Back in the fall I ran across an article in a magazine. It stated that if you loaded high antioxidant foods in each meal that you would rapidly lose body fat. It gave a week of sample menus. I looked it over and it looked yummy to me. I was so excited because it included foods that were healthy but also foods that I actually enjoy eating.
I have worked consistantly since 2005 to eat a healthier diet. I give a lot of credit to a lady that worked in the nutrition department in Whole Foods Market. I went in there 3 to 4 times a week as it was one of my accounts that I serviced each week. I learned so much from her about healthy eating but the science behind it. That is what made it so interesting. Each week I look forward to seeing her and had a list of quetions to ask. She is the one that shared information about your body and PH balance. If your PH levels are too high you are open for sickness and disease.
Getting back to fat loss and antioxidants..... I decided to try the menu suggestions for one week that I saw in that article. It actually worked. I would go back to school each day and report to my classmates on my results. I had a few things here and there that were not on the list. I remember one evening I forgot about it and ate a piece of candy before I even realized. It really isn't a diet but a new way of eating and a healthy one. I lost right at 9 to 10 pounds in one week. I had gotten into a rut for the last semester of cosmetology school and had eaten a lot of foods that I don't normally eat. I noticed a difference in my clothing and my tummy from eating foods with hydronated oils and lots of other unhealthy foods that I hadn't been eating.
Below you will find the foods that I ate that week:
Breakfast:
1 cup greek yogurt ( I purchased trader Joe's plain) I added stevia, vanilla, honey to each serving)
1 handful of frozen blueberries ( mixed berries are fine)
a few crushed walnuts
Lunch
1 whole wheat wrap ( I have found this at most grocery stores)
a small portion of pre-cooked chicken that I had cooked in olive oil
a small portion of roasted veggies (onion, spinach, peppers, garlic)
( I made a large batch of both roasted veggies & chicken for the week. I did assemble the wrap each morning to take for lunch) I found that making them ahead was not working for me because the wrap became soggy)
Dinner
1 3 oz. sirloin steak or grilled salmon (the size of the palm of my hand)
1 baked sweet potatoe with cinnamon & stevia
Greens (usually more roasted spinach & onion drizzled in a little olive oil)
1 glass of red wine after dinner ( it was on the list of snacks and two snacks were allowed each day) or unsweetened red grape juice
Green tea with stevia and lemon ( any time during the day)
Snacks ( 1 serving)
nuts 4 or 5
2 pieces of Dark chocolate
yogurt (low fat sugar free)
low fat sugar free pudding ( I did cheat and buy some of the packaged pudding for convenience when I was in school but will not do this now due to health reasons. The whole purpose of doing this in 2012 is to be healthy so I will make my own homemade pudding and put it in glass containers for storage for my prepared snacks)
This is all that I can remember of that article but the items listed on the above menu are the foods I selected from the menu in the article. I have researched loads of information every chance I can get and have complied some information that I have placed below. I found this from various sites but can't remember the sites because I put the information in a file for my own personal use. I have decided to share it on my blog.
Please take a look at the information. I invite you to share information with me and other blog readers on my blog as well. I have made a pledge to share as much knowledge and information with others in 2012 that I possibly can.
Fruits:
Bananas, berries—especially blueberries—papaya, plums, pomegranate, red grapes,
tomatoes and tomato sauce I like to keep a supply of frozen berries that I purchase at the market. I love frozen blueberries. I also like adding frozen bananas and pineapple in my smoothies.
Veggies:
Artichokes, avocado, Brussels sprouts, carrots, onions,sweet potatoes
Dark Chocolate
Green & Black tea
Nuts: Hazelnuts, walnuts and many other types of nuts are good for weight loss. I like to put crushed walnuts on top of my yogurt. I also like to sprinkle a little of Trader Joe's honey almond crunch cereal on top with a drizzle of real honey. I don't stir because I love the crunchy sweetness on top! Yummy!
Highest Antioxidants Foods:
Artichokes are also super-high on the ORAC scale—7,900 points— and they contain
phytochemicals that may lower cholesterol levels.
Lemon water (I like to make up batches of this ahead of time so that it is chilled and ready for future use. Another tip is that I like to infuse other fruits in my water. Get creative and make a batch of berry water as well to quinch your sweet tooth. I love cucmber infused water and mint infused water as well. It is so refreshing in the summer.
I just put a handful of mulled berries in a large glass jar of water and shake) Lemon peel contains pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown to help with weight loss. Add an ounce of lemon juice and some zest to each of your eight daily glasses of
water (which will help you feel fuller), and you'll add 3,200 ORAC points.
Red grapefruit - I read that one study found that people who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds over a 12 week perioud. The red variety have more of the cancer-protecting antioxidant lycopene. Half a grape-fruit has 1,900 ORAC points.
Tips For Natural Weight Loss with a High Antioxidant Low Fat Diet
Start by recording your weight and waist measurements
Try doing this same day every week. One study reported that older people looked younger and
that their wrinkles became less and less noticeable eating a high antioxidant diet.
Keep a Journal of food eaten and water intake as well as your feelings and
emotions. Record your weight and waist measurements before you start and record your weight and
measurements each week.
You should consume 100,000 Orac (antioxidant value) per day of antioxidants for weight loss. Studies have shown that you must eat 50,000 ORAC a day to open the gateway to lose weight
Eat 60 grams of protein per day spread out over the course of the day.
Exercise ( I saw a routine on Dr. Oz that I may try)
track calories via a journal or food app on your phone
Women typically need to consume 1200 calories a day, & men around 1500 calories a day.
You can eat unlimited amounts of green veggetables without adding them to your
calorie count, but you must count the calories for root vegetables.
Try to remove soft drinks including the diet variety.I am going to strive to only have them occasionally and pray that I can cut out the craving all together as I did back in 2009. I went almost 6 months without them.
Drink the right amount of water to help you reach your goal weight.
Take your goal weight in pounds, divide it by two. drink 10 - 8 oz glasses of water
each day. The more water you drink the more weight you will lose. I have read that it is wise to drink water when you first wake up. That is easy for me because I am so dehydrated.
This helps to detoxify the body as well as hydration and the Orac.
Increase your fiber intake
Eat a minimum of three pieces of the best chocolate 4 your health each day
but don't forget to add in those calories. Each piece of chocolate has the ORAC listed
on the wrapper. Count the ORAC count the carlories and the ORAC
Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If you get less sleep your body releases cortosol, which increases fat.
High Antioxidant foods:
Figs ~ slow the aging process.
Eating a handful of dried figs increases the amount of antioxidants in your blood for
four hours, much longer than many other foods. Two small figs have about 2,700 ORAC
points.
Red bell peppers ~ The unique combination of large amounts of vitamins A, C, and E make red bell peppers
a skin superfood. Half a cup adds 600 ORAC points.
Watermelon
Certain antioxidants have been shown to fight cancer, boost immunity, and keep bones
strong.
Beans are loaded with phytochemicals (including saponins, protease inhibitors, and
phytic acid), which may protect cells from damage that potentially causes cancer,
reports the American Institute for Cancer Research. Half a cup has 7,800 ORAC points
Prunes
These wrinkly little dried fruits are rich in vitamin K and a top source of the
mineral boron, and we need both for strong bones. A three-prune serving gives you
1,900 ORAC points.
Cherries
Young women tend to be oblivious to heart disease, but that attitude itself is a big
risk. How you eat today helps predict how healthy your heart will be 30 years from
now.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that the anthocyanins in dark
cherries reduce belly fat and lower cholesterol and blood sugar; one serving packs
3,500 ORAC points.
Dark chocolate
Rich in flavonoids, chocolate is believed to promote heart health by reducing platelet
activation, affecting the relaxation capabilities of blood vessels. One ounce of dark
chocolate has 5,900 ORAC points.
Blueberries
The neural pathways in our brains are growing and improving all the time. Eat the
right foods and you'll be able to concentrate better, remember more, and feel calmer.
Blueberries may improve memory, cognition, and balance. Researchers believe that
blueberries (9,700 ORAC points per one-cup serving) reduce inflammation and can help
us overcome the normal effects of brain aging.
Cinnamon
Researchers believe that cinnamon may inhibit certain Alzheimer's disease cells. One
teaspoon of cinnamon adds 7,000 ORAC points.
Plums
These juicy treats decrease anxiety-related behaviors, and researchers think they may
protect against depression. One plum adds 4,100 ORAC points to a meal.
Other Top Antioxidant Foods
Artichokes
grapes
burdock (an herb)
spinach
broccoli
carrots
tomatoes
turmeric (an herb)
bilberries
green tea
garlic
ginkgo biloba (an herb)
apples
cantaloupe
kale
artichoke
basil
beans
beets
Brussels sprouts
gogi berries
guavas
leafy vegetables
olive oil
oranges
peppers
plums
pomegranates
sweet potatoes
tangerines
wheat germ
Foods that help you burn fat
1) A
whey protein powder that uses an advanced, patented, peptide technology that
actually targets fat and helps you to burn it off. I have blogged about this over a year ago on my blog with recipes for my smoothies and a link to my sources on line for the best organic prices. You can search my blog for the recipes.
(By adding this powder almost 75% of the weight loss was
fat. )
2)
Marine foods: Salmon, trout, tuna, oysters, herring and other wild fish
This lycopene-rich fruit provides 33 percent more protection against sunburn than
other fruits. (You still have to wear sunscreen though!) One cup of this diced melon
has 200 ORAC points
3:
Beans
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Antioxidants and Body Fat loss
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