Trying to eat healthier? One of the best ways to eat healthier is to eat foods that help you feel full as they can help reduce your snacking between meals and stop you from overeating. Another way is to eat foods that help boost your metabolism to burn the calories you consume. Here are five foods you can add to your diet to help you burn fat:
Berries: Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, are one of the great foods to eat when you are trying to lose some pounds. They may be loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, but they are actually low in calories, containing only around 50 calories per cup. In addition, they are rich in fiber, which helps keep you full. Moreover, research has shown that these fruits contain certain plant compounds called flavonoids, which may boost the production of a hormone that promotes the burning of body fat.
Eggs:Eggs are also a great weight loss food, especially for breakfast. Eggs can make you feel full and provide you nutrients without making you gain weight. An egg contains 6 grams (g) of protein and only 70 calories. Research has also shown that eating more protein in the morning leads to more satisfaction and greater weight loss. One study has shown that people who ate eggs instead of a bagel for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight and 16 percent more belly fat.
Greek yogurt:Yogurt is widely known as healthy food. However, not all yogurt is made equal. Greek yogurt contains twice as much protein and half the sugar of regular yogurt, which make it a great choice to help you feel full and satisfied at any time of the day. In one study, people who were trying to lose weight who increased their protein consumption from 15 percent to 30 percent of their total calories ate 441 fewer calories each day.
Green and oolong tea: Drinking tea, such as green tea and oolong tea, can also help you lose weight. This is because green and oolong tea contain plant compounds called catechins which work together with caffeine to help boost your metabolism. Studies have also revealed that drinking tea helps promote fat burning. In addition, tea contains zero calories and is rich in antioxidants, making it a greater addition to your weight-loss diet.
Pistachios:Pistachios also make a great addition to your weight-loss diet because they contain 6 g of protein per ounce and only 100 calories for every 30 nuts you consume. However, when buying pistachios, choose those that are still in their shells. In a study, researchers found that eating pistachios that were still in their shells resulted in consuming 41 percent fewer calories than eating pre-shelled nuts. This is because the nut’s shell slows you down and trick you into thinking you have consumed more than you have.
In addition to eating fat-burning foods, you also need to get moving. If you have been exercising regularly, but you're not shedding pounds as fast as you’d like, you may need to re-evaluate your fitness routine. You may want to increase the intensity of your work out by trying a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, which is great for burning fat. This type of workout combines cardio and toning exercises, which increases your heart rate and keeps the burn going after your workout. When you’re not doing a high-intensity workout or strength training, walk. This low-intensity exercise taps into fat stores and triglycerides in the body, converting it into energy. (Related: Burn fat, build muscle, and better your health in less time with HIIT.)