Gaining Health by Losing Weight: Fitness Professionals’ Recipes to Help You Achieve It

According to the World Health Organization, majority of world population live in countries where obesity and overweight kills significantly more people than underweight. Almost 40 percent of adults older than 18 years were overweight in 2014. The basic culprit for high BMI (body mass index) is the imbalance between consumed and expended calories. Obesity and overweight can be dealt with and prevented at individual levels. A person facing these issues can limit its energy intake from sugars and total fats, increase consumption of vegetables and fruits, as well as whole grains, legumes and nuts and engage in regular physical activity (150 minutes aerobic exercises per week for adults maintaining weight, and 300 minutes for adults trying to lose weight). As you can see, the solution can be found in changing your habits. Start with baby steps and engage in physical activities such as brisk walking or jogging, and after some time up your game. As for the nutrition, reducing your portion sizes, eliminating fast food from your diet, eating slower and thinking about the quality and nutritiousness of the food you are consuming are the necessary changes. We will help you to get started with your own nutritional reincarnation with these few recipes.

Middle Eastern Brown Rice Salad

Did you know that the process which converts the brown rice into white destroys more than 65 percent of vitamin B3, 80 percent of vitamin B1, 90 percent vitamin B6, 50 percent of the manganese, 60 percent of iron and all of the essential fatty acids and dietary fiber? Brown rice, however, is an excellent source of all of these nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cumin, chickpeas and salt. Season to taste with pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all together.

Mango Smoothie

Almost every personal fitness trainer will praise mango’s metabolism boosting capabilities. It is high in fiber, protein and other nutrients which makes it the perfect basic for a slimming smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mango sliced in cubes
• 1/2 cup mango juice
• 1/4 cup mashed ripped avocado
• 1/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 6 ice cubes

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Chicken Broccoli Soup

One of the best foods for detox your organism and for speeding up the metabolism – broccoli is high in calcium which is known for weight-reducing features. It is also packed with vitamin C, which makes it great for fighting cold and preventing skin damage.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breast halves
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1 cup chopped parsnips
• 3/4 cup nonfat chicken stock
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 low-fat cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Steam parsnips and broccoli and puree with cheddar and chicken stock. Bake the chicken, season to taste and top with lemon juice.

If you just put some thought into the features of the foods you are eating, and find out which ingredient is good for which purpose, you will be able to mix up your own magical meal to help you reduce weight. Remember that lowering the calorie intake is not enough, you have to engage in physical activities, too.