Friday, December 14, 2012

10 Foods for Flat Abs

I'm in the mood for a bit of healthy eating.  We are absolutely inundated with junk food around the holidays and I refuse to add any more weight than I already have!  This is My Journey post #9.  It should really be called "How to Lose 5 Pounds in 5 Days."  
Seriously...I've already lost 5 pounds!!!  
Check out my meal plan at the bottom.
I love Fuji Apples!
I found "The 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs" at Fitness Magazine so I thought I'd share.  Many of the items below were mentions in 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss Part 1 and Part 2.

Almonds
These delicious and versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They're also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar.

Eggs
You won't find a more perfect protein source. Eggs are highly respected by dietitians because of their balance of essential amino acids (protein building blocks used by your body to manufacture everything from muscle fibers to brain chemicals). 

Soy
Soybeans are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, and protein. Plus, they're incredibly versatile. Snack on dry-roasted soybeans, toss shelled edamame into soups, and slip a spoonful of silken tofu into your morning smoothie.

Apples
A 2003 study in the journal Nutrition found that overweight women who consumed three apples or pears a day for three months lost more weight than their counterparts who were fed a similar diet with oat cookies instead of fruits.

Berries
Most are loaded with fiber, every dieter's best friend. The more fiber you eat -- experts say that it's best to get between 25 and 35 grams every day -- the fewer calories you absorb from all the other stuff you put in your mouth. That's because fiber traps food particles and shuttles them out of your system before they're fully digested.

Leafy Greens
Their cancer-preventing carotenoids won't help shrink your waistline, but their low calorie count definitely will. One cup of spinach contains only about 40 calories, while a cup of broccoli has 55 calories and satisfies 20 percent of your day's fiber requirement.

Yogurt
People who get their calcium from yogurt rather than from other sources may lose more weight around their midsection, according to a recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The probiotic bacteria in most yogurts help keep your digestive system healthy, which translates into a lower incidence of gas, bloating, and constipation, which can keep your tummy looking flat.

Veggie Soup
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that people who ate broth-based (or low-fat cream-based) soups two times a day were more successful in losing weight than those who ate the same amount of calories in snack food.

Salmon
Seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. These uber-healthy fats may help promote fat burning by making your metabolism more efficient, according to Kleiner.

Quinoa
Never heard of it? Pronounced KEEN-wah, this whole grain contains 5 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein per half cup. Cook it as you would any other grain (although some brands require rinsing). Quinoa's nutty flavor and crunchy-yet-chewy texture are like a cross between whole wheat couscous and short-grain brown rice.

Are you inspired yet?  Remember, just because it's the "Holiday Season" does not mean it's okay to go overboard on the sweets and junk food.  I worked hard to stay in shape all year and I'm not gowing to blow it now! 

Here's a recap from Mary's Kitchen.  
This has been my typical day of food.

Wake-up: 1 large glass of water with lemon or lime juice.
Breakfast: Oatmeal with a spoonful of honey and a cup of black coffee with honey.
Water!
Snack: Carrot Sticks and/or celery sticks. 1 cup of Slim Tea.
Water!
Lunch: Scrambled eggs (no cheese for now)
Water!
Snack: Protein Shake
**Let me be more specific**  
I use Standard Process SP Complete.  It is a natural, whole food product and is available non-dairy.  I also add veggies to the shake.
No chemicals and non-gmo.

Dinner: Salad with homemade dressing and another protein shake.

Water is key.  I drink about 10- 8 ounce glasses a day.  Sometimes more when I workout.  After dinner I've been drinking a cup of Everyday Detox tea but I might switch that to the morning.   I love the slim tea and it's natural. 
Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach
 I'm also growing quite a bit a my own veggies in the garden.  This past year I harvested Eggplant, Basil, Swiss Chard, German Giant Radish, Orange and Red Tomatoes, Carrots, Beets, Peppers, Dill and Calendula all from my little patch out in the yard.  

It's an amazing feeling preparing a meal using veggies from the garden.  Check out Mary's Heirloom Seeds for a unique selection of healthy, non-gmo, organic heirloom seeds.

17 comments:

Unknown said...

HI, Stopping by from Everyday Harvest blog hop.....
love your healthy eating, we all need to be more inspired to stay healthy.
tiffani
www.tiffanigoff.com

Anonymous said...

found you from the aloha blog hop :)

i eat everything you posted regularly although i can't seem to find baby kale in my grocery store so i have to eat it with a bunch of other greens (which is ok with me). i've been interested in making kale chips too!

i love that you're on a weight loss journey. i started mine last january and still going strong. keep it up!!

Unknown said...

Hello! I just found your beautiful blog at "Harvest of friends bloghop". Looking forwardr to follow you !

Have a great weekend <3

Maria

http://discoveringranchlife.blogspot.com
http://bakethebestbread.blogspot.com

Kelly ~ Our Everyday Harvest said...

I love lemon water, plus it is known to speed metabolism! A big plus!! :-)

I also love my coffee, just wish I could enjoy it black. I've tried, but can't live without my cream and sweetener.

So happy to have you link up at this week’s Harvest of Friends Weekend Blog Hop!

Have a great weekend!

Jenn said...

New follower from from the Follow Who? Blog Hop. You have a beautiful blog, glad I found you!

Happy weekend,

¤´¨)
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·`¤... Jennifer
http://jennsrandomscraps.blogspot.ca
http://pinterest.com/jennp6

Emily said...

Wow, nice job on the weight loss! I'm still nursing, so I'm not really wanting to diet - but these are some great ideas for cleaning up what I eat. :)

New follower via Aloha Affair! Great to meet you!

Emily
ohthatemily.com

AngieOuellette-Tower said...

Wonderful article - thanks so much for sharing on my blog hop!
Angie
godsgrowinggarden.com

Unknown said...

Great tips! I've lost all of my baby weight, but still battling baby belly. Arg. I'll have to incorporate more of these into my diet. Thanks!

I'd love if you shared this at my Show & Tell party. http://www.gingerlymade.com/2012/12/show-tell-5.html

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for the tips. I just THIS morning got on the scale and hit my pre-second baby weight! It only took 18 months. I eat almonds, and apples everyday. Thanks so much for sharing on super Sweet Saturday.
Steph
swtboutique.com

Linda Richardson said...

great tips! I'd add steelcut oats :-) and I love growing our own veges too! visiting from Weekend Blog walk
www.brightwingsofsummer.blogspot.com.au

mail4rosey said...

I love quinoa! We had a lemon spinach one recently that was just delicious!

Visiting today from Super Sunday Sync.

Nikki said...

Ugh I need to get back on the healthy food wagon ASAP! I always fail this time of the year. :) Thanks for the inspo to get to it! I have a giveaway running right now & would love for you to enter it! Found you via the Aloha Friday Blog Hop!
xoxo,
Nikki at www.bedazzlesafterdark.com

Enter my GIVEAWAY for $100 right now!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing this mary! I'm going to start my exercise routine again tomorrow and I'm always looking for healthier things to eat.
I'm a new follower via the Super Sunday Sync. :)

www.thislifesbeautifulmoments.com

Rosilind Jukic said...

Wow - I love this. I'm stopping by from Clever Chicks and I'm pinning this post so I can refer back to it. Thank you for the valuable information! Blessings from Croatia: A Little R & R: www.littlerandr.org

Unknown said...

Good for you. 5 pounds is awesome. Thanks so much for linking your list to the Our Favorite Things Link Party. I'm excited that many of the foods you listed are my favorites.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Healthy Snacks to Lose Weight

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