Fat Burning Food For Thought

Great article on how eating the right food - at the right time - promotes fat burning and natural, healthy weight loss...

From eFitness.com:

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE

There are several factors to understand in losing body fat through intelligent nutrition. These factors will assist you in creating a strategy for success. I will not venture too deep into science, but just enough to provide you ammunition. Instead, I will focus more on a real life specific strategy you can implement. One that’s easy to manipulate.

1. COMBINE PROTEIN AND CARBOHYDRATE AT YOUR MEALS

You may have heard of the glycemic index. It's simply a scale that ranks carbohydrate sources according to the simplicity or complexity of its sugar, starch and fiber content. Foods high on the glycemic index are made up of primarily glucose, the smallest sugar molecule possible. These foods, when consumed in excess, raise blood sugar levels and require the pancreas to secrete excess insulin to reduce the blood sugar levels. When excess insulin is consistently produced, we get fat!

Foods high on the glycemic index are white bread, cereals, baked potatoes, white rice, pasta, etc. I'm not suggesting that you eliminate these foods. I'm merely proposing that you consume them in moderation and in proper balance with good sources of protein.

Foods low on the glycemic index are fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, skim milk etc. I recommend that you get a list of high and low glycemic foods for your personal meal planning. So, how do we continue to eat these foods but lose fat? One of the great things about lean protein sources is they not only assist in building muscle but also slow the entry rate of carbohydrates into the blood stream.

If you consume a large pasta meal, you will most likely spike your blood sugar levels. However, if you slightly reduce the pasta amount and add some lean protein such as baked chicken breast, you actually create a more balanced blood sugar level.

Another example: two cups of rice will have a very different affect on your blood sugar level compared to one cup of rice combined with four ounces of turkey. A bowl of cereal will have a very different affect on your blood sugar levels compared to one cup of cereal with some egg whites on the side. don't forget this vital point; if you control blood sugar, you control body fat.

2. MEAL SPACING

Now that you know how important combining your meals is, let’s take a look at when to eat these meals. If we want to control our blood sugar levels to lose fat, it’s important that the meals be not only balanced, but somewhat small. These meals should be spaced every three hours for tight insulin control.

Ever see someone go on very low calories and not lose body fat? Internally, the body is only concerned with survival. All it wants to do is keep you alive! If your body senses it's not getting enough calories, it will hold onto fat to make sure you survive what it perceives as a famine. By the same token, if you consume too many calories, the body will hold onto fat to protect you when that perceived famine takes place. It senses you are storing for the winter, and it is more than happy to oblige by putting on the fat!

If you want to make sure you are not on either end of this spectrum and more in a fat burning mode, how do you do it? Control blood sugar levels! Take in three small meals and three snacks spread every 2-3 hours. Do I sound like a broken record with the blood sugar theme? Excellent! Now, you know how important it is.

A sample meal schedule may look something like this:

6:30 Breakfast
9:30 Snack
12:30 Lunch
3:30 Snack
6:00 Dinner
9:00 Small Snack

3. CONSUME SOME MONOUNSATURATED FAT

One of the big myths in this society is that fat makes you fat. The truth is, too much of any nutrient can make you fat. In fact, there are some essential fatty acids that are the building blocks for specific hormones that control how much body fat you can gain or lose. Your body needs unsaturated fats to create these hormones! People who start consuming 20-30 percent of their calories from monounsaturated fat can actually burn more body fat than if they consumed a lesser fat percentage!

Monounsaturated fat is excellent for the immune system, cells and many bodily functions. A small amount of monounsaturated fat such as olive oil, natural peanut butter, unsalted almonds, avocados or flax oil will help keep you full until your next meal. Saturated fats, on the other hand, can lead to heart disease and increased body fat. Sources of saturated fat are bacon, fried food, butter, etc.

4. EAT THE FOODS YOU ENJOY

Use the points I've outlined above and simply eat the foods you enjoy. If you enjoy eating fried chicken and French fries every day, there’s not a lot I can do to help you lose fat. However, if you enjoy a variety of healthy foods, such as whole grain bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, chicken, tuna, turkey, cereal, peanut butter, olive oil fruits and vegetables, then you can construct a healthy and realistic program that works for you.

Don't like to pack a lunch? No problem, get yourself a turkey sandwich on rye with lettuce, tomato and mustard. Another example is a chicken sandwich on a small roll with a piece of fruit on the side. Use your imagination! Can't think of a good snack? Why not try some yogurt with a handful of almonds mixed in? The possibilities are endless, but you must plan. Once you understand the system, you will be losing body fat at a consistent pace.

Don't be one of those people who always struggle with fat loss and is always frustrated with their body. It’s not all that hard to implement and once you design a good nutritional program, you're on your way to increased body fat loss.

Learn more at eFitness.com...


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Related resources:

Glycemic Index
Good Carbs Guide