Eating Vegetables is Your Secret Weapon to Losing Belly and Back Fat

Eat Vegetables for Weight Loss

Every backyard gardener knows the power of a vegetable. Many people who grow their own vegetables know the positive feeling of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Home grown vegetables just taste better too.

We all know somewhere in the back of our minds that we should be incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our daily diet. Plant based foods are exactly what the doctors order. 

Fruits and vegetables are medicinal and can be used for various specific purposes as like preventing disease and illness, use as sun screen, made into skin and cosmetics products, are the perfect source for vitamins and minerals etc.

But did you that there are specific fruits and vegetables that’ll keep unwanted pounds at bay? There are vegetables that will help you lose weight effortlessly. Dieting, losing weight and managing weight loss can be easy if you eat particular fruits and vegetables weekly if not daily.

How It Works

Vegetable incorporated into a diet promotes rapid weight loss by filling you with low calorie and high fiber options. The goal is to reach nine servings of fruit and vegetables daily within a week or two, with five from the vegetable group and four from the fruit group.

Over the week you gradually replace the food you normally eat with the fruit and vegetable options. You continue to eat the nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily until the desired weight loss is achieved.

Almost all nutritionists and physicians promote fruits and vegetables for antioxidants, vitamin and mineral packed to keep our bodies healthy, shiny, firm and pretty.

Imagine a dinner plate sitting in front of you. Your plate should be 1/2 full of vegetables and the remaining ¼ should be a protein and ¼ starches.

Doctors will tell you that you can fill your tummy every day and all day long as long as those vegetables aren't creamed with butters or milk products, topped with cheese and sauces or made with a lot of sugar or fats. Don’t way them down with what you’re trying to get rid of yourself.

Vegetable will feed your body the nutrients it needs to work properly. You’re less likely to binge eat or crave more food If you eat the right amount of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from vegetables.

  

List of vegetables

Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables that are promoted by health practitioners. Don’t worry about counting calories and fat grams as long as most of the vegetables are being prepared with common sense. Vegetables can actually turn into natural fat burners or metabolism boosters as well as a nuclear reactor for your immune system.

Remember that many vegetables can be grown indoors even during Winter months. Radish, lettuce, beets and lettuce are easy to grow indoors. Plus, beets make lovely houseplants.

Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious. Most frozen vegetables are flash frozen within hours after being picked.  

Beans Sprouts

These refer to sprouting from mung beans, alfalfa, lentils, chickpeas and soy beans. Sprouting actually helps to turn the starches, oils and other nutrients in beans to vitamins, enzymes and other forms of proteins, minerals and sugars. A single helping of fresh sprouted mung beans contains about 3/4 of the daily requirement of vitamin C. Sprouting increases the vitamin B present in beans, including thiamin, folate, B6 and biotin and produces less intestinal wind when consumed. Being low in calories, packed with vitamins and cheap in prices, they're affordable vegetables that help lose weight.

Broccoli – Belly Fat Buster
Many vegetables carry a lot of fiber which helps you feel full and satisfied when combined with a bit of protein. I highly recommend broccoli  because, of its high nutritional value .Broccoli rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, contains some protein, all-important B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, chromium and calcium etc.

You'll lose weight with broccoli when it stops you from eating more food. It gives your body exactly what it needs and so, it’s you’re not going to get those annoying cravings for more food that won’t go away.

You'll also gain health with its antioxidant properties and anti-carcinogenic powers. Broccoli no matter what dish you put it in or eat it steamed or raw is a must- have ingredient in your weight loss diet.

Carrots
Offer you vitamin A, iron and fiber.

Celery
An 8-inch stalk of celery contains approximately 6 calories. But the mere act of digesting this stalk burns more than 6 calories, resulting in a calorie deficit. In other words, you'll use up more calories from your energy reserve (fat stores and glycogen) to break down celery, achieving weight loss. Not only that, celery provides a good source of vitamin C and fiber (as in Kelp), and fiber is one key ingredient to help you detox and lose weight more effectively. It contains a unique oil that helps to relax your muscles, thereby improving blood flow and regulating blood pressure. It's especially good for you if you're having hypertension.

  

Corn
Yale Studies are showing that a daily serving of corn can actually reduce belly fat. Sure corn has sugar in it but, there's also enzymes and particular starches at a cellular level that aid in losing body fat. Google it.

Don't confuse high fructose corn syrup with corn on the cop. Skip the butter and salt too. For centuries people have been eating corn and have had thin frames. 

Chives
This vegetable is rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, glucose, protein, vitamin A & C, carotene and fiber. It stimulates the digestive tract and prevents constipation by moving along unwanted nutrients, including fats to be passed out of the body.

Collard Greens
Collard greens are packed with proteins and amino acids, and have a low glycemic index. Some of the minerals and nutrients found in collard greens include thiamin, niacin, potassium, vitamins like A, C, E, K, riboflavin, B6, folate, calcium, and manganese. Similarly, leeks are good alternatives to onions and are used in fish pie with carrots and other vegetables.

Cucumber
Cucumber contains sterols which have the ability to lower cholesterol and prevent carbohydrates from converting to fats. Filling yet low in calories, it's a great food for weight loss. It helps in digestion and has a cleansing effect on your bowel too.

Kelp
How does kelp help you lose weight? Besides being low in cholesterol, kelp is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, calcium and minerals such as iodine.

Iodine in kelp helps your thyroid to function properly. It stimulates a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that's responsible for boosting metabolism, so you'll burn more calories. If your weight gain is related to thyroid disorder, kelp can help you lose weight. It has also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. However, too much iodine can have a negative effect on your thyroid. Therefore, moderate consumption is the key to losing weight with kelp.

Lettuce 
They're loaded with fiber and almost zero calories. They are the backbone to any salad or food wrap. Skip the bread and use lettuce instead.

Mushroom
90% of a mushroom is water but, they are a useful source of vitamin B and fiber.  Mushrooms help you lose weight by reducing high levels of blood lipids (or "triglyceride") and bad cholesterol, while increasing the good cholesterol or HDL. Mushrooms are being studies for their cancer fighting effects.

Onions and Leeks
Loaded with flavor an help control cravings as well as satisfaction. Onions are great for respiratory system as well.

Potatoes
They’re high in vitamins C, potassium and iron. They’re also a good source of fiber. They’re best cooked in their skins.

Pulses
Dried peas, beans and lentils all contain protein though they do not contain the ideal amounts of amino acids necessary for growth and maintaining healthy muscle tissue and organs. Soy beans are the exception as they contain a wholesome balance of amino acids. They also carry unsaturated fat that metabolizes your cholesterol and body fat, preventing fat buildup and thus, helping you to lose weight.

Peas alone loaded with vitamins A, B and C, Protein, Iron and enough fiber for the entire day.

Peppers
Rich source of vitamin C. One contains a full 5 day's supply.

Radish
As radish is rich in vitamin C but low in calories, fats and stimulates metabolism, it's popular as a snack. However, eating too much radish is very "cooling" for the body, especially if you already have a "cool" constitution, defined in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) terms. This means that your immunity to cold and cough could be affected, especially during winter. Thus, eat them in moderation.

Spinach
Spinach carries lots of fiber which helps you stay full longer and reduce the overall number of calories that you consume each day. Low-calorie intake is essential for weight loss. You can also benefit from its rich content of vitamin K and calcium which help to prevent or treat osteoporosis and the loss of bone density.

Tomatoes: A good source of both vitamins A and C and of dietary fiber.

Winter Melon
Winter melon has the ability to break down and flush out excess fat and water (your weight gain may be caused by water retention sometimes) from your body. It's also a wonderful constipation inhibitor. Frequent consumption of it will help to detoxify your system and trim up your shape.

Smart ways to prepare vegetables

Mix up your vegetables. Eat a variety and color for the best results. Don’t just live off of kale or celery.

Spicy vegetables as like pepper varieties in raw, steamed, baked, fried or even dried will help you lose weight quicker. Spicy peppers like cayenne are proven to boost  your metabolism by 25% even if you sprinkle it dry into beverages or incorporate into dishes.

Juicing is a wonderful way to incorporate fiber and vegetables into your daily diet. Juicing has been around for many years. I remember seeing old video of Jack LaLanne (exercise fitness) juicing back in the 1950's. 

  

Preparing Vegetables

Now that you've got your ingredients, here are a few quick and easy ways to prepare these amazing zero-calorie foods:

1. Steaming
Steaming is a great way to cook vegetables with delicate flavors and still retain all the nutrients that boiling them may diminish. Steam some green beans, asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower, and add a squeeze of lemon and unprocessed salt (full spectrum salt like Himalayan pink salt has tremendous health benefits; see below). If you want to add an Eastern flare to your dish, try steaming some broccoli and adding a bit of white pepper, diced ginger, and garlic.

2. Grilling
Summer squash, zucchini, or asparagus grilled with a light coating of butter or extra virgin olive oil make an excellent addition to any cookout. Or, if you’re cooking in, just throw them on an indoor electric grill for a great rainy day meal.

3. Make a Salad for Goodness Sake!

When was the last time you actually ate a salad? Any of the vegetables listed above can be combined to make the perfect salad. Just throw them together and you have a power-packed lunch with plenty of necessary nutrients. Mix leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, carrots, and red bell pepper, and instead of a commercial dressing like ranch or thousand island, add some olive oil (which contains healthy fats), unprocessed salt, and black pepper or chili pepper, which is great for circulation and digestion. You can also add some natural sweetness with diced up apricots, strawberries, apples, or any of the other delicious fruits on the list above.

Drawbacks

As good as they are, fruits and vegetables are not as satisfying as carbohydrate or protein rich meals. Your body will extract the nutrients and digest vegetables quicker than fatty proteins because they're loaded with fiber that's made to move through your body. 

You may feel hungry within an hour or two of eating a vegetable and fruit only meal, which makes it more tempting to binge on forbidden foods.

Move, Exercise, Don’t Sit, Stretch, Dance, Walk, Garden, Play, Run.. .

Remember, food is energy no matter if it’s a ding dongs or a vegetable. By eating more vegetables you’re feeding your body a good fuel that will enable it to burn the stored fat. Eating more vegetables is like adding a fuel and injector cleaner to your gas tank. 

Runnersworld.com has a really good article on other foods that are known to bust your gut and lose that difficult belly. Remember.. no pain, no gain. Daily moderate exercise is your friend. 

Be sure to use Google.com as a resource in researching beneficial vegetables. There's plenty of free recipes and lists of yummy vegetables that will kick start your weight loss plan.