Foods That Help Burn Fat

This post is from the HungryGirl website and confirms that your diet will help you burn fat. The right diet will burn more fat than exercise.

I write about this subject every week, you can’t starve yourself and lose weight. You have to eat the right foods. There are actually foods that help you burn body fat. If you eat the right foods, you’ll never be hungry. It’s not the quantity, it’s the quality.

Sticking to a healthy diet is tough — we need all the extra motivation we can get. Adding fat-burning foods to your meals and snacks does double duty: They’re healthy additions in and of themselves, and they help burn calories. Try the following:

One bean, two beans, red bean, blue bean. And when I say “red” and “blue,” I mean “pinto” and “navy.” Whatever type of bean is your personal favorite, you can count on one thing — experts insist it’ll be great at helping your body burn fat. Beans are all-around amazing because they contain lots of protein and fiber. Eating protein is one of the very best ways to encourage your body to burn fat: It boosts your metabolism and helps you feel full and energized. Where does the fiber come in? Studies show that dietary fiber can help regulate your appetite and slow your digestion, which is great for weight control. Aside from those navy and pinto beans, stock up on other fat-burning beans like soybeans, garbanzo beans, black beans, white beans, kidney beans, and lima beans.

Bonus: Beans are incredibly budget-friendly. Who doesn’t love that?

While most types of seafood are smart choices, they’re not all fat-burning superstars like salmon and tuna. You’ve probably heard that salmon and tuna are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Why should you care? Because not only do omega-3s help grow your hair and nails, they stimulate a protein hormone in your body called leptin, which jumpstarts your metabolism and regulates your appetite.

Well, then, allow me to introduce your new best friends: quinoa, brown rice, oat, and corn. These foods are considered whole grains (not to be confused with refined white carbs, which are basically the opposite of fat-burning foods), and chowing down on them fuels your body with much-needed fiber and complex carbohydrates. It’s the “complex” part that helps burn fat: 1) Complex carbs break down more slowly than the simple variety, meaning your energy levels won’t crash, and 2) They hold your insulin levels steady, which is good because insulin spikes encourage your body to hang on to fat.

If quinoa is your new best friend, yogurt should come in at a close second. Dairy products contain protein and calcium, which help keep your muscle mass intact while promoting weight loss. Another tidbit of good news about dairy: Studies show that of two groups of participants on low-calorie diets, the group that included dairy in their diets lost more weight than the dairy-free group. And, as if you need more reason to grow a milk mustache, research shows that probiotics found in some light dairy fight fat.

Dairy can be scary because it usually contains fat, but it’s not difficult to stick to fat-free and light varieties of milk, yogurt, and cheese. There are so many delicious options out there.

As if we needed another reason to drink red wine. I’ve saved the best for last: A recent study suggests that red wine (from extracts found in a certain type of red grape) may help your body fight fat. The study found that people who ate a high-fat diet accumulated less fat when they also consumed Muscadine grapes. Conversely, the group that also ate a high-fat diet but didn’t consume the red grapes accumulated the amount of fat that would be expected based on their food choices. The results are attributed mostly to something called ellagic acid, a compound found in Muscadine grapes. Muscadine grapes are grown primarily in the southeastern United States, and they’re used to make certain American wines. Cheers!

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

If you really want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans.

 Look for my book. at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.