Can’t get rid of that pot belly? Or does that double chin stare back at you every time you look in the mirror? Don’t even get me started on how stubborn the fat around your hips and thighs has been. Every time you see a dress that takes your breath away, the size of the dress kills you. For all those dealing with weight issues, here is a list of top 20 ‘must haves’ to reduce that fat bit by bit.
1. Green tea
You will be recommended this drink everywhere you look for ways to how to reduce your weight. Green tea does more than just making your fat go away. It detoxes your body and boosts your metabolism which increases the rates of your fat being consumed as calories. It also prevents a lot of lifestyle diseases and makes your skin glow.
2. Almonds
Almonds help in reducing belly fat and contain high amounts of Magnesium, Vitamin E and anti-oxidants. Magnesium helps in reducing food cravings, and skin of almond consist of dietary fibres which help with digestion and healthy bowel movement. The monosaturated fats in almonds help in reducing and maintaining our BMI.
3. Pistachios
Try having pistachios without salt as a snack, will help reduce your belly. Pistachios contain monosaturated fatty acids that lower cholesterol. These help in the release of hormones that help in regulation of glucose metabolism and insulin, both of which reduce blood sugar.
4. Black Beans
Black beans contain soluble and insoluble fibers. They are nature’s health food packed with proteins and fibers. This helps your body keep its energy which helps tremendously if you are trying to lose weight. Do include lots of water in your diet if you daily consume black beans since the fibers in these will require water for digestion.
5. Spinach
Remember Popeye?
Well, he was onto something! Spinach is high in iron and proteins which aid in weight loss. Thylakoids in spinach suppress your craving and make you feel more satiated. Not only they reduce your unnecessary cravings but give your body nutrients and vitamins that are highly essential.
6. Watermelon
This fruit screams ‘hydration’. Water is crucial for weight loss since it helps your metabolism work smoothly and in breaking down of food to absorb all the essentials. Moreover, it is one of the fruits with least amount of calories. A 100g of watermelon contains only 30 calories which tremendously less than most of other fruits or vegetables.
7. Apples
They are an easy-to-go snack for those trying to lose weight. Their skin contains filling fiber which helps you reduce your calorie intake. One medium Apple= 4g of nutrient. The anti-oxidants in an Apple help you treat lifestyle diseases like obesity, and you feel satiated with just one serving of it.
8. Chickpeas
Eating less is essential to weight loss, but what matters more is what you eat. Your diet should provide you all the necessary vitamins and nutrients which are why chickpeas are a super food. Half a cup of chickpeas has 7g of protein and 22g of essential carbohydrates. Try mixing them with onions, tomatoes and some lemon juice for a yummy salad.
9. Bell Pepper
Bell pepper is amazing for a diet to reduce fat without sacrificing nutrition. Red Bell Peppers have the molecule capsaicin that increases fat-burning rate. However, the level of this differs extensively across varieties of Red Bell Pepper. Also, Bell Peppers provide 1.18g of protein, 2.5g of fiber and 5g of natural sugar with 37 calories only.
10. Dark Chocolate
This is a divine ingredient for all those with a sugar tooth. It contains flavonoids which help the health of your heart. Moreover, most of the dark chocolate is high in magnesium and fiber which helps with muscle function, immunity and bone strength. But always reach for a bar with more than 70% of dark cacao as it will have more anti-oxidants.
11. Oats
With 5g of protein per serving, these are on the list of everyone looking to lose weight. High in fiber, they make you feel heavy and satiated all the time, which reduces your cravings and thus your calorie intake. These can be cooked in numerous amount of ways so as to fill your needs to nutrition and aid weight loss.
12. Kale
The world seems to be obsessed with Kale, and why wouldn’t it be? Consuming Kale is beneficial for your heart, it has anti-inflammatory properties, but moreover, one bowl of Kale contains only 33 calories. Also with a bit of iron, it helps in building lean muscle and kicks your digestive system through the roof.
13. Broccoli
This green leafy vegetable is packed with all you need! Low fat and high in vitamins and minerals along with other nutrients, it cut down your calorie intake and makes you feel fuller. 90% of broccoli is water, and it contains 5g fiber which should make you add this vegetable to your daily diet.
14. Flax Seeds
Flax seeds in Hindi refer to ‘alasi ka beej.’ It has to be added to your diet since its high content in fiber. These seeds expand in your stomach which stops you from binging unnecessarily. The calories in these come from good fats in the form of Omega-3 fatty acids. These absorb fluids in your stomach and check for over-eating.
15. Chia Seeds
Commonly known as ‘Tukmaria,’ these are extensively used in faludas. They have the ability to become jelly-like and expand in water or in your stomach soaking all the fluids which make you feel fuller and heavy. They are also known to having a cooling effect on your body in the summer heat. These seeds digest slowly leaving you with consistent energy rather than feeling sluggish at intervals.
16. Barley
Barley refers to ‘Jau’ in Hindi. It helps in reducing weight due to its high content of insoluble fiber. Barely water has been recommended by various dieticians for it contains 20g of protein and 2g of sugar. Barley water will hydrate you, kick your metabolism and reduce the stubborn fat by lowering your calorie intake.
17. Cinnamon
According to U.S Department of Agriculture, 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder boosts your metabolism by 20 times which will make the fat cells more responsive to insulin. This helps in reducing diabetes of Type-2. Moreover, cinnamon can be used with everything from oatmeal to milk. This wide range of its use shall enable you to use it as per your requirements.
18. Grapefruit
The phytochemicals in grapefruit have strong effects in aiding weight loss. It helps in burning fat and rocketing your metabolism sky-high. Having a grapefruit before a meal can reduce your waist by an inch or more in just six weeks! But Grapefruit can be dangerous to consume along with medication, so it is better to get a green signal from your doctor before trying this out.
19. Yogurt With Vitamin D
A 12-week research found that inducing yogurt with vitamin D will make you lose more weight than the diet excluding it. Thus it was proven to reduce weight and is recommended by many today. Though, not every yogurt contains vitamin D supplements, so you should look for those that do, and do not go for whole fat yogurts.
20. Asparagus
It aids weight loss, and you can see the results in just a few days. Asparagus is a diuretic food which helps you get rid of excess fluids. It also helps our body lose excess waste and toxins. It feeds the good bacteria (AKA probiotics)to our guts, but it’s loved because it’s easy to prepare and tastes good as well.
