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Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants
But
by counting calories, obsessing over portion sizes, and struggling to curb
cravings, they’re putting way too much emphasis on the negative effects of food
rather than harnessing its powerful potential. Once you stop looking at food as
the “problem,” you can discover ways to make food work more effectively for
you.
In other words, it’s
important to shift your attitude about food. How you feel about food matters.
And
it goes without saying that what kind of food you put into your
body matters greatly.
Allow
me to introduce you to a cocktail of plant-based, whole foods that can amplify
your efforts in burning fat.
Fat-Burning Plant
Foods - The Advantage of Eating Plants
Vegetarians have an advantage
over meat-eaters in terms of weight loss, because vegan staples are packed with
fiber.
Meanwhile,
animal-based foods have zero fiber.
Dairy
products and eggs don’t contain fiber either, so vegans are even a step ahead of vegetarians in losing weight. Why should you care about fiber?
By
adding little-to-no calories, fiber keeps
the digestive tract healthy, controls the appetite, and promotes
regular bowel movements.
Not
only does a high-fiber diet enhance weight control and improve gastrointestinal functioning, but it’s
also been linked to the prevention and treatment of chronic heart disease,
reduced blood pressure, reduced risk of cancer, and blood glucose control.
Upon
review of 87 published studies, researchers reported in Nutrition Reviews that meat-free diets are highly effective for weight loss.
A
subsequent analytical study published in the International Journal of Obesity
found a strong connection between meat consumption and obesity in American adults.
And
researchers Sabaté and Wien found that diets without meat are associated with
lower BMI and lower obesity rates in both children and adults.
“Plant-based diets
are low in energy density and high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and water,
which may increase satiety and resting energy expenditure,” they wrote
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
So,
let’s take a closer look at six fat-burning plant foods that not only support weight loss, but actually burn fat in your body.
Avocado
Some
dieters shy away from avocados, because the average one contains 21
grams of fat. But just as food isn’t your enemy, fat isn’t either … at least,
not every type.
According
to the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Dietary
Guidelines, avocados are the only fruit that has
monounsaturated fat.
Which is the good fat
that lowers cholesterol. They also contain about 80 percent dietary fiber.
In
a study of 26 overweight adults, participants who ate half of an avocado
at lunch reported increased satiation, less hunger, and less desire to overeat.
Numerous
studies about monounsaturated
fats have shown that diets rich in these foods prevent fat
from accumulating around the abdomen.
Green Tea
Green
tea has been called a fat-burning elixir, because it contains polyphenols that
activate enzymes in your fat cells.
A
polyphenol known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) significantly
reduces body weight and interacts with appetite control pathways.
With
deep roots in ancient ceremonies and spiritual traditions, this tea is also
powerful enough to boost metabolism.
Because
of its thermogenic properties, green tea promotes fat oxidation, which is
the process of fatty acids breaking down and releasing energy.
Black Beans
Beans
are packed with fiber and low in calories, but black beans are among the best
for fat burning. Dark-colored beans generally have higher amounts of
phenolic compounds, which can interfere with glucose absorption and play an
important role in weight management.
A
half cup of black beans provides the body with 100 calories and 6 grams of
fiber, with no cholesterol or fat. They’re also a great source of vegan protein.
According
to a University of Colorado study, foods high in resistant starch (like
black beans) help the body burn up to 24 percent more calories throughout the
day. And since they’re low on the GI scale, black beans help the body
metabolize fatty acids instead of letting them collect and expand.
Spinach
Many
leafy green vegetables, like spinach, are low in calories and high in fiber,
which makes you feel full faster and eat less. A cup of raw spinach has
about 3.5 grams of fiber, which is significant because of its nutrient
density and the fact that it has just eight calories per serving.
Recently,
studies have been conducted using spinach extract, which is a concentrated
liquid form of the vegetable. A Swedish experiment at Lund
University studied 38 overweight women for three months and saw a 95
percent decrease in hedonic hunger and a 43 percent increase in weight loss.
Spinach
has the power to reduce cravings because it is broken down slowly and naturally
in the body, allowing the stomach to signal to the brain that it’s had enough
to eat. Unlike heavily processed foods and animal products, spinach slows the
digestion process enough to send and receive these signals.
Broccoli
Like
spinach, broccoli is loaded with fiber and calcium, nutrients that break down
fat in the body and prevent new fat from forming. Raw broccoli has four grams
of fiber per half-cup serving and only 20 calories. It’s an incredibly
filling vegetable that keeps your appetite at bay for hours after a meal.
Broccoli
is also very high in vitamin C, which is often associated with boosting the immune system, but also plays a role
in fat burning and weight loss.
Researchers
who published a healthy weight loss study in the Journal of the American
College of Nutrition wrote, “Individuals with adequate vitamin C status
oxidize 30 percent more fat during a moderate exercise bout than individuals
with low vitamin C status; thus, vitamin C-depleted individuals may be more
resistant to fat mass loss.”
Almonds
Nuts
are a well-known appetite suppressant, but almonds in particular are effective
in burning fat in the body and maximizing digestive flow. Since almonds are low
in carbohydrates, which stimulate the appetite, you can decrease your food
cravings by eating about 20-25 almonds per day.
Interestingly,
research shows that people who eat nut-rich diets excrete more fat in
their stools. Because of the way almonds and pecans store lipid granules, they
don’t readily absorb into the body as fat, but pass through the digestive
system with ease.
Diet Is Only
Part of the Equation
The
process of burning body fat is a complex one, but it ultimately starts with good nutrition and is bookended with regular
exercise.
You
have probably heard of lazy sayings like, “fitness is 70 percent diet and
30 percent training,” but it’s not useful to think of it this way. You
will be more effective if you keep it simple and adopt the mentality that
“everything matters.”
Ask
any top bodybuilder or athlete if they slacked in one area (e.g.
diet, training, rest, etc.), and they will tell you it will throw everything
off-course.
That
said, the most effective fat-burning diet plans aren’t
restrictive, but rather, inclusive of whole foods that naturally boost
your metabolism, slowly break down foods, promote digestion, and keep you feeling relatively
satisfied/full.
Action Step: Starting
today, incorporate two to three servings of these fat-burning plant foods
into your daily diet without changing anything else to your routine for four
weeks, and see if it makes a difference.
Now’s
the time to stop fighting food and start making it work for you.
For more ideas on fat-burning plant foods, watch this video - How I Lost Body Fat & Built Muscle on
a Vegan Plant Based Diet
Author
Bio:
Chris
Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.
V3
Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and
exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.
A
lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of
professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising
its progressiveness and efficiency.
The
program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your
potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this
system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any
carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in
your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of
proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead
of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and
bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian
Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for
athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
To
find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding –
Fat-Burning Plant Foods for Building Muscle and Losing Fat
