9 Foods to Help You Look Better Naked
Excerpted from "Look Better Naked! The 6-Week Plan to Your Leanest, Hottest Body -- Ever!"
editor-in-chief of Women's Health ON Apr 21, 2010 at 7:07PM
Milk, Cheese & Yogurt
Low-fat, calcium-rich foods can help you lose weight in the long term. A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that obese women who doubled their daily intake of calcium from 600 milligramsper day to 1,200 milligrams over the course of 15 weeks lost an average of 11 pounds—without cutting calories! Plain low-fat yogurt, especially the Greek-style stuff, provides muscle-friendly protein and contains less sugar than other types. In addition to building muscle, calcium will help you attain a strong, vibrant mane, because hair is almost all protein.
Beef
Nothing beats pure protein when it comes to building muscle. The problem with most store-bought beef, however, is that the majority of cattle are fed grain, which gives their meat a relatively high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. This, in turn, contributes to a host of problems. The fatty acids in grass-fed beef, on the other hand, are skewed toward the omega-3 variety. Such beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which studies have shown helps reduce belly fat and build lean muscle.
Bell Peppers
Bright-red peppers have high levels of antioxidant vitamins A and C, according to James O. Hill, PhD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado and co-founder of America on the Move, a national weight-gain prevention initiative. Green and yellow peppers contain less vitamin A [than red peppers], but all peppers are naturally fat free and low calorie, and they contain 3 grams of fiber per chopped cup, making them excellent snacks or mealtime fillers
Brussels Sprouts
Selenium is a vital trace mineral that mops up those pesky free radicals and helps protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, according to Matthew Kadey, RD. A cup of Brussels sprouts contains twice as much selenium as, say, butternut squash or kale. “Your thyroid can’t produce certain hormones without it,” he says. “You can blame hormones for a lot of bad stuff, but they also happen to run your entire system— and thyroid hormones, specifically, control the metabolism of every cell in your body.”
Chicken Breast
In terms of lean protein, white meat chicken (minus the skin) reigns supreme. And lean protein is also a terrific source of coenzyme Q10, which assists skin cell turnover. (So goodbye flaky old dead cells, and hello fresh, rosy new ones!) You can easily grill enough chicken for a week’s worth of meals—to chunk into salads or slice for sandwiches, for example.
Prunes
A San Diego State University study turned up this bit of fulfilling news about dried plums, aka prunes: They’re supremely satiating. Women who ate 12 prunes one day, then ate the equivalent calories’ worth of low-fat cookies the next day, said they felt significantly less hungry 2 hours after eating the fruit than they did after eating the cookies. The abundant fiber and sorbitol (a sugar alcohol that the body metabolizes slowly) in prunes keep blood sugar and insulin levels in check. Prunes may also help shrink your waistline. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that among 74,000 women surveyed, those who got more fiber were 49 percent less likely to suffer weight gain.
Hummus
This is now your official go-to dip instead of the calorie bomb that is ranch dressing (75 or more calories per tablespoon!). High in fiber and lower in saturated fat and calories, hummus pairs equally well with veggies. To make it, mix the following ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy: two 10-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, with 1/3 cup liquid reserved; juice of one lemon; 3 tablespoons olive oil; two garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to use.
Tofu
Made from pressed soybean curds, tofu was once the bastion of vegetarians. But the plant protein in tofu— which comes in firm or soft varieties, and is delicious marinated and tossed in salads—provides a full complement of amino acids, as well as isoflavone, which helps muscles recover from exercise.
Tuna
Tuna is one of the best sources of lean protein, but instead of mixing in a lot of mayo and turning it into a fatty disaster, add pepper, hot sauce, and some fresh lemon juice. Or toss some chunk light into your salads. A 3-ounce serving contains 11 mg of heart-healthy niacin, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and help your body process fat.
MY THOUGHTS
Let's see - most of these i like - except maybe for the hummus and the chicken breast - so how come, how come i don;t look better. i guess i need to more than just like them. i need to buy them and actually - eat them. never mind!!!!
