45 Fat Burning Secrets - Easy Ways to Lose Weight Fast and Keep It Off (2 page)

Try to stick with the fruits that are lower in sugar.  Some options include:

• Berries
  
• Melons
  
• Papayas
  
• Peaches
  

Apples are a little higher in sugar, but they’re also higher in fiber so they’re a great alternative. Try to stay away from bananas, grapes, mangos and tangerines because their sugar content is through the roof.

Secret #7:
One Way to Gain Weight is to Eat “Diet” Food

If you want to reduce calories, you stock up on “diet” food, right? Those who manufacture foods and drinks for the diet industry would like you to think so. What if you found out, though, that this isn’t the case?

There are two substances most dieters want removed from their food: sugar and fat. When you remove sugar, most manufacturers replace it with artificial sweeteners. However, your body reacts to them the same way it does to the real thing by creating insulin. The bad thing is that your insulin has no purpose because there is no real sugar for it to counteract. What happens?

You lose energy and your appetite swells, causing you to take in more calories than you need. Also, if you continue to put your body through the production of insulin when there was no real need, eventually you could find yourself with a diabetes diagnosis.

If you feel that removing the fat from your food is better than removing sugar, think again. To make the fat-free food more pleasing to the palate, manufacturers add MSG and, likely, sugar. That means you still end up with high blood sugar and sometimes high blood pressure. Either way, your overall health is compromised.

Secret #8:
Increased Protein Equals Reduced Fat

Why does an increase in protein consumption cause a reduction in fat? The more muscle your body has, the more calories it burns on a day-to-day basis. Since one of protein’s primary functions is to help your muscles repair and grow, you’re essentially turning your body into a fat-burning machine.

The best protein sources are those that are high quality and low-fat, such as chicken and turkey, fish and shellfish, lean beef and pork and nuts. One thing to remember though is that nuts have a higher fat content, so eat them in moderation.

Don’t think that eating a lot of protein is going to make you look like a pro body builder because it won’t. It will just trim and tone you and make you burn calories all day and night. So, eat your protein ladies!

Secret #9:
Eat Foods That Boost Your Metabolism

To reiterate what was slightly covered in the second secret, you’re your body uses its fat stores for energy, its called thermogenesis. So, the key to boosting your metabolism is to incorporate foods that fuel this process.

There are products on the market, like ephedra, that claim to have the same effect but their safety is questionable. Therefore, it’s best to just stick with foods that are thermogenic as they’re natural and won’t hurt your body. What foods fall into this category?

Ginger is one of them. While research is contradictory as to how well it helps your body get rid of unwanted fat, it does have positive benefits on your circulatory system. The more blood you can get to your liver so that it effectively processes fat, the better off you are. It also eases your digestive system functions, so adding it to your meals or pre-workout tea will do your body good.

Ginger isn’t the only food that’s good for your body. Increase your metabolism by eating more fruits (of the citrus variety), peppers loaded with heat and sipping on some tea, preferably green. When you heat up your insides, it melts the fat off your outsides!

Secret #10:
Improve Your Sluggish Metabolism

If you’re a yo-yo dieter, you probably understand what it means to have a sluggish metabolism. Every time you lose weight, it gets it harder to keep off and easier to regain, right? That’s because your metabolism isn’t functioning at maximum capacity.

When you get used to a restricted calorie intake (as you do with a diet) and then increase your calories (what you do when you go off your diet), your body still thinks it’s being restricted leading it to store the food as fat. It doesn’t realize that it should be burning more calories with your increased consumption.

If this is you, all is not lost. You aren’t stuck with a faulty metabolism. In fact, you can repair it quite easily by eating several mini-meals throughout the day. Just let go of the three-meals-a-day mentality and instead aim for five or six little ones. 

Even though you’ll be eating several times a day, you still want to aim for a restricted calorie intake in the process. So, until your body adjusts by burning more calories, don’t worry about a little gain in weight. Once your body gets used to eating this way, it will begin to metabolize the fat at an increased rate and you’ll start to drop the weight.

Also, make sure you stay hydrated for proper kidney function. If you don’t, they’ll rely on your liver. And, if your liver is too busy doing the job of the kidneys, it can’t do what you want it to do – which is burn fat!

You can also increase your level of physical activity to boost your metabolism. Do all these things and you’ll drop your weight in no time!

Secret #11:
Cut Down On Butter Using These Substitutes

When it comes to butter, and margarine for that matter, they are high in trans fats, which you’ve already learned is bad for your body. So, instead of continuing to keep butter in your diet, try these healthy alternatives:

• Olive oil.
  Try regular virgin olive oil, or choose a flavored variety. If you keep it cold in the fridge, you’ll be able to easily put it on toast or any other manner which you normally use butter.
  
• Hummus and tahini.
  These make great, flavorful alternatives to butter. You can find them in most grocery or health stores.
  
• Applesauce.
  This is a great substitute for butter in baking recipes. Don’t have applesauce? You can also puree fruit such as bananas. In addition to cutting trans fat, they’ll also make your baked goods extra moist!
  

Secret #12:
Cut Fat in Your Favorite Foods

Take cheese, for instance. Although most people love it, most people watching their weight don’t eat it because it is high in saturated fat and also high in calories. Eat an overabundance of cheese and you’ll risk heart problems.

However, you don’t have to avoid cheese forever to have a healthy diet. Simply choose cheeses that are healthier for you, such as cheeses made from fat-free or low-fat milk. That way you have fewer calories and still get to eat one of your favorite foods without sacrificing the taste.

Of course, you can still use regular cheese if you wish. Just throw it in the microwave for a few seconds and remove any excess oil. You’ll still have the taste of regular cheese without all the heart-damaging fat.

If you’re kitchen savvy and want to make your own low-fat cheese, here is a
video
that will get you on your way! 

Secret #13:
Drink More Water, Lose More Weight

When it comes to beverages that promote weight loss, water wins hands down. It keeps your body running effectively so that nothing health-wise will stop your weight loss efforts.

Drinking at meal time will benefit you two ways. First, it helps fill you up so it takes less food to satisfy you. Second, it helps your body better digest your meal and metabolize all those calories you just took in.

In addition, drinking in between meals is important because it’s easy to confuse feelings of thirst for feelings of hunger. Therefore, when you make sure your feelings of thirst are satisfied throughout the day, you’re less likely to eat in an attempt to satisfy a hunger that doesn’t even exist.

Try to drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water daily to help you shed excess pounds. And, don’t try to down excessive amount of water to increase your metabolism as there is such a thing as too much water harming your body instead of helping it.

What about the theory that cold water is better to drink than room temperature water? According to Dr. Roger Clemens from the USC School of Pharmacy, there is truth that drinking water that is cold does burn more calories but not enough to really matter.

Secret #14:
Why Veggies Are Best When Not Consumed Alone

Some people eat veggie sandwiches in an attempt to lose weight. However, while they may be low in calories, they’re also low in fat and protein – two things that will satisfy your hunger, keep you full and build your muscles.

Remember that these two nutrients also help keep your blood sugar from going on those craving-inducing spikes and lows. So, if you want to make losing weight and staying in shape easy, you’re going to want to add them to your diet.

Some healthy protein and fat options to add to veggie sandwiches are lean ham, shredded chicken breast and canned tuna. Choosing a sandwich with more sustenance will keep your hunger at bay longer!

Are you a vegetarian and want non-meat options? You can always add heart healthy avocado, olives, low-fat or fat-free cheese or an olive oil based spread for the same benefits.

Secret #15:
How to Beat Belly Bulge

When it comes to fat, abdominal fat is the most damaging to your health. The more fat you carry in your mid-section, the greater your risk of certain serious diseases and illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. The
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
cites a study that suggests that it also puts you at risk of type 2 diabetes.

How do you fight this dangerous fat? Try eating foods such as these:

• Chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef and lean pork
  
• Olive oil, avocado and olives
  
• Fruits and veggies – the more the better
  
• Almonds and walnuts
  
• Low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt
  

Basically, you want to limit your intake of carbohydrates that contain a lot of sugar and flour. Eating in this way will encourage your body to lose the fat!

Secret #16:
Have a Cup of Tea, Green Please!

Does green tea live up to its reputation as a weight loss guru? A lot of studies, like one conducted at the
Department of Physiology
, Faculty of Medicine at Khon Kaen University in Thailand, give a resounding ‘yes’. What makes green tea so great when it comes to weight loss? 

It has caffeine which is known to reduce your appetite, give you energy and make it easier to accomplish your daily to-do list. It elevates your heart rate slightly when you’re engaged in physical activity, such as doing your exercise program.

In addition, Swiss researchers state that it is full of different natural ingredients that increase your body’s calorie burning potential – up to 60 extra daily. So, you can melt fat off your body just by sipping a few cups of the green stuff daily!

Plus, if you regularly choose green tea (preferably at least two cups a day) over some other not-so-healthy beverages, such as sodas and lattes, you’ll likely consumer fewer high sugar calories and fat. The more you drink, the more you lose!

Secret #17:
Fast Food Doesn’t Have to Be Fat Food

Most people watching their weight try to avoid fast food restaurants. Not only do their foods contain the very things that most dieters avoid, such as sugar and fat, but the portion sizes are enough to make weight gain absolutely inevitable.

However, you don’t have to absolutely eliminate fast food restaurants from your future when you’re trying to watch your waistline. Just make these simple suggestions part of your fast food ordering agenda:

• Choose grilled over fried when it comes to sandwiches. Also, load it with veggies and steer clear of high fat condiments.
  
• To practice portion control, order the smallest possible size you can get – even if it means that you’re looking at the kid’s menu. Speaking of kid’s menu, the sides are usually healthier so they’re a great place to purchase from.
  
• Choose a beverage that is sugar-free, such as tea, coffee or water. It’s not that diet sodas are bad, but the artificial sweeteners in them may lead to cravings, making it harder to stick to a healthy diet the rest of the day.
  

Secret #18:
Surviving Dining Out