How To Keep Those Abs Flat Over Summer

Happy Saturday Everyone!

It's already June 27 and that means we are about a week into the summer months...months that often present a fair number of invitations to cookouts, parties and the like. Many of these summer celebrations will offer foods that aren't designed to help keep you slim and trim...chips, barbeque sauces, burgers, buns and more.

Having said this, I know that with all the hardwork you have been putting in during my bootcamps in Santa Monica, you'll think twice before consuming everything put in front of you at these parties. Remember to value the calorie! It takes 60 minutes to burn up to 600 calories, but this can all be for not in about 60 seconds by throwing back a thick juicy burger on a white flour bun, cheese, ketchup, and some mayo.

However, there are some foods out there that can help you combat the battle of the belly bulge over the summertime (and anytime for that matter). David Zinczenko, editor of Men's Health and Co-Author of Eat This, Not That, recently put together a list of 6 foods that can help you keep your waistline in check. His book is an excellent resources that provides the reader with healthy food substitutions for the not-so-healthy foods we often find ourselves drawn to.

Below you will find his list reproduced as I read it. So without further ado, in his words here a the six foods:

"QUINOA

Per ¼ cup:
170 calories
2.5 g fat
7 g protein
3 g fiber

For starters, anytime you choose a whole-grain product over one made from nutrient-stripped white flour, you wage war against belly fat. Penn State researchers found that dieters who ate whole-grains lost twice as much belly fat as those who stuck to white-flour products—even though they'd consumed the same number of calories. What's more, quinoa contains twice the belly-filling protein as regular cereal grains, fewer glucose-raising carbohydrates, and even a handful of healthy fats. So start your day off with a cup of cooked quinoa combined with a ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of blueberries—microwave for 60 seconds, and you have a delicious (and slimming) alternative to your traditional oatmeal. Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa won "Best Grain" in Men's Health's Best Foods Awards 2009.

GREEN TEA

0 calories

Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to increase metabolism. A study by Japanese researchers found that participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than those in a control group. It's safe to say that green tea is one of the best beverages for your health—a stark contrast to any of these 20 unhealthiest drinks in America. Avoid those belt-buckling drinks at all costs.

KEFIR

Per cup:
174 calories
2 g fat
14 g protein
3 g fiber

Think of kefir as drinkable yogurt, or an extra-thick, protein-packed smoothie. In either case, this delicious dairy product is a belly-blasting essential. Beyond the satiety-inducing protein, the probiotics in kefir may also speed weight loss. British scientists found that these active organisms boosted the breakdown of fat molecules in mice, preventing the rodents from gaining weight. The researchers still need to prove the finding in humans, but there's no danger in downing probiotic-packed products. We like Lifeway Lowfat Blueberry Kefir—it contains L. casei, the same probiotic used in the study.

AVOCADO

Per avocado:
322 calories
29 g fat (4 g saturated, 20 g monounsaturated)
13 g fiber
4 g protein

Never fear this full-fat Mediterranean-diet staple: It's teeming with healthy monounsaturated fats (also found in olive oil), which have been linked to lowered LDL cholesterol levels and weight loss. In fact, a recent longitudinal study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the healthy-fat Mediterranean diet was more effective than a diet that avoided fats altogether—so go ahead and indulge!

EGGS

Per 1 large scrambled egg:
102 calories
7 g fat (2 g saturated)
7 g protein

A British study found that people who increased the percentage of protein-based calories in their diet burned 71 more calories a day (that's 7.4 pounds a year!). Jumpstart your metabolism as soon as you wake up with a protein-rich breakfast of scrambled eggs. (Go to eatthis.com for other great no-diet weight-loss secrets.)

GRAPEFRUIT

Per grapefruit:
104 calories
4 g fiber
2 g protein

A grapefruit a day in addition to your regular meals can speed weight loss. The fruit's acidity slows digestion, meaning it takes longer to move through your system, and you'll end up feeling fuller, and more satisfied, for longer. And the vitamin C-packed grapefruit works to lower cholesterol and decrease risk of stroke, heart disease, and some types of cancer."

So there you have it...some more food for thought as you head out into the fun and the sun of summer!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Adam Brewer