Fight Fat With These Three Ingredients
By JJ Virgin
Want to whittle your middle? Who doesn’t? MSN Nutrition recently published a piece on three ingredients that can help you trim your waistline. Here’s my take on these fat-fighting foods.
Fiber – I’m not a huge advocate for grains, I like to keep them to the gluten-free ones and limited to 1 -2 servings per day, but I do recommend that all my clients eat fiber, for many of the same reasons mentioned by MSN. Fiber helps eliminate toxins, maintains blood sugar levels, and helps you stay full between meals. I recommend getting fiber from sources like freshly ground flaxseed meal and Salba Rx. Mix with protein powder and water, and you’ve got a healthful meal replacement shake!
Vinegar – A study in Sweden found that the acid in vinegar alters the metabolism in muscle cells and helps increase your fat burning! You can fillet tofu in vinegar for a nice, tangy taste, mix with olive oil and drizzle it atop fresh greens for a salad, or even add it to water and chug for health benefits.
Walnuts – Nuts are high in fat, so don’t overboard (and definitely skip the candied nuts). But researchers believe that their combo of fiber, protein, and healthy fat may help you feel full. In fact, a Harvard study found that women who ate nuts at least twice a week gained less weight than women who rarely consumed nuts. I recommend nuts sprinkled over oatmeal (bonus: the oatmeal is high in fiber) or eaten plain as a quick-me-up (note that I don’t advocate snacking, but if you’re out and you need to eat, this is a healthy alternative to fast food). You can also sub walnut butter for peanut butter!
©2010 JJ Virgin & Associates, Inc. Celebrity nutrition and wellness expert JJVirgin is a media personality, in-demand public speaker and best-selling author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy, The 5-Step Plan to Sleek, Strong and Sculpted Arms. Get her biweekly LEANzine chock full of tips to get you slim and sexy fast at http://www.jjvirgin.com
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