Are you tired of trying different kinds of diets to lose weight? Tired of working out till you drop or starving yourself until all you can think of is food? Sometimes all it takes is eating the right kinds of foods in the right combination to get your body to start burning fat instead of holding on to it. All you need really then, is to eat reasonably and workout reasonably to attain your weight loss goals, (which again, need to be reasonable) with a little bit of help from a few fat-burning nutrients. Let’s take a closer look at what they are and how they can help you in your weight loss journey.
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a critical nutrient that ensures that all the cells in the body respond to the insulin produced in the body. The hormone insulin helps push glucose into the cells, so that they can use up the glucose for energy and not hoard it as fat. This is also called insulin sensitivity. The more our insulin sensitivity is, the better it is for us, and the lesser will be the amount of food that gets stored as fat. A lack of Vitamin D triggers a series of reactions in the body that result in our cells storing fat rather than releasing it to be used up. A lack of Vitamin D is also closely linked to the production of the hormone leptin, that helps let the brain know that we are full. If the production of leptin is low, we will continue to eat in spite of being full and gain unnecessary weight.
2. Calcium
Calcium is a vital nutrient that works in combination with Vitamin D to help you lose fat. Calcium is stored in the body in the fat cells, and research suggests that the more calcium a cell has, the more fat that cell will release to be used up as energy. Calcium also helps bind with the fat in the GI tract and prevents it from getting absorbed into the blood.
3. Protein
Protein helps us retain muscle mass when we lose weight. It doesn’t just keep us from feeling hungry often, but is also essential to maintain a good muscle to fat ratio. Many studies have revealed that eating protein twice a day helps you lose more weight and get stronger, as compared to being on a diet that involves less protein consumption. Proteins keep us strong and fit while we shed the unnecessary fat from the body.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish like salmon are one of the best sources of this fat. Other sources are some nuts and seeds which contain a fat that gets converted to omega-3s in our body. Omega-3 fatty acids help with weight loss by acting on the enzymes that trigger burning fat from the cells. They also improve our mood which keeps us from eating for emotional reasons. They also help improve the production of leptin in the body, a hormone that makes us feel full.
5. Conjugated Linoleic Acid
CLAs or Conjugated Linoleic Acids are very effective calorie burners and are found in dairy products. They are produced when food gets fermented in the guts of cows, and other ruminating animals. The CLA thus created then travels to the meat and milk of these animals. When we consume food rich in CLAs, it promotes the glucose from the food we eat, to enter the cells so that it can be used up for energy and not get stored as fat. CLAs also aid in burning of fat in muscles, which is where we lose most of our weight from.
6. Polyphenols
Green tea contains polyphenols that help boost metabolism. In fact, research has it that polyphenols can help boost metabolism up to 17%. This helps the body burn fat. When you drink green tea, you can feel your body heating up as your cells burn fat and release it as heat, making green tea a great drink for winters. The polyphenols in green tea also help reduce cravings and hunger to a great degree.
