4 Things You Need to Do to Get to a Single Digit Number Bodyfat

Most of you probably already know the secret to getting a flat belly. Some strict training regime and dieting are bound to do the trick. But, if you want to truly dice your midsection and make those hard earned abs to start showing, you need to drastically reduce your body fat percentage, which takes a much more rigorous approach.

According to John Alvino, a nutrition expert who works with body builders, you can aim to reduce your body fat to 7%. However, in achieving this goal you must to approach your dieting plan more seriously, tailoring your nutrition intake with outmost precision. In other words, you need to see food purely as energy source. To help you in this effort, we provide you with these four steps.

Balancing Your Macros

Gaining lean muscle mass and reducing the body fat to 7% is not an easy task, unless you’re a genetic freak. To achieve this goal you need to constantly monitor your proteins, carbs, and fats intake, making sure that each micronutrient participates with the right amounts in your diet.

The first step is to determine how much calories you should consume on a daily basis. The easiest way to calculate your recommended calorie intake is by multiplying you current weight by 15 (if you are moderately active). In other words, the recommended daily intake for a 180 pounds guy is 2,700 calories to maintain his bodyweight.

However, you should have in mind that this applies only when you are in the normal weight range. If you are overweight and need to reduce belly fat, you calculate your daily calorie intake using the targeted bodyweight.  In other words, although your recommended daily intake is 3300 calories when you weigh 220 pounds, if you want to weigh 180 pounds, your daily intake should be 2,700 calories.

The next step is determining how much protein you should eat. The recommended daily dose is around 1.1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Apply the above described principle in calculating your daily intake. If you want to weigh 180 pounds, but you weigh 220 pounds, consume just 200 grams of protein per each pound of bodyweight. Having in mind that one gram of protein contains 4 calories, you’ll be consuming 800 calories from protein based foods. Thirty percent of your daily calories should come from fats. For a moderately active 180 pounds guy that would be 900 calories every day.  One gram of fat contains nine calories. So, if your projected weight is 180 pounds, you should consume 100 grams of fat.

Now, it only remains to determine how much calories you should consume from carbs. This is calculated by subtracting the amount of fats and protein calories from the total number of calories.  As we already know the other figures for a 180 pounds guy, the equation would look like this: 2,700 (total daily calories) – 900 (fats calories) – 800 (protein calories) = 1000 (carbs calories). Having in mind that 1 gram of carbs contains 4 calories, the daily intake of carbs should be 250 grams.

Find Healthy Food Sources

Consume only lean protein mostly from animal sources like chicken breast, fish and beef. Restrain your carbs intake to starchy foods like potatoes and rice. You can also include some fruits in your diet, but not too much. Two pieces a day should be enough. Although fruits provide many health benefits, if you want to reduce your body fat to less than 10%, Alvino recommends eating “only enough fruit to fill your liver with glycogen. Any extra fructose can slow fat burning or encourage fat storage.” You can also consume non-starchy vegetables, like salads and greens.

You should aim at consuming most of your fats from the protein-based foods in your diet. If you need to find additional sources of fats to satisfy the macro requirements, you can go for avocados or coconut and olive oil.

Improve Your Lifestyle

The next item on Alvino’s list is the lifestyle. Most of the guys with ripped bodies have centered their lives around rigorous training and dieting. If you want to look like them, you should try and follow their lead. No more partying and alcohol. Instead, you should aim for at least seven hours of night sleep, and drink lots of water – at least one gallon a day. According to some studies, drinking 30 ounces of water can lead to a 24% increase of energy expenditure in resistance training individuals.

It’s also essential that you reduce stress to minimum. Find some time to relax by meditating or practicing yoga.  Of course, you can’t get far without proper workout. Aim for at least three weekly training sessions, that provide you with total body workout. Your protocol should mainly consist of compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, presses and rows.

Cycle Your Carbs

It’s not unusual for your progress to slow down once you start seeing some definition in your midsection. In times like this you need to rev up your metabolism so that you can continue shedding fat. This can be done by reconstructing your carbs intake and alternating through days with reduced carbs intake and days with increased intake.

Alvino recommends reducing your total calorie intake to 10 calories per each pound of body weight for three days. During these three days consume one gram of protein and 0.5 grams of carbs per each pound of bodyweight, while the rest of the calories should come from fats. On the fourth day you should increase the calorie intake to 15 calories per pound of body weight, and your carbs intake to two grams per pound.

According to Alvino, this increases the metabolic rate as a result of the work that your digestive system has to perform. Another benefit of boosting the carbs intake is that it will make your muscles look bigger and leaner by filling them up with water.

Is Intermittent Fasting the Future of Fat Loss?

Losing weight and getting leaner by eating six meals a day might soon become outdated, scientists say. Scientific research has piled up increasing amount of evidence showing how intermittent fasting can speed up the process of fat burning.

The US have become a nation known as incessant eaters and snackers unfortunately. If you wish to get ripped and add years to your life, you might want to keep a distance from the kitchen more often.

Intermittent fasting is defined as a cycle of interchanging periods of decreased calorie intake and  normal food consumption. It is a pattern which scientists say dates back to our ancestral food habits in a time when food was not always readily available.  It is in stark contrast to most modern diets’ daily calorie intake, where dieters’ goal is to reduce their daily energy intake, hoping it will rid them of their “bulges”.

An increasing number of researchers are saying that the intermittent fasting method is a sure-fire way for people to shred the excess fat. A study published in 2015 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that intermittent fasting gives a safe rate weight loss of 0.5 to 1.7 lbs/week, along with decreasing the overall body fat percentage. In another similar study, at Baylor University (Waco, Texas) found that fasting on alternating days of 3 to 12 weeks in duration, decreased both bodyweight and body fat.

And it is possible that the results can have a long lasting effect. Namely, scientists in Australia found that 8 weeks of intermittent fasting could not only stimulate the loss of fat but it could also stave off the accumulation of fat in the upcoming 44 weeks, even when the subjects were given a total freedom to their food choices. Researchers say this might have something to do with the fact that intermittent fasting has an impact on the hunger hormones and gives you the awareness of what a real physical hunger is.

And the good news keep on coming. Research has shown that intermittent fasting has a greater adherence rate by dieters than most other diets and maintains the muscle mass a lot better. There have also been indications that period of intermittent fasting can improve your heart health by lowering the cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammation and blood pressure. Some studies say it might also increase the production of a gene connected to one’s longevity and help improve your brain’s function as you get older. Reducing inflammation and the oxidative stress may be the reason why intermittent fasting sharpens your mind.

So far, we’ve concluded it benefits the muscles, overall health and brain gray matter. But how does intermittent fasting shred the fat off of you? It seems that this stems from the improved insulin sensitivity within your body. As your cells become more sensitized to insulin, the blood sugar regulating hormone, the body starts processing food more efficiently, thus having a lesser risk of storing fat even when eating more calories during the non-fasting periods. These very benefits have been the strongest reason that intermittent fasting has gained a reputation as an enemy to diabetes.

Intermittent fasting also instructs the body to give priority to fat burning for needed energy during periods of carbohydrate stores shortage. And because this situation can preserve the already existing muscle, there is no drop in fat-burning metabolism that is commonly found in low-calorie diets, which can at the same time cause a drop in the body’s muscle mass. Reasearch has also shown that most people who have tried intermittent fasting do not overeat when the non-fasting days come around, which actually creates a better overall calorie deficit. Imagine how much time you could be saving, with less meal planning and food preparation in your schedule. It’s a win-win situation.

6 Dumbest Diet Myths That Must Die

No matter if you’re a health-conscious bodybuilder or a person who prioritizes his health above everything else, your diet is the first place to start building a healthier lifestyle. On the good side, our modern knowledge about the nutritional value of food is very extensive, but on the bad side, we often live by stupid myths that block our progress toward better health instead of speeding it up. Without further ado, we present you with 6 dangerous diet myths that you need to shake off as soon as you finish reading this article.

Myth 1: Detoxify!

While it’s true that our air, water and food are polluted to a certain level and we ingest toxic chemicals on a daily basis, our bodies are naturally well equipped for dealing with such issues and rarely need our help in doing so.

Most of the time, the popular periodic cleanings with special herbs, vegetables with ‘magical’ properties or even coffee enemas are completely unnecessary. These methods rose to prominence thanks to the new age wave of loud health-obsessed naturopaths, who generally mean well and give good advices, but in many cases their claims lack scientific support. And most important of all, the liver is not some helpless organ that needs our constant attention to work properly – it has its own ways of cleansing and regulating the elimination of toxins, so stop stressing about it.

Myth 2: Only hormone-free chickens are safe for consumption

Listen up, people. The “hormone-free” label on chicken is an absolute scam.The fact is that no chicken can be completely hormone-free – chickens, like most animals, naturally produce growth hormones, so progesterone, testosterone and estrogen can be naturally found in their meat, which makes that label very misleading. Worried about added hormones? Stress not. Additive hormones have been banned by the FDA for the past 50 years. Not only that such practice is illegal, experts say that it’s not economic at all and nobody would bother to use it anyway.

The reason why today’s chickens are so large is not because they are fed growth hormones (which by the way cannot be taken orally), it’s because farmers have increased their size over time with the help of selective breeding. In addition, the “free range” label doesn’t really mean that all of those brands have raised their chickens on a sunny meadow – that little trick is called advertising. So just relax and eat some chicken.

Myth 3: Whole milk will kill you

You’ve been advised to go for skim over full-fat diary for years now. If you ask any of your friends about his opinion on whole milk, he or she will gladly inform you that this dangerous liquid will make you gain weight, raise your cholesterol levels and clog your arteries.

However, a ton of scientific evidence says quite the contrary. Some studies suggest that people who consume full-fat diary are healthier, weight less and have a lower risk of developing diabetes. As it turns out, the bioactive substances in full-fat milk positively influence the metabolism, helping it burn fat for energy. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can eat as much as you want and whole milk will magically make you slimmer. In addition, whole milk contains oleic acid, which is a fatty acid that protects heart health. Stop the craziness and give full-fat diary a second chance.

Myth 4: Sugar feeds cancer

We’re pretty sure that you’ve already heard that cancer supposedly loves sugar. Ever since this unbalanced piece of information went online back in 2007, later supported by a few doctors on some talk show, cancer patients and overly anxious people around the globe treat sugar like it’s the meanest killer known to man.

The myth that cancer patients shouldn’t eat sugar since it will cause cancer to grow faster is a very dangerous one. Not only that consuming sugar won’t speed the growth of cancer cells, but eliminating carbohydrates from your diet will make your whole body starve and suffer – all cells in your organism depend on these nutrients for energy. And adjusting your diet in order to avoid sugar can cause you to drastically lower your intake of many other vital nutrients that those “cancer-supporting” foods have to offer.

Myth 5: Say no to salt

The war declared on salt has been raging for quite a while now and policy makers have been convincing Americans to consume less salt for decades – even toddlers know that salt is bad for you. But does high sodium intake really lead to hypertension and worsened overall health?

Science highly doubts it. A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension failed to find strong evidence that restricting the salt in your diet reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, while another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that low consumption of salt is associated with a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Crazy, right? On the other hand, your body needs iodine, a nutrient typically added to table salt since 1924, to produce the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Today, iodine deficiency is a major health concern worldwide and it’s been linked to numerous health problems such as hypothyroidism, depression, autoimmune diseases, cancer, psychiatric disorders and mental retardations in children and infants. Therefore, it’s crucial that you consume an adequate amount of iodized salt on a daily basis.

Myth 6: Soy protein is just as good as whey protein

Nope, it doesn’t even come close to whey and all of its variants. First of all, many studies from the past decade have shown that the isoflavones present in soy negatively influence testosterone levels and can even lead to testicle shrinkage. While today you can find few brands of soy protein that don’t contain those dreaded compounds, that doesn’t make soy a good option for building muscle.

A study from McMaster University found that low and average doses of soy protein have almost no effect on muscle protein synthesis, compared to the same doses of whey protein which significantly increased muscle protein synthesis. The reason for this is simple – whey contains a much higher percentage of leucine, the most important amino acids when it comes to muscle building.

The One-Week Carb-Loading Program for Extreme Size and Definition!

Carb-loading is a quick fix for getting into top shape, commonly used by athletes for various endeavors, particularly long distance endurance events. The practice dates back to the late 1960, when a Swedish physiologist Gunvar Ahlborg discovered the phenomenon of glycogen super-compensation.

In short, this method requires large short-term changes in your consumption of carbs, sodium and water, and is usually implemented by depleting carbs for several days and then reloading your muscles with glycogen, which creates miraculous changes in muscle conditioning. The end results are an increased aerobic capacity caused by feeding your muscles with the maximum amount of glycogen possible, and enhanced aesthetics, which is very important for competitive bodybuilders. Regardless of your goals, carb-loading is guaranteed to provide you with the perfect mix of size and conditioning in the shortest period of time possible.

If you think this sounds too good to be true, try this one-week program and get a taste of the biggest and leanest version of yourself!

Prepare for cutting: increase intake of sodium and water

A day or two before starting the carb-cutting part of the program, start increasing your sodium consumption by simply sprinkling some extra salt on all of your meals and eating more sodium-rich foods such as beets, celery and meat. This will increase water retention in your body. Follow the high-sodium diet until one day before starting the carb-loading, which should happen on the 6th day of the program. Pair the increased sodium consumption with drinking 50% more water than usual, which is very important for achieving the best definition possible at the end of the program.

Part I: Deplete carbs (Days 1-5)

• Cut your carb consumption in half – In the first three days, reduce your intake of carbs by 50% and stick to slow-digesting carbs in your pre- and post-workout nutrition.
• Increase protein consumption – As your carbs intake drops, your protein consumption should mildly increase for the sake of preventing muscle breakdown. However, this needs to be done slowly, by adding about 50 grams each day during the first five days of the program. If you increase your protein intake too much or too fast, your body will burn the excess protein as fuel instead of depleting its glycogen stores.
• Train with higher reps – During the five days of carb-depletion, use lighter weights than usual and double the number of sets you would normally perform, with 12-18 reps per each set. This kind of training is most effective at maximally emptying your carb reserves. Don’t forget – the more carbs you lose now, the more you can store during the second part of the program, resulting with bigger and meaner muscles.
• Give carbs the final blow – Between the third and fifth day, reduce your carb intake even further, lowering it by an additional 25-30%. Consume no more than 0.7 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight daily and make sure to take them early in the morning.

Part II: Reload (Days 5-7)

• Pause from training – During the carb-loading phase, it wise to avoid training and physical activity as much as you can so that you don’t lose any of the newly arriving carbohydrates and keep your muscles as full as possible.
• Cut down on sodium and water – The time to drop the extra salt you’ve been consuming in the last 5-6 days has come. This will spur changes in aldosterone levels, causing your body to excrete more water, especially from beneath the skin, resulting with greater definition. Also, eliminate those 50% of extra water you’ve consumed in the previous phase. The restricted water intake will push your muscles to use up the last drops of subcutaneous water, resulting with an optimally shredded physique.
• Carb up – By this point, your muscles should be extremely low in fuel, thanks to the last five days of low carb consumption and high-volume training, so now you’re ready to replenish them. Consume 3-5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight on a daily basis and all of this carb goodness will go directly to your muscles. Again, opt for complex-carb sources like potatoes and whole grain products and avoid fast-digesting sugars as much as you can.
• Reduce protein – Cut down the extra protein you’ve added to your diet – as your carb intake increases, you won’t need that much protein anymore, so drop down to one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily during the last two days of the program.
• Pump up! – On the 7th, final day of the process, pump up your muscles using relatively light weights and focus on completing a full range of motion, while keeping the reps in the lower range. Your muscles will be full and maximally ripped, giving you a much larger and tighter appearance. Don’t forget to photographically document your amazing condition and use it to track your bodybuilding progress.

Hormone Control

Most people think that dieting is all about lowering the carbs intake. Although it’s true that by lowering your carbs you also reduce the amount of calories you digest, there is much more to getting ripped than simply eliminating sugars from your diet. In order to achieve muscle growth and reduce body fat percentage, you need to learn how to control your hormones.

In this article we’ll try to explain the basic functions of your hormones, and provide you with several advices on how you can keep them in balance better in order to achieve quicker and more efficient muscle growth. We’re going to focus on six hormones that have the profoundest effect in this respect: insulin, testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, human growth hormone and the thyroid hormones.

INSULIN

Although the increased presence of insulin stimulates body fat build up, this hormone also participates in muscle growth, by providing an anabolic effect.

The trick is in maintaining your insulin levels low during the rest period when your metabolism isn’t pumping as hard. On the other hand, you’d want to keep them up during training so you’ll rip the full benefits.

Provided that you have not consumed too much calories, the low insulin levels help you burn fats during the rest period. Keeping the levels up during the training supports the anabolic process and helps muscle growth.

To achieve this, you need to limit your carbs intake during the day. Stick to vegetables and protein sources. Consume carbs along with protein just before training and immediately after training. Aim for 0.2 grams of carbs per each pound of body weight before workout, with 0.3 grams per pound after workout. In this way you exploit the one hour post-training anabolic window.

TESTOSTERONE

Testosterone is arguably the No.1 hormone when it comes to bodybuilding. It increases both the size and strength of your muscles. Try keeping your testosterone levels up to achieve better growth.

When your testosterone levels are low, your metabolic rate slows down. One possible explanation for this effect is the reduced production of growth hormone, which can be triggered by the low testosterone. The fat burning properties of growth hormone have been confirmed by numerous studies.

One way of stimulating your testosterone levels with diet is to increase the intake of fats. Dedicate two days of the week to consuming foods packed with fats. Beef, egg yolk and nuts provide good sources of healthy testosterone boosting fats. You should also limit your carbs intake. Although consuming fat will increase your calorie intake, they are absolutely crucial if you want to  maintain healthy testosterone production.

The other trick is to drastically increase your carbs consumption one day in the week, taking it to 3 consumed grams of carbs per each pound of bodyweight. This will trigger insulin spikes, which are known to hinder the activity of sex hormone-binding globulin. This glycoprotein binds with testosterone in our bloodstream, and  and determines how much testosterone will reach our muscle tissue.  Insulin inhibits this property of SHBG, freeing the testosterone in our blood. This allows it to enter the muscle tissue and stimulate the muscle growth.

GROWTH HORMONE

The two main functions of the growth hormone are: fat burning, and hindering muscle loss. It’s essential that you keep your growth hormone production up. This will preserve muscle mass during your diet, and keep your metabolism running. The increased levels of growth hormone boost up the fat burning process.

The best recourse for stimulating growth hormone production is taking supplements. Of course, you can also increase its production naturally with training and sleep. Taking arganine before training will not only raise your growth hormone levels, but it’ll also bring more blood in your muscles.

CORTISOL

You would especially want to keep an eye on your cortisol levels. Although this hormone participates in the fat burning process, high levels of cortisol lead to muscle waste, and negatively reflect on the metabolism.

You’d definitively need to avoid having high cortisol levels for a prolonged period of time, as it will result in reduction of your muscle mass. Just remember, it’s your muscle mass supports the fat burning metabolism. The bigger the muscles, the better the metabolism.

One approach in hindering the cortisol production is with post training insulin spikes. Pick two days of the week when you’re not consuming too much carbs, and consume fast burning sugars after your training. Opt for russet potatoes, white rice, Gatorade, cookies, and other foods packed with carbs. Creating the insulin spike two days in a week will protect your muscle mass, and rev up your metabolism.

ESTROGEN

Although it’s generally known as the female hormone, estrogen is also present in men. When it builds up in your body, it inhibits the fat burning process. You should always at keeping your estrogen production down, and increase your testosterone level.

The amount of testosterone and estrogen in your body determine you physique. With lower estrogen levels, and high testosterone presence, you can make your muscle stronger, decrease the body fat percentage and prevent water retention. The best way to keep your estrogen levels at bay is consuming crunchy vegetables that contain indoles. According to the research these compounds are especially efficient in reducing the effect of estrogen in our body, both by lowering its production, and by hindering the estrogen absorption in our cells.  Include more vegetables in your diet, and go easy with the carbs.

THYROID HORMONE

The thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine) help the metabolic process, and help protein synthesis.

A drop in the levels of these hormones produced by the thyroid gland, reduces the ability of your body to burn the fats. It also leads to reduction in protein synthesis, i.e. it slows down the amino acid absorption from protein based foods. Preserving the healthy function of your thyroid gland and the production of these hormones is crucial in your shredding efforts.

The drop of thyroid hormones can be triggered by extreme dieting. To prevent this, you should take a one day brake from your diet every 10 to 12 days. Provide your body with sufficient amount of carbs (3 grams per each pound of body weight). This tricks the body into thinking that the dieting period is over, and prevents sudden drops of thyroid hormone levels.

CONCLUSION

Learning the functions of your hormones and how you can manipulate them can make your diet more effective.  The first thing that you should have in mind that continuous deprivation of calories, carbs and fat cna have adverse effect in your diet. Every once in a while you should brake the diet, using the aforementioned methods.  This will help you preserve muscle mass, and help you in lowering the body fat percentage.

What Will Extreme Protein Consumption Do To Your Body ?

Increasing the recommended daily protein intake from 1.5 – 2 grams per kg of body weight to 3-4 grams per kg of bodyweight will not result in increasing the muscle mass and strength in bodybuilders and athletes according to a study. However, according to the same study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition the increased protein intake will result in greater reduction of body fat.

The Recommended Protein Intake

It is a common knowledge that the optimal growth of muscle mass in bodybuilders is achieved by consuming 1.5 to 2 g. of protein per each kg. of bodyweight. But what will happen to your body if you double the protein intake? Will it result in gaining more fat? Will it have negative impact on your overall health?

Research

According to the research performed at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, none of this will happen. The researchers set to answer these questions in an eight week study that included 48 young non-professional bodybuilders, who had at least few years of weight training under their belts and had been consuming the recommended intake of 2-2.2 grams per kg. of bodyweight.

They were divided into two groups. The first group resumed with the same protein intake, while the second group was asked to double the protein intake, without making any other drastic changes in their diet. In other words, their intake of carbs and fats remained the same. The subject were free to choose the protein source for their increased intake. Some of them consumed additional protein from supplements, while the rest consumed high protein foods.

At the same time, both groups continued their training using identical workout protocols.

During the course of this study, both groups increased their protein intake. Studying the table below, we notice that the group with normal protein intake increased the daily intake to 2.3 grams of protein per kg. of bodyweight. The second group upped their daily protein intake to 3.4 grams per kg. of bodyweight. This increase also meant that they increased the total amount of consumed calories.

Results

Interestingly enough the results of the study reveal that the increased protein intake had no effect on muscle growth. Namely, the increase of lean muscle mass remained the same in both the normal protein group and in the high protein group.

However, the subjects that had high protein intake recorded a drop of body fat percentage. This comes as some surprise, because the increased protein intake also increased their calorie consumption by 400 kilocalories compared to the other group. This effect is probably a result of increasing the resting energy expenditure.

Both groups recorded increased strength gains. Although the group that consumed 2.3 g. of protein per kg. of bodyweight  recorded slightly better strength gains, these differences were so small that they have no statistical value.

Both groups were subjected to medical examinations aimed at determining whether the increased protein intake had negative effect on their health. The results confirmed that the increased intake was not harmful for the body.

Conclusion

This study once again confirms that increasing the protein intake will not result in greater body fat. On the contrary. It also confirmed that the daily amount of 1.5–2.0 grams of protein per kg body weight is sufficient for making muscle and strength gains, and that there is no need for increasing this amount.

Why Eggs Are a Killer Fat Loss Food

Although for long they have been branded as a no-no food for all people who want to lose weight, eggs might be just the opposite. Not only are eggs helpful in shedding your fat layers, but they are quite possibly among the healthiest foods out there. Packed with high-quality protein and numerous crucial vitamins and minerals, eggs also provide your body with sturdy quantities of healthy fats, which according to numerous studies are beneficial for fat loss. Yet, their fat loss properties do not stop at this. In fact, this superfood offers many great benefits in terms of losing fat. In the following article we are going to try to cover some of them as well as we can.

LOW CALORIC VALUE

We all know that one of the most effective ways for losing weight is reducing the amount of calories you consume on daily bases, by preserving the correct balance of nutrients in your diet. Eggs come in helpful in this respect. Counting just 78 calories per egg, they are at the same time packed with all sorts of nutrients. Most of these nutrients are found in the yolk, so always consume whole eggs.

Considering that an average egg meal consist of about three large eggs, that would mean that you’ve consumed less than 230 calories. If you complement this meal with vegetables instead of bread and bacon, than you can contain the caloric value of your meal to roughly 300 calories, but still get the right amount of proteins and other nutrients.

The only pitfall in using eggs in your diet is how you cook them. While boiled and poached eggs do not make a great difference in your caloric intake, frying them on butter will increase this value by twice. Just one teaspoon of butter contains 50 calories.

Conclusion

Eggs are low calorie food with 78 calories per one large egg.  One average egg meal will add just 300 calories to your daily diet.

INCREASED FEELING OF SATIETY

With their high fat and protein content eggs can satisfy your hunger much more efficiently than most foods. Numerous studies have brought forth the effect of high-protein food in keeping the appetite at bay by increasing the feeling of satiety.

They point out that eggs have a high satiety index, meaning that an egg meal can considerably reduce the caloric intake during the day.

Additional studies have confirmed high-protein diets have fantastic properties for curbing your cravings. According to the scientific data, eating eggs greatly reduces your desire for late night snacks.

Conclusion

Ranking high on the satiety index, eggs increase the feeling of fullness, resulting in less consumed food. With their high protein contents, eggs are efficient in fighting off munches.

EGGS STIMULATE METABOLISM

Eggs provide your body with all key amino acids in most balanced way. The protein they deliver to our bodies can be easily used both for maintaining our muscles and revving up the metabolism. It has been confirmed that you can make your body spend additional 80 to 100 calories every day by eating high-protein diet. This is a result of protein’s high thermic effect.

This property of foods, which is also known as dietary induced thermogenesis, denotes the amount of energy required for processing specific nutrient. Compared to fats and carbs, protein spends greater amount of energy when it’s processed by our digestive system. And, having in mind that eggs are rich in protein, it necessarily follows that their digestion will burn additional amount of calories. Couple that with the fact that eggs don’t have too many calories, and you get the recipe for success.

Conclusion

As a result of their high thermic effect, eggs increase the amount of spent calories required for metabolizing the protein.

EGGS MAKE PERFECT BREAKFAST

The beneficial effects of an egg breakfast on losing weight have been confirmed by numerous studies. This is once again a result of their high satiety index which contributes to consuming less food after you’ve eaten egg breakfast, compared to a high carb breakfast that contains the same number of calories.

According to several studies focusing on overweight women, consuming eggs instead of bagels for breakfast can result in substantial drop in consumed calories for up to 36 hours. These same studies show that eating eggs for breakfast over 8 weeks can boost your fat loss by 65%.

The studies focusing on overweight men have came up with similar results. The egg breakfast could be responsible for reducing the calorie intake over the 24 hours after consuming it. They also show greater feeling of fullness after egg breakfast.

Another beneficial property of eggs is their ability to improve the insulin sensitivity and regulate blood glucose. At the same time they suppress the production of ghrelin, which is also known as the hunger hormone.

One of the studies involved 30 healthy young individuals which had three different types of breakfast: eggs on toast, cereal with milk and toast, and croissant with orange juice.

At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that the egg breakfast resulted in strikingly greater satiety compared to the other two.

The subjects involved in this study consumed 380 calories less on average during dinner and lunch after consuming the eggs for breakfast. Some of you might say that 380 calories are not such a big deal, but remember that this reduction comes without any training effort, or dieting restriction. It’s brought by simply eating eggs for breakfast.

Conclusion

Consuming eggs for breakfast results in increasing the sense of satiety, reducing your calorie intake over the next 36 hours.

CHEAP, TASTY AND EASY TO COOK

You shouldn’t have any problem including eggs in your diet. They can be found almost anywhere, do not cost much, and their preparation takes just several minutes. One of the greatest things about eggs is that they taste good no matter how you prepare them. However, we recommend that you boil, poach or bake your eggs, in order to avoid increasing their caloric value.

When frying them, use butter instead of vegetable oil. You can also add vegetables and cook a vegetable omelet, which makes a fantastic weight loss breakfast.

Conclusion

Eggs are cheap, easily available, tasty and easy to prepare. Perfect for your diet.

FINAL WORDS

If you’re trying to lose weight don’t hesitate to add eggs to your diet. They provide you with all the right nutrients, and at the same time have many weight losing properties. Eating them for breakfast is known to increase the sense of fullness, reducing your appetite and resulting in less consumed calories.

Eggs are also packed with some vitamins and minerals that are hard to obtain from other food sources. All of this makes them perfect for your diet.

High Protein Foods Boost Cardiovascular Health, as Much as Quitting Smoking or Getting Exercise – Study Says

The health benefits of consuming foods high in amino acids have been known for a long time. Now, a new research performed at the University of East Anglia (UEA) once again confirmed these health properties noting that the effects of some amino acids are equal to quitting cigarettes or increasing training volume.

According to the results of this study, the consumption of certain amino acids that are present both in meat and plant food sources can significantly lower your blood pressure and help with stiff arteries.

Moreover, their health benefits are at the same level as eliminating some of the more common risk factors like reducing the salt, alcohol and nicotine intake or increasing the physical activity.

The results of the study were based on monitoring the cardiovascular health in 2000 women taking seven different amino acid. The data was obtained from TwinsUK, which holds a registry of 12,000 UK based twins used for studying the influence of the genetic code and the environment on age related diseases.

After studying the participants’ diet, the researchers compared the data with the clinical values of blood pressure and blood vessel thickness and stiffness.

According to the results published in their study, the markers for blood pressure and blood vessel stiffness were substantially lower in those individuals that consumed the most amino acids.

However, it has to be noted that these results differed in respect of the food sources. Namely, the tendency toward reduced blood pressure was more pronounced in those individuals that took their amino acids from plant sources. On the other hand, the increased intake of amino acids from meat is more beneficial for treating stiff arteries.

According to Dr.Amy Jennings, who was in charge of this research, it  “reveals the protective effect of several amino acids on cardiovascular health”.

“Increasing intake from protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, dairy produce, beans, lentils, broccoli and spinach could be an important and readily achievable way to reduce people’s risk of cardiovascular disease”, Dr. Jennings says.

While the previous studies offered proofs that increasing the protein intake can lower the blood pressure, this study was aimed at finding out which protein sources were more beneficial in this respect: the animal or plant-based animal sources? Taking this into consideration, the researchers decided to study the separate effect of different aminos coming from meat and vegetables.

“The study included seven amino acids in total: arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, and tyrosine,” Dr. Jennings explains. “Glutamic acid, leucine, and tyrosine are found in animal sources. Their increased intake was associated with reduced arterial stiffness. All seven amino acids, and particularly those from plant-based sources, were associated with lower blood pressure”.

Moreover, according to the results, the effect that amino acids have on our blood pressure are comparable to the effects of risk factors such as increased physical activity, salt or alcohol intake. In terms of arterial stiffness, the improvement equalled that of quitting cigarettes.

High blood pressure is considered as one of greatest risks for developing a heart problem. It has been medically proved that the mortality rate associated with stroke and cardiovascular disease can be greatly reduced by lowering the blood pressure. If you want to prevent this condition, or want to treated more naturally, make sure that your diet includes enough meat, fish and legumes.

According to Dr. Jennings, you’d need to consume a daily amount of protein that equals 75g steak, 100g of salmon or a 500ml skimmed milk.

Feasting on Protein Does Not Increase Body Fat

A calorie is a calorie, right ? For years nutritionists have sworn that all calories are the same. Yet, over the course of time a number of studies have proven this age long “truth” is nothing more than a myth.

One of the most recent studies focused on the impact of high protein diet on weight gain in resistance training individuals. The results of the study were obtained over a course of 8 weeks by monitoring the weight gain in two groups of resistance training individuals – one on a high protein diet, the other one consuming normal amounts of protein.

While both groups continued with the same training regime, the first group increased their protein intake to 4.4 grams per kg of bodyweight. Both groups were instructed to continue consuming the same diet as before in all other respect. In other words, the intake of fats and carbohydrates remained the same as before. All indicators of body composition (weight, body fat and lean muscle mass percentage), as well as the volume of training and food intake, were determined at the beginning of the research period, and over the next 8 weeks.

The results reveal that the protein and calories intake in the high protein group were significantly greater before a workout than after a workout. In addition, this group recorded a significantly greater amount of consumed protein and calories than the group that consumed normal protein quantities.

For illustration, the average consumption of protein in the high protein group was 307 ± 69 grams, while the average consumption in the normal group was 138 ± 42. Or, the average daily consumption of protein was 4.4 ± 0.8 g. per each kg. of bodyweight in the former, and 1.8 ± 0.4 g. per each kg. of bodyweight in the latter. The training volume of both groups remained the same. At the end of the trial period, the researchers did not recorded any significant alterations of in respect of body weight or body fat percentage.

The results of the study are very important because they show for the first time that overfeeding with protein does not increase the body fat composition in people who are working out. The results are contrasted to some of other studies which recorded an increase in body weight, fat mass and lean body mass. Yet, it should be noted that the previous studies were involved individuals that were not exercising.

One of the most intriguing aspects of research is that the high-protein group did not gain weight despite consuming a significantly more calories – 800 per day to be exact. However, these calories were obtained from the extra protein in their diet. According to the researchers involved in this study, one of the primary reasons why the increased amount of calories did not result in increased weight is the thermal effect of protein, which increases resting energy expenditure. This thermal effect may be the reason why we don’t gain bodyweight when overfeeding with protein.

According to the research the resting energy expenditure can increase from 17 to 21 percent after consuming a 60 gram meal high in protein. That is why high protein snacks are a perfect option to satisfy your cravings and still keep the weight off.   Well, that was the good news. The bad news is for all of you hoping that overfeeding with protein will make you grow your muscles faster. While the body fat percentage remained in check in the high protein group, so did the lean muscle mass.

Reference:

Bray GA, Smith SR, de Jonge L, Xie H, Rood J, Martin CK, Most M, Brock C, Mancuso S, Redman LM: Effect of dietary protein content on weight gain, energy expenditure, and body composition during overeating: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2012, 307:47-55.

Belko AZ, Barbieri TF, Wong EC: Effect of energy and protein intake and exercise intensity on the thermic effect of food. Am J Clin Nutr 1986, 43:863-869.

Maljaars PW, Peters HP, Mela DJ, Masclee AA: Ileal brake: a sensible food target for appetite control. A review. Physiol Behav 2008, 95:271-281.

Lemon PW: Protein and amino acid needs of the strength athlete. Int J Sport Nutr 1991, 1:127-145.

7 Carbohydrate Tips to Help You Gain Muscle Instead of Fat

With the recent hype surrounding the high-protein diets, which are being hailed as the new wondrous weight reducing method, one might begin having an impression that carbs are good only for producing fat. In fact, many people believe that this is true, that eating carbs can seriously undermine their waist line.

Well, although the newly emerged craze with high-protein diet is something that should receive a thumb up, the accompanying tarnishing and blemishing of carbs as the culprits of our increased weight is nothing but ignorant talk. In fact it can be very detrimental when creating a suitable diet for people who train hard.

Here, we’ll go beyond the hype, and second-guessing, and try to provide you with scientifically backed up analysis of how can carbs be used for building your muscle mass. Try our seven tips that restore the unfairly lost credit to carbs, and urge you to put this nutrient back on your dietary list.

1. CARBS HELP UTILIZATION OF PROTEIN FOR BUILDING MUSCLE MASS

If you want to build muscle mass your diet should be rich in both in protein and carbs. Lack of carbs in your system during the muscle building process causes degradation of protein. Since the carbs are not present to provide the necessary fuel for your body, it breaks down the protein using it for energy and not for building muscle.

In order to rip the anabolic benefits of protein, people trying to build mass should consume at least 2.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. At the same time, the recommended daily is allowance of protein for mass builders is 1 to 2 grams per pound.

2. POST-WORKOUT CARBS AND SODIUM INTAKE HELP MUSCLE GROWTH

After the workout you need to restore your glycogen levels. This is best achieved by providing your body with substantial amount of carbs. We recommend upgrading this technique a little bit by adding sodium to the cocktail. Sodium draws greater amount of water in your muscles, while the carbs are restoring your energy.

This will greatly speed up your recovery and boost muscle growth. Next time you take your post-workout meal, make sure that it contains the right carbs, and add a quarter teaspoon of salt.

3. EXPAND YOUR ANABOLIC WINDOW TO 6 HOURS

According to the conventional wisdom it is most beneficial to consume meals high in carbs and some protein within the 90 minutes window following the training session. Consuming carbs during this period is known to stimulate the insulin production, which helps in stopping the breakdown of protein and improves the supply of carbs to your muscles.

However, you might not know that muscles could benefit from the increased carbs intake for up to six hours after training. So try utilizing this by expanding your 90 minute window to a 6 hours anabolic double door.  We recommend consuming a high carb meal within the 90 minutes period after training. Consume the second meal within the next four hours. The insulin stimulating process can especially benefit from consuming juice, white rice, honey, jam, bagels or some other refined sugar.

4. DON’T AVOID POTATOES

Many people are still convinced that dieting and potatoes should never mix. This conviction is founded on the belief that the starch in potatoes can be easily transformed into sugar, resulting in unwanted blood-sugar spikes. This in turn triggers cravings and uncontrollable hunger, that can greatly damage your dieting efforts.

Yet, we should point out that not all potatoes have the same nutritional properties. While some of them, like russet potatoes, are converted into sugar more quickly and should be avoided by the bodybuilders, others (red potatoes) take much longer to break down providing you with a prolonged feeling of satiety.

5. ADD VARIETY TO YOUR CARBS INTAKE

The first and primary reason for consuming carbs is to simulate insulin production in order to trigger muscle growth. At the same time you want to avoid creating blood-sugar spikes. The solution is mixing the fast digesting carbs that boost your insulin levels instantly, with “slow” carbs that offer prolonged insulin response.

You can get the former from food sources like raisins or juice, and should be consumed immediately after the workout. The slow burning carbs like oats and yams are best consumed within 6 hours after workout.

6. ALTERNATE YOUR CARB INTAKE

Depleting the carbs from your body and loading them back up can help your muscles look bigger and fuller. First, do a three day fast and try not to eat  (or eat very small amount) carbs, breaking the fast during the next two days. During the carb loading days, you should consume roughly 2  times more carbs than on a normal day.

So if you normally eat, say 500 grams of carbs on a normal day, after the 3 day carbohydrate fast you would load with 900-1000 grams of carbs per day.

7. OPTIMIZE CARB CONSUMPTION WITH HEALTHY FATS

When you are on a mass building diet, you should aim at consuming 20% of your total healthy fats. The consumption of these fats found in sources like flaxseed oil, olive oil and fish to name some, improves the ability of your body for storing carbs, thus increasing the glycogen reserves (healthy fats improve insulin sensitivity).

The increased glycogen reserves will improve your performances during workout, speed up your recovery and boost your muscle growth. This is a result of utilizing the energy from the fats instead of the carbs.

How to Beat Muscle Fatigue in a Few Easy Steps

Do your muscles hurt after exercise? Are you tired all the time? Do you feel weak and fatigued? These symptoms might indicate muscle fatigue. According to the latest studies, these feelings could be all in your head. Most times, stress and anxiety are responsible for physical fatigue. However, this condition may also be triggered by poor nutrition, dehydration, overtraining, lack of sleep, and a buildup of metabolic waste in your muscles. Its exact cause is not known. The good news is that you can beat muscle fatigue by making small lifestyle changes.

Pay Attention to Your Pre-Workout Meal

The magic bullet for muscle fatigue is proper pre-workout nutrition. What you eat before exercising affects the way you will feel later. Your pre-workout meal should consist of protein, complex carbs, and amino acids. Researchers have found that combining amino acids with carbohydrates helps increase protein synthesis and blood flow to the muscles. Chicken, beans, lentils, beef, and eggs are excellent sources of amino acids.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration leads to muscle soreness and fatigue, electrolyte loss, and poor performance. It may also trigger muscle cramps and aches. If you don’t drink enough water, your muscles won’t be able to perform correctly. To prevent dehydration, keep a bottle of water at hand during your workout.

Get More Rest

Muscle fatigue is often caused by lack of sleep. Many bodybuilders don’t realize the importance of rest in muscle growth and repair. Your muscles heal and recover while you sleep. This happens because growth hormone levels reach peak levels at night. Poor sleep affects every aspect of your life, from physical performance to memory, concentration, digestion, and mood. The best defense to muscle fatigue is a combination of proper nutrition and good rest.

Eat Bananas

Bananas should be a staple in any athlete’s diet. Rich in potassium and magnesium, these fruits help prevent muscle soreness and fatigue. They contain both simple and complex carbs, offering a lasting source of energy. Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6, which relaxes the muscles and prevents them from getting fatigued. For optimal results, eat bananas pre-workout.

Use the Right Supplements

In addition to whey protein, there are many other products that help reduce muscle fatigue. Creatine, l-carnitine, l-ornithine, glutamine, tyrosine, and BCAAs have proven effective in muscle repair.

Glutamine prevents muscle breakdown, boosts immunity, and supports protein synthesis. L-ornithine and arginine increase growth hormone levels. Creatine supplementation leads to improved strength and enhanced muscle size. Branched chain amino acids inhibit the breakdown of muscle cells, improve focus, reduce muscle soreness, and trigger protein synthesis. These supplements can help you recover faster and prevent muscle fatigue after intense training.

Drink More Coffee

Studies indicate that pre-workout caffeine gives you the energy and strength needed to fight through the pain and do more reps. This compound works by reducing perception of exercise induced muscle pain. If you experience muscle fatigue regularly, drink coffee before working out. Not only you’ll have more energy, but also feel less pain and perform better at the gym.

These 8 Foods Are Full of Trans Fats. Avoid Them at All Costs

Trans fats are a type of artificially produced unsaturated fats also known as hydrogenated fats, created by a chemical process that involves pumping hydrogen molecules into vegetable oils. Food manufacturers use hydrogenated fats for making almost every product you can think of, since the vegetable oils that have been treated with this process have a much longer shelf life, remain solid at room temperature, act as flavor-enhancers and most importantly, they’re very, very cheap.

But there is a price to be paid for this too-good-to-be-true makeover: a diet high in trans fats has been found to directly increase the risk of developing many modern chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, arthritis and cancer by damaging the inner lining of your blood vessels, clogging the arteries, increasing bad cholesterol levels, increasing inflammation and stimulating insulin resistance.

An endless list of studies have proved the harmful effects of trans fats on our health and their lack of nutritional value and yet they are still found in large quantities in all processed products we consume on a daily basis.

Finally, the FDA decided to remove the ‘GRAS’ (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for trans fats and gave manufacturers a three-year period to remove all trans fats from their products. The war on trans fats may be over soon, but why wait for the manufacturers to make their products safer?

Discover the hidden trans fats in your diet and eliminate them right now – you are the only person responsible for your health and breaking up with these horrible empty calories is a crucial step for improving many aspects of it.

Here are 3 basic ways to limit your consumption of trans fats:

• Read the labels very carefully and choose products with zero trans fats content.

Food manufacturers have been required to include trans fat content information on food labels since 2006. Avoid all products that have “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” on the ingredients list.

• Avoid processed foods altogether and replace them with fresh whole foods.

Unfortunately, even if the label says the product is clean from trans fats, this may not be the case. Manufacturers will often disguise trans fats as something else to make the product appear healthier. To avoid this, include as much unprocessed, natural food as you can in your diet.

• Eat homemade meals instead of junk food.

There is no better way to control the ingredients list than to prepare your own food. When cooking, replace margarine with real butter and hydrogenated vegetable oils with high quality olive oil or coconut oil.

Products to avoid

All of the following products come with the same problem: misleading label information. Even when the label reads “0 grams of trans fats”, this can be a bit further from the truth. In case you didn’t know, manufacturers are legally allowed to list 0 grams if the trans fat content is under 0.5 grams, and this amount quickly adds up when you take into consideration that no one eats only cookie or candy. Put daily consumption of overly processed foods into the equation and you get heart disease as the final result.

1. Cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits and crackers

Most of these products are labeled as having “0 trans fats”, but they actually pack a lot of it. Store-bought desserts rely heavily on trans fats to provide their texture and enhanced flavor.

2. Margarine

Some margarine manufacturers have completely removed trans fats from their products, but there are still brands that pack as much as 3 grams of trans fats per serving. Thread carefully.

3. Frozen foods

Any frozen food can contain trans fats but this is especially true for frozen pizzas, which come with 1 gram of trans fats per slice.

4. Microwave popcorn

Instead of buying the commercial microwavable version, which can have up to 5 grams of trans fats per serving, buy a bag of kernels and make your own popcorn the old school way.

5. Candy

Candy is an especially great source of trans fat and simple sugars, while providing zero nutritional benefits. Candies with creamy fillings are known to contain at least 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.

6. Doughnuts

Almost all doughnuts contain deadly trans fats, and that amount increases in frosted or cream-filled varieties.

7. Fried fast foods

If you care about your health, avoid deep-fried foods at all costs. They are traditionally made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and this won’t change anytime soon.

8. Coffee creamers

The general rule is: whenever there is cream in a processed product, think trans fats and run in the opposite direction.

Although trans fats have been a major public health issue for a while now, studies show that most Americans still consume 1.3 grams of these dangerous artificial fats on a daily basis, despite knowing how bad they are for their health. The 2006 regulation policy that forced food manufacturers to include trans fat content information on labels has led to a significant reduction of trans fat consumption, but it still wasn’t enough to completely eliminate them from our diet, while research has found that even low consumption of trans fats has negative influence on our health.

Almost four decades after the dangers of trans fats have been brought to the public’s attention, they are finally being officially treated as the true poisons they really are. With the recent FDA decision, food manufacturers will have three years to reformulate the products they sell, but they will still have the option to petition the FDA and seek permission to use hydrogenated oils in their products.

We can expect this policy to make our food healthier or at least less harmful, but in the end, the food industry is a multi-billion business that will find holes in existing regulations and opt for cheaper ingredients and artificial additives anywhere it can, so we simply shouldn’t wait for an industry that will always strive to increase its profits to put our health first. It’s up to us as consumers to change our approach to food and make smarter choices about what we put in our bodies.

7 Lifestyle Changes You Need to Make to Lose Body Fat Once And for All

In the following article we’ll try to approach fat loss somewhat differently. We’ll try to suggest a few changes that can help you lose weight for good.  This won’t be fast. And it won’t work like magic. But using this approach, the fat won’t be back anytime soon. It won’t bounce back like a Jack in the box the moment you stop your diet.

What we offer you are several simple principles, which combined together provide you a solid base for stable fat loss. Learn them by heart and apply them in your every day diet. Once you start applying them, the results will come and keep on coming. Just remember, this is not some magical diet. Our 7 principles will help you increase your lean muscle mass, and lower you body fat once and for all.

Increase Your Protein Intake

Eating meals without protein increases the chance of remaining hungry and turning to other food to compensate. The reason for this is simple. The other nutrients, carbs in particular, stimulate the insulin production, triggering blood sugar spikes, which manifest as cravings for something sweet. In this respect, even the healthiest foods, like fruit (eaten in higher quantities), can do damage to your shape.

With protein you eliminate this risk. Protein offers numerous advantages. In addition to controlling blood sugar level, it also increases the feeling of satiety, and its digestion process requires a greater amount of calories.

That being said, we have to stress out that you should not totally eliminate all the other nutrients. Carbohydrates and fats should still be a substantial part of your diet. However, they should never be consumed alone, because then they can trigger different mechanism in our bodies that can be very damaging. Just remember that including the protein in your meal will help you manage the daily diet more easily.

Fat is Not Your Enemy

During the last decade or so, the science has been successfully engaged in proving that eating fat can help you slim down.  In fact, the current recommendation of the Institute of Medicine is that you consume 20 to 35 percents of your total daily calories from fats. Of course, this should not be taken as an excuse to hit the first fast-food joint, and stuff yourself with grease.

Not all fats are good for you. You want to avoid trans fats and add monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fats and some saturated fats to your diet. Stay away from cookies, breakfast sandwiches, margarine, doughnuts, onion rings, deep fried foods, and anything with refined vegetable oil.

Let’s take a look at some studies that prove this premise. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition reports that the subjects who had been on a diet rich in monounsaturated fats reduced their body fat, although they were consuming the same amount of calories as before.

According to another study, eating a breakfast high in monounsaturated fats stimulates calorie consumption during the course of the next 5 hours. This was especially noticeable in people with tendency towards storing belly fat. In a study performed at Johns Hopkins, the researchers recorded that the people who was on high-fats diet took 25 days fewer to lose 10 pounds compared to the group that was on high carbs diet.

The lesson learned is simple: Fats are not your enemy. As long as you don’t eat fried or processed foods high in trans fats this nutrient may in fact help you in reducing your body fat percentage and make you leaner. Beef, pork, whole eggs, some fish varieties (like salmon), cheese, nuts, avocados are some of the best food sources that provide you with all the healthy fats you need. Try including them in your diet if you want to stay fit.

Avoid Ready Made Meals 

Although many of the diet foods at the market claim that they are low in calories, sugar and fats on their packaging, they might be more damaging than you think. Let’s make something clear: diet foods are just smoke and mirror show. Claiming to offer you the same taste as the high-calorie variety minus the calories, they are in fact packed with preservatives, artificial sweeteners and a full range of different chemical.

However, this trick is somewhat flawed. Although you do get some sense of fullness for a short period of time, the cravings return after a short period of time. As a result, you tend to overeat. Another thing that diet foods lack is nutritional value. Like eating empty shells. As a result you find yourself not only gaining weight, but also lacking some essential nutrients that keep your body rolling and your health booming. Still not convinced? Try this: the artificial sugars in diet soda greatly increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.

For those of you who don’t know what this is, it includes problems like increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and greater inclination towards storing body fat.

Consume unprocessed foods and prepare you own food. By preparing your meals you always know what you get, and how much calories you consume. Plus, you avoid any chemicals that may come with prepackaged foods.  And remember that nothing provides you with the necessary nutrients as fresh food.

Enjoy Your Meal

The quantity and quality of food is not the only thing that has the ability to restrain your hunger. How you eat your food is also important. A study coming from Japan reports that eating fast increases the chance of gaining weight. According to their findings, people who gulped their food faster manifested greater tendency toward gaining weight than those who took their time to enjoy the food.

Eating slow has a remarkable ability to switch off your fathomless appetite. It will help you increase the sense of satiety by consuming less food. Just have in mind that it takes 20 minutes for the brain to receive the signal sent by the stomach that the food you’ve consumed had been processed.

Of course, it may sound strange for you to time how long you eat your food. Eating by the clock doesn’t sound that appealing, does it? Focus instead on chewing your food. The more you chew your food the more flavor is released, making your meal tastier and more enjoyable.  In addition, chewing your meals well will prolong the process of eating, allowing you to feel fuller with less food. And it’s more elegant then gulping your food in one go as a hungry wolf.

Less Stress Equals Less Food

We know that nowadays stress seems unavoidable. Yet, it would be good to try and relax at least before you start eating. Stress makes you crave for comfort food and lead you to overeating. According to the scientists this is the result of higher presence of ghrelin in your blood.  This hormone is also known as “hunger hormone” and several studies suggest that it is activated by stress.

The researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report that they have recorded decreased levels of dopamine in the brain when eating under stress. As a result, the food you eat lives you unsatisfied, tricking you that you need more.

Although we can agree that stress is not always possible to avoid, there are some methods you can use to calm yourself. In fact, it’s not as difficult as it may sound. Some simple things have fantastic ability to calm you down. You don’t need to do yoga, or meditate. Listen to some music before you eat, or watch TV for 5 to 10 minutes. Even a friendly talk helps in soothing your nerves. Just don’t rush into the fridge full of vengeance.

Don’t Avoid Desserts

Many of us hard it find to enjoy our food without a dessert, and we’ve already agreed that taking pleasure in what you eat is one of the most important aspects in staying lean. This is especially true when you try to lose weight. Eliminating all the indulgences has psychological effect increasing the sense of withdrawal. According to the German researches, people with this mentality find it harder to stick to a plan, and increases the risk of cheating the diet.

They recommend satisfying your cravings for sweet by eating controlled portions of desert every once in a while. Another study performed at the University of Alabama reports that eating four small deserts throughout the week helped overweight women lose 9 pounds more than those who eat occasional larger deserts. Satisfying your indulgences helps your motivation, and there are smaller chances that you’ll derail from the diet.

You don’t need to increase the amount of calories in order to treat yourself. Try cutting down 10 to 20 percent of your calories from some other meal, and redirect them in a small cup of ice-cream. It will make you feel better, and might even prevent you from eating a whole bowl of ice-cream later on.

Include Protein Shakes in Your Diet

Protein shakes are not only meant for bodybuilders. They can also help in flattening the belly of the average Joe. Sure, they can appear as some nasty concoction, but in fact, most of them provide all that your body needs. They are good source of protein, they don’t increase the calorie intake, and help you in losing body fat instead of muscles.

In this respect, one of the most efficient supplements is the whey protein. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition reports that taking whey protein for 12 weeks resulted in reduced body fat and waist line in the participants, as opposed to those taking soy protein. Moreover, including the whey protein in the diet resulted with double figures in the fat loss department compared to the participants eating the same amount of calories but without whey supplementation.

In other words, protein powder can provides you with the touch of magic you need to reveal you true muscular self.

You don’t even need to drink them every day. Take a whey shake every once in a while and see it work its magic. Shakes don’t have to be consumed only before or after a training session. They also make a good substitute for breakfast or snack. What they don’t make is a complete substitute for food. Whole food sources will always make a better option.