Burn Fat With The Lean Dozen

Sometimes it’s helpful to know the best fat burning foods. If we can just eat more of the good things and avoid the really bad things, we can burn fat and not have to nit pick so much.

Generally, we know to avoid saturated fats, simple carbohydrates and refined sugars, but which are the best for effective fat burning? Read on: you’ll be surprised.

Note that these foods by themselves do NOT burn fat, but eaten as part of a comprehensive program of diet and exercise can contribute greatly to fat loss.

1. Oatmeal

If you had to choose one complex, starchy carbohydrate for a fat burning program, oats would be it! Why? Oatmeal has an excellent balance of carbohydrates, protein and non-saturated fat.

One cup contains 6 grams of fat, 54 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of high quality protein. The presence of protein and fat makes oatmeal a very slowly released carbohydrate – just what you need to burn fat.

Use natural oats - either old-fashioned or quick oats. Do NOT use the pre-sweetened and flavored oatmeal packets – they have a ton of sugar. Oatmeal is delicious with cinnamon, raisins, or crushed walnuts. Go easy on the raisins, though – they have a high calorie count. Also good - just not as well known - are barley, rye, wheat, oat bran or any combination of the above.

2. Green vegetables: broccoli, green beans, asparagus, and lettuce

Don’t forget fibrous carbohydrates for fat burning. Green vegetables or fibrous carbohydrates are so low in calories it’s virtually impossible to overeat. Eat them often and eat them late in the day. Avoid oils, butters, dressings and the like or they can turn into a fat bonanza. Olive oil, vinegar a nd lemon make great dressings - full of favor and healthy fat burning qualities.

3. Yams

Tasty, low in calories and packed with nutrients, yams are a favorite carbohydrate among bodybuilders and fitness geeks alike. Experts say, “Bodybuilders use yams to burn fat because they have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index or GI describes carbohydrates according to their effect on blood glucose levels.

Choosing low GI carbohydrates that produce smaller fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels reduces long-term health risks from heart disease and diabetes and is one key to sustainable weight loss.

Sweet potatoes are also a good substitute, although they have a slightly higher GI. To tell them apart, look for the yam’s darker color, more irregular shape and pointer ends.

4. Brown Rice

A complex carbohydrate, this vegetarian staple is a great fat burner. The best are slow-cooked brown rice or basmati rice. Pre-cooked, white rice is fine in an emergency, but the instant rice has a GI like a simple carbohydrate. White rice, especially the sweet variety that’s served in Chinese and Japanese restaurants - including sushi – is to be avoided.

5. 100% whole wheat and whole grain products

A good diet should contain a wide variety of whole grain bread products. “Whole grain” means they must be made from 100% whole grains: The label must say, “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain” as the first ingredient.

White bread and anything made out of white flour is not recommended for fat burning. Bye-bye croissants, doughnuts, rolls, dumplings and French bread.

For the particularly gluten or carbohydrate sensitive, any bread – even whole wheat – needs to be eliminated from your fat burning program.

6. Potatoes

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap lately, but new evidence shows this food staple is important ammunition to have in your fat burning arsenal. Potatoes are a complex carbohydrate that contains fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are also filling and low in calories.

People have avoided them in the past for two reasons: They were seen as a “bad” carbohydrate with a high GI and while the potato itself is low in fat, the toppings are deadly to your fat burning program. Butter, sour cream, bacon bits – they make a good food into a fat bomb. Combine potatoes with low fat meats to reduce the overall GI of the meal and choose slower starch releasing Russets over the waxy kind.

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