In this blog post I’m going to share with you some of my best belly fat burning foods for women and men that everybody should be eating. I think there are a lot of foods that we believe are healthy for us when they’re really very unhealthy. They’re causing us to get sick and fat as we keep stuffing our faces with this junk because we don’t know how bad it really is.
In all honesty the biggest problem for most people is that they just keep eating the same
junk food that they know is bad for them but they have absolutely no self control over their appetites. The key I’ve found when it comes to sticking to my nutrition plan is to actually write down what I’m eating BEFORE I eat it and to constantly be eating something every 4 hours just to keep myself from binging.
This is the ginormous problem with restricting your calories and I’ve seen it way too many times as people try to suddenly
lose belly fat but after starving themselves for about half a day they’ll instinctually want to eat everything in sight. The key is not to avoid food but to eat healthy food every 3-4 hours so you don’t go crazy and end up binging on Whoppers and Big Macs. I don’t consider myself to have a ton of constant self discipline but I’ll show you this 1 trick I like to use to stick to eating these fat burning foods for women and men.
My 1 Trick To Eat These Fat Burning Foods For Women and Men
I also keep a digital copy of my Flat Belly Formula book in my iPhone so when I’m in the store I can be prepared to buy things off the food list for each recipe I intend to eat. It makes it significantly easier for you to stick to your diet plan when you prepare ahead of time but most people don’t like to do that because it’s a hassle. But automatically having recipes on you at all times such as your smartphone is going to help you stick to your meal plans because it takes out one less step making you more likely to actually do it.
Some of these fat burning foods for women and men don’t include many of the foods we’ve been brainwashed into thinking are healthy for us. Supposedly healthy foods that make this list include soy, grains, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and artificial sweeteners. You won’t find me putting any
white rice, soy sauce, bagels or Splenda on this list of belly fat burning foods because they’ll end up doing the exact opposite of losing belly fat. See my complete list for more of the best
foods that burn belly fat.
Here’s a list of healthy protein fat burning foods for women and men that I recommend:
- grass fed beef
- Alaskan salmon
- free-range, vegetarian fed, omega-3 eggs
- raw whole milk
- protein powder
- tuna
- turkey
- lamb
- venison
- buffalo
- halibut
- cod
As you can see I don’t shy away from “red meats” and I firmly believe they’ve gotten a bad reputation as artery clogging gremlins when they contain a ton of healthy nutrients for your body. Not only are they very rich in protein but they also contain some saturated fats that are body needs to survive and thrive. That’s why I’m not afraid to put them on my belly fat burning foods for women and men list. Like with anything moderation is going to be key and this doesn’t entitle you to eat cow 7 days a week but don’t be afraid to eat it a few times a week guilt free.
Vegetables and fruits should also be making up the majority of your caloric intake from carbohydrates and this is probably the #1 thing most people are lacking in their diets. Most of us get our carbohydrates from refined and processed sources which cause our blood sugars to spike leading to weight gain and other health problems. The thing with these refined carbohydrates is that the more we eat of them the more our bodies will start to crave them almost like an addiction.
Here are my favorite carbohydrate fat burning foods for women and men:
- collard greens
- mustard greens
- kale
- brussel sprouts
- broccoli
- celery
- cauliflower
- garlic
- pumpkin
- beets
- asparagus
- carrots
- peas
- berries
The green leafy vegetables are going to be the most nutrient dense ones that you should be eating the most of. Fruits should be eaten way fewer than vegetables and a good trick is to juice your vegetables to maximize your intake. The juicer is kind of a pain to clean out but it makes it so easy to take in those vegetables that it makes it worth every ounce of effort.
I like to juice my veggies
every other day and drink it twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It’s mostly leafy green vegetables and even though it doesn’t taste great I know I’ll feel WAY better after drinking it.
Well there you have it, some of the best fat burning foods for women and men that you should be eating and remember to plan, prepare and then follow through.
For more
superfoods see my list with 109 of my favorites to fight cancer, reduce inflammation, improve heart health and lose more weight.
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Josh Schlottman, CSCS CPT
Josh Schlottman is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer with a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition.
With more than 20 years of hands-on coaching experience since 2005, Josh has helped thousands of clients in-person and online to build muscle, lose fat, and improve long-term metabolic health through science-based strength training and nutrition strategies.
Josh is the founder of TrainerJosh.com, where he publishes evidence-based workout programs focused on bodyweight training, fat loss, and healthy aging. His fitness insights have been featured in outlets such as Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, Askmen, Prevention, Healthline and other health publications.
Thanks Josh for that very informative post. I’m surprised not to see you mention any chicken here, though, why? Also, are onions and scallions and stuff fine to eat in salads, etc? Thanks, Maria.
Hi Maria, I definitely recommend chicken as well along with onion and scallions. Go for it!
Maria,
Also, don’t forget when eating chicken to go skinless or remove the skin before cooking. Leaving the skin on may lock in flavor, but it also adds 30%+ unnecessary fat.
Hey, thanks for the article it was very helpful!
But reading about what people THINK is good for them made me wonder… how is V8? How about Vfusion Light?
V8 actually isn’t too bad I’d just make sure you get the low sodium version.
i want to get abs and lose weight, but im a junk food kind of girl. How can i get my mind on the right foods ?
I’d slowly start to ween yourself off of them. Junk food is addicting and for most people kicking the habit isn’t going to happen overnight. So replace your soda for La Croix and instead eat an apple as a snack. Doing things like this will gradually help get you off the junk food.
Hi Josh, I was wondering if frozen vegetables are still good as well. Also is there some place where i can get a juicer for inexpensive?
Yep some even prefer frozen vegetables because they’re frozen immediately after being picked which helps to preserve their nutrients. Instead of a juicer I’d go for a high quality blender like a Vitamix so you can also take in the pulp (for fiber).
Josh. I’ve quit peanut butter and transferred to almond butter thanks to you and your almondness! 😛 is apples dipped in almond butter a heathy snack for fat burning? It is now one of my favorites!
Apples with almond butter is okay but I would take it up a notch and pick up some celery and carrots instead with the almond butter. Go for it Emily!
Dear Josh,
Did you say somewhere that brown rice is ok?
Brown rice is ok as long as you’re working out consistently and hard in the gym. You’ll need some rice after a hard training session but if you’re not working out then I generally don’t recommend eating it if you’re looking to lose weight.
Is 100% juice from Juicy Juice good for my diet?
I would recommend drinking it if you want to lose weight. There’s just too much sugar in them!
Is grapefruit ok?
Yep grapefruit juice is great also check out my post with my favorite weight loss drinks.
I am finding the info on your site very interesting…my issue is that I am a kidney transplant patient and I am on and will continue to be on prednisone. Since the transplant i have put on about 60lbs…I know it is better to be alive and heavy instead of slim and feeling horrible. However, I really need to look a little like I used to. I plan on taking some of the tips that you have shared. I have recently started to shop at Whole Foods and have seen some of the raw/natural things you have listed. I will give it a few months and see what happens. I am basically saying thank you for sharing for free, instead of charging for something that might not work for me… thanks again.
Thanks for the list of healthy protein fat burning foods Josh! They’re really helpful for me to plan my diets. Will be starting my diet program on next week 😀
Hi Josh,
I am going to be honest. For the last 7 months I have eaten all of these foods and maybe have indulged in a small cup of ice cream twice over the summer. I followed p90x for 4 months, have done 6 5ks and a mudder run within 2 months, and as of last month have been doing regular lifting days, spinning classes and HIIT. I still have a very trivial amount of fat on my lower stomach that seems to not have budged for 2 months. It’s extremely frustrating because I feel like I am so diligent and work so hard. Is there any advice you have for me? I also have recently cut my fruit intake down by a lot and incorporated mathca green tea. I lost a pound from last month, but the belly fat is still present.
Desperate and thankful,
Lucy
PS–i am 19 years old and 5’2” 110lbs 19% body fat
Also be sure you’re cutting out processed carbs and grains. Also be sure to do plenty of HIIT cardio workouts.
Hi.I had a c-section 9months ago all the fat gone except this pooh in my lower stomach .I only weights 120 pounds skinny girl with pooh belly not attractive any suggestion please
hey josh my gf want lose stomach fat what best food out their for her to eat
Hi Shane, the foods listed in this blog post is a good start. Stay away from the bad carbs and sugar is key!