If you’re eating the typical North American diet, you are probably consuming too much fat. You should not be getting more than 30% of your calories from fat. If you want to lose weight, you’ll probably need to cut the amount of fat in your diet. Do not, however, make the mistake of cutting all of the fat in your diet. Some foods will help you burn fat. Let’s examine what foods will give you the fat you need in your diet and why no-fat diets fail.
The number one reason that extreme no-fat and low fat diets fail is that people mistake low fat with healthy. Just because a snack is low in fat doesn’t mean that it is good for you.
Processed foods contain empty calories and sugars that will cause you to gain weight. Focus on eating whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains. These foods will give your body the nutrition it needs without the high levels of sugar and salt found in crackers and cookies.
If you are cutting down severely on fats and calories, you’re body will react by going into starvation mode. Instead of burning the fat, your body’s metabolism will slow down and it will work to store the fat that it has available. The only way you can lose fat is to feed the body what it needs.
You’ve heard before that not all fats are equal. Saturated fat can lead to heart disease and should be largely avoided. Meat and cheese is full of the fats that you don’t want in your diet. So cut down on your intake of these foods and focus on the foods that provide the essential fatty acids.
One food that is great to incorporate into your diet is the avocado. The fat in the avocado is made up primarily of mono-unsaturated fats. In addition to the healthy fats of the avocado, you are getting other nutritional benefits such as vitamins A, B, and E. Avocado’s will give your body the energy it needs during your muscle building routines. And they’re great for your immune system, skin, and hair.
Flax is another great food. Flax seed oil contains both Omega 3 and Omega 6. There are several ways you can add flax seed oil to your diet. You can also buy flax seed oil from health food stores and some grocery stores, but make sure it is kept refrigerated and keep a close eye on the expiration date. You can drink it straight or add it to smoothies if you don’t like the taste.
Ground flax seeds are another way to add this food to your diet. Whichever way you choose, be sure to not heat the flax as that destroys its beneficial properties. If you want the benefits of flax seed oil without the hassle you can purchase flax seed oil pills.
A third food that can help you burn fat by adding fat to your diet is walnuts. Walnuts contain the healthy fats and are a good source of protein. Adding a handful of walnuts to your breakfast in the morning will ensure that you have the energy you need for your day. Keep walnuts in your desk at work to provide a healthy snack.
Replacing the saturated fat with these three foods will help you lose weight and be healthy. Although you can have them daily, be sure you are not relying too much on these foods and focus on a well balanced diet.
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