Surprising Foods That Can Help You Lose Weight | Weight Loss Food
If your weight-loss journey has been anything like mine, there has been some uphill BATTLES along the way! You drop a few pounds and then you hit a big ole STALL! Even worse, you think you’re doing good and then you hop on the scale to find a two pound weight GAIN! Nothing is more disappointing!
Although there has been a few disappointments along the way, I have learned a lot about my body and what helps and what doesn’t. Part of this journey has taught me that there are foods, vitamins and spices that can help make this weight-loss a tad bit easier. Making small changes to my diet and listening to my body has yielded better results.
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1. Vitamin C for Weight Loss
When most of you think of vitamin C, it probably only comes to mind when thinking about ways to ease and prevent cold and flu symptoms. You’ll be surprised to learn that vitamin C has a host of other benefits! One of those benefits being weight loss!
I learned about the benefits of vitamin C a year ago after stalling in my weight loss efforts. At this point, I completely ridded myself of my Trop 50 orange obsession and unknowingly cut out different sources of vitamin C. After speaking to a nutritionist, she immediately identified that I was vitamin C deficient. After supplements and increasing vitamin C in my diet, my weight loss resumed.
People with a Vitamin C deficiency can find it very challenging to lose fat mass. Vitamin C helps your body metabolize fat, so you can see why it could be difficult losing weight if you’re not getting enough of it. If you’re receiving sufficient Vitamin C in your diet, taking more of it will not help you lose more weight. It’s a vitamin to be aware of if you’re hitting stalls and finding it challenging to lose weight. The good thing about vitamin C is that it is water-soluble so anything that your body doesn’t use is dispelled in your urine.
Vitamin C Helps Regulate Blood Sugar
Blood sugar levels can hit peaks and valleys when you have a poor diet. These highs and lows can lead to carb and sugar cravings. Vitamin C helps regulate blood sugar, leading you to reach for a healthier snack versus getting up for a “FREE DONUTS” email at work.
2. Dark Chocolate for Weight Loss
This may sound a little counter-intuitive but it turns out that chocolate can help fight sugar spikes that will help regulate blood sugar. Dark chocolate contains healthy fats, which slows down the absorption of sugar into your fat cells. We’re not talking all chocolates people! No those Snickers bars are not going to help. Dark chocolate is the key here; types that are made with at least 70 percent cacao. Other chocolates such as white and milk chocolate contains added sugar and milk (which also contains sugar). The sugar is a big NO NO!
In addition, it helps curb cravings for fatty and sweet foods. A poor diet can lead to insulin resistance, causing your body to produce more insulin in order to regulate blood sugar. Those insulin spikes turn off your body’s fat-burning mechanisms. This study showed that people who ate dark chocolate once a day for two weeks significantly decreased their insulin resistance by 50%.
3. Chili Pepper Adds Some Spice To Your Routine
Get ready to spice up your life! Research states that Chili peppers have been found to support weight loss! The compound Capsaicin that’s found in chili peppers and other types of peppers, not only makes them spicy but also aids in weight loss. Capsaicin is claimed to help speed metabolism, reduce appetite and help you burn more calories.
Hands up if you’re anything like my fiancé and sweat profusely when eating a spicy meal? Chili peppers are a thermogenic food, meaning our bodies burn energy when we eat it. Hence, we may get a little sweaty. (I like to think that’s how I know it’s working). Spicy foods can increase the heart rate, make you feel warmer and encourages your body to break down fat supplies. For these reasons and more, experts think that Chili peppers can help aid in weight loss.
4. Cinnamon is not only good for pies
If you’re a fan of cinnamon, I have some good news for you. Cinnamon is a spice that can aid in weight loss! Yes, that little spice you like adding to your cakes and rolls. Wait before you go and grab a Cinnabon! The rest of the carb-olicious food won’t help you, just the cinnamon. The spice alone is said to increase insulin sensitivity which helps stabilize blood sugar which are both key components of weight-loss. It is also full of fiber, which is a nutrient that help you achieve a “full” feeling.
A 2017 study found that the compound Cinnamaldehyde that is found in cinnamon can increase your metabolism. Cinnamaldehyde was found to activate thermogenesis in the body. This is a state where your body creates heat and burn calories.
5. Parmesan Cheese for the Cheesies
The first thing some hear when it comes to weight loss is throw away the dairy. Before you go binging from all the dairy in the house, hold out on throwing away the Parmesan cheese! This baby here adds a rich taste to your palate while being low in calories.
One tablespoon of Parmesan cheese is roughly around 22 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per tablespoon. In fact, it is the best cheese when it comes to weight loss. Parmesan cheese is packed with protein and calcium, which both help with metabolizing fat.
6. Red Wine for Weight Loss
When losing weight, most will tell you to ditch the alcohol. Here, I’m not going to tell you that at all. In fact, I’m going to ask you to pour both you and I a virtual glass of red wine. That’s right. Let’s sip some red wine and discuss exactly why this glass can aid in our weight-loss efforts.
A study showed that an antioxidant found in red wine called resveratrol, helps convert “white fat” into “beige fat”. Beige fat is easier to burn off than white fat.
Before you go finishing up this virtual bottle of red wine, its some things to be aware of. Experts still encourage you to limit your daily alcohol consumption and there are many natural sources that can still provide resveratrol. These sources include blueberries, strawberries and peanuts.
The Bottom Line
Although all of these items can support and aid in weight-loss, increasing your physical activity and making better dietary choices are the two fundamental rules of weight-loss. Incorporating these items and other nutritiousness meals should pave your way to success.
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