Everyone always seems to want to find a simple way to get the best abs that they can. It is the center of your body and honestly the first place people point to when talking about weight loss. Weird machines that make you twist and shout, plug in gizmo’s that “melt away” fat from your mid section, or super fat burning pills are all types of quick fixes people will buy in hopes of getting the look they want. But all of the research points towards the same thing; the best way to slim down is by controlling your diet. The nice thing about focusing on your diet is that it is a way to continually work on getting the best abs you can no matter where you are! So are there foods you can eat to help speed up the fat burning process of your diet?
How Certain Foods Burn Fat
Essentially the human body is a machine. There are many different types of fluid and fuels that can be injected into the body. But each type can change how the machine runs. Some cause the body to run more efficiently and faster, while others cause a build-up of gunk in the engine that makes the machine run worse over time. So what is the best type of fuel to give your body? There are a number of simple things you can include in your diet that will help you slim down and get you the best abs possible while doing nothing more than eating!
Pineapple is a great addition to any breakfast. Raw pineapple is rich in potent vitamin C. Vitamin C is a vital component in the fat burning process. Studies have shown that most people are deficient in vitamin C and having the proper amount or more is effective over the long term in losing weight. It is also considered a negative calorie food; a group of foods that take as much or more energy (calories) to digest than it contains. Also, the fruit contains a high amount of water which helps keep you full longer.
Grapefruit Is another good way to start the day by either eating it or drinking it in raw juice form. This fruit has large amounts of fiber which takes longer to digest, thus lowering food cravings. Grapefruit helps lower insulin levels as well, which curbs the body’s sugar urges.
Green tea is a wonderful addition to the daily routine. Most people know it is full of anti-oxidants. But it also has a chemical called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which helps increases metabolism when combined with small amounts of caffeine. Drinking five cups throughout the day can burn up to 70 or 80 calories over the day.
Water is very important as we are comprised of more water than anything else. Dehydration has been shown to slow your metabolism. Lack of water will also increase fatigue and sugar cravings. The best practice is to drink water continually during the day with at least 8 cups consumed.
Hot spices are always fun, but they can also help with weight loss. Spicy food increases your body temperature and might even cause you to sweat a little. This also raises the heart rate which in turn increases your metabolism. Try cayenne, hot sauce, hot chilies, and red peppers to help give you the best abs in the spice aisle!
Cinnamon can help metabolize sugars more effectively when eaten with food. This will lower the body’s blood sugar levels. Too much extra sugar leads to increased fat storage. Try using this sweet addition as a substitute for sugar.
Low fat dairy can also help you trim down. Dairy is rich with calcium which inhibits production of calcitriol. This fun hormone tells cells to generate more fat. Try adding low fat yogurt or cottage cheese to increase your calcium and block that calcitriol!
So there you have it; a few simple additions to your diet to burn more fat while you eat. In some cases you are eating certain things to curb your appetite and prevent overeating. Others will help naturally increase metabolism during the day without working out. But the bottom line is this is a fairly simple and straightforward way to easily adjust your diet. As that fat burns away you can proudly show off the best abs possible whether it is in front of the mirror or at the pool!
(photo credit blumenbiene)
Author Bio: Angelina Ignatova is a fellow fitness enthusiast who enjoys a healthy and active lifestyle while pursuing her own flat abs.
We all know a good exercise routine is a crucial part of maintaining our health. But if your aerobics class has you feeling disenchanted, or you just aren’t thrilled with the idea of running to the gym lately, you definitely have other options you can try to keep your body moving toward your fitness goals.
Badminton
Some healthy exercise possibilities might surprise you. For instance, badminton can serve as a light or strenuous workout, depending on how intensely a person plays, and is appropriate for children and adults. The game utilizes the entire body because of all the movement it requires, and promotes upper body strength in particular, along with stamina, flexibility, and core stability. High-level badminton matches may have participants running up to four miles, and changing direction 300 times.
Belly Dancing
Belly dancing is a low-impact workout that promotes back and hip flexibility, increases core strength, and helps tone the entire body. Some people believe this dance form has considerable benefits for pregnant women, as it requires a woman to strengthen her abdominal muscles, which she will rely on intensely for delivery. Some of the deep breathing taught in belly dancing is also used in childbirth classes.
Exercise Pool
Water is a unique environment in which to exercise because the resistance it provides boosts muscle strength, flexibility, and stamina. An exercise pool or plunge pool can support most or all of a person’s bodyweight, which is especially helpful for an injured individual. That person can exercise without placing unnecessary stress on his or her injury.
In a water aerobics class, a workout can be tailored to suit individual needs and abilities just by adjusting the size and speed of workout movements. Every joint and muscle can be used simultaneously, and it’s even likely that the person exercising will work up a sweat (but will fortunately feel a little cooler in the water).
Ice Hockey
Don’t let the seasons limit your exercise routine. Instead, see what you can do with what the weather hands you. For the right person, ice hockey can be an ideal way to work out a little stress in the winter, while doing something fun with friends. The sport requires that a person engage his lower body and abdominal muscles to stay balanced, while the upper body is busy controlling the hockey stick. In just the typical 60 to 90 seconds a player is on the ice, his heart rate can reach 190, and even off the ice, he will continue burning calories.
Play with Your Kids
What better way is there to couple family time with personal fitness? Enlist the help of your little ones to tone your body while giving them the time with you that they crave. Grab your toddler and fly him around like an airplane. Put your baby in his carrier while you do lunges around the house. Head to the playground and play tag together, or grab your teen for a game of basketball. You’ll all be getting the best of both worlds.
The key to freshening up your workout is creativity. Don’t be afraid to try something new and enjoy the many benefits exercise brings to your body and your overall outlook.
(photo credit U.S. Navy)
Author Bio: Brandon Serna is a fellow fitness enthusiast who enjoys sharing the benefits of exercise pools with the world. His post today is supplied by Hydroworx.
Throughout the workday one is obligated to perform assignments and answer to another in order to earn wages. One’s own personal feelings and thoughts may be set aside at least partially throughout the workday and that is why a personal time out is one of the ways to change hats at the end of the day. Even a 15 minute time out, or sanity break, if you would like to call it that, can do wonders for one’s perspective.
This is your time, so do not rehash the events through the day, especially if they were trying events. Those need to be set aside and replaced by “me” time. Take a moment to reflect on nature, family, a vacation you enjoyed, a personal accomplishment or something that was particularly satisfying or rewarding. One’s life needs a balance and if you dwell on your tasks or work or your family’s needs you can almost be assured that your energy will drain from you and you will not be up to the tasks at home.
One should not continually sacrifice of their time and energy without replenishing themselves. In trying to give their family their most they may be leaving themselves depleted so that there is a smaller and smaller resource of energy available to draw upon in order to be the caretaker they once were. The “well needs not run dry”, there are sources of replenishment. Here are a few:
- Prayer and meditation. Many find praying and meditating to be a constant source of spiritual strength. It helps to focus outside of one’s self and to stop and realize we are not the ones in charge here. There is a higher power.
- A nature walk. Studies have shown that walking is a wonderful and safe way to work out and a scenic route can also provide some lovely looks at nature. Green has a natural calming effect on the senses.
- Work out in the gym or play a game of your choice with friends. Many people gain enjoyment from joining golfing, bowling or other such clubs or leagues. The camaraderie will improve one’s outlook and self-esteem while the sport participation is a good cardiovascular workout.
- Garden. Flowers, herbs, and vegetables can be grown in a very small area or grown large scale. A garden can be as small as a window sill if need be. Many studies show that plants are beneficial not just for consumption but in preserving air quality and our earth. Gardens enhance our living areas and make life much more enjoyable. There is also something very rewarding in seeing a seed reach it’s maturity and provide us with beauty and sustenance.
- Take time out with a pet. Studies indicate that having a pet at home improves hospitalized patient’s recovery odds by 500% upon their release from the hospital. A pet provides unconditional love and devotion which cannot be measured.
- Soak your feet. There are many foot soak preparations, homemade and store bought which can relieve the tension felt in one’s feet and help to improve the overall mood. The pesky creeping Charlie that is springing up in yards everywhere has astringent and skin softening properties. Place some in a tied piece of fabric and drop it into a dishpan. Soak feet in warm water.
- Chat with a friend. Friends make a daily load much lighter and if they are going through their own ordeals (who isn’t) listening to theirs and helping them to solve them all the sudden brings our own into prospective.
- Make a thank you list. Somehow the frustrating things have a way of surfacing to the forefront of our mind. It is our choice to continue dwelling on those or to replace the unhappy thoughts with pleasant ones. Make a list of thanks you are grateful for and read through them.
- Eat a snack. There are foods, and there are power foods. While one may crave something sweet or fast there will be repercussions for grabbing the wrong one. Most fast food is weighed down with sugars, salts and fats. A healthy body will not stay healthy for long if fueled on the wrong diet. Grabbing a piece of fruit, some nuts or seeds is so much healthier and will not provide the sugar dump shortly after.
- Watch a funny movie. Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter can lighten a load like no other remedy.
- Do volunteer work. Doing things for others is a very rewarding outlet.
If one is not good to themselves they will become unable to provide for others. The body needs to be taken care of to remain strong and healthy so if you are not good to yourself for your own sake do it for your loved ones.
Author Bio: Marina Chernyak is a freelance writer and co-owner of floor and table lamp store.
(photo credit Rick)
