You don't have to wait to hit the gym to burn calories. By adding the following foods to your diet, you can transform yourself into a 24 hour fat-blasting machine. These foods look good on the plate, taste absolutely delicious in your mouth and once inside the body, they rev up the calorie-burning process. Fat burning has never been easier!
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Whole grains: Whole grain foods such as oatmeal, brown rice and quinoa are extremely rich in fiber. Because of its complex structure, they are harder to break down, which means that its digestion requires the burning of a large amount of calories than processed foods.
Lean meat: Protein-containing foods, such as chicken breasts, have a very high thermogenic effect. Our body naturally requires more fuel to digest proteins than fat or carbohydrates. Your body burns 30 percent of the calories in the lean meat just while processing the protein in them.
Green tea: This tea contains several Catechins, one of which includes EGCG. Research shows that green tea activates our body's fat burning activity by elevating the level of the fat burning hormone called epinephrine.
Lentils: This grain is rich in proteins and contains a high amount of soluble fiber. It helps keep our blood sugar level balanced, while making us stay satisfied for a long period of time.
Hot peppers: Research has shown that hot peppers induce thermogenesis. It accelerates the rate of lipid oxidation which is the process of burning fat for energy. The capsaicin in hot peppers increases our basal metabolic rate which causes the body to burn more calories. It also makes us less prone to overeating.
Coconut oil: The miracle oil contains a lot of medium chain fatty acids which instead of being stored as fat, are sent directly to the liver to get metabolized. Coconut oil also has a thermogenic effect in our body, making us burn calories without even trying. It is also very effective at reducing the visceral fat surrounding our vital organs.
Bananas: They come in their own package and you can nibble on them guilt free. Bananas boost your metabolism with the help of B vitamins richly present within them. They also improves satiety and with its insoluble fiber content, helps you stay regular.
Apple cider vinegar: It is a powerhouse of several vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids. Taking a tablespoon of it before consuming a carbohydrate filled meal will help increase your insulin sensitivity. ACV is an appetite suppressant that keeps you feel full for longer periods of time by preventing sudden insulin spikes in your bloodstream.
Lemon: Keeping your vitamin C level up by starting your day with some kind of citrus will help prevent weight gain. Research shows that the presence of vitamin C is inversely related to body fat. If you do not have enough vitamin C, chances are your metabolism will be affected.
By adding these foods to your diet, you will burn fat 24/7 and reach your dream body faster than you ever imagined. With a little bit of discipline and creativity, you can have at least a couple of these fat burning foods in every single meal of your day. It doesn't get any easier than that!
This post was originally published on July 31, 2014.
