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Health & Fitness

Best Foods to Eat While Trying to Lose Weight

Going on a "diet" is hard. Finding out what to eat is even HARDER! 
Calories mean the world but so does filling, satisfying and nutritious foods, right?
Right! 
The key to eating "clean" and healthy is eating all natural, minimally processed foods. Stuff that comes from the earth or nature. This includes milk, dairy products (cows, goats, etc), meats, beans, veggies, fruits and legumes, and whole grain products.

The reason WHY this things are the best to eat on your "diet" (remember, it should be something your ready to commit to for a long time) is because they're usually naturally filling due to their high fiber content (fruits, veggies, whole grains) and their high protein content (meats, dairy, yogurt).

So, What are the best foods to eat to get rid of that belly?

1) Eggs! Even the yolk! Don't go bananas ;) we'll get to those later. But I usually have 1 whole egg + 1 egg white for breakfast on a nice whole grain sandwich flat from Arnold. It's quick, it's easy, it has protein and vitamins and it holds me over for like 3 hours!

2) Greek Yogurt. If you haven't caught onto this bandwagon, then you need to seriously consider it. Greek Yogurt has been the star of many studies, and it proves over and over again to have many benefits to our health, metabolism, and weight loss. It's packed with double the protein, and usually less sugar than our counterparts like creamy regular yogurt. If you can't eat plain yogurt, I don't blame you. I get Chobani Bite. They're smaller servings, but come in delicious all natural flavors like Mocha Chip :) and they still pack 8g of protein and only 12g sugar! Not that bad. If the sugar concerns you, eat them before or after a workout! Or, do what I do, eat it at night instead of ice cream with some cool whip!

3) Celery + Peanut Butter Celery is pretty boring, I know, I'm sorry! But, it's AWESOME for your body! I recommend organic only because it ranks high on the list of foods that contain pesticides since we eat the skin. But don't let that scare you. It's naturally low carb, high fiber, so it packs a punch! Dip it in a serving of peanut butter and now we pack a knock out! Celery contains minerals and vitamins, that naturally cleanse your body of toxins, it also holds a decent amount of water, which again, is a filling factor. Peanut butter has it's reputation as well in the diet world. It contains a good amount of protein power with 7-8g give or take, and it's got a big dose of "healthy fats" like poly- and mono's :). Just make sure you watch your serving, give yourself 2 tablespoons and NO MORE. It goes a LONG way. I usually chop up about 2-3 stalks, and that's my early afternoon snack once the eggs wear off :).

4) Blueberries and Raspberries have been compared to other berries in diet trials, and those that ate blueberries or raspberries (ketones) lost more fat than those who ate "other" berries. Raspberries can be kind of tart, but if you get good organic blueberries and raspberries you should be good. I eat them with my breakfast sometimes. I'll have one slice of toast + a cup of blueberries or raspberries. They're filled with fiber, and awesome nutrients that do the body well. Get em, get now! OR put them in your GREEK yogurt, for a perfect small breakfast, snack or blend em for a smoothie :)

5) Shrimp these little guys are BIG news. I always have a bag on hand of some good frozen shrimp (organic is best also) because they cook quickly, they're low in fat, and HIGH in protein. Almost 20g per serving! Simple ways to eat them is stir fry...get asian veggies, a pan with a little non-stick spray, and some soy sauce, throw the shrimp in and cook until they're pink! DONE. Dinner or Lunch is served! For a heartier dinner or lunch add brown rice OR my favorite, MINUTE Rice's Whole Grain medley which contains an awesome combo or quinoa, brown rice, oats and barley. It tastes way better to me than just plain old brown rice!

6) Bananas! They're natures grab and go food! They're protected with a rugged thick skin and they're hearty and filling because they have 3g of fiber! They're also good for belly fat because of their nutrient content. Simple breakfast or snack I have sometimes when I'm pressed for time- 1 medium banana + 1 glass of whey protein with water (banana's have enough carbs). You could also do something even better and put them on the side of your eggs in the morning if your trying to stay away from a lot of bread...I put them on foil in my toaster oven, put a little non-stick spray if you want, put it on like 300 while your eggs cook, and they're going to caramelize, and get mushy and delicious. You could even sprinkle a tiny bit of brown sugar on them before you put them in for a real treat! 

7) BEEF We all got a beef with beef. But really we should have a beef with the fat that it contains. Beef contains an incredible amount of an amino called L-Carnitine, which is involved in fat metabolism in your body. Uhm, need I say MORE!? Go our, and get some of the LEANEST meat you can find. It's packed with protein, iron, and L-Carinitine. It's potent for metabolism boosting and fat fighting all in one. While you're there, go our and get #8 too...

8) Sweet Potatoes Taste GREAT by themselves. So, we save ourselves the calories swamped butter we usually need for regular white potatoes. Once I started eating these, I forgot all about white potatoes (sorry guys). They're also more nutritious and have more fiber, and the skin ain't so bad. They also go GREAT with....

9) Broccoli Look, broccoli should be a no brainer but I'm just including it in case. Plus, I just gave you 2 dinner ideas (shrimp above). Because that's the key here...easy, simple, nutritious foods we can make MEALS out of. Because if we don't know what to do with the food we're supposed to eat, then how are we going to eat it!? Anyway...broccoli is awesome. Just go get some. Organic frozen is fine. 

10) Casein Protein is a slow digesting protein (found naturally in milk, cheese and duh duh duh...GREEK YOGURT) that really makes your body work up a sweat on the inside, to break it down and use it to repair tissues and muscles (those things that tone your arms, legs, butt and guts when they grow aka give you results). Old school gym guru's say to eat it at night before you go to bed, which I agree with! But, if you get a mix of Casein+Whey powder like Primal Pro from Vitamin Shoppe, you could also drink it in the morning with a banana or berries as a nice light and quick breakfast or in between snack :) 

Okay, well, that's all I got. I eat all those things above. I also love me some good chicken, whole grain pasta with garlic and olive oil mmm and some shrimp tossed in. The key is, wholesome foods that are natural. That's it kids. Any other questions please feel free to ask. 

I'm Debra by the way, I'm a Long Island native, grew up in Suffolk County. I'm a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Specialist, A.S. :)
I work at LA FITNESS in Smithtown, and I also run an In-Home Personal Training Business called DFEAT FITNESS for Women & Children. 

For a Free Consultation at the gym or your home, visit www.dfeatfitness.com and call me or message me! 


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