Eat Your Way to Six Pack Abs

by: Joseph Palumbo

Dieting doesn’t have to mean a boiled chicken breast or depriving yourself of foods; there is so much more. When it comes to dieting the more you know, the better chance you have of success… read on to find out which foods can help you shed pounds and improve your health.

Avocados: This fruit is a great source of slowly digested monounsaturated fat, which releases hormones that help you feel fuller longer. It triggers your body to quiet hunger. Stick to a quarter or a half of an avocado and watch that belly fat melt away.

Fish, and Seafood in general: Fish supplies a significant amount of iodine. The health benefits of iodine play a critical role in the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, which secretes thyroid hormones that control the base metabolic rate of the body. Your thyroid is an important factor in regulating your metabolism, and if your Iodine levels are low, you run the risk of having an underactive thyroid resulting in weight gain. In fact, without iodine, thyroid hormones could not even be synthesized. Iodine is a trace element, which means that we don’t need a ton of it to function properly, but we still need it. The key is that the body doesn’t make it naturally, so we’ve got to get it from outside sources. Running low on it for extended periods of time will result in Iodine Deficiency.

Meat: Although processed meat is unhealthy, studies show that unprocessed red meat does NOT raise the risk of heart disease or diabetes. Red meat is packed with protein… protein is essential because it helps you feel fuller longer. Having protein around slows down digestion making you more satisfied and less likely to go back for seconds. If this happens over the course of multiple days, your calorie savings can help with weight loss. An adequate amount of protein coming in from your food fuels fat burning while preserving calorie-burning lean muscle.

Boiled Potatoes: On a scale called the Satiety Index, which measures how fulfilling different foods are, white, boiled potatoes scored the highest of all the foods tested. Therefore by eating white, boiled potatoes, you will naturally feel full and eat less of other foods. Tip: If you boil the potatoes, then allow them to cool for a while, then they will form large amounts of resistant starch, a fiber-like substance that has been shown to have all sorts of health benefits… including weight loss.

Cottage Cheese: it’s an oldie but for good reason, it is the hero of the protein world — cottage cheese! It offers you sustained energy, satiates your hunger, and help curb your sugar cravings. Snack: Low-Calorie Swap, if you enjoy veggies and dip, skip the high-calorie dips made with sour cream. Swap it for cottage cheese and save over 150 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 45 mg of cholesterol, yet gain over 10 grams of protein, both casein and whey, which makes cottage cheese the optimal bedtime choice to help keep your body in an anabolic stage overnight.

Hummus: The Middle Eastern chickpea spread is an easy, protein-rich snack that fights hunger and balances blood sugar levels and a little goes a long way. New research shows that eating the Middle Eastern dip is linked to a smaller waistline. Spread hummus on sandwiches or crackers. Mayo-based condiments are typically high in calories and make a serious dent in your allotted calorie intake, but hummus is a good lower-calorie substitute.

Almonds: crammed with protein, they prevent the blood-sugar fluctuations that can lead to overeating.

Leafy Greens: Kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce are all extremely low in calories, full of fiber and offer several vital vitamins and minerals that help to ease water retention without causing the bloating and discomfort that some other vegetables might do. Kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce are ideal for helping weight loss. One of the key components to weight loss is increasing your metabolism rather than starving the body of calories, which slows down the metabolism and hangs on to fat as energy more intensely. Studies have shown that high-calcium diets favor burning fat rather than storing it, mostly by speeding up metabolism.

Spicy Food: Foods flavored with cayenne may help you drop a few pounds by helping to decrease your appetite. According to the review article published in Chemical Senses in 2012, study subjects reported that cayenne helped reduce their cravings for fatty, sweet and salty foods. The spice also helps you feel full.

Always end your day with a nice cup of Green Tea – Green tea contains a chemical called epigallo-catechin gallate or EGCG that causes the brain and nervous system to work faster and helps burn more calories. EGCG is also a powerful antioxidant which can help fight disease.

Train safe, eat smart
Joseph Palumbo
IFBB Professional Bodybuilder
Director of Physical Performance Infinite Labs Orlando FL
Certified Trainer (SMART)
Advance Sports Nutrition Specialist (ASNS)
Certified Navy Seal Fitness Instructor
Freelance writer: Workouts and Training Techniques, Strength Training and Conditioning, General Fitness, Weight Loss and Nutritional Needs