If there’s one mistake that’s destroying diets all over … Thinking that food is your enemy in the battle against fat. In reality some foods turn up the heat on your metabolism, boosting the body’s ability to burn fat.
Add these 5 foods to your diet and the pounds will melt away faster.
1. Apples
Not only are apples a #SOBikini favorite, but by eating an apple a day you can fuel your body with fiber. Apples are high in fiber, which makes you feel full. Apples are also high in pectin, which binds with water and limits the amount of fat your cells can absorb.
2. Oats
Wrongly associated with the dreaded “carb”, oats are a whole grain, and are high in soluble fiber, so they cut cholesterol and blood fat. They’re also high on what nutritionists call the “satiety index,” meaning oats have tremendous power to make you feel full. Oats digest slowly, so they don’t raise your blood sugar, and they keep you feeling filled up well into the late morning. An interesting #SOBikini quick fact: Oatmeal is one of the best foods to help you sleep. Old-fashioned steel-cut and rolled oats, with up to 5 grams of fiber per serving, are best.
3. Cinnamon
This spice doesn’t add calories, but helps you burn fat … sounds perfect! Cinnamon appears to have the power to help your body metabolize sugar. Eating as little as 1/4 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon a day was found to reduce blood sugar levels and cut cholesterol from 10 to 25 percent. Easy ways to incorporate cinnamon into your diet are to add it to smoothies, sprinkle it on your cereal, or flavor your coffee with it.
4. Pine Nuts
Rich in heart-healthy fatty acids, particularly the aptly named pinolenic acid, pine nuts have been found to boost levels of the so-called “satiety hormone,” ghrelin, which signals your brain that you’re full. When ghrelin levels are high, not only do you not feel hungry, you’re more able to resist cravings
5. Eggs
Eggs are a concentrated form of animal protein without the added fat that comes with meat. Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse and the perfect way to start your day with a rush of energy. They’re fine in moderation for those restricting cholesterol, too. Dietary studies have repeatedly found that when people eat an egg every morning, they lose twice as much weight as those who eat a breakfast that’s dominated by carbs.
