Thursday, July 22, 2010

7 kick ass foods for losing weight

Everyone knows that in order to be successful in losing weight you have to eat well and exercise, duh.These 8 super foods will help you lose weight quicker by doing a little of the work for you.*


#1.
Mushrooms.
Mushroom based meals leave you just as satisfied as beef based meals but with a lot less calories and fat! Plus they are delicious and can be added into so many different recipes.



#2. Eggs
Eggs leave you feeling full for a longer period of time compared to other breakfast foods such as bagels, toast, or cereal. Research also shoes that people who ate eggs for breakfast lost more than twice as much weight as those who ate the same amount of calories in other breakfast foods. But dont think that eggs are just breakfast foods. They make perfect snacks and can be added into salads or a stir fry dish for an extra source of protein.


#3. Apples
Apples are great because they are low in calories (usually between 85 and 95 calories depending on the size), contain 4 grams of fiber, and are naturally sweet. Eating a lot of fiber is good because it keeps you feeling full for a long period of time. Apples are also great for keeping your heart healthy. Researchers have found that people who eat apples had a lower risk of strokes than that of people who did not eat apples.




#4. Soup
According to research published in Appetite magazine, people who start a meal with a vegetable soup eat 20% less calories over the course of their meal compared to people who don't.







#5. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is made with what is called "slow-release" carbs, which if ate 3 hours before you work out can help you burn more fat (Journal of Nutrition). Researchers found that "slow-release" carbs dont spike blood sugar as much as refined carbs did, therefore insulin levels did not spike as much. Insulin signals the body to store fat, so having lower levels could in fact help you burn fat.



#6. Hot Chili Peppers
Hot peppers not only speed up your metabolism, but they also can help curb hunger. Researchers have found that consuming a little hot pepper 30 mins before a meal caused people to feel less hungry and eat about 10% less throughout their meal.





#7. Almonds
One of my favorite things to snack on! These awesome nuts also help to curb hunger, and leave you feeling fuller longer. The key to being able to eat only a few of these nuts and still have them curb your hunger- chew more. Research shows that by chewing more causes a greater release of fat from the almonds, which then triggers hormones that curb your hunger.

*Got information from an article online at eatingwell.com