10 Tummy Tightening Foods

 

Summer is just around the corner and we all want to lose a few pounds to fit into the perfect outfit or swimsuit. I have listed a few foods with magical fat burning properties to help you with this dreaded task of weigh loss. Just remember – not one food alone can do the job. You have to have a plan and a purpose. Make sure you are eating the proper amount of calories for your body.
Here are a few Tummy Tightening Foods to help get you on the right track to a slimmer summer:
1. Oats with Cinnamon- Oats are a great start to your day. They will help keep you full while the cinnamon has natural thermionic properties which may increase your metabolism. (Love this Skinny Slow Cooker Oats recipe)
2. Grapefruit- Grapefruit helps lower insulin levels which promotes weight loss and fast metabolism.
3. Red Peppers- Peppers contain Capsaicin which can help with burning stubborn fat.
4. Almonds- Almonds are a great source of protein to help keep you full and keep your metabolism kicking. (Skinny Almond Trail Mix here)
5. Salmon-Salmon is loaded with Omega 3 Fatty Acids which is beneficial for fat loss. (Check out our Skinny Caribbean Jerk Salmon or Skinny Blackened Salmon)
6. Avocado- While avocados are considered a fat, they are a healthy fat. Your body needs healthy fats to use as energy to promote fat burn.
7. Blueberries- While Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, they are also low in sugar and great for a healthy low calorie snack.
8. Green Tea- Natural caffeine can help speed up the metabolism and keep you energized to burn more calories throughout the day.
9. Chicken- Chicken is a great source of lean protein. By placing more protein in your diet you can lower the amount of carbohydrates you take in while promoting weight loss. (Check out our hundreds of Skinny Chicken Recipes here and on Pinterest.)
10. Sweet Potato- Sweet potatoes are great for keeping your blood sugar levels stable while promoting a better, faster metabolism. (Click here for our Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes)

*Courtesy of Skinnymom.com*

30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge

May 1^st-30^th

Eat 5-6 meals per day containing an item from each category.  (1 protein, serving of fruit and/or veggies, etc.) This will help speed up your metabolism.

Drink water… No soda!

Beware of “hidden calories”!  Ex. Mayo, salad dressing, a few potato chips, etc.

Little to no sugar.

Keep a food journal.  This will help you keep track of what you’re eating, and what you may need to change in the future. (If needed)

One cheat meal per week.  Choose wisely…For ex. Date night!

Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week.  Good Luck!!!

Did You Eat Your Veggies?

 How do you eat more while losing more weight at the same time? One of the best answers is to eat "negative-calorie" foods, meaning that these foods actually take more energy to digest than they deliver to your body. While these foods may be an important source of phytonutrients, they are not sources of fat-packing calories.

Because of their surprising lack of calories, these foods can essentially be consumed in unlimited quantities without you gaining weight (body fat). That works because your stomach senses when it is physically full, and it will trigger your brain to stop eating when you can't handle more food. You know that "I feel stuffed" feeling? That's your stomach (which has its own complex nervous system, by the way), telling your brain to tell you to stop eating.

This is why, believe it or not, the simple act of drinking a glass of water before each meal is a proven weight loss strategy. It fills your belly with water, thereby reducing the amount of space left for other foods. So your stomach gets full more quickly, triggering the "stop eating" signals in your brain.

Eating an apple before each meal also works in much the same way. This is true even though apples are not negative-calorie foods. But they are rich in water, and water takes up space in your stomach.

Below is a list of negative calorie foods...Eat up!!!

Need A Bootylicious Booty Stat!

My sisters and I are going to Vegas in June to see the one and only...Beyonce!!! I couldn't be more excited!  However, I need to get this "jelly" ready to shake at her concert, and thought I would share a fab "bootylicious" workout today!

25 squats (Add weight if you need more of a challenge, and really want to work that booty!)
10 burpees
10 reverse lunges (Per leg)
10 burpees
10 curtsy lunges (Per leg)
10 burpees
20 donkey kicks (Per leg)
Repeat 3 times

If you are a beginner, try doing one round, and then build on that as you get stronger.  Another alternative is to cut down on the reps.  For example, 15 squats, 5 burpees, 5 reverse lunges, and so on.  You can always incorporate weights into your sets too, if you feel like it's too easy.

 Here's a little music/video to have fun and motivate us ladies to get "bootylicious"! :)

Control Blood Sugar...Lose the Weight

A friend of mine shared an article with me about how our blood sugar can effect our weight loss, so I thought I would share!

 When we think about cutting back on what we eat, we tend to cut the calories, and not so much on our sugar intake.  Your blood sugar level has a direct effect on how hungry you are as well as how sluggish you may feel.  More importantly, it determines whether your body is burning fat or storing it.

Whenever you eat, your body converts the carbohydrates in your food to glucose.  The more carbs in your food (particularly refined or simple carbs), the higher your blood sugar levels.  As your blood sugar increases, your pancreas creates insulin that transports the glucose out of your blood into your cells where it will be used for energy.

The problem comes when you eat too many simple carbs.  Simple carbs break down into glucose very rapidly, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar, which triggers a massive release of insulin.  When that much insulin is released, weight loss becomes nearly impossible.  The more insulin your body produces, the more fat is stored in your body.

Your body needs carbs. Natural carbohydrate-rich foods contain important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Carbohydrates are what provide energy for your muscles, making carbs essential to support a healthy exercise routine.  When you eat too few carbs, your blood sugar drops.  As a result, you feel irritable, you crave sweets, and your energy level plummets! 

Here are four ways to help balance your blood sugar...

1)  Eat less, more often
     Eat 5-6 small meals per day.  This allows you to eat something every few hours, which helps normalize blood sugar levels rather than produce 3 large spikes. (From only having 3 meals.)  However, make sure you do not increase your calorie intake.

2)  Drink more water
      Try to drink the number of ounces equal to half of your body weight. (If you're 120 lbs., aim for 60 oz. daily.)

3)  Fill up on fiber
     Fiber helps keep cravings at bay.  Fiber also helps slow down glucose absorption, so you're less likely to have a blood sugar spike and crash.

4)  Exercise
     Exercising 45 minutes a day has been shown to have a significant blood sugar balancing effect.  With continued moderate exercise, your muscles take up glucose at almost 20 times the normal rate and insulin levels drop.

Take the challenge, cut back on your sugar intake, and I promise you'll see results and feel great!!!

No Bake Energy Bites

Great snack when your sweet tooth is kicking in!!!

1 cup oatmeal 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter) 1/3 cup honey 1 cup coconut flakes 1/2 cup ground flaxseed 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 1 tsp vanilla Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Medley

Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Medley

 

 

Ingredients:

• 15-ounce can black beans, no salt added, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (according to package directions)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh mango
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
• juice from 1 medium lemon or lime
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Directions:

Mix together the beans, quinoa, corn, bell pepper, mango, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl.

Drizzle over the mixture and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

* This was really tastety!  I combined this with some fajitas from the "Shredded Chef" cookbook, and oh my was it good!  Enjoy! 

*Recipe from Skinnytaste.com*