Foods That Burn Fat!

Free Flat Stomach Food Guide

Tired of not knowing what kinds of foods to eat? Not sure how much fat, calories and sodium you should be consuming everyday? Want to learn how to become a healthier grocery shopper? All the tips you need are in my Free Flat Stomach Food Guide.

Download it today! (Right-click link & "Save As")

In addition to regular exercise, you'll also want to add some fat burning foods to your diet to help trim your waistline.

Foods that are high in protein and fiber are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat around your middle.

Did you know that it takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat? So the more protein you eat, the more calories your body burns.

Eggs

Eggs are high in protein and essential to helping you burn fat.

You may have heard all the warnings about eggs and your health. That's because two eggs contain enough cholesterol to put you over the recommended amount of daily cholesterol intake.

Well, more recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol. Dietary fat is the real culprit. That's the enemy that raises your bad cholesterol levels.

However, if you're still concerned about your overall cholesterol intake, you can remove the yolk and still benefit from the high protein contained in eggs.

Eggs contain the vitamin B12 which is a key component in helping your body break down and burn fat.

Low Fat Dairy Products

According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk, three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters.

In another study done at Purdue University those who consumed 3 cups of fat-free milk gained less weight over the course of 2 years than those on low calcium diets.

So, not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in burning that unwanted body fat.

If you are a regular consumer of milk and other dairy products, that's great (as long as you don't overdo it). Just watch your proportions and perhaps switch over to the low or no fat varieties.

Beans

While beans are often associated with the gastrointestinal disturbances they may cause, they are also very good sources of protein, fiber and iron.

Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are:

• Navy beans
• White beans
• Kidney beans
• Lima beans

And as always, there are those beans that you should limit in your diet - I'm talking about those that are baked and refried.

Refried beans contain tons of saturated fat while baked beans are usually loaded in sugar. Sure, you'll be getting your protein but you'll also be consuming a lot of fat and sugar you don't need.

Here's something else to remember. Be sure to cook your beans thoroughly because our digestive tracks are not adapted to breaking down some proteins that are contained in certain beans.

They are already good enough on their own at stimulating GI activity. You don't want to create any unnecessary turbulence in your belly. ;)

Lisa's Tip: I recently discovered a wonderful vegetable called Edamame (pronounced ed-uh-ma-may). It's an ogranic soybean in a pod often served at Japanese restaurants.

All you do is boil them for three minutes, add a pinch of salt and eat the soybeans out of the pods. They are surprisingly tasty and very good for you. One serving contains 10 grams of soy protein.

The best place to find them is at a store that sells organic foods. (Whole Foods, for example).

Oatmeal

While it may not be the tastiest thing you can eat, oatmeal definitely has some great nutritional qualities.

You may have noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level. That's because oatmeal is loaded with soluble fiber which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system.

The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavored. While I know it's tempting to select the apples and cinnamon flavor and load it with butter and sugar -- you really lose out on all the health benefits. If you must sweeten your bowl of oatmeal, do so by adding fruit.

I eat mine with a spoonful of honey (much better for you than sugar) and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.

Oatmeal is also beneficial in fighting colon cancer and heart disease.

Olive Oil

Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those "good fats". In fact, it's so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85% of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.

So instead of taking a swig of orange juice in the morning, many dieters are picking up a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Whole Grains

These days everyone seems to be screaming "No carbs!" It's as if the world has gone no-carb crazy and everyone is running from sliced breads and pastas.

Well the truth is, your body needs carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it's not a good idea to exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you.

It's the processed carbohydrates that are bad for you -- the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice to name a few.

None of the above foods come out of the ground the way you eat them -- which is usually a bad sign. They've all been processed, thus stripping out all the nutrients leaving you with loads of starch.

The key is to eat "whole grain" foods because they haven't been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs.

So don't be fooled by a loaf of bread labeled "wheat". Regular wheat bread is still lacking in vitamins and minerals. Manufacturers add molasses to it so it turns brown.

Don't let them trick you. The only kind of bread that's good for you is the kind that's labeled "whole grain".

Lean Cuts of Meat

Turkey and beef are great for building muscle and boosting the immune system, but as always you have to be careful:

Basted turkeys are usually injected with fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. That Thanksgiving turkey may look good, but it's not always good for you. And if you are going to eat beef, be sure to consume the leanest cuts you can find by looking for "loin" or "round" on the labels.

Salmon and tuna are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids which may sound bad, but are actually healthy fats. These two foods are also good for giving your immune system a nice boost and should be consumed at least 3 times a week.

Healthy Snack Options

Running out of snack ideas? I've compiled a list of some snacks that are good for you, low in fat and delicious. Visit my healthy snacks page here.

FOOD -Change Your Eating Habits

Change Your Eating Habits

If you are tired of running out of ideas for healthy foods or you're not sure exactly what you should be eating to lose weight, GET THIS BOOK!

I was so impressed by all the different kinds of foods and snacks you can prepare that are delicious and helpful for flattening your stomach. I don't even like to cook but I've got to admit a lot of these recipes are super simple.

Get The Abs Diet book here.

It's not only about what you eat, but how and when you eat. Your eating habits play a vital role in how your body burns fat.

Eat 5-6 Smaller Meals Per Day

Instead of eating three medium to large-sized meals per day, you should be eating five smaller meals. You can even treat yourself at the end of the day with a small dessert.

You should also always eat breakfast within one hour of rising. This is because your metabolism has slowed down during the night and breakfast will kick-start it up again.

A lot of people think it's OK to skip breakfast because that means fewer fat and calories and one less meal for the day. But when you skip breakfast, hunger begins to kick in and that actually slows down your metabolism even more.

The key to trimming down is not to eat less, but to actually eat more sensible meals.

Eating more frequent, smaller meals will prevent you from feeling hungry throughout the day. And if you're eating fiber and proteins and drinking enough water, you'll actually feel fuller for longer periods of time and will not have the urge to snack so often.

Here's an eating schedule you can adopt:

1. 7:00 a.m. - Eat breakfast
2. 10:00 a.m. - Eat a light snack
3. 12:00 p.m. - Eat lunch
4. 4:00 p.m. - Eat a another snack
5. 7:00 p.m. - Eat a small dinner with a treat

Eating More Boosts Your Metabolism

Sounds funny but it's true. The actual process of breaking down food burns up calories. So if you eat several meals throughout the day, you'll burn up more calories through the digestion process.

Now of course this doesn't mean eat more of the "bad stuff" - this would be foods high in fat and calories. When I say "eat more" that means meals that consist of sensible foods high in fiber and protein. It's okay to treat yourself every now and then, just don't overdo it.

See the fat burning foods page to learn about foods that will help you burn fat.

Stop Eating 3 Hours Before Bedtime

You've probably seen the suggestion of not eating anything after 7 p.m. Well this generally assumes you go to bed around 9 or 10 at night.

If you are a night owl, you may retire a little later so it may seem unrealistic to not eat anything after 7 if you don't go to bed until 12 a.m.

Generally, the rule of the thumb is to not eat anything within 3 hours of your bedtime. So if you do usually go to sleep at 1 a.m. this would mean no food intake after 10 p.m.

The reason you don't want to eat late at night is because your food may not properly digest. This can cause morning gas and stomach cramps.

Some people who complain about bloating never realize that it's from the gas and food particles left over from improper digestion. This can be avoided if you cut down the late night snacking.

Eating late at night also forces your body to use its energy on digestion,. One of the primary functions of sleep is to help you recuperate from the day. You want your body to be as relaxed as possible so you can wake up energized.

Now we all know we have to cheat at some points. It's just not realistic to believe you can refrain from eating late at night every single night. So if you must cheat, then eat something healthy like a piece of fruit or a very small handful of nuts.

Stop Emotional Eating

This is probably easier said than done for most people. If you are stressed, depressed or lacking emotional support from friends, family or loved ones you may resort to emotional eating.

This is a terrible eating habit because it causes you to eat between meals and when you're not hungry. Sometimes you may think you are a hungry but in reality you may just be lonely and are using food to comfort you and fill a void.

Stress and depression also causes an increase production of the hormone cortisol and can also add more tummy fat.

If this is a problem for you, it's important to seek help from either a professional, church members, friends or family.

One thing is for sure...stress and flat stomachs are like oil and water. They just don't mix.

Cut Down on Sodium

Sodium can cause lots of bloating and can make your tummy actually look flabbier than it really is.

Be careful...a lot of people associate sodium with foods that taste salty. This can get tricky because sodium is in all kinds of foods. Manufacturers use tons of it for preservation.

Almost all canned foods, TV dinners and those soup-to-go lunches are the worst! Have you ever read those labels? Some of them contain over half of your daily intake!

I've found that the best TV dinners are the Smart Ones brand. They only contain about 25% of your daily intake. That's still pretty high for one serving but it's much better than some of the other brands.

The Little Things Add Up

When trying to lose weight, a lot of people forget to watch what they drink or the kind of salad dressing they put on their salads - in other words, the little things.

All these things add up and can hinder weight loss, so I wrote an article about it. Check it out.

Analyze Your Habits

Now it's time to think about your own eating habits. Are you eating breakfast every morning within one hour of rising? Are you snacking between meals? And if so, what kinds of snacks are you eating?

If you do get the urge to snack between your meals, make healthier choices like fruits and vegetables.

Remember, you can jazz up your snacks. Instead of eating a plain apple, try adding a teaspoon of peanut butter to enhance the taste. You'll be getting additional protein as well.

Spice up your plain carrot sticks by adding a small amount of low-fat vegetable dip for more flavor.

Now it's time to for you to evaluate your own habits and decide where they need improvement. If you want that flat stomach, one of the keys is maintaining a healthy diet on a regular basis.

Remember...eat healty, eat often.

10 Tummy Flattening Tips

Here's a quick quide you can follow to help flatten your stomach. Print this list out and post it somewhere in your house where you'll see it.

1. Walk/jog for 30 minutes at least 3 times per week to boost your metabolism in order to burn that fat.

2. Eat a small handful of almonds (at least 6) every morning. Almonds are one of the healthiest snacks you can eat and the protein is good for burning fat.

3. Purchase a Pilates DVD and do the exercises at least 2-3 times per week. Pilates works on toning your entire body with concentration on your powerhouse (middle section) and will improve your flexibility.

4. Add fiber to your diet and cut down your intake of the bad carbs. Foods such as white bread, pastas, potatoes, and white rice should be limited. Eat brown rice and whole wheat bread instead. To get that needed fiber increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables (especially the leafy green ones).

5. Drink skim milk instead of whole milk. Keep your dairy intake at a minimum because these products often cause bloating and gas.

6. Perform proper crunches at least 3 times a week to train your abs. Avoid sit-ups because they really do very little to firm your stomach. Sit-ups work your hip flexors more than anything else.

7. Drink plenty of water. You should be drinking 6 to 8 glasses per day. Not only will it help fill you up so you eat less, but it aids in digestion.

8. Stop eating within 3 hours of bedtime. If you have to munch on something, eat a small portion of vegetables or fruit. Not eating late can make a huge difference.

9. Eat smaller meals more often instead of 2-3 big meals per day to keep from having that bloated look and feeling. Eating more meals actually kicks up your metabolism.

10. Take a break from healthy eating once and a while and treat yourself to your favorite dessert. If you completely deprive yourself of the foods you love you'll run the risk of going back to your bad eating habits. Moderation is the key.

Just remember that slow and steady wins the race when it comes to slimming your waistline and flattening your stomach. There's no such thing as losing your stomach overnight....or even in a week. You have to work at it daily and remain consistent with your diet and exercise.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: A flat stomach comes with TOTAL BODY FITNESS - not just from spot toning your stomach with crunches.

Speaking of total body fitness, here's another one of my favorite sites. Online Body Management is an online fitness site that designs custom workout plans to fit your weight loss goals.

Whether you want to tone up, gain muscle or lose weight, OnlineBodyManagement will develop the plan that's perfect for your needs. This is a superb site for getting your body in tip top shape!

Causes for Tummy Fat

Some of the Known and Unkown Causes of Tummy Fat

Many people would assume that exercise is a more predomanant factor in getting a flat stomach, but it is just a secondary factor. Doing the right kind of exercises will strengthen your abdominal muscles and therfore keep your stomach tighter and more supported in an upright position. In other words, it makes you look better. But simply doing crunches over and over again will make your stomach protrude farther out which is a bad thing if you still have all of the fat. But there are several other factors that will cause tummy fat, lets take a look at some: Why Tummy Fat Over Eating Let's face it, we all know the primary cause of tummy fat. We try to ignore it, we try to give excuses, we try and hope to find an easier answer! But the most basic cause of excess stomach fat and being overweight is.....Over Eating!! Yes it's true. If you eat more than your body is able to keep up with, that excess fat will be stored on your body, primarily your stomach. You know that you often get hungry right before bed, so you have the classic "midnight snack". This is a major cause of tummy fat. Much of weight control is not only how much you eat, but when you eat it! You want your food to have a chance to fully digest before you retire for the evening. Recent studies have shown that you actually burn most of your fat while you sleep! Which is why you are lighter when you awake. So the more you give it to burn before you sleep, the less of an impact that precious weight loss time will have.

Slow Metabolism When we are young, our metabolism is fast and furious. but as we get age, our metabolism tends to slow down. That means you don’t burn calories as fast as you did when you were younger.