Devan Kline is a local 25 year old fitness professional ~ C.P.T. (certified personal trainer) and F.N.S. (fitness nutrition specialist) ~ who has helped helped a multitude of area women change their lives through his rapidly growing studios Burn Bootcamp, and thousands more around the nation through his Online Training for Busy Moms – MamaBurst.com. You can sign up for his emails and read more about Devan and his wealth of fitness & nutritional info at his website, www.devanklinefitness.com.
This week Devan talks to us about the top 10 foods to eat and the ones to avoid when you are trying to lose weight and stay fit.
10 Best Foods to Eat
1. Raw Almonds
Not only does this serve as a great on-the-go snack, but this protein packed nut is loaded with Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds will give you energy with its magnesium component, help build and maintain muscle and regulate blood sugar. *Avoid salted or roasted almonds due to sodium content.
Serving Size per day: Stick to a handful (23 almonds) or 2 tablespoons of Raw Almond Butter
2. Apples
Apples have so many health benefits including weight control. Apples are a great source of fiber and made up of 85% water to help you keep that full feeling *Red Delicious & Granny Smith are best!
Serving Size: An apple a day keeps the belly fat away 😉
3. Avocado
This healthy fat fruit is not only packed with nutrients, but it has anti-inflammatory properties and keeps that blood sugar in check throughout the day! Add avocado to any salad, use as a spread to your lunch wraps, or top you eggs with it!
Serving Size: Depending on the size, you will want to keep your intake around 1/2 avocado a day (about 4oz)
4. Soy Beans
Soy helps build muscle and burn fat. This source of protein regulates digestion, regulated blood pressure, and keeps your blood sugar in check. Since genetically modified (GM) soybeans have reached 90% market penetration in the United States select organically grown soy products to avoid GMO. Shaklee 180 Protein contains Non-GMO soy and is a great source of liquid protein to re-fuel those muscles after a workout.
Serving Size: 1/2 cups soybeans a day, or 1-2 protein shakes depending on your goals.
5. Egg Whites
Full of protein, low in calories, and one of the best absorbed type of protein. Egg whites will help you recover from your workouts, build lean muscle, and reach your fitness goals! Egg whites are great for omelets, smoothies, protein pancakes/muffins, and quick meals on the go!
Serving Size: Depending on your caloric needs, 1 cup of egg whites yields 26grams of protein and only 133 calories!
6. Quinoa
This super-grain is another great source of protein, with a complete 9 essential amino acid profile. High in fiber to promote healthy digestion, and keep you full which decreasing appetite. This food is great as a replacement of pasta, in salads, stuffed peppers (replacing rice), or just served cold with some olive oil and spices!
Serving Size: 1 cup a day
7. Grapefruit
High in enzymes, helping you burn off that fat, Grapefruit is high in water and low in sodium to speed up your metabolism and flush excess water weight.
Serving Size: Try eating 1 grapefruit a day and see the inches come off!
8. Plain Greek Yogurt
All yogurts are excellent sources of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. What distinguishes Greek yogurt is its thicker, creamier texture because the liquid whey is strained out. Also, it contains probiotic cultures and is lower in lactose and has twice the protein content of regular yogurts.Be sure to select the plain and add your own fruit to it. Most pre-packaged yogurts with fruit in them are loaded with unwanted sugar.
Serving Size: 6-8oz a day with 1/2 cup fresh berries
9. Salmon
Full of Omega 3 fatty acids, boosts metabolism so body burn fat faster and more efficient. Stay away from farm raised fish and choose wild-caught salmon.
Serving Size: 4-5oz for your source of protein
10. Water
Last but certainly not least, WATER! This is your best tool to fight body fat. Drinking an extra 2 glasses a day will boost your metabolism by 30%! Drinking water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning will purify your colon, helping you absorb nutrients throughout the day.
Serving Size: 1/2 your body weight in ounces
And the Foods to Avoid
1. Salty Foods– the high sodium content will cause your body to retain more water and bloat. Stick to under 2,000mg of sodium a day
2. Soda– Diet, Regular, Grape, Orange, you name it…STAY AWAY! Soda is empty calories that aid in weight gain and is high in sugar. Stick to your water and mix it up by infusing your H2O with a lemon!
3. Sugar (Both Refined & Artificial)-Â Sugar is bad for us for many reasons, but just to name a few, it suppresses the immune system, promotes inflammation, raises insulin levels, and serves as empty calories in our diet. The World Health Organization recommends we only consume 10% of our daily calories in sugar (about 50 grams). We recommend swapping out your sugar in baked goods with a natural plant based sweetener such as Stevia or Raw Honey.
4. Refined Carbs–Â White Flour, Boxed Cereal, Cookies, Cake, Chips, canned Fruits, and mostly anything with added sugar is a refined carb. It is best to stay away from these foods because they have been stripped of fiber and act as a simple carb to the body, which causes a spike in blood sugar followed by a crash. Don’t be afraid of carbs, just be sure they are complex carbs that digest slower and are used as energy such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, fruit, veggies, and natural sugars.
5. Alcohol
Sorry to break it to you, ladies! That glass of wine at dinner each night could be the cause of your unwanted belly fat. Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods we consume because our body recognizes it as a toxin. When your body draws all its attention to that glass of wine you are consuming with dinner, your body will not have the capacity to break down your food properly, therefore, converting those calories as fat. Stick to 1-2 glasses per week!
