Best Fruits Choices to Help You Lose Weight

Fruits are fantastic additions to any diet. They contribute greatly to an individual’s well-being and they are truly a healthy form of sweet snacks, being loaded with nutrients. However, not all have the same nutrient makeup, and there are fruits out there that help better with weight loss, or other reasons.

Fruits are beneficial when you want to lose weight despite continuous eating. It is a form of food with low caloric value and high fiber content making you feel full without eating too much of it.

With the variety of fruit offered in the market, we have come up with a list of fruits that you can combine with your current weight loss program for a healthier body and happier life!

Bananas

Bananas are loaded with potassium, and yes, they are also packed with fiber. A slice of banana can help boost your metabolism while also filling you up without excess calories and sugar compared to most diet snacks available in the market. Bananas are way healthier than an energy bar too. If you want some variations, partner some bananas with some fat-free peanut butter for an instant sweet yet healthy treat!

Watermelon

Watermelons are often considered to be an anti-weight loss fruit due to its high sugar content. Putting that aside, this fruit also boasts impressive benefits that are good for your health and weight loss journey. Watermelons are also high in water content thus it improves hydration to keep your body functioning at its best.

Avocado

It is not new knowledge to everyone anymore about the wonder fruit that is Avocado. Avocados are one of the staple fruits for a person aiming to lose weight. It is packed with so much good fatty acids that it’s no wonder it is and has been everyone’s favourite diet food for quite a while now. It contains about 20 grams of healthy fat that aid in preventing high cholesterol and also a good choice for regulation of metabolism. Avocados are also known to increase synthesis of testosterone for both men and women—a hormone that is responsible for weight loss in both genders.

Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, indeed. It is a supremely healthy fruit with only low amounts of calories as well as not containing any forms of sodium or fat. It is highly fibrous which is good to rid your stomach of toxins and leftovers. Aside from these reasons, apples help you feel fuller and can energise you for a decent amount of time each day to keep you functioning efficiently, allowing you to get work done. Apples are also very rich in antioxidants and is a good fruit choice to balance your blood sugar levels. Snacking has never been this good, yes?

Grapefruits

Grapefruits are beneficial to weight loss due to its components that lower insulin levels. Insulin is a type of hormone that regulates blood sugar levels AND is also the one responsible in storing fats. It is very high in water content which makes you feel full for longer periods of time. Grapefruits are also good sources of vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium.

Keep in mind that fruits get digested for longer times than most food types, requiring more calories to actually digest them and encouraging weight loss.

Are Diet Programs Only a Fad? How to Successfully Lose Weight

Slimming treatments, weight loss programs, diet meal plans—these are only some of the different weight management and slimming programs that are being offered on the market. With losing weight and maintaining a healthy body becoming more and more popular in the recent years, people who want to go on a diet often purchase various goods and services that can give them their dream body.

The real question is, are diet programs offered by different weight loss clinics and endorsed by celebrities effective? The answer for that is not always. Yes, do they help in some ways to help you burn extra calories and get rid of excess fats. However, they should NEVER be the sole basis of your weight loss journey.

Weight loss should always be healthy.

Instant weight loss programs that promise you to lose ten pounds of weight in ten days are often unhealthy. An ideal weight loss should only range from one to two pounds per week, or a kilogram a fortnight. Often, these instant weight loss programs cause the so-called rebound effect and you end up gaining weight instead of losing it. Some diet programs restrict your calorie intake lesser than what your body needs to keep it functioning. When you deprive your body of food, your energy level drops and you binge eating is more likely to happen when the chance arrives. Usually, fad diets include foods that claim to provide you sufficient vitamins and minerals, but in reality, they are quite the opposite. Instead of eating “diet” meal plans and a wholesale revamp of everything you eat, try incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet and watching what you eat. This alternative can be healthier and more effective than going for an instant weight loss program. Remember, weight loss is a long process.

Eating healthily.

Instead of resorting to eating processed “diet” foods, why not go au naturel? The process of losing weight should depend more on the types of food you are eating than working out. Eating healthily is essential and is the number one catalyst in revamping your body to get rid of fats. Working out, on the other hand, helps tone your muscles so you would not get any excess skin sagging off your bones and muscles, rather than addressing the issue of weight.

Stay away from diet pills.

If you can, stay away from diet pills. Most diet pills are deemed to only give you an instant slimming effect but it just stops there. It is not healthy, and most of the time, they are not approved by your local food and drug agency. If you really want to use supplements, you can ask for a professional advice and choose only those that are safe and regulated properly by the food and drug authorities.

Fad diets have been a mainstay in the world of dieting—they give you fast results. However, it tends to backfire and results last only for a short amount of time. Instead of resorting to fad diets, try eating healthily and stay away from calorie heavy food which caused you to get fat. Small and simple changes in your lifestyle can contribute to weight changes and it can have a long term, favorable effect on your body and health.

Avoid Gaining Weight With These Holiday Eating Tips

The holidays mark the most exciting times of the year. However, in between the parties, laughter, and merry-making, it’s also a time many find themselves packing on the pounds. In fact, the period between mid-November and the start of January sees an ordinary person add an average of half a kilogram. While this may seem negligible, many people don’t shed off the pounds they gain during the holidays. Holiday weight is a significant contributor to the overall annual weight gain for most people.

While it may seem illogical, adding several pounds over the holidays is far from unavoidable. There are logical methods to help you stay on track. This should not be construed to mean that you will have to avoid the eating and celebrations that characterise the holiday season. You will just need to make healthier food choices and eat in moderation.

Let’s see how you can navigate the holidays without adding inches to your waistline.

Adopt mindful eating

People are in a constant state of rush and excitement during the holiday season, which often contributes to multitasking when eating meals. According to research, people who eat while doing other tasks are more inclined to overindulging. The reason being they can’t listen to their body’s signal of fullness or contentment. To avoid this occurrence, concentrate on eating without distractions from work or video games. Another approach to eat mindfully is to eat slowly and chew thoroughly. As such, you’ll be able to pay attention to your body’s hints of fullness and consume fewer calories. Numerous studies reveal that those who observe mindful eating habits are less prone to add weight during the holidays.

Pick protein

Foods rich in protein are associated with weight control since they increase your metabolic rate and trigger the release of hunger-quashing hormones. Protein makes you feel full longer. Because you feel satisfied, your calorie intake will significantly be reduced. Plus, protein is the building block for healthy muscle mass. Muscles are renowned for their fat-burning prowess. For these benefits, make sure you get least 30 grams of protein per meal. Some sources of protein include fish, meat, poultry, beans, lentils and quinoa.

Fiber

Similar to protein, fiber is another nutrient positively related to fullness. Fiber-rich foods such as oatmeal, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, blueberries and raspberries induce fullness and thus reduce overall calorie intake. Therefore, a steady intake of dietary fiber is a sure way to avoid weight gain during the festivities. Despite the fact many typical holiday meals lack sufficient fiber, it’s your responsibility to add in fiber-rich foods into your holiday menu.

Small plates

Over the years, the size of plates has significantly increased. If possible, pick the smaller salad plate rather than the tray-like one holding mountains of food. Serving food on a small plate makes you feel fuller despite eating less food. The mind associates the empty space on a big plate with a lesser amount of food.

Complex carbs

Simple carbohydrates include white bread and refined sugars in candy and soft drinks. While they do provide energy, they often don’t provide similar nutrients as complex carbs. The body digests simple carbs a lot quicker compared to the complex type, which raises blood sugar levels and leaving you feeling hungry after a short while. In contrast, complex carbs take a long time before they are digested. As such, you remain fuller for longer.

If you are serious about checking your weight during the holidays, enroll in a weight loss program and stick to the tips mentioned above regarding food choices. Understand that you can say no to specific foods that don’t align with your objectives. Also, remember that you can allow yourself to cheat occasionally. If it happens, don’t abandon your goal. Just move on and pick a healthier food choice in subsequent meals.

Ways To Speed Up Your Body Metabolism

Here’s something you didn’t know: right inside your body is your personal trainer toiling untiringly to help you shed calories and fat. It’s referred to as your metabolism, and it is affected by every action of your body.

After eating, enzymes usually break down the food and convert it into energy, used for bodily processes such as thinking, keeping your heart beating, and simply moving it around. The quicker your metabolic rate, the higher the number of calories and fats you burn which, in turn, leads to easier weight loss. While you can’t influence the number of calories needed to keep your mind thinking, you can, however, lose an additional 400 to 600 calories every day through healthy dieting and exercise.

Bear in mind that you can accelerate the speed at which your metabolism works which ultimately affords you massive control over your metabolism. So what ways can speed up your metabolic rate? Well, read about these tried and tested moves that will propel your metabolic rate into overdrive.

Don’t skip breakfast

Taking a healthy breakfast meal consisting of scrambled eggs, whole-wheat bread slathered with almond butter and tea shortly after waking up literally jump starts your metabolism. The morning meal fires up your engine and keeps it humming. Studies have revealed that dieters who take breakfast are more likely to lose pounds than those who skip it. By avoiding breakfast, your body switches into starvation mode, and your metabolic rate slows down considerably to preserve energy.

Go organic

Are you split between buying organic foods? Well, here is something to sway you. Vegetables, fruits, and grains keep your metabolism running at full speed because organic foods don’t subject your thyroid to toxins exposure. On the other hand, nonorganic produce hinders your metabolism by impeding your thyroid, which is responsible for controlling the speed at which your metabolism runs.

Think protein

Digestion of protein happens at a far slower rate compared to carbohydrates or fats, which mean you feel satisfied longer after eating. Moreover, it sends your metabolism into overdrive. In a process termed thermogenesis, the body uses about 10 percent of its calorie intake for digestion purposes. Given that it requires a longer time to digest protein compared to fat or carbs, the body releases more heat. Plus, diets rich in protein help form and maintain lean body mass, which is arguably the finest fat-burner. Muscle expands more calories compared to fat, even at rest. Therefore, every meal you take should be crammed with protein. As part of your weight loss program, target a serving of 30 grams of protein at each meal which is equal to a four-ounce chicken breast or a cup of low-fat cheese.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Are you aware that eating plenty of fish high in omega 3 fatty acids can help pump up your metabolism? Salmon, tuna, and herring are good sources of the hunger-quashing Omega 3 healthy fats which send cues to your brain that you’re feeling satisfied. Omega 3 acids keep blood sugar levels stable and ease inflammation, helping to control metabolism. Plus, they encourage production of the hormone leptin which plays a role in how quickly fat is expended.

Take green tea

Green tea’s antioxidants are well known. Even better news is the active ingredient called catechin, which can accelerate metabolism. After a series of research in dieters, it was found that those who regularly took green tea lost extra weight compared to those who did not, signifying the role of catechins in improving fat oxidation plus thermogenesis. So, how many cups do you have to take? Well, drinking five cups of green tea every day can crank up your energy use by ninety calories per day. Even though it may well seem like a lot of tea to drink, drinking it iced makes it easier.

Making small lifestyle adjustments and applying these tips as part of your routine may help crank up your metabolic rate. A fast metabolism will translate into weight loss and keep weight gain at bay while providing you with increased energy.