In order to achieve healthy weight loss and keep it off for good, the most important thing to remember is you are what you eat. You have heard that a million times I'm sure, but it's the absolute truth. If you eat nothing but junk food, you will be a walking example of bad health. Sad but true, but the good news is that it works the same way when you lead a healthy lifestyle.
Most people don't understand how they woke up one day and suddenly found themselves fat and lethargic. That's because poor food choices made on a daily basis is something that creeps up on you. One cheeseburger won't kill you, but one cheeseburger every day plus all those fries that are also OK to eat with them add up.
There is no magic pill that will ever be invented to allow you to eat garbage without it taking a toll on your body. If you want to achieve healthy weight loss and keep it off for good, you have to lead a healthy lifestyle and there is no other way around it. You do not have to give up the junk foods you love, but you do have to limit your consumption and replace them with choices that coincide with your plan of action.
Here are 6 fat burning foods that should help you with your healthy weight loss goals.
Healthy Weight Loss Food #1: Soy Protein
Protein takes a lot of effort for the body to break down and digest...even more than fat. So while your body is working hard to process that protein, you're burning calories. The best type of protein for healthy weight loss is soy-based. A soybean is the closest thing you can get to a magic weight loss pill. I start every day with a soy-based protein shake to ensure I am getting the best nutrition money can buy...and I don't miss the donuts and bagels one bit!
Healthy Weight Loss Food #2: Whole Grains
Belly fat is not attractive or healthy on anyone, and whole grains can really go to work on that stubborn flab around your midsection. One of the most efficient ways to get whole grains into your diet is through supplements because you don't have to eat tons of oatmeal to get the your daily requirement. (Even though a bowl of grape nuts with fresh strawberries and blueberries every once in a while is hard to resist!)
Healthy Weight Loss Food #3: Grapefruit
You have to have grown up in a cave far away from civilization to not have been told that Vitamin C is good for you. Along with the powerful antioxidant benefits, this vitamin helps burn fat. The next time you're looking for a cool snack on a hot day, dig into a juicy grapefruit. It will help to lower insulin levels, which keeps you from being hungry all the time! Too sour? Sprinkle it with Splenda (not sugar). The goal here is to lose weight.
Healthy Weight Loss Food #4: Green Tea
Green tea is the first thing I drink in the morning when I wake up, and I usually drink another cup in the afternoon just because of its awesome health benefits. This superdrink helps us lose weight by raising our metabolism, which will burn off calories faster than you ever imagined. Hot or cold, don't let a day go by without using it to your healthy weight loss advantage.
Fat Burning Food #5: Water
OK...it's not really a food, but it's important to drink lots of water if you're trying to burn fat. This is the ingredient that people miss the most. Your body can't work effectively if it's dehydrated, so it's extremely important to keep a bottle of water with you at all times. Don't worry, you'll get used to it and thank yourself when you do. And no, soda pop (regular or diet) is not a healthy alternative.
Healthy Weight Loss Food #6: Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Why don't we ever listen to what we are told when we are kids? Apples and other water-rich fruits will make your diet plan more effective. The pectin contained in apples limits how much fat your cells can absorb. How awesome is that?! Plus, it's a naturally soluble fiber, which is always good. Forget about counting carbs and calories in packaged snacks. Just grab an apple.
As you can obviously tell, there are many food options we tend to overlook on our journey to a healthy weight loss. Most people focus on trying every new product they see advertised on tv without remembering that it's always good to just stick with the basics. People 2, 3 and 4 decades ago did not have the technological advances we have today, and obesity was practically unheard of. Think about what they ate, and think about what you eat. For things to change, you have got to change.