Food defines every aspect of our life so its a real pity that it can cause so much misery when we put on a few excess kilos.I’ve been down that road and I’ve obsessed over every extra kilo.But I did obsess over food too.So when I think about food to help slim me I could not be more ecstatic.Everyone knows that eating right is the key to a healthy body which in turn is the key to a healthy mind, but the important thing to remember is not only to eat right but also eat at the right time.Our weight fluctuations are governed by our metabolism or the process of converting food to energy.The slower the rate of metabolism slower will be the energy released and hence more weight gain.Keep your metabolism rate under control and half the battle is won.But then comes evil in the form of food cravings.
Food cravings are one of the primary reasons for excess weight gain,the other being plain and simple gluttony.Curb those cravings and you’re half way there.Food cravings occur when the blood sugar level is low which results in snacking or in other words gorging on tasty fatty carb rich snacks.The truth is that these cravings can easily be appeased by a bowl of cereal or fruit just as easily without adding to your waistline.
These foods will not only help you slim down in the long run but will also benefit other aspects of your health.So bon appétit.
Hot And Chilly
If you love spicy food then you can easily beat the crap out of fat.Hot spicy food(not the junk kind though) makes you burn fat in a jiffy by upping your metabolism rate.Even milder chillies can help jump start your metabolism.Do you want to know the name of your saviour?It’s Capsaicin.This is what makes chillies hot.Capsaicin is an appetite suppressant so you feel full quickly without piling on extra calories,while at the same time burning energy and inhibiting the accumulation of body fat.Eating chillies also makes you feel good because it releases endorphins into your blood stream making you feel calm and satisfied.
Turn Up The Tofu
Tofu is a popular Asian food.It’s basically curdled soybean milk kind of like paneer.Soybean contains a protein which kills appetite and reduces cravings since it is digested and absorbed by the body slowly,thereby filling you up quickly.Also it contains about 70-100 calories unlike meat which makes it protein rich minus the added calories.Tofu also enhances digestion and helps the body excrete unnecessary water weight.
Olive Oil With Pleasure
Oil and slimming don’t add up too well I know but Olive oil is not your regular run of the mill oil.It contains monosaturated fats which helps burn down fat of the bad kind.Olive oil is also heart healthy as it helps to lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.Cholesterol and triglycerides are forms of fat circulating in your bloodstream.Cholesterol is necessary for building and maintaining key parts of your cells (such as your cell membranes), and for making several essential hormones and Triglycerides, which are chains of high-energy fatty acids, provide much of the energy needed for your tissues to function. So you can't live without them.Though when the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood become too high you risk developing blockage in your arteries and thus developing cardiovascular diseases.So olive oil not only helps you maintain the level of fat in your bloodstream thereby making your heart healthier it also helps keep fat at bay.All the more reason to slurp on olive oil.
Spice Down Your Weight
A spice to keep you slim is the best idea ever.And the best spice for that is Cinnamon.It controls your post meal insulin spikes.Scientists all over are claiming that a teaspoon of cinnamon can help fight Type 2 (non-insulin dependant) diabetes.It helps to lower sugar,cholesterol and triglycerides levels in your blood making it a health boon.And to top it off it acts as an energising tonic.Have a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of cinnamon and honey first thing in the morning to keep your metabolism rate running throughout the day. Seriously it can’t get easier than this.
An Apple A Day
An apple a day not only keeps the doctor away but keeps the fat away too.Add Pears to the list too and you have a deadly combo.With high dietary fibre and water content, apples and pears can help fill you up while decreasing your total daily calorie intake.Apples and Pears contain Pectin a type of fibre which helps to reduce blood sugar levels and helps you avoid snacking between meals.It also helps to reduce cholesterol absorption from food.They are also full of important nutrients like antioxidants and flavonoids, which can protect your body from cancer.
Egg It On
It has been proved scientifically that a protein rich breakfast reduces hunger and calorie consumption later in the day and there’s no better way to start the day with protein rich eggs.Egg has 70 calories,is rich in nutrients and high quality protein(mostly yolk) and can be consumed boiled, poached or baked.It helps to stimulate the nervous system which in turn increases your metabolism and we all know by now what that means.A protein rich diet in the morning prevents blood sugar level to spike later on in the day thus preventing cravings.Eggs contain Leucine an essential amino acid which helps in weight loss by helping to reduce high loss of lean tissues,promoting loss of body fat and stabilizing blood glucose levels.
Green With Tea
There has been a lot written about the benefits of green tea which has made it so popular among health freaks these days.Well if you’re hoping to loose weight jump on the bandwagon and experience the goodness of green tea.Green tea is rich in anti-oxidants which fuels the metabolism and ultimately speeds up burning of fat.It also helps reduce bad LDL cholesterol and contains Epigallocatechin(EGCG) or Catechin which increases heat production in the body(this process is called thermogenesis) by stimulating enzymes during metabolism.If all that mumbo jumbo went right over your head don’t worry.All you need to know is that green tea will help you burn fat quickly and more efficiently by increasing body’s ability to burn calories faster.It also contains caffeine and can be considered a healthier alternative to coffee.Caffeine is an appetite suppressant and also helps in calorie burning by stimulating thermogenesis.
Pining For Pineapple
A slice of pineapple contains 40 calories and 0 fat.Yup you read it right zero fat.And it has almost 186% water.So mostly what you are consuming is water instead of unhealthy sugars and carbs.Pineapples also contain an enzyme Bromelain which is a natural anti-inflammatory agent.Bromelain strengthens muscles and skin elasticity thereby preventing the onset of cellulite.Pineapples are also rich in Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) which helps to metabolize carbohydrates.If you eat a serving of pineapple after your meal it helps keep your stomach from being bloated. And thanks to presence of vitamin C and pectin, the digestion of your meal goes a lot smoother.Eating fresh pineapple is recommended because the canned one’s have a high sugar content which would defeat the purpose.
And I’m not done yet.I have 8 more foods to help you ward of unsightly calories in Food To Slim You Down: Continued…..Till then happy munching.
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