It’s super easy to make. Just toss in a few slices of your favorite citrus fruit in a pitcher of water in the fridge. Citrus fruits carry abundant amounts of powerful anti-oxidant compounds in their peels such as limonene. Limonene is known to promote weight loss, prevent cancer, treat cancer, and treat bronchitis. They also stimulate the liver enzymes, aiding in flushing toxins out of the body. Some citrus fruits that work well are lemons, oranges and grapefruits. Consume at least 8 glasses of detox water throughout the day from morning until before bedtime.
2. Get Some Sun Before Breakfast.
A recent study suggests that the morning light is not only good for plants for photosynthesis but also for the human metabolism. It says that sunlight exposure between 8 am to noon decreases weight gain regardless of the type and intensity of the activities you do, your calorie intake and your age. How does it work? Researchers hypothesize that the morning light activates your metabolism and devitalizes your fat genes. So when you take a brisk walk or do some physical activity outside before having your breakfast, you’re forcing your body to burn calories from your fat stores rather than from the food you eat.
3. Have A Hearty And Healthy Breakfast.
A healthy breakfast is the best way to refuel yourself after going around 12 hours without food. By healthy, we don’t mean tasteless food either. To get your body’s metabolism kick-started for the day, make sure your breakfast contains protein, fiber, and healthy fats. We’re talking pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, eggs, meats, homemade cereals, oatmeal, and delicious smoothies. (For more than 100 easy-to-prepare, mouth-watering recipes, check out Brian’s new book The 2 Week Diet. You’ll actually forget you’re on a diet the meals are so delicious)
4. Power-Up With Eggs.
Protein is essential for muscle-building and is basic to The 2 Week Diet. If you’re looking for a go-to source of protein, eggs are one of your best options. They are easy-to-prepare and can be cooked in various ways. They are also loaded with choline, which stifles the fat-storing gene mechanism that tells your body to store excess fat around your liver. Choline can also be found in lean meats, seafood, and collard greens.
5. Say ‘Pass’ To Green Fruits And ‘Yes’ To Reds.
Red fruits such as red grapes and watermelon contain higher levels of flavonoids than, say, green grapes and honeydew melon. These flavonoids are known to make your body turn off fat-storing genes. Because red fruits have more flavonoids than greens, they are also more nutritious. In particular, they have anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that gives them their crimson to deep purple coloring. Red-bellied stone fruits such as plums are also high on phenolic compounds that curb the action of fat-storing genes.
6. Eat Guacamole.
Avocados are great weapons against belly fat. Because they are crammed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, they keep you feeling full longer. In addition, the unsaturated fat content in these fruits are known to prevent tummy fat storage.
7. Make Your Own Trail Mix.
A good trail mix is a blend of protein, fiber, and healthy fats without extra oils, salt, and sugar. To cut down on these unwelcomed additions, mix up your own choice of nuts, unsweetened dried fruits, seeds, and dark chocolate. Make sure you add peanuts into your trail mix, which are a top source of the fat-gene suppressors, genistein and resveratrol.
8. Have Some Exercise For Snacks.
Yup, you read that right. We all know that exercise comes hand in hand with a good diet plan. Realistically though, going to the gym only works when we have the energy and time to spare. However, a study conducted by scientists in New Zealand showed that doing a simple 10-minute exercise routine can have a strong effect on decreasing blood glucose levels, which is optimal for your body to fight off the fat. Try doing a short 10-minute exercise routine before breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
9. Eat Green Salads Before Lunch And Dinner.
Leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, watercress and arugula are filling and low in calories. They also contain a compound called sulforaphane that may help you reach a healthier body weight. Add a teaspoon of vinaigrette to the leafy greens to help your body absorb these fat-soluble nutrients.
10. Indulge In Dark Chocolate And Berries For Dessert
Forget about counter-productive, self-denial diets that make you, at one point or another, feel frustrated and defeated. And let’s face it, only a few of us see long-lasting results on these diets. On the contrary, The 2 Week Diet promotes a lifestyle of indulgence on delicious and healthy food. One of the heavenly foods you can spoil yourself with is dark chocolate, which has been proven to decrease weight gain and high blood sugar levels in laboratory mice. Gut microbes in your stomach also ferment chocolate, turning it into compounds that fight off the genes linked to insulin resistance and inflammation. As for berries, they help speed up the fermentation process.
11. Pass Up On Farmed Salmon And Go For Wild Salmon
Salmon is very rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But there’s a huge difference between wild and cultured salmon. While wild salmon have 1,253 mg of omega-3s and just 114 mg of omega-6s, farmed salmon carry 1,900 mg of omega-6s. Omega-3 and omega-6 are essential fatty acids but they must be in a healthy ratio, with more omega-3s than omega-6s, so opt for wild salmon when you can.