5 Surprising Foods To Help You Lose Weight

It may surprise you to know you don't have to nibble on celery sticks or carrots to get that metabolism going to burn calories to lose weight.  Many foods are thought to be fattening, when in fact they actually can help your body burn fat so you can slim down faster.  There are good reasons to re-think some of the “forbidden” foods when deciding what foods to choose for your diet.  Let's take a look at a few of these much aligned foods to set the record straight.

1. Almonds

Who would have thought that this small nut would have such a significant impact on weight loss? A Purdue University study showed that when compared to eating rice cakes, people who ate a handful of almonds felt fuller longer. Surprisingly, almonds are loaded with fat, but it's good fat. It's the kind of fat that your brain and body needs to function. Enjoy about 16 to 20 almonds every day to satisfy your hunger without overloading on calories. 

2. Olive Oil

A healthy intake of fats can help you lose weight. How? By controlling hunger. Fats make you feel full. Monounsaturated fats are a good choice because you will keep cholesterol under control while satisfying your cravings, and olive oil fits the bill. Eliminating fats from your diet to lose weight has been a dieting standard for many years, but certain fats are essential to a healthy diet.  This concept is surprising to many long-term dieters.  But, in these modern times, science has proven that oils, the right oil, provides nutrition that your body needs as well as weight loss benefits.

3. Peanut Butter

Who would have guessed that a kid-friendly food could be diet friendly, too? Peanut butter is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. Just keep an eye on portion size because peanut butter can have a lot of fat and even sugar.  Limit yourself to no more than two tablespoons a day and be sure to pick a natural peanut butter so you avoid the added sugars.

4. Parmigiano- Reggiano Cheese

Another on the list of unexpected foods to help slim you down is a particular favorite of most foodies. This low-calorie, calcium-rich treat activates the body's fat-burning hormones, say University of Wisconsin researchers. This cheese also has a higher protein content compared to other dairy products. Consider adding this powerhouse of flavor to roasted vegetables for that little extra boost.

5. Animal Fats

We've been told for so long that you have to eliminate animal fat from your diet to lose weight, that it's hard to wrap your head around this one, right?  But, new research has proven that animal fat provides some nutritional value you need and may be a better choice than other forms of fat in some cases.  Not only does fat in your food make you feel full, but certain animal fat may provide your body with some missing elements.  Even the much dreaded lard has been making a dietary come back.  Your body needs vitamin D to feel good and to function.  Interestingly, foods that provide vitamin D, all of which are animal foods, tend to be high in cholesterol.  What does this have to do with weight loss?  If you are not getting enough vitamin D, you will not be active.  Your bones and muscles are going to suffer, keeping you sedentary, which is a disaster when trying to lose weight.  So, animal fats in moderation should be on your weight loss radar.

Through the years, there have been diet gurus who have pitched some pretty far-fetched ideas about weight loss.  Usually, it comes down to moderation.  Avoiding certain foods entirely, even the foods that “sound” fattening, may not be the best way to lose weight and keep it off.  It's confusing, I know.  But, give it some thought and decide for yourself which weight loss theories make sense to you.

For more good advice you can go to How Can I Lose Fat 

 

The Truth About Mothers And Their Daughters Resemblance On BMI Charts

You may be wondering whether mothers and their daughters' resemblance on BMI is a sure thing?  It's easy to assume that a daughter might take after her mother's eating habits and have a similar BMI as her mother, for many reasons.  But they might not be the reasons you'd think.  But first, let's make it clear what BMI is.

BMI or body mass index is nothing more than the measure of a person's weight in relation to her height.  A person's weight in kilograms is divided by a person's height in meters, squared (which is simply a person's height times itself—if I'm 1.5 meters tall, I would take 1.5 times 1.5).  The resulting number is her BMI.  A normal BMI is anything from 18.5 to 24.5, and 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, with anything above that considered obese.  A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight.  BMI is a good general measurement for most people, although very muscular people usually measure as overweight or obese because BMI doesn't distinguish between muscle weight and fat weight.

So, back to mothers and their daughters' resemblance on BMI, does it guarantee that a daughter will be overweight if her mother has a high BMI?  Will a normal weight mother raise a normal weight daughter?  Will the daughter be underweight if the mother is too skinny?  While nothing is certain 100% of the time, there are some factors that push those answers more toward a yes than a no.

Genetics do play a part in a person's tendency toward staying thin or gaining weight.  Hereditary factors like body type are impossible to change.  Tendency toward a slow metabolism can be boosted by exercise, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, but genetics will help determine how easy or difficult keeping a high metabolism may be for a daughter. 

The environment is a huge factor.  When a mother is overweight, for example, and she generally cooks for the family, the family eat what she eats to a large degree.  So it's easy to see why mothers and their daughters' resemblance on BMI is often very similar.  Living with a person, especially someone with the influence a mother has on a daughter, also tends to shape a person's attitudes.  So if the mother is very active, eats healthy and stays physically fit, it's more likely than a child, especially a daughter, will do the same.  Conversely, a mother who is overweight, rarely gets exercise and doesn't seem overly concerned with weight loss or health is likely to bring up her daughter with the same outlook.  In both cases, it's no surprise that their BMIs might be similar.

So not only do the attitudes about food and fitness filter down from mothers to daughters, the type of food eaten, and even the amount of food eaten, can filter down, too. Mothers and their daughters' resemblance on BMI charts is no coincidence, and only shows the need for families to be aware of their health and fitness even when children are small.