5 Super Foods for Weight Loss

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

Look, let's get real. Some foods make it really difficult to lose weight. They create their own self-sustaining cravings ("Betcha can't eat just one!") and play havoc with your blood sugar and, ultimately, your waistline.

But some foods do just the opposite.

By now almost everyone knows how great foods like broccoli and blueberries are and how they can help you lose weight -- but here are some foods you may not have thought of when you first saw the title of this article. Yet every one of these foods (and one beverage) meets at least one major criteria of being a super food for weight loss.

1. Grapefruit. Remember the old "grapefruit diet"? Turns out there may actually be something to back up grapefruit's reputation as a fat fighter. In a recent study at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, researchers studied the effect of grapefruit on weight loss and found that eating half a grapefruit before meals actually helped people drop weight.¹ The researchers studied the effect of grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice, and real grapefruit. All three seemed to help, but the folks eating the real grapefruit got the best results. The mechanism isn't completely understood but the results speak for themselves. As an added benefit, grapefruit contains cancer fighting compounds like liminoids and lycopene -- and red grapefruit has been shown to help lower triglycerides. And a half of a grapefruit has only 39 calories!
   
   
2. Sardines. I call sardines one of the greatest health bargains of all time, and it's definitely a boon to anyone wanting to lose weight. Why? First of all it's loaded with protein, which helps stabilize blood sugar, makes you feel full (and less like overeating), and helps stimulate metabolism. Second, it's a great source of omega-3's, which not only strengthen the cardiovascular system, but are helpful in boosting mood. (When you're in a good mood, you tend to crave less junk food!). Third, sardines are convenient, easy to find, and cheap! And because they're very low on the food chain, they're remarkably free of contaminants.
   
   
3. Pumpkin. You may only know this vegetable for its central role in Thanksgiving celebrations, but it's one of the great weight loss foods of all time. Plain old canned pumpkin is absolutely loaded with fiber -- each 1/2 cup serving has a whopping 8 grams and only a mere 40 calories. Dozens of studies confirm that high fiber intake is associated with a host of health benefits, not the least of which is weight management. And here's the deal: it's the easiest food in the world to prepare. You can sweeten it with some Xylitol (or even Splenda), sprinkle it with blood-sugar lowering cinnamon (and nutmeg for good measure), throw in some healthy almonds, and make it into one of the best tasting weight loss treats around. It's filling and it's delicious.
   
   
4. Grass Fed Beef. I'll be honest with you -- meat is a great weight loss food, but it's hard to recommend it if it's filled with antibiotics, steroids, and hormones. Buy grass-fed beef and avoid the problems while getting all the terrific benefits. (Buffalo burgers are a good alternative if you can't find grass-fed beef). Higher protein diets are associated with weight loss for a variety of reasons. Protein stimulates the metabolism, helps you feel fuller longer, and helps decrease the desire to overeat. High-protein breakfasts are one of the best weight loss tricks in the book (try a buffalo burger for breakfast sometime and see what I mean!). And grass-fed beef has a high omega-3 content giving you multiple health benefits as a bargain.
   
   
5. Green Tea. OK, technically it's not a food, but it's one of the great weight loss beverages of all time -- rich in antioxidants, promotes heart health, aids digestion, and regulates blood sugar and body temperature. It raises the metabolic rate and speeds up fat oxidation thus helping people lose weight. Drink it daily to boost your metabolism. Some research has shown that five cups a day is the magic number for fat loss. As an added benefit, the theanine in green tea is also a great natural de-stressor.

Make these foods part of your daily diet and watch the pounds come off!

Reference

1. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/5495.php

[Ed. note: Dr. Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health. He's a board certified nutrition specialist with a Master's degree in psychology and the author of five books including The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. His latest book is The Most Effective Cures on Earth. For more information, click here.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: Ladies, Get Your Guns Ready! Or, How to Get Toned Arms by Summer By Jon Benson

Suzanne approached me a few months ago, almost in a state of panic. "Jon, I am so frustrated! I work my arms out three times per week, but I still have THIS!" She then proceeded to do the "triceps wave", showing me the jiggle on the backside of her arm. Like most of us, she thought she looked worse than she actually did. There was not that much body fat there, but it bothered her nonetheless, and that's what counts.

The good news is that today Suzanne has toned arms that she is proud to reveal this summer. If you too want better arms, biceps or triceps, consider the same advice I gave Suzanne -- focus on increasing your overall upper body strength, and focus on your diet.

The most common mistake I see women make in the gym is training with insufficient weight to produce muscle growth. Remember, there is no such thing as "toning" a muscle. It either grows or it shrinks. You want the muscle to grow, and you can manage the rate of growth so you do not end up with "Arnold Arms".

Do this by increasing your strength in the primary lifts: do bench presses (or dumbbell bench presses) for your chest, and wide-grip chin-ups (assisted if necessary) for your back. Working these two exercises twice per week will not only make your arms look better, but your entire upper body as well.

Most trainees avoid these movements because they are difficult, but they do so at the cost of results. Bicep curls, triceps kickbacks and so on simply cannot produce the gains you are looking for nearly as fast as these two basic movements.

Do these training exercises on the same day for maximum effect, with 2-3 days off in-between for recovery. Do 2-3 sets after your warm-ups, with a rep range of 12, 8, and 5-6. Take every set to momentary failure. Try to increase your weights every week...that's crucial. In short, work hard, but brief.

Diet is vital if you want to get that "toned" look. Try reducing the amount of starchy foods you eat after 4:00 pm. Substitute green veggies and salads, and keep fruits and simple sugars down to a minimum.

Finally, take a long walk at night as frequently as possible after your last meal. You will burn more fat from the increased caloric expenditure, plus it is a great way to wind down your day.

Put all these pieces together, and you too can sport some lovely "guns" this summer!

[Ed. Note: Jon Benson is a lifecoach and nutrition counselor who specializes in helping individuals discover a life-altering mind/body connection. His work in the field of fitness and mental empowerment has helped thousands rediscover their youthful body and positive outlook. Discover how you can do the same by clicking here.]

Healthy Recipes: Chocolate Soufflé By Kelley Herring

You'll think you died and went to heaven when you spoon into these dark and decadent soufflés. They're packed with antioxidants from organic cocoa, and sweetened with all natural, zero glycemic index erythritol (try ZSweet), making them the perfect choice to satisfy your deepest chocolate craving -- healthfully. These delightful desserts are also high in selenium and a good source of protein and copper.

Time To Table: 35 minutes
Serves 4

Healing Nutrient Spotlight

• Excellent source of selenium
• Good source of protein, copper
• Rich in antioxidant polyphenols
• Low sugar, low sodium, low carb, gluten-free

Ingredients
4 large organic eggs
1/2 cup organic milk
2 Tbsp organic butter
4 Tbsp organic cocoa
4 Tbsp organic erythritol

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add 2 Tbsp erythritol to butter and stir to dissolve. Continue stirring butter and erythritol, and incorporate cocoa. Add milk and turn heat to medium while whisking. Once fully mixed, remove from heat and allow to cool. Separate eggs. In a small bowl, beat egg whites with remaining erythritol on high speed until soft peaks form. Whisk egg yolks into cooled cocoa mixture (NOTE: if the chocolate mixture is too hot, you will have scrambled eggs, not soufflé). Fold the cocoa mixture gently into egg white mixture. Spoon into 4 small (7 oz) ramekins and bake for 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information: 152 kcal calories, 12 g total fat, 6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 4 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 228 mg cholesterol, 125 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugars, 9 g protein

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet's Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill, including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility. For more information, click here.]

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 05-09-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/