Finding the right lose belly fat diet can be tricky these days. There are many faddy diet plans going around that become very popular with celebrities and the like. What all of these diets have in common is their emphasis on deprivation, which can often lead to you losing weight, whereas we are interested in losing fat, which are two very different things, and ultimately comes down to the choices you make about the foods you eat.
Now, while it is sensible and necessary to cultivate self-control and discipline, your focus should be on maintaining or increasing your muscle weight and size and stripping off the excess body fat - this will lead to a much healthier, better looking and more desirable body. A good solid exercise program will help you to lose belly fat and tone up your body.
For instance, take a look at bodybuilders and fitness models. These guys and gals have really figured out how to grow muscle and strip off fat. They can actually put on weight and lose fat at the same time. It makes sense to apply some of their knowledge to your own personal lose belly fat diet plan.
So, what are the top 3 foods that we should look to include in a lose belly fat diet? We need to look for foods that can help us burn fat - this way we can eat a sensible and well-balanced diet and lose fat at the same time. Foods that release their energy slowly will mean we are less hungry between meals, and will lead to less snacking and a much healthier body all round, as well as keeping our blood sugar levels fairly consistent. People often refer to the Glycemic Index (GI), which looks at the carbohydrates in foods and ranks them according to the effect they have on our blood glucose levels. Low GI carbs create small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels and can help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, as part of a comprehensive diet program. You don't need to rigidly follow the GI of foods but it's often a good guide, particularly if you are carb-sensitive. Below are just 3 of the many foods you can include in a good lose belly fat diet:
1 - Oatmeal - This is the one carbohydrate food that almost all bodybuilders and fitness models eat on a daily basis. Although it's a starchy carbohydrate, oatmeal has a nice balance between carbs, protein and good fat. Half a cup contains 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs and 5 grams of protein. The low glycemic index, combined with the presence of protein and fat makes oatmeal a very slowly released carb - perfect for any lose belly fat diet.
You should choose the all-natural oats; either old-fashioned oats or the quick oats. Avoid sweetened and flavored oatmeal packets. Oatmeal is delicious with natural (sugar free) applesauce and cinnamon. Or, try some crushed walnuts or flaxseeds in your morning oats, which will give your "porridge" a nice crunchy texture while adding those desirable "good fats" we all need. If you get tired of oatmeal, there are plenty of other cooked whole grain cereals in the "oatmeal family." Look in your local health food store (or a gourmet supermarket) for barley, wheat, titricale, rye, oat bran and flax cereals (or a multi grain combination of the above).
2 - Green fibrous vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, green beans, lettuce, etc) - Fibrous carbs are probably the best choice for fat burning carbohydrates. Green vegetables, which fall into this category of fibrous carbs, contain virtually no calories (due to a low calorie density). It's pretty much impossible to overeat green vegetables, so eat them liberally,consuming more of them late in the day. A diet of green vegetables combined with lean proteins is one of the best ways to lose belly fat as quickly as possible.
3 - Chicken Breast - Chicken and turkey are probably the number one most popular protein sources among bodybuilders and fat loss seekers. The skin tends to hold a lot of fat so get rid of that and use the light meat found in the breasts. The darker meat such as in the thighs and drumsticks are higher in fat and calories. Your poultry should be broiled, grilled, or roasted and not fried.
I'm talking about the real bird, not the sliced lunch meat you find pre-packed in supermarkets. These lunch meats are processed proteins, and some nutritionists refer to them as"fabricated foods" because they are made from a mix and poured into a mold before being cooked and wrapped. While they're ok now and then, don't make them a part of your regular daily lose belly fat diet. Lunch meats are full of sodium, preservatives, binders, fillers and other nasty chemicals that you don't want floating around in your body.
I hope this article was helpful to you. If you want to find out some more info on the best and worst foods to include in a lose belly fat diet, be sure to check out my website which gives you the top 10 foods to lose belly fat.
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