Why Almonds Can Help You Lose Weight Faster

Almonds are among the healthiest foods known to man. They also happen to be one of the few "perfect" weight loss/fitness foods, simply because they're loaded with healthy fat, fiber, and complex carbs, not to mention vitamins and minerals. When it comes to healthy snacks, it's tough to beat almonds!

Here's a great article about using almonds in place of carb-rich foods for faster, healthier weight loss...

Almonds Vs Carbohydrates For Weight Loss

By Craig Ballantyne, author of Turbulence Training

Did you know that almonds can help you lose weight? Did you know that even though they are high in fat, almonds are better than complex carbohydrates like oatmeal?

Recently someone asked over at Men's Health, "what are the worst forms of starchy carbohydrates?"

Well, starches are just plant stores of carbohydrates...ie) potatoes, yams, vegetables, etc.

Obviously, potatoes are more calorie dense than broccoli, so if you want to lose fat, it is better to fill up on the leafy greens than the mashed potatoes.

I've found that with myself and with clients, that when we eliminate bread, pasta, and rice, and limit carbohydrate intake to vegetables, fruits, and nuts, that we lose belly fat faster.

Combined with interval training, getting rid of bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes just helps us lose fat faster. Instead of eating those types of carbohydrates, we focus on fruits and vegetables, and nuts such as almonds and pecans.

It's that simple.

In fact, science even backs me up.

In a study published in 2003, researchers found that subjects lost more weight when consuming almonds compared to complex carbohydrates.

Reference: Wien MA, Sabaté JM, Iklé DN, Cole SE, Kandeel FR. Almonds vs complex carbohydrates in a weight reduction program. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Nov;27(11):1365-72

Since then, I've been recommending raw almonds to all of my clients and millions of people that read my articles on the Internet and in Men's Health magazine.

But some folks still have a hard time eating almonds. Too boring, they say.

So here are 4 ways to add extra enjoyment to your almonds. Of course, make sure your almond intake fits into your daily calorie needs.

a) Snack on dry roasted, unsalted almonds. Roasted are always tastier, but be careful and only use the dry-roasted variety, not almonds roasted in oil. You can even roast your own at home, by simply putting almonds on a baking sheet in your oven at 350 for about 10 minutes.

(By the way, there are 22 almonds in a one ounce serving.)

b) Add raw cocoa nibs. There's nothing like the combination of chocolate and nuts. Now, I'll admit, this combo doesn't beat a peanut butter cup, but it's still a great way to get more antioxidants (from the cocoa) and adds an interesting taste to your almonds.

c) Add Goji berries. This is an acquired taste, but these dried berries from Asia are full of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. A tasty zing to add to your almonds.

d) Mix blueberries with your almonds. Perfect for this time of year. (And if you've got a few calories to spare, pour a little organic whipping cream over top of the mixture. Now that's a great post-workout snack!)

Personally, I'll be packing a bag of dry roasted almonds on Thursday as I take off for a couple of days to Bethesda, Maryland for a meeting. Perfect for the airport, the airplane, and even at breakfast in the hotel. Almonds beat carbohydrates for fat burning, and make for good snacking!


------------------
About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked program Turbulence Training for Fat Loss has helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. Turbulence Training for Fat Loss workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

Tags: almonds, healthy snacks, lose fat, weight loss food, diet

The Best Way to Lose Stomach Fat Fast

Summer's coming and many people want to get rid of their extra stomach fat as quickly as possible. No matter how fit you are, having an extra layer of ugly fat hanging off your hips and belly just doesn't look very good... especially when you're in a bikini or swimming shorts!

Most people, in their rush to reduce stomach fat, go to extremes by doing thousands of crunches, performing "marathon" aerobic exercise workouts, following crash diets, and/or taking one of the thousands of "fat burning" diet pills being sold all over the place.

Unfortunately, using these kinds of techniques is a recipe for fitness failure!

Sure, you may lose some weight using the above methods, but you're not going to lose much stomach fat and your body really isn't going to look (or feel!) very good in the end. Worse, there's a good chance you'll end up losing vital muscle tissue, slowing down your metabolism significantly, and possibly even damaging your health.

The best way to lose stomach fat fast is to combine 3 of the most effective techniques for burning calories, building muscle, and forcing your body to pump out those "power" hormones that can change the way your body looks very quickly. These techniques include:

1. Full-body strength training involving multi-joint exercises done in "supersets"
2. Interval cardio training
3. A high-protein, low "starchy" carb diet
   

These are the only techniques proven to boost the metabolism, burn fat, and change the composition of the body (fat-to-muscle ratio) in a relatively short amount of time. The combination of all 3, done on a consistent basis, is an almost surefire solution for getting that stubborn belly fat off of your body quickly!

By the way, although it's true that it's difficult to "spot reduce" and lose fat from one specific part of the body, there is evidence that interval training can burn off fat stored around the midsection faster than other forms of exercise. So forget about all the "ab" training and get going on a good interval-based cardio program!

To learn everything you need to know about eliminating your ugly belly fat for good, be sure to take a look at the Turbulence Training program. It is highly recommended!

Tags: lose stomach fat fast, belly fat, interval training, healthy weight loss, Turbulence Training

7 Easy Ways to Lose 10 Pounds (Fast!)

Swimsuit season is coming soon and many of us need to lose 10 pounds of flab fast. Losing body fat doesn't have to be as difficult as many people make it. Here are 7 proven ways to lose 10 pounds in a fast, healthy, and easy way...

1. Boost your protein intake. Lean protein is a "hot burning" food that requires lots of energy to digest. It also happens to increase feelings of fullness and help suppress the appetite. Oh, and the amino acids contained in protein foods are the building blocks of metabolism-boosting muscle tissue.

Bottom line: Eat more protein (get at least 30% of your daily calories from protein).

2. Cut out "bad" calories. Limit or eliminate your intake of processed, refined sugars, flours, and fats. Refined (man made) sugars, flours, and fats keep you from losing body fat. The less you eat them the faster and easier it will be to lose pounds. The same goes for fried foods.

3. Eat breakfast. Yes, you've heard it before. But there's a reason for that. Eating a high-protein breakfast with some healthy fats and "good" carbs included is one of the easiest ways to jump-start your metabolism, keep your energy and blood sugar levels stable, and reduce your chances of overeating later in the day.

4. Snack... a lot. Eating small, healthy, protein-rich snacks frequently throughout the day is easy to do and can speed up the weight loss process quite a bit. Keep your metabolism boosted, your blood sugar stable, and your appetite in check by eating a healthy snack every 2-3 hours during the day.

5. Use fiber to fight fat. You can use the power of fiber-rich foods to make it easier to eat right for fat loss. Before every meal eat a small salad or a serving of fresh veggies and/or fruit. The natural fiber in these healthy foods will fill you up a little bit, reduce your appetite, and make it much, much easier to make smart food decisions.

6. Choose good carbs. Eating the right kinds of carbohydrate foods is a key to fast, easy weight loss. Get most of your carbohydrates from raw or steamed vegetables, fresh fruits, and beans. Limit grain intake to 1 or 2 servings per day, and always choose 100% whole grain versions. These natural, healthy carbs will help you lose pounds faster.

7. Get intense. Add some higher-intensity "intervals" to your normal workouts and you could burn off that extra fat much faster. Studies have shown that performing a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout makes your body burn fat and calories for hours even after you've finished working out!


Learn more:

Words of wisdom about losing 10 pounds
How to Lose Pounds Fast

Tags: lose pounds, fast weight loss, fat loss