THE BEST BREAKFAST FOR WEIGHT LOSS

A huge body of research shows that a high-protein breakfast, like eggs and bacon, trumps high-carb eats such as cereal. In addition to helping you feel more full after your meal, the effects last all day long. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate a high-protein breakfast consumed fewer high-fat and high-sugar snacks in the evening compared to those who started their day with a lower-protein meal.


Another recent study found that high-protein breakfast eaters have better control over glucose and insulin levels, which can keep cravings in check and may lower your risk of developing diabetes.

Try this: 30 grams of protein at breakfast from foods such as eggs, turkey, Greek yogurt, or a smoothie, will help you feel full and avoid snacking. You could even consider eating last night’s dinner leftovers for breakfast, which tends to contain more protein than other meals.

Source : http://www.menshealth.co.uk/lose-weight/the-best-breakfast-for-weight-loss

6 REASONS WHY YOU OVEREAT

Let’s get the obvious reason you overeat out of the way: Food tastes really good. And some of it tastes really, really good. Too good to go to waste. The truth, though, is that everyone likes food, yet some people struggle to find their stopping point more than others.

We asked Men’s Health Nutrition Adviser Michael Roussell, Ph.D., to help you understand why. “Being aware of the reasons you might overeat can help you identify the behaviors that are holding you back from the results you want,” says Roussell. Use his advice so that you can fill up—without filling out.

1. You Use Food as a Reward (Too Often)

“Food is more than just calories,” says Roussell. “It’s part of your culture and your experiences, and it’s also a great reward.” And that’s all good. But it’s easy to make rewarding yourself with food a regular habit, rather than a special event.

Ever had a hard day at work and say, “I deserve a glass of wine”—and then proceed to drink the whole bottle? And have you ever done that more than once in a week?

“You need to be realistic about the caloric cost of using food as a frequent reward,” says Roussell. Start noting all the places that you allow high-calorie meals or binge-drinking to creep in because you “deserve it.” If it’s once a day, or even once every two or three days, you’ve identified a key area where you need to adjust your mindset.


2. You Frequently Say, ‘What the Hell!’

See if this sounds familiar. You eat a slice of pizza for a snack, and immediately grab another. You hesitate, but then think, ‘What the hell, I’ve already blown my diet. I might as well eat the whole thing!’ (Researchers literally call this the “what the hell effect.”)

Try to keep a logical perspective: Having an extra piece or two of pizza isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of your diet. “You can just eat a little less later in the day, or adjust your diet a little tomorrow,” says Roussell. “Just remember that there’s a big difference between eating 300 extra calories of pizza versus 1,000 or more.”

3. You’re Too Tough on Yourself

“The worst things you can do are beat yourself up when you eat junk food, orfeel bad if the scale isn’t moving,” says Roussell. “Shame can drastically damage your weight loss efforts.”

For example, in one study, University of Toronto researchers rigged scales to make dieters think they had gained 5 pounds even though the participants had actually lost weight. Those who felt greater shame about their weight gain subsequently ate more ice cream than those who weren't as bothered by their results. Wake Forest University scientists observed similar findings.

The bottom line: “If you eat too much of a food that you really didn’t want to eat, don’t beat yourself up,” says Roussell. “Vow to do better the next time and move on.”


4. You Eat Out Too Much

“Restaurants entice customers by offering bigger meals,” says Roussell. “And unfortunately, many of us are conditioned to clean our plates instead of listening to our bodies.”

Roussell's advice: “Look online for a restaurant’s nutrition information ahead of time, and determine what’s appropriate.” At some chains, you can often request a “half order.” If you’re going to a more upscale establishment, simply plan ahead strategically so that you can allocate more calories for the meal—guilt-free. 

5. You're Distracted

How often do you just eat—without watching TV, browsing Facebook, or working at your desk?

“Multitasking lessens your body’s ability to sense the amount of food you are eating and thus how full it should make you,” says Roussell. “In fact, studies show that eating while you watch a screen of any kind leads to consuming more food and a reduced ability to remember how much you ate.”

Roussell’s advice: Engage in eating as its own activity, and be mindful of what you’re putting in your mouth. British researchers discovered that those who could recall exactly what they ate for lunch downed 30 percent less than those who couldn’t. The scientists say that remembering recent eating might enhance awareness of how satiating the food was, which then has an effect on subsequent consumption.


6. You’re Really Tired

Lack of sleep and the ensuing fatigue has major implications on your ability to control overeating. Read: Being tired saps your willpower.

A 2013 study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that not getting enough sleep can cause people to eat up to 5 percent more calories per day—primarily after dinner. Fatigue also increases stress, another driver of willpower depletion.

Focus on getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to help strengthen your dietary resolve and curb overeating.

And for best results, try to keep a consistent sleep schedule, so that you aren’t as inclined to oversleep on the weekends. A recent Australian study found that people who sleep later than normal on Saturday and Sunday have greater levels of fatigue on Monday and Tuesday than those who rise at their regular time.

Source : http://www.menshealth.co.uk/lose-weight/6-reasons-why-you-overeat

7 HEALTHY SNACKS THAT WILL SUPPRESS YOUR APPETITE

Snacking, in its essence, is supposed to fill you up. Unfortunately that’s not always the case—that full stack of Pringles that you demolished may leave you wanting more.

Some foods are naturally superior when it comes to helping you eat less because of the specific nutrients they contain, the form you eat them in, or for their satisfying taste. When your stomach tells you it’s time for a snack, check out these 7 go-to bites that help you get a hold on your hunger.

1. Avocado slices on fibre crackers

This snack packs a one-two punch. First, one 2013 study in Nutrition Journal reports that overweight adults who ate half of an avocado reduced afternoon hunger by about 40 percent. The fruit contains monounsaturated fats and fibre that fill you up, the researchers suggest. Besides, those monounsaturated fatty acids also exert a favorable effect on your cholesterol, lowering “bad” LDL and increasing “good” HDL levels.

If you’re not into eating your avocado with a spoon, put slices on rye crispbread crackers. Compared to wheat bread, rye crisps reduced next-meal calorie intake by 8%, a new Swedish study found. Thank their high fibre content (3 grams for 2 crackers) for just 60 calories.


2. An apple

A simple snack is sometimes the best snack. When pitted against apple juice, eating a whole apple was best for controlling post-lunch hunger, according to Pennsylvania State University research. The researchers note that apples are a good source of fibre, solid food is more filling than liquids, and the whole fruitrequires chewing, another important factor to making you full.

3. Greek yogurt with flaxseed

You know that Greek yogurt is known for its stomach-satisfying properties because it’s rich in protein that tames hunger, but it’s also a great source of calcium. One study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published in 2013 put one group of people on a high-dairy diet (they got about 1,400 mg of calcium a day) and another on a low-dairy one (who got about 700 mg of calcium a day). Both groups lost similar amounts of weight, but the high-dairy group reported feeling more satisfied while dieting.

The dairy-filled plan may have helped increase levels of gut hormones like peptide YY that dial down appetite. Stir in one to two tablespoons of ground flaxseed.


4. Popcorn sprinkled with Parmesan

If you’re more of a flavoured crisp kinda guy, know this: research published in Nutrition Journal found that people who ate six cups of popcorn (only 100 calories) reported less hunger and were more satisfied compared to those who ate a bag of crisps (150 calories), 1 cup of popcorn (15 calories), or a water-only control condition. Popcorn is packed with whole grains—in fact, eating a bag will get you more than halfway toward your daily quota for the stuff—plus you can eat a LOT of it for few calories.

That said, there is a lot of junky trans-fat-laden popcorn on shelves. Pop it yourself or buy plain unsalted air-popped microwave popcorn. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top as your flavouring instead of butter or salt. The cheese is a source of umami—the “fifth” taste we call savory—which new research suggests is another satiety booster.

5. Whey protein shake

If you’re heading to the gym in an hour or two, grab a whey protein shake. It’s superior to casein protein in terms of keeping hunger at bay. In a 2014 Australian study, overweight and obese adults supplemented with either whey,casein, or a glucose control drink. After six and 12 weeks, the whey group benefitted from a lower appetite before meals.


6. Spiced chickpeas

People who added less than a half-cup of chickpeas to their diet for three months felt more satiated, and the legumes helped reduce intake of processed snack foods like cereals versus when they ate their regular diet, one study in the journal Appetite found.

7. Dark chocolate covered peanuts

This is for the times when all you want is a chocolate bar. A small study in Nutrition and Diabetes revealed that when men ate 3.5 ounces of 70% dark chocolate they were less hungry for sweet, fatty, or savoury foods and ate 17% fewer calories two hours later than the guys who ate milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has bigger flavour and is digested slower, say researchers.

Admittedly, that’s a lot of chocolate—and a lot of calories. That’s why combining cocoa with nuts is smart. Research in 2013 found that peanuts in particular helped lower appetite for 8 to 12 hours because of their ideal ratio of protein and fat.

Source : http://www.menshealth.co.uk/lose-weight/7-healthy-snacks-that-will-suppress-your-appetite

6 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT IN YOUR SLEEP

Bad news: getting a bad night’s sleep doesn’t just make you cranky – it can also affect your weight. As new research shows, getting less than your eight hours increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol, which negatively affects your microbes in your gut, slowing your metabolism.

Worried? Don’t be. Combat that in six simple steps. 

Lift late

Forget trading your duvet for morning gym-sessions, the best time to work out is after work. Head straight from your desk to the dumbbell rack and you can boost your metabolic rate for 16 hours, according to the International Journal of Sport Nutrition. No gym membership? No problem. Our ultimate sleep-inducing workout will spike your fat-burning until morning, guaranteeing you sleep heavier and wake up lighter.

Shake slowly

Feed your hungry muscles by trading whey for casein in your post-workout shake. This slow-release protein is gradually digested over eight hours and keeps your metabolic fires burning through the night. Maastricht University also found casein enhances protein synthesis, which helps you cut an extra 35 calories a day for every pound of new muscle gained.

Wash on cold

An icy shower does more than flush out lactic acid post-gym. A study published in PLoS ONE found that a 30 second freeze is all it takes to activate your body’s brown fat. Which, when fired up, melts up to an extra 400 calories in bed. Make sure you stick your head under; more brown fat is stored in the back of your neck and shoulders. Sorry.

Sip green

Warm up with a brew, but bin the builders. The flavonoids in green tea boost your metabolism and – if it’s your third cup of the day – you’ll burn 3.5% more calories overnight, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.And don’t worry about caffeine content; green will help keep you up for the news at 10 – not all night.

Let mercury plummet

Wrapping yourself up in a winter duvet with the radiators humming burns through little more than your gas bill. Research conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes found turning down your thermostat by 4C is enough to cut 7% more calories, as your body burns fat to maintain its core temperature. Kick off those bed socks, flip to the cool side of the pillow and catch some skinnier Zs.

Hit snooze

Burn the candle at both ends and you’re playing with fire when it comes to your weight. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found losing as little as 16 minutes sleep is enough to start your belt buckle straining. Extending your sleep reduces ghrelin and increases your leptin levels, which help to control your appetite for the rest of the day. Disclaimer: Men’s Health will not be held responsible for missed commuter trains.

Source : http://www.menshealth.co.uk/lose-weight/burn-fat/6-ways-to-lose-weight-in-your-sleep

6 NUTRITION MISTAKES YOU ALWAYS MAKE THAT KEEP YOU FAT

Start by performing triage on the six eating habits listed here. But don't try to banish them all at once. "Target just one or two behaviours at first—ones that you can make the most difference by changing," says Jennifer McDaniel, R.D., of St. Louis University.

The reason: Recent studies show that we have only so much willpower. That's why trying to break several bad habits at once can be overwhelming. But if you follow the slow and steady approach, you 'll increase your odds of sculpting a thinner, fitter physique—and keeping it for life.

1. Skipping Meals or Snacks

Not eating can mess with your body's ability to control your appetite. But it also destroys willpower, which is just as damaging. If you skip breakfast or a healthy snack, your brain doesn't have the energy to say no to the inevitable chowfest. So skipping a feed helps turn us into gluttons at night. Your starving brain "just doesn't have the fuel it needs to keep you on track, monitoring your diet."

Break it: This one's easy. Spread your calories out into three meals of about 500 calories each, and two snacks of 100 to 200 calories each, says Liz Applegate, Ph.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of California at Davis. Most men who are trying to lose weight still need at least 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day, says Applegate. More important, change your mindset, she says. Think I'm going to start a new routine, not I'm going to restrict myself. Restriction leads to overeating.

2. Speed-Eating

Use the non diet approach: You're not denying yourself food, you're just eating it more slowly. Savoring it. Allowing your body some time so you don't keep eating when you're full. In an experiment published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 17 healthy men ate 11/4 cups of ice cream. They either scoffed it in 5 minutes or took half an hour to savour it. According to study author Alexander Kokkinos, M.D., Ph.D., levels of fullness-causing hormones (called PYY and GLP-1), which signal the brain to stop eating, were higher among the 30-minute men. In real life, the scoffers wouldn't feel as full and could be moving on to another course.

Break it: Your body is trying to tell you something, so give it a chance. Slow down and enjoy your food, says Dr. Kokkinos. Put away the newspaper and turn off the TV.


3. Pigging Out on Weekends

Weekend feasts can cause trouble beyond Sunday. In a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers used rats to examine the effects of palmitic acid on leptin, a hormone that helps regulate appetite. Palmitic acid is found in saturated fat, an ingredient often featured in your favourite weekend grub.

"We found that within 3 days, the saturated fat blunts or blocks the ability of leptin to regulate food intake and body weight," says study author Deborah Clegg, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Southwestern medical center. So a Friday to Sunday of burgers, fries, and wings may prime your brain to overeat on Monday.


Break it: You don't have to go cold turkey (though turkey on whole wheat is always smart). Your reward for a healthy week should be one meal where you can eat pretty much what you want. One is enough. After all, having an all-you-can-eat weekend is like eating poorly for nearly 30% of your week. That means you'd be eating well just 70% of the time. We call that a C minus. Do you really want below-average results?

4. Gorging on Salty Snacks

Sodium is insidious—it causes us to eat unconsciously. It adds up fast: popcorn at the movies, crisps during the Breaking Bad, and pork scratchings at the bar.

Break it: Not many men can replace their favorite snacks with carrots or celery, but give them a try: The crunch may be what you crave. Otherwise, try small amounts of low-sodium chips and pretzels. As you're cooking a dish, skip the salt and, if you want, add just a dash at the table. A little goes a long way.


5. Drinking

Alcohol, that is. Here's an exercise to start tonight: Write down how much beer, wine, and other drinks you consume in a week. (Use that cocktail napkin.) You may surprise yourself. Calculate the calories and expect another surprise. A reasonable-sounding two beers a night can mean more than 2,000 calories a week—almost an extra day's worth. It can take more than 2 hours of running to burn that off. You call that a weight-loss plan?

Break it: Try quitting—for just a week. Check your weight and how your trousers fit. See if you can live on less. When you do drink, switch to lower-carb dry red wine (about 4 grams of carbohydrates compared with almost 13 in a regular beer) or low-carb beer.

6. Eating in Front of the TV, Then Dozing Off

It's a double whammy with a twist. You ingest calories while burning none, and sabotage your secret weight-loss weapon: sleep. Research confirms that people who eat in front of the tube consume more calories (nearly 300, in one study) than those who don't, and that the more TV they watch, the less active they are.

Source : http://www.menshealth.co.uk/lose-weight/6-nutrition-mistakes-you-always-make-that-keep-you-fat

The Best Slimming Foods

Banish that muffin top with our pick of the best stomach-slimming ingredients


Do you struggle with battling the bulge? Sometimes what you eat can have a huge beneficial impact on your overall health and your body.

These delicious healthy foods will make you look and feel amazing!

Quinoa


This ancient South American grain packs a healthy protein punch, making it an excellent slimming aid. Super-versatile, it can be used to bulk out soups and stews and used in place of your usual carb choice.

Cherries


Looking for a fruit that works overtime for your health? Cherries are rich in the antioxidant anthocyanins, which increase fat-fighting enzymes. Plus, these little beauties could maximise workout results by warding off post-exercise muscle pain.

Salmon


Want to wage war on wobles? Stock up on salmon when hunger hits. This oily fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which keep skin cells plump, whilst keeping you full - curbing the the urge to snack.

Garlic


Wonderful for adding flavour to food, garlic helps the liver to filter out toxins in the body. These pungent cloves are also packed with a molecule called allicin, which helps keep your immune system healthy, reducing the risk of summer sniffles.

Avocados


Packed with healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados help your body manufacture a compound called glutathione, which is needed to detoxify harmful substances. Plus, the good fat content will help to keep summer skin looking its best while filling you up - so you snack less!

Strawberries

This British summer staple is actually a slimming food. They rank low on the glycaemic index, which means they help to control the blood sugar fluctuations responsible for food cravings. Plus, they're a powerhouse of skin-perfecting vitamin C.

Eggs


Cheap and versatile, eggs are a fab source of appetite-curbing protein, making them a dieter's best bud. A 2008 study published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that eating eggs for brekkie helps to boost weight loss for those following a calorie-controlled diet.

Lemons


Lemons are like a magic wand for weight loss. They're detoxifying and help to promote proper digestion, which keeps bloating at bay. If they're not already part of your morning routine, you're missing a trick. Sipping on a mug of hot water and lemon filters away any impurities in your system, boosts the metabolism and keeps your cells hydrated so your skin glows.

Broccoli


Make dark green vegetables like broccoli a priority on your plate and the weight will fall off! Why? This green superfood helps your body to flush out everyday environmental chemicals due to its rich sulphur-containing compounds. Steam your veg instead of boiling to keep the nutrient content intact.

Nuts


Raw nuts act like a wake-up call for weight loss. Brazil nuts, almonds and cashews are all loaded with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help to speed up the slimming process to get you in swimwear-worthy shape.

Source : http://www.womensfitness.co.uk/weight-loss/1352/the-best-slimming-foods

Green Tea Weight Loss, Switch To Green Tea With All Its Great Health Benefits

Coffee is so last year. Switch to green tea with all its great health benefits and you won't look back!

When that coffee calls mid-afternoon, pick up a green tea instead. It contains levels of caffeine, although a lot less than what's found in a coffee, so it's a great way to reduce your daily intake of the hard stuff. It's also a weight loss wonder, health booster andperformance enhancer! Still not convinced? Here are seven reasons why you should be drinking green tea.

1) Boost your metabolism Drinking green tea may increase your metabolism and reduce body fat and weight – it’ll also help to keep you hydrated, which is vital for maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.

2) More benefits than your diet cola Think ‘diet’ means ‘better’? Think again. Guzzling diet versions of fizzy drinks can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in women by a huge 60 per cent, according to a new study by the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in France. It’s thought that aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in diet soda, has a similar negative effect on blood glucose to the sucrose used in ordinary soft drinks. Swap your can of diet or regular cola for a cup of green tea for a beverage with serious benefits.

3) Reduce your risk of stroke Sipping on a cup of green tea every day could slash the risk of stroke by up to a third, according to the latest large-scale study. We’ll pop the kettle on for that!

4) The fat-burner This waist-trimming tea is crammed with antioxidants called catechins and just enough caffeine to give you a buzz without leaving you wired. A study published in the journal Obesity found that EGCG, a powerful compound in the brew, helped slow down weight gain.

5) Better runs Brew up a cup of green tea for faster, longer runs. Research from Colorado State University found that the tea’s main antioxidant, EGCG, can improve your V02 max – a measure of how efficiently your body uses oxygen.

6) Memory aid Green tea doesn’t just help your heart and ward off wrinkles. A pot of the fragrant brew can also help sharpen your memory. A study by the Third Military Medical University in China found EGCG also helps to improve cognitive function by boosting the generation of neural progenitor cells. According to scientists at Newcastle University regularly drinking green tea could protect the brain against developing Alzheimers and other forms of dementia.

7) Lower blood pressure Studies have found that green tea may also help to lower blood pressure AND cholestorol.

We're also going mad for Matcha. It's like green tea's more energetic younger brother. It's a very concentrated version of green tea and is rammed with nutrients, plus it boosts concentration like no other! 

Source : http://www.womensfitness.co.uk/health/792/green-tea-weight-loss