Shedding Pounds - The Wonders of Coconut Oil

Saturated fats have been in health bad books for the past 60 years.  Health care officials confirm that oils and foods containing saturated fats are hazardous to our health causing ailments such as elevated cholesterol, obesity, Alzheimer's and heart disease. However even with this knowledge, over the past 60 years the American levels of these ailments have hit the roof particularly compared to modern day primitive societies using saturated fat as a dietary staple. Rates of obesity and the desperate need Americans have for shedding pounds and embracing a more healthy lifestyle have also hit the roof. 

In multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60% of their caloric intake from saturated fats have shown close to non-existent cardiovascular health issues. This is because the saturated fat substance they use is naturally made as opposed to man made.  So what is the oil they use?  Coconut oil. 

So let us learn today what the health officials and the media are not telling us.  The reality is that not all saturated fats are created equal.  Some SF's are created naturally such as in coconut oil.  However others are created through a process called hydrogenation.  This man made process manipulates the vegetable and seed oils by adding hydrogen atoms when the oil is heated.  This produces a rancid, thick oil that is purely beneficial only for processed food shelf life.  It is these type of oils that need to be avoided.

Many oils out there that have been rendered as "healthy" and "heart friendly" are actually not, as they are still being man made through hydrogenation.

Coconut Oil Facts

A dentist named Weston Price traveled through the South Pacific in the 1930's.  His aim was to examine traditional caloric intake and the effect it had on dental and overall health.  His findings were that those consuming foods and drinks high in coconut products were health and trim and certainly not looking for help in shedding pounds.

 Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

- Promotes weight loss when needed
- Promotes heart health
- Promotes a healthy metabolism
- Promotes a healthy immune system
- An instant energy source
- Promotes healthy skin
- Promotes thyroid gland health

So now your thinking, "How is this possible? Is there some sort of special ingredient in coconut oil?"  The answer is, yes there is!


The Undisclosed Ingredient in Coconut Oil

Lauric Acid is a fat that is rarely found in nature.  Dr. Mercola shared with his readers the importance this acid has on health.  He refers to lauric Acid as a "Miracle" ingredient because of it's amazing health promoting properties.  50 percent of the fat content found in coconut oil is lauric acid. 

The body converts lauric acid in monolaurin. This has an anti-viral, anti-protozoa, and anti-bacterial properties.  Monolaurin can destroy lipid coated viruses such as;

- HIV herpes
- Influenza
 - Various pathogenic bateria
- Measles
- Protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any substance on earth!

But there is more that coconut oil has to offer.  It is 2/3 medium chain fatty acids or triglycerides (MCT's) and these also have major health promoting qualities. Now don't get confused because common vegetable and seed oils house long -chain fatty acids, which have poor health promoting qualities. Let's make a comparison.

Long Chain Fatty Acids

- Are difficult for the body to break down requiring special enzymes for digestion.
- Put more strain on the pancreas, liver and the whole of the digestive system
- Are largely stored in the body as fat (obviously if you are battling the need of shedding pounds, this is working against your efforts).
- Forms as cholesterol in the arteries

Medium Chain Fatty Acids

- Are smaller and pass through membranes smoothly.
- Digest easily putting less strain on the digestive system
- Sent directly to the liver and are immediately converted into energy rather than fat.
- Help stimulate the metabolism, leading to the shedding of pounds.
- Helps fight diabetes.  Coconut oil and simple carbohydrates share the ability to make quick energy but they differ in one important way.  Coconut oil does not generate an insulin kick into the blood stream. 

Shedding Pounds with Coconut Oil

People living in the US have close to a 70 percent chance of being overweight.  We all know by now how being overweight affects the quality of life and can bring on an array of health issues.  So how does this healthy oil help in shedding pounds and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

- It helps stimulate your metabolism.
- It increases the activity of the thyroid.  (A sluggish thyroid is one of the reasons some people cannot lose weight no matter how hard they try).
- MFA's help enhance physical and athletic performance.

And, besides shedding pounds, other advantages to boosting the metabolism is that it increases cell generation to replace old cells.  It also enables the immune system to function better.

Naturally saturated fats and medium chain fats found in coconut oil are so health powerful that coconut oil is used in a variety of ways to promote good health in problem situations. Used in baby formulas and for feeding the critically ill in hospitals, coconut oil is the chosen product.  It is even used by health practitioners to treat aluminum poisoning and to assist those with digestive problems.  It's exceptional qualities make it useful to pregnant women and the elderly for various different reasons.   A truly healthy eating plan to assist in shedding pounds will always have recipes using coconut oil as a cooking agent.  Whether you are looking at shedding pounds or improving your overall health, embrace the use of coconut oil when cooking - it's a kitchen and healthy living must have.

Learn how coconut oil functions as an anti-aging skin care tool.

Shedding Fat - #1 Dine Out Food to Avoid

One my most favorite past times is to dine out.  I have my top 5 restaurants that I frequent often, as well as my top 5 favorite dishes each of them serves.  Dining out however can be hard on the diet, whether you are dieting for weight loss or following a healthy eating plan. Let's face it dining out and shedding fat are not usually hand in hand.  However, you can still eat out and follow your diet plan as long as you keep these things in mind when you place your order.

The number one thing to avoid at all costs when dining out is:

THE SAUCES

Harmful, bad fats along with large amounts of sugar are found in most sauces served at restaurants.

These sauces would include:

• Dressings on salads
• Cream sauces for pastas
• Sugar/butter mixture vegetables are drenched in.  This is a shame because when a health/diet conscious person orders vegetables it is for a reason and that reason is totally blasted into pieces due to the way the vegetables are prepared.
• Starchy/high fat content sauces used for stir fries
• Cream/butter/sugar sauces served on top of meats or fish

Here are some better choices of sauces that don't work so much against your efforts of shedding fat and unwanted weight.

• Use oil/vinegar for salad dressings
• Ask for low-fat tomato sauce to have with pasta.
• For stir fries, request they prepare your meal with chicken broth.  Use low calorie or light soy sauce to get the Asian flavor.
• Ask for steam veggies with a side of butter.  This way you can control the amount of fat going on to your vegetables.
• For protein sources, omit the sauces for seasonings

When it comes to shedding fat, losing weight, or following a healthy eating plan, remember the next time you dine out to avoid the sauces.  You’ll save yourself a tremendous amount of calories and fat without sacrificing volume. 

Shedding Fat - Fat Burning Skinny Foods

It's no longer a secret that shedding fat and unwanted weight gain requires non other than a healthy eating plan and regular exercise.  Not only does this method help you in shedding fat, but it's also the way to go for a continuous healthy lifestyle and eating regime.  Plus once you conquer this way of eating and living you will find that putting weight back on is a thing of the past.

Sharing with you today, I will tell you what major fat burning skinny foods will assist you in your efforts of shedding fat.  You might be surprised that these foods are also pretty much liked by most people, easy to incorporate into your eating plan, and also hold other nutritional benefits toward health and wellness.

Just about everyone I know and talk to about shedding fat and healthy eating has the same of several problems in which they struggle with.  One of those struggles is nightly munching. Whether it be at the computer, watching a movie or doing a favorite hobby - everyone, including me, wants and likes to munch in  the evenings. 

It's a good idea to have a wide selection of fat burning skinny foods on hand for nightly munching because it's the food your munching on that is important not the fact that your munching at night.  Finding variety is also a common stumper, so here is some fat burning skinny foods to add to your evening munch menu.

Cherries 

My favorite fat burning skinny food to munch on at night is cherries and here's why.

First off, we are aware by now that one of the best tips for successful fat burning weight loss, and healthy eating is to chew food at least 15-20 times before you swallow.  This allows the brain to sense fullness, and the pallet to taste the food for a longer period of time, thus increasing enjoyment of the food. Using this tip when you eat will alleviate the problem of feeling too full after you eat, as well as give you a more satisfied feeling because your pallet has fully enjoyed the taste of the food. Think of it as savoring every bite.

Cherries is perfect for this. It isn't possible to put several cherries in your mouth at one time because of the pits. Instead, one must take a bite of the cherry, remove the pit and then proceed with eating the other half.

The second reason cherries is my preferred night time munch food is that they have the lowest glycemic index of all fruits, and one of the lowest glycemic indexes of any carbohydrate source.  This means you can even snack on cherries in the evening without much detriment because their effect on insulin is minimal.

Add more variety to your nightly munching menu and go for cherries as one of your fat burning skinny foods.

If you are not buying organic cherries, then be sure to wash them well in vinegar and water to remove as much residue and pesticides as possible.

Cinnamon

You are either already aware of this spice for fat burning or you are a little surprised and quite happy because who doesn't like a little cinnamon right?!

Of course you know that no spice or anything else is going to miraculously burn all your fat, but cinnamon is definitely a fat burning skinny food to use as an assistance toward your efforts in weight loss and healthy eating. 

"Add cinnamon to your meal plan", says Isabel De Los Rios, and here's why.

First, catch up on a few facts about cinnamon and what recent studies show this spice is good for - aside from shedding fat.

Aside from those facts, recently several studies have found that individuals who regularly use cinnamon were better able to control their blood sugar levels throughout the day (diabetics and non diabetics alike). These same individuals also experienced a decrease in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. With high insulin levels being one of the biggest contributors to fat gain, it is beneficial for blood sugar levels to be controlled throughout the day, which further controls insulin levels.

So how much of this fat burning skinny food do you need to consume in order to encompass it's positive effects?

Of course the drug companies have jumped on board by offering cinnamon pills with the hopes that people will buy them and add them to their daily vitamin supplement intake.  But let's get serious, is it really necessary for anyone to go out and buy this particular supplement of cinnamon on a regular basis? Isn't it more cost effective, and by far better to use the purest natural  form of any food? Of course! If possible one should always adhere to a foods natural form and avoid supplements.  Natural is always best, and the proof of this has been made quite clear over the years.

It only takes 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day to improve insulin levels and blood sugar control. So, one certainly does not need a supplement for that!

A few ideas to encompass 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in your daily eating plan.

1. Add cinnamon to the grinds of your morning coffee.
2. Add ½ tsp of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick to boiling water along with 1 black tea bag.
3. Add cinnamon to your morning hot cereal.
4. Flavor homemade applesauce with cinnamon to taste.
5. Cinnamon Toast.
6. Spice up your chicken. Combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt, along with cinnamon to use as a spice rub.
7. Cinnamon Toothpicks.

Use this fat burning skinny food to spice up your drinks, meals, insulin level, and blood sugar, and accelerate your bodies ability to shed fat.

One of the more popular areas of the body in which many people are battling the bulge is the stomach.  With compliments of weight loss coach Josh Bezoni, here are some fat burning skinny foods to help with stomach fat.

Avocados

Loaded with two key nutrients to burning stomach fat.  One is hunger crushing fiber (11 10 17 grams per avocado), and the other is monounsaturated fats which "spot reduces" belly fat.

Seeds and nuts

Pistachios, walnuts, almonds (or almond butter), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds,
and flax seeds are the best of the bunch.  They keep you full and satisfied for long periods of time, and they’re stuffed with healthy, stomach fat burning minerals.

Oil (Healthy oils)

Olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, and brand names such as Udo's and Barlean's actually aid in burning fat. 

Specific Vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale and cabbage all hold phytonutrients, such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which help to fight against environmental estrogens that can add stomach fat.

 
Eggs
Eggs are not bad for you! They’re nutrient-dense and loaded with fat burning proteins such as vitamins B6, B12, A, D, E, and K, folate, choline, lutein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc,
and omega-3 fatty acids. They also keep you full for long periods of time. Choose eggs
that come from free-range chickens to get more healthy nutrients.

Dark Chocolate
Eight times more than strawberries, dark chocolate is loaded with positive fat burning stimulants such as theobromine and caffeine.  Included in this is oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat).  Select dark chocolate with a 78% or higher cocoa content for best results.

Oatmeal
Packed with fiber and whole-grain goodness, you can’t go wrong. Avoid the processed high-sugar junk and stick to slow-cook oats. 


Green Tea
This I am sure you already know but I can't leave it out, as it is too powerful an entity.  Aside from a  highly potent antioxidant, Green Tea is linked to increased fat burning by boosting the daytime metabolism.  Green tea has recently joined the pet wellness world for it's properties of  L-theanine, which is an amino acid that offers a tranquilizing effect without drowsiness - highly suitable for pets suffering from pet anxiety or situations causing anxiety. Green Tea for Pet Anxiety

Beans
Black beans, navy beans, re-fried beans, and Lima beans all have 6 or more grams
of fiber per ½ cup. Fiber can clean your system of pounds of “toxic waste” and reduce
your stomach fat in a big way. 

Berries
Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are loaded with fiber (which slows
sugar absorption), and they’re packed with vitamins that can fight cravings, which can come from vitamin deficiencies.


Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains a type of antioxidant that increases insulin sensitivity and effectively helps to stabilize blood sugar which can help to store less stomach fat.

Chili pepper
The active ingredient in chili peppers and powder is called capsaicin, which increases calorie burning, is a potent antioxidant, and stabilizes blood sugar levels, which decreases fat storage.

Greek Yogurt
Most regular yogurt is loaded with stomach bulging sugar.  However Greek yogurt is packed with probiotics that fight against stomach bulge.  It also tastes better, is smoother in the mouth and has other properties that the body loves and needs.


Wild Salmon
No contest here that salmon is by far one of the best far burning skinny foods.  You get double for your money with salmon because of it's protein and high omaga 3 fatty acid content it heavily aids in shedding fat.




Turkey meat
White turkey meat or any lean protein source is a powerful tool for shedding fat.  This includes, free range chicken, whey protein powders, and grass fed beef, which contains natural CLA which is a fat in which studies have shown to burn fat.  Something about protein you may not know is that it will burn off 30% of the bodies calories after it is consumed.

Shedding fat is no easy process, however thanks to all the recent knowledge and hard working fitness gurus, we now have more to work with than just "a diet."  Along with regular exercise and a healthy eating plan, which can now consist of delicious normal meals and snacks using fat burning skinny foods, we are all one step closer to shedding fat and looking and feeling great.