Been working out but haven’t seen the results you wanted? You followed every single step of the routine letter by letter, but still have not gotten the abs?
Well, here’s what you may not have realized: You cannot out-exercise a bad diet. So, here we will be sharing with you the 15 key foods to help you get your dream body!
1. Broccoli
Broccolis are a must eat if you are looking into eliminating that flabby tummy. They work well in making you feel filled, ensuring that you will consume less food throughout the day. Furthermore, it is pumped with fiber and nutrients, all of which will not cost you a lot of calories as well since this is a low-calorie vegetable.
2. Eggs
Eggs go great at all times of the day with almost any meal and has been an ally to fitness junkies for as long as one can count. It is rich in protein and a nutrient called choline. Coupled together, eggs help to build up muscles and also boost metabolism, ensuring all the excess weight is further burnt. They are good as snacks too.
3. Green Tea
Skip the smoothie and opt for green tea instead. Green tea has a natural chemical compound called epigallocatechin gallate that signals to the body to use fat as fuel, thus helping to burn more fat. The best part is that for this miraculous effect, it costs you zero calories, which means you can drink it all day and time.
4. Yogurt
Yogurt is the best replacement for ice cream as they are a rich source of calcium and protein. All of which helps to strengthen your bones and also repair muscles to prepare you for another day of workouts. In fact, studies have also shown people who eat yogurt more frequently lose more weight compared to their counterparts who do not eat yogurt. The weight loss was also mostly from their midsection.
5. Lean Meat
Trying to get that dream body does not mean you need to abandon all forms of meat, opt for leaner meat instead. Leaner meat has additional proteins that help you feel satisfied and also improves after-meal calorie burn. Meat like lean turkey, chicken or salmon is good.
6. Bananas
While there is controversy surrounding bananas, they help by increasing bacteria in the stomach that brings gas down which means less bloating. They also contain potassium that aids with water retention, further reducing the bloated belly. So, bananas will work great as a pre or post-gym snack.
7. Split Peas
Another great source of fiber, split peas. Fiber is key to gaining those shredded abs as it helps with reducing the accumulation of fat around the abdominal cavity. In addition to that, they also provide you with your daily requirement of fiber.
8. Canola Oil
While most health enthusiasts would boast of olive oil as one of the healthiest oils, canola oil does better at helping you achieve your goal of fat reduction, especially in the midsections. The monounsaturated fats contained within canola help to lower abdominal fat. This is especially so for monounsaturated fats as they zone in on that particular area around the tummy. Research has shown that consumers of canola oil lost a quarter pound of belly fat.
9. Collard Greens
This is for those out there who dislike dairy with a passion or are lactose intolerant and are worried they may not be able to meet their daily calcium requirements. Collard greens pack a punch in terms of calcium as they are able to provide up to 27% of your daily value for calcium.
Furthermore, if you are thinking that calcium is not as important, think again. Because calcium has been known to be linked to less tummy fats. Calcium also aids in lowering cortisol, a stress hormone that promotes weight gain, if it is produced in excess. Another more commonly known vegetable with similar effects is kale if collard greens are not up to your taste.
10. Nuts
A commonly seen ingredient in healthy recipes, nuts. Nuts are great sources of protein and fiber and work really well to replace unhealthy snacks as well. As mentioned previously, protein and fiber are highly essential to get the dream body. In this case, almonds, cashews, and pistachios are the highly recommended nuts to go to for their omega-3 fatty acids that are fat busters.
11. Chia Seeds
Tiny but formidable, and packing loads of protein, calcium, and fibers are chia seeds. These seeds help with making you feel more satisfied which ensures you consume less throughout the day which aids in reducing tummy fats. Furthermore, you can enjoy them as Chia Puddings, which makes dessert time less sinful
12. Fish
As mentioned previously, protein and healthy fats are keys to trimming that waistline and toning those abs. We would highly recommend halibut and wild salmon as the former contains a tremendous amount of protein and the latter is renowned for its omega-3 content, all of which helps with weight loss.
13. Hot Peppers
This is for all those spicy folks out there who enjoy the occasional tingle on the taste buds and the shedding of tears. Hot peppers are loaded with capsaicin which helps you feel fuller for longer after a meal and also helps burn more fat by boosting the body’s regulation of insulin. However, if you are unable to start off immediately with raw peppers, sprinkling some cayenne in your dishes will do the trick.
14. Whole Grains
Whole grains have long been important to people who are going on a diet as these grains help people to feel more satisfied throughout the day, reducing the temptation to overeat or snack. It also contains fewer sugars which white bread has a lot of. So, stave off the white bread if you intend to shave off the belly fats.
15. Blueberries
Blueberries are great for weight loss because of their low energy density, meaning you can eat more but not suffer the same extent of repercussion in the form of calories. Furthermore, these berries are mostly water which ensures you will be hydrated and feel more satisfied between meals. They also contain loads of fiber which is essential for abs gaining as mentioned previously.
With this list, you’ll be armed with a purpose when you next walk into the grocery store! Don’t forget to have a lot of recipes on hand to cook these great ingredients!
