Not all calories were created equal. Eating certain foods may actually help you shed body fat.
BY STEVEN STIEFEL
Men have so many reasons to eat right and control their weight. Some might be at the beginning of their journey, looking to replace their fatty counterparts with healthy alternatives, while others might be looking to shed the lingering five pounds remaining on their fit frame. Whatever your fat loss goals are, here are four fat-burning foods to help you drop fat fast.
1. EGGS
HOW THEY HELP
“Eggs have been shown to enhance weight loss—likely by increasing satiety and allowing for reduced calorie consumption later in the day,” explains Brian Zehetner, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS. A study conducted at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisians State University in Baton Rouge found that including two eggs with your breakfast helped reduce appetite and calorie intake for 24 hours compared to a breakfast of comparable calories from bagels. Those who ate eggs lost considerably more weight and abdominal body fat than those who consumed bagels. In addition, egg protein sports one of the best amino acid profiles found in foods, making it a great muscle builder. The fats contained in the yolk help slow digestion, reducing hunger and providing numerous health benefits.
WHAT TO DO
Consume two or more eggs up to five days a week as part of a healthy breakfast. Also, make sure to reduce fast-digesting carb sources, such as bagels, from your breakfast because they cause an insulin response that stimulates appetite and encourages body-fat storage.
2. CINNAMON
HOW IT HELPS
Cinnamon helps you control body fat by improving your body’s response to insulin and helping to burn body fat—two effects you want when you’re trying to shed some lard. First, cinnamon encourages insulin uptake in muscle cells, encouraging muscle building for those who are training rather than encouraging the storage of more body fat. Second, research has found that a compound in cinnamon (methylhydroxychalcone polymer) encourages body-fat reduction by enhancing glucose burning inside your fat cells—that’s like having a fire within a fire. For these reasons, cinnamon extract is often used in many fat-burning supplements.
WHAT TO DO
Liberally sprinkle cinnamon on your oatmeal. Add it to protein shakes (blending may be the best option to ensure that it mixes properly) and shake it onto your Starbucks blend of the day (it will add flavor without calories and deliver a double dose of fat-burning effects).
3. OATMEAL
HOW IT HELPS
This classic breakfast food may help reduce body-fat levels by providing slow-digesting carbs with plenty of fiber to keep your insulin levels stable throughout the day. A study performed at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom concluded that athletes who consumed slow-digesting carbs at breakfast and lunch had lower insulin levels than those who ate fast-digesting carbs (sugary carbs like fruit juices and sodas). Ultimately, this helps increase fat-burning because higher insulin levels help move fat into storage more readily, especially if you’re not training regularly.
WHAT TO DO
Eat a small bowl of oatmeal in the morning. For even better results, sprinkle it with cinnamon and eat it with two eggs and black coffee—that’s the breakfast of fat loss champions.
4. GREEN TEA
HOW IT HELPS
The acceptance of green tea in America has shown steady growth, even making some inroads against the more popular staple: black tea. While both teas contain caffeine—which helps boost metabolic rate—the primary fat-burning component in green tea is the catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG inhibits an enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine. Also, this neurotransmitter is crucial for regulating your metabolic rate. By inhibiting the breakdown of norepinephrine, green tea effectively increases your metabolism. “Both caffeine and EGCG have a mild effect individually, so reaping the benefits of both in a healthy and good-tasting beverage makes sense,” says Zehetner.
WHAT TO DO
You can drink as much green tea as you like, but research has shown that supplemental forms of green tea extract are even more effective for burning fat. For best results, you should take up to three doses of 500 milligrams each day.
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