Lose The Belly, Improve Your Health!

A Rice Dish To Help You Slim Down!
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know
that the past 2 articles were all about helping you get
into shape for the upcoming Summer season. 

And today, we’re posting another article on the
“get fit” theme, getting fit -as in losing the
fat from your midsection.

The extra padding around your middle may
be unsightly, but there’s more you should be
worried about, like…heart disease, certain cancers,
stroke, diabetes and even memory loss. 

That’s right- a bigger stomach puts you at risk
for a number of health issues, so it’s imperative
that you slim down, starting today. 

And to help you on this journey, we’re listing
the foods that’ll help you slim down and
as an extra bonus- there’s a recipe for
one of the most popular American dishes-
that’s tasty and belly-flattening.

a) Avocados-
And other fats. A number of researchers are now
saying-“if you want to lose fat, you must eat fat.”
Thank goodness, the days of low-fat, 1 tsp.
of olive oil a day is enough, are behind us.
Good fats not only help you slim down, they
also help shut down the cravings that make
keeping the weight off extremely difficult.
So, go ahead and add some (real butter)
to a bowl of millet, or eat a small amount of
nuts, or add some olives to your salad or
cut up some carrots, bell peppers and celery
and use them to dip into a bowl of guacamole.
(low-cal of course)
b) Whole Grains-
If you’re truly sensitive to gluten, then by all
means, avoid it, but for the rest of the population,
go ahead and have some oatmeal, or crackers,
or bread (good quality, of course).
The fiber in whole grains improves blood-sugar
control, which keep your body from making- and
storing-extra fat cells.
c) Rice and Potatoes-
Both starches and gluten-free. To make them more
accommodating to your weight-loss goals,
cook them the day before, refrigerate them and
eat them the next day.
Why do this?
Refrigerating starches for 24 hours makes them
a “resistant-starch” meaning when you do eat them,
you’ll absorb way fewer carbs.
d) A Glass of Wine-
If you’re okay with wine, have a glass (and no more).
Researchers say women who have a glass of wine
are even slimmer than women who avoid alcohol.
e)Enjoy the Rainbow-
When it comes to produce, green vegetables seems to
get all of the recognition, but don’t forget orange produce-
acorn and butternut squash, white produce-cauliflower,
purple produce- plums and eggplants.
Simply put, eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.
f) Beef-
Like  bread, many people are tossing the meat in favor
of more produce, that’s okay, but remember- protein-rich
beef could triple your weight loss and help you
develop a slimmer body much faster.
Aim for 3 to 5 ounces 2 to 4 times a week.
g) The Spices Of Life-
Another win for spices. Cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric,
black pepper and ginger encourage fat cells inside
abdominal walls to use blood sugar for fuel, before
it can be stored away as fat.
Cayenne also increases your metabolism.
h) Stop Grazing-
You may think 6 small meals is ideal, but researchers
say to burn belly fat, it’s best to eat 2 or 3 meals a day
and no more.
When you eat 2 or 3 meals instead of 5 or 6, your
stomach empties fully between meals that are
3 to 5 hours apart, as opposed to meals every
two hours. Plus, 2 or 3 meals signals your liver
to burn more fat. 

And now, this week’s recipe to burn belly fat:
Beef Fried Rice!
Americans love fried rice and this dish is a slimmed
down version that tastes great and is great for
helping you slim down that midsection.

The Ingredients:
* 1 cup of Instant Rice (brown)
cook the night before and refrigerate
* 2 boneless steaks (rib-eyes) 3/4′ thick about 8 oz.
Or look for a package of the beef that’s used to make
beef stew
* 2 Tbs. soy sauce
* 1 Tsp. instant coffee powder
* 6 tsp. oil (coconut, olive or sesame)
* 1/2 cup chopped onions
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
* 2 eggs beaten
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
To make:
Cut the beef crosswise into thin strips
or used already cut up beef.
Mix the soy sauce and coffee powder until
coffee dissolves. In a large nonstick skillet,
heat up two tsp. of the oil over medium-high
heat until hot. Add onions and mushrooms;
stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the eggs; cook, stirring occasionally,
a minute or two. Stir in rice, soy sauce mix;
and stir-fry for another minute or two.
Remove from skillet and keep warm.
Using that same skillet, and heat still
on at medium-high, add 2 tsp. of oil,
wait a few seconds and then add the 1/2
of the beef strips, cook for a minute or two,
(until no longer pink).
Remove the beef and then add the rest of
the beef along with the last 2 tsp. of oil.
Cook for a minute or two, and finally,
add all of the ingredients back to
the skillet until heated through. Place
the scallions on top and serve.
Enough for 4 servings.