12 foods to cut fat

You don't have to acquire a taste for olive oil, seaweed or soya to maintain a low-fat, healthy diet. Indian cuisine can be healthy too, if it's cooked with oil and ingredients that take care of your heart and health. 

Ayurveda suggests you include all tastes - sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent - in at least one meal each day, to help balance unnatural cravings. Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health: 


Turmeric : Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is an object of research owing to its properties that suggest they may help to turn off certain genes that cause scarring and enlargement of the heart. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack.

Cardamom : This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently.

Chillies : Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies.

Curry leaves : Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal.

Garlic : An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.

Mustard oil : This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart.

Cabbage : Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.

Moong dal : The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption.

Honey : It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning.

Buttermilk : It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss.

Millets : Fibre-rich foods such as millets - jowar, bajra, ragi, etc - absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the bile that emulsifies fats. 

Cinnamon and cloves: Used extensively in Indian cooking, the spices have been found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes. 

The Best Workouts to Burn Fat & Get a Flat Stomach

Workouts that burn fat and tone muscle, including abdominal muscle will be those that offer moderate to high-intensity calorie burning capabilities, combined with strength training that builds lean muscle mass. To combine the efforts of diet and exercise while at the same time seeking to increase muscle definition and flatten the stomach area, individuals need to engage in a variety of both all around exercise activities and those that focus on abdominal strengthening and toning.

Fat Burn

Engage in exercises and activities that burn fat, which is achieved by burning calories. In order to lose weight, a person has to burn off more calories than those ingested in order to drop weight. The best workouts to lose weight in the belly are all-around cardiovascular workouts like step aerobics, kickboxing, jogging, power walking, spinning and other high-intensity activities that increase heart rate and burn calories. Do a cardio or aerobic exercise routine for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Belly Busters

Perform targets abdominal exercises while at the same time following a low-fat and low-sugar diet, which 

will help reduce calorie intake and bloating. Specific exercises that target the belly or abdomen include crunches, waist twisting exercises, sit-ups, reverse crunches and lying-down bicycle exercises. Do abdominal exercises for about 15 to 20 minutes every day, on top of the cardio portion of your exercise activities to help tone and strengthen abdominal muscles.

Pilate Roll-Up

Engage in some basic Pilates exercises such as the roll-up, single- and double-leg stretch and one-leg circles.

For the roll-up, lie on the floor, arms over the head, feet together. Lift only the head and shoulders off the floor, sucking in the abs at the same time. Exhale and reach forward with your arms, like you're trying to pull something off the ceiling. Hold this position. Inhale and return the head and shoulders to the floor. Do this about five times.

Pilates Single-Leg Stretch

The single-leg stretch can be done while lying on the floor, back straight, legs extended in front of you. Lift both legs slightly off the ground and lift the head and shoulders off the floor. Exhale and lift one leg perpendicular to the floor, reaching the arms forward to touch around the calf. Pulse two times and then lower the raised leg while at the same time lifting the opposite leg. Pulse again. Continue this scissor-like move five times on each leg for a total of 10 repetitions.

Pilates Double-Leg Stretch

Lie on your back on the floor, legs straight. Lift the head and shoulders off the floor and grasp hands behind the head. Lift both legs to a 45-degree angle from the floor. Hold this position, and keeping the upper body off the floor, move the legs downward until they're about a foot from the floor. Then raise them back upward again. Repeat this move 10 times.

Fast Fat Burning Exercises for Your Back

When it comes to losing back fat, you need to realize that you cannot lose weight in one specific location. That would be spot reduction, which is not possible. What you can do is lower the overall fat in your body while toning the muscles in your back. This, in turn, can give thinner coated areas like your back more definition and a leaner look. The main muscles to target are the trapezius, lats, rhomboids and erector spine.

Rowing

Rowing is a type of cardiovascular exercise that also works your back muscles. This can not only help you burn fat, but also help you tone up. Perform rowing for 45 to 60 minutes, four to five days a week.

Upright Rows

Upright rows work your traps which are found on the top of your back and you can use a barbell to do these. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding the bar in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Your hands should be approximately eight inches apart. In a steady motion, raise the bar up to chest height and pause for a second. Slowly lower the bar and repeat 10 to 12 times. When doing upright rows, keep your back straight and core tight.

Lat Pull downs

Lat pulldowns work your latissimus dorsi, which are the "V" shaped muscles of your back, and your rhomboids which are located in between your shoulder blades. Sit on the seat of the lat pulldown machine with the padded support firmly placed on top of your thighs. After grasping the bar with a wide, overhand grip, lean back slightly, pull the bar down to chest height and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Slowly let the bar rise back up and repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.

Two Arm Dumbbell Rows

Two arm dumbbell rows work the middle of your lats and rhomboids. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding the weights in front of your thighs with your palms facing you. Keeping your legs straight, bend over until your back is slightly higher than parallel to the floor and let your arms hang straight down. In a steady motion, lift the dumbbells up to your stomach and pinch your shoulder blades together. Slowly lower the weights and repeat 10 to 12 times.

Straight Arm Pulldowns

Straight arm pulldowns place the most emphasis on your upper lats. Attach a straight bar to a high setting on one side of a cable machine and face the weight stack with your feet spaced shoulder-width apart. After placing your hands shoulder-width apart on the bar, push it straight down to your thighs and squeeze your lats forcefully. Slowly raise the bar up to shoulder level and repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.

Straight Leg Dead lifts

Straight leg deadlifts work your erector spinae muscles which are found in your lower back. You can use a barbell to perform these. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding the bar in front of your thighs with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Keeping your core tight, bend forward at the waist and push your butt back. Once you feel a strong contraction in your lower back, stand up and repeat 10 to 12 times. bar up to shoulder level and repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.

Burn Fat the Healthy Way !!!

Avoid fad diet

Any diet that suggests going very low on fat is not healthy and will set you up for failure. The body was designed to store fat in times of famine. Cutting fat (and even calorie) intakes to extreme low levels will only cause your body to store all the calories it consumes as fat.

Avoid high intake of protein

Eating diets with high protein levels and high fat can lead to muscle loss and not fat loss. You could be adding to your fat percentage with the loss of lean muscle.

There is no shortcut to weight loss

It takes time to lose fat. How much time depends on how you go about it? The simple solution is to take in less calories, burn off more calories. There is absolutely no other way to do it for long term results.

Never skip meals

Skipping meals or not eating enough calories will put the body in starvation mode. Eating several times a day actually stokes the metabolism to keep burning fat for fuel

Say no to processed food

Avoid as much processed food as you can. Once your body adjusts to eating healthy it will actually require less food, it will adjust its calorie needs and less food will satisfy hunger.

Go green

Animal protein sources contain higher levels of fat than plant sources. Plants also contain fibre which is harder to digest. As it passes through your system, it takes some fat with it. Fibre gives a feeling of fullness that lowers cravings and blood cholesterol.

Add healthy oils to your diet

Healthy oils contain more omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation in the body and increase heart health. Try eating cold water fish, as well as nuts like flaxseed.

Exercise is the key

While food is a big part of the equation, exercise increases the amount of calories you burn. When the body is filled with wholesome foods, the body will use stored fat to burn for energy, thus reducing your total body fat.

Have smaller meals

Speed up the metabolism by increasing meal frequency. Instead of eating 2 – 3 meals per day, try eating 4 – 5 small meals per day, or 3 meals and 2 healthy snack meals. Food substitutions can help tremendously when trying to reduce calories and speed up the metabolism