Burn Fat With The Lean Dozen

7. Lowfat dairy

This covers a whole category that includes, cheese, milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Make sure they are labeled fat-free, skim, or 1% lowfat. Avoid whole milk dairy products since they are high in fat; even 2% low fat milk is 37.5% fat by calories!

Dairy products also have high quality, complete proteins that can be a substitute for meats.

8. Fresh Fruit

Fruits are simple carbohydrates that are low in calories, low in carbohydrates -compared to starches - and high in fiber. Apples, peaches, grapefruits, and oranges, have only 70 calories apiece - sometimes less. Rank green fibrous carbohydrates ahead of fruit in your diet because eating too many of them can load you up with sugar. Use fruit as your new dessert to burn the fat.

Don’t eat canned fruit since it is often packed in syrup which is loaded with processed sugar.

9. Egg whites

Eggs whites are a super-high quality protein with zero fat. Whole eggs, on the other hand, have a high fat content. But since 100% of the fat is in the yolk, you can eat egg whites with confidence. You don’t have to throw out all your yolks, but it is best to limit them to one egg yolk for every six whites. You can also eat more eggs since your getting rid of the yolks.

10. Fish and shellfish

Salmon, trout, tuna, flounder, mackerel, snapper, sea bass, mahi mahi, perch, sole, halibut, herring cod and catfish are all excellent high quality proteins and most are low in fat. Some fish like salmon, herring and other oily fish are high in fat, but they are also high in Omega 3 fatty acids which make up for it.

Shellfish are also great but watch it with the drawn butter!

As for the mercury content, it’s pretty low in most fish. The younger the fish, the less time it has to concentrate mercury in its tissues. Tuna now normally comes from the smaller varieties – large tuna are used in sushi - so it tends to be low in mercury.

11. Chicken Breast and Turkey Breast

Chicken and turkey probably the most popular protein sources in programs to burn the fat. Be sure to remove the fatty skin and choose white meat found in the breast over the thighs which are higher in fat and calories. Obviously, your poultry should be broiled, grilled, or roasted and not fried. Adios KFC!

Lunch meats – even the ones based on chicken and turkey - are loaded with salt, preservatives, binders, fillers and other nasty chemicals that you don’t want in your body – avoid them at all costs to burn the fat.

12. Lean red meat

Red meat is high in protein, vitamin B12, iron and creatine. The problem with most tasty cuts of red meat is the high fat content: prime rib, hamburgers, porterhouse, New York strip – all these cuts are marbled with fat. Unfortunately, the taste comes from the fat, so you have to get inventive with your spices and marinades to enjoy a nice round steak. Choose the leanest cuts possible and keep portion sizes small – 4oz. to 6oz.

Remember: moderation is the key. If you mostly eat the above foods and exercise regularly, you can even have a free day to eat what you want. You’d be surprised though - after you start seeing the results of your new diet, you won’t want to slow your progress with a “fat holiday”.

Got a favorite of you own to add to the list? A suggestion? A question? Drop us an email – we’d love to hear form you!

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