabolism by fuelling thyroid hormone. Flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds offer oomph with omega 3. The lignans, essential fatty acids and protein of sesame seeds enhance liver enzymes to burn fat.  Legumes are the best plant protein, low in fat and high in fiber that scorches body fat.    

Do dairy

The whey of skim or low fat milk contains muscle building amino acid leucine that fires fat loss. It also charges up satiety hormones and helps maintain lean mass. Bring in the good guys with probiotics which prevents your body from absorbing fats.  Inadequate calcium harbours higher body fat. Eating calcium packed yogurt signals the fat cells in the abdomen to synthesize less stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol leads to flabby waist while dairy yields a thermic effect which burns body fats. Cheese contains conjugated linoleic acid that aids in melting body fat too.

Go lean

Fuel muscles with lean choices of protein that is mean to fat as it rips off 30% calories just digesting itself, causing ripples of thermic effect that favours fat fall. Maintain metabolism in top gear by amassing higher quality protein with low fat content as breaking down protein is hard labour and energy consuming. Whole eggs offer thermogenesis, with high quality protein to build muscles. Chicken breast is anticatabolotic, preventing the loss of muscles and it’s zinc decreases appetite and PMS induced food cravings.

Opt oily fish

Fatty fish fires fat burning. The omega 3 (EPA and DHA) enhance fat burning enzymes and improve insulin insensitivity. It reduces inflammation, hastens muscle recovery and has anti-lipogenic effect thus reducing stored fat. Tiny marvels as mackerel and sardines beef up vitamin D and calcium that adorns fat depletion by tapering the release of calcitriol, a hormone that supresses fat storage and reduces stress hormone cortisol that augments visceral fat.

Freshen up

Lower BMI with produce high in vitamin C. Grapefruit with its thick white layer regularizes blood sugar and boosts metabolism. It is vitamin C that­ helps to produce carnitine that enhances the use of fat for energy. The pectin of the apple removes fat deposits from the body as it prevents cells from absorbing fat. Oranges, peaches contain soluble fiber which is a great fat burning aid and expels body cholesterol in faeces. Avocados are abundant in good fats and L carnitine that mobilizes fat break down thus helping one shape up. Asparagus contains asparagine a chemical alkaloid that is lethal to break down fat.

Grain gain

The slow digesting carbs makes body lose double fold calories as it breaks down the fiber from whole grains. Quinoa, millets –ragi, jowar, bajra, oats and brown rice are rich in soluble fiber that favors tone down fat.

Shrink with a drink

Green tea’s catechin - EGCG revs up fat burning and blasts belly fat.  It’s flavonoid fights inflammation too. Simply prefer plain water or even better, consume  chilled, as the body works harder to raise the temperature of the ice cold water, burning more calories.

Bust the Stress

The caffeine and theobromine of dark chocolate reduces stress hormone cortisol that leads to fat deposition.  Choose dark chocolate with 70 % or more cocoa to satisfy a sweet craving occasionally.

Last but not the least move more, melt flab and become fab !

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