How to Successfully Add Fat-Burning Foods to Your Diet

About the Author

Abby Campbell, BSc, SFN, SSN, CPT, is a leading professional fitness and nutrition expert, researcher, and published author of One Size Does NOT Fit All Diet Plan, one of Amazon's Top Gluten-Free and Weight Loss Diets. (You may read more about Abby at the bottom of this article.)

Who doesn't want to boost their metabolism to burn fat and especially reduce belly fat? Eating clean and natural foods is definitely the key to reaching your weight loss goals, but do you know which of those foods can really turn your body into a fat fighting machine? By incorporating certain fat burning foods that are also strong anti-inflammatory foods will result in body and belly fat loss faster. Try incorporating the following 5 foods to reduce belly fat.

This wonderful fat burning food may be included a couple of times per week. Following are some preparation ideas for salmon:

• Scrambled with eggs
• Grilled and topped with tomato or peach salsa
  
• Baked with butter or olive oil (you may even add sliced veggies on top while cooking)
• Stir-fry with veggies in olive oil
• Fried salmon cakes in olive oil

Not only high in protein, salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Now don't be scared about this fat. The old diet fad that "fat is bad" is a myth. In fact, Omega-3 is an essential fat that your body needs to keep your body and brain healthy. It also wards of inflammation which may cause disease. In numerous scientific studies, it has been shown to ward Alzheimer's, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and depression. Those are only a few of the diseases and disorders that this amazing nutrient has treated. It also fights the fat-controlling hormone, leptin. That's right! Omega-3s will fight your body fat and boost your metabolism.

Salmon will also boost your energy due to its high nutrient value. In one small three ounce serving, you will receive a boost of energy due to its high B vitamin content. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, you will receive 33 percent of B6 and 45 percent of B12. Both B6 and B12 are beneficial for healthy brain function, strong immunity, and normal nerve function. They are both very beneficial in metabolism function as they help your body to digest and assimilate proteins and carbohydrates. Salmon also is inundated with 44 percent Selenium which is very beneficial to your immune system. It is also crucial for thyroid health which is important for body fat loss.

Did you know?

• One cup of cooked kale contains 354% vitamin A and 1,328% vitamin K.

• One cup of cooked spinach contains 66% folate, 24% calcium, 36% iron, 24% potassium, 39% magnesium, and 84% manganese. It is also similar to kale in vitamin A and K content.

• One cooked stalk of broccoli contains 303% vitamin C, 494% vitamin K, 76% folate, 23% potassium, and 27% manganese.

• One half cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains 84% vitamin C and 137% vitamin K.

Oh, the dreaded veggies! Don't like vegetables? Then you either haven't tried enough of them or haven't found the right preparation methods. If you don't like a particular vegetable, then find another one to try. Before you give up though, try to jazz it up with some spices or healthy marinades. Sometimes, cooking them with other foods also help with taste. Greens like spinach, kale, collards, broccoli, and Brussels srouts are important for your health as they are chocked full of nutrients that are good for the body and help reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses. They also balance out your pH level, providing an alkaline environment which keeps disease at bay by flushing out the toxins and waste.

Greens are also what you call a "negative" calorie food. Not only are they filled with beneficial nutrients, they boost your metabolism. You reap great rewards by eating greens as the calories they contain are burned off during digestion and assimilation. This great news affords you to eat to your heart's content when it comes to greens. Just be careful with the add-ons such as butters, oils, and sauces you may add to them.

Blueberries are not only a powerhouse of nutrients and antioxidants. They will supercharge your body to lose belly fat. Science even shows that you can reap the belly busting benefits of blueberries on a not-so-clean diet. Now that's power!

Include one half to one cup in your diet a few times per week. Below are some fun ways you can make a quick meal or snack by combining blueberries with a protein and dietary fat source:

• low-fat cottage cheese mixed with blueberries and walnuts
• plain Greek yogurt mixed with blueberries and pecans
• chocolate protein pudding mixed with blueberries and Chia seeds
• protein pancakes topped with blueberries (optional: add zero calorie syrup made with Splenda)

To your right is a video for a yummy and simple recipe for protein pancakes with added blueberries.

Not only does oatmeal taste great, it can help boost your metabolism. Because it is a low-glycemic carbohydrate that is high in fiber, oatmeal will incinerate belly fat. This fat burning food is also good for lowering bad cholesterol levels. When eating oatmeal, make sure you balance the meal with a protein and essential fat. Throwing in some chocolate protein powder can really sweeten up your entrée or make a great treat.

Though nuts are naturally high in calories and dietary fat, including the right ones in your diet will help you burn belly fat. With any nuts (or food for that matter), you want to make sure that your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio is low. A 6:1 ratio or less is recommended, and the lower the better. Though Omega-6 is an essential nutrient for your body, too much of it can wreak havoc on your body causing inflammation and disease. Make sure you eat it in the right balance with Omega-3. Walnuts are the best nuts when it comes to Omega-6 and Omega-3 balance. Walnuts fall within the best range for all nuts at 4:1 with Macadamia next at 6:1. You may even try chia seeds or flaxseeds in place of nuts as they have very beneficial ratios at 1:3-4. Just remember that you don't need much for its fat burning ability. They are still high in calories. Try to stick to a handful (just enough in the palm of your hands).

By adding in these five fat burning foods, you will see your abdominal region improve. The added benefit is that you will also feel better, have more energy, and lessen your risk for inflammatory diseases (i.e., cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis).

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Abby Campbell, BSc, SFN, SSN, CPT, is a leading professional fitness and nutrition expert, researcher, and published author. For the past 10 years, she has coached thousands of women locally and online to lose body fat and lead healthy lifestyles. Her clients have lost thousands of pounds, reclaimed health, and call her “Coach No Gimmick.” She is from Northern Virginia but now resides near Charlotte, North Carolina. Abby has been married for 20 years and has three grown daughters, one of which is autistic. She is a 19 year cancer survivor.