Foods That Burn Fat

If I could only choose one source of complex, starchy carbohydrates for a fat loss
program, this would be it! Oatmeal is the one carbohydrate food that virtually 100%
of all bodybuilders and fitness models eat on a daily basis. What makes it so great?
Well, although it's a starchy carbohydrate, oatmeal has a nice balance between
carbs, protein and good fat. A half a cup contains 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs
and 5 grams of protein. The low glycemic index, combined with the presence of
protein and fat makes oatmeal a very slowly released carb - exactly what you're
looking for when you want to get lean.

Make sure you choose the all-natural oats; either old-fashioned oats (such as
Quaker) or the quick oats. Stay away from the sweetened and or flavored oatmeal
packets. Oatmeal is delicious with natural (sugar free) applesauce and cinnamon. Or, try some crushed walnuts or flaxseeds in your morning oats, which will give your
"porridge" a nice crunchy texture while adding those desirable "good fats" we all
need. For a complete meal, try a couple scoops of Vanilla Praline flavored protein
powder in your oatmeal. If you get tired of oatmeal, there are plenty of other cooked
whole grain cereals in the "oatmeal family." Look in your local health food store (or a
gourmet supermarket) for barley, wheat, titricale, rye, oat bran and flax cereals (or
a multi grain combination of the above).

Right behind oatmeal, yams (and sweet potatoes) are probably my second favorite starchy carbohydrate. Flavorful, all-natural, low in calories, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants like beta-carotene, it's no wonder yams are a favorite carbohydrate among bodybuilders, fitness competitors and health-seekers alike. According to Brian Rowley, science editor for FLEX magazine, "Bodybuilders use yams when cutting bodyfat because they are low on the glycemic index. Waxy white potatoes (boilers) are high on the glycemic index, so they make an excellent postworkout meal, but nothing compares with a yam the rest of the time."

Although the glycemic index is a secondary factor when making carb choices on the
BFFM program, if you're carb sensitive or if you're on a very strict diet (like a contest
diet), then the glycemic index should be given more weight in your choices. Yams
are one of the best. Sweet potatoes are not exactly the same thing as yams (they're
slightly higher on the glycemic index), but they're otherwise similar, which also makes them good choices for fat burning diets. You can identify a yam by its darker
orange color, pointier ends and unusual sizes/shapes. Combine a yam with a green
veggie, a chicken breast, lean red meat or fish, and you've got yourself a perfect fat-
burning, muscle building, metabolism boosting meal. Just make sure you know how to cook them.

Brown rice is another staple food of bodybuilders and you often see the "muscled ones" chowing down platefuls of rice, both in season and out of season (in smaller quantities during the "cutting-up" season). Prior to contests, bodybuilders sometimes reduce the amount of rice (starchy carbs) and add in more green veggies (fibrous carbs), but rice is a solid year round staple, as long as you keep your calories in check. Obviously, this means avoiding fried rice or other rice dishes that have added fat and calories. Steamed or boiled rice is the way to go.

Of the many types of rice, slow-cooked brown rice or basmati rice are your number
one choices. Instant (pre-cooked) rice is fine when you're in a crunch for time, but
the instant rice digests much more quickly and is processed in the body more like a
simple carbohydrate. The same goes for white rice, especially the sweet variety
that's usually served in Chinese and Asian restaurants (including sushi rolls). White
rice is the processed version of brown rice. Although it's still technically a starchy
complex carbohydrate, the white rice burns faster and has been stripped of much of
its nutritional value. When you're on a very strict fat loss diet, stick with the slow-
cooking brown rice for best results.

Bodybuilders are quite famous for loving their red meat. Many bodybuilders believe that red meat helps muscle growth, and there may be much truth in that statement. Red meat is high in protein, B-12, iron and creatine. The problem with most cuts of red meat is the high fat content. However, not all cuts of red meat are the same. It's a mistake to label the entire red meat category as a no-no because of high fat content. If you carefully choose the leanest cuts possible and keep your portion sizes small, red meat can be a great addition to a fat burning program. For example, a 6 oz serving of lean, trimmed top round steak has only 9 grams of fat, while a 6 oz of untrimmed porterhouse has 37 grams of fat (and the 18 oz porterhouse you're often served in a steak house has over 100 grams of fat!)