How Eating Beans Can Lead To Weight Loss

I've always known that eating beans can lead to weight loss but because of high uric acid in my blood chem result, my doctor forbade me to eat beans more than once a week.

Years ago after a major health crises, I went on a beans and green leafy vegetable diet. My weight went down. I lost 10 lbs and increased my energy level. But like all diets, it became boring. My bean recipes were admittedly limited. Today though, you can find lots of variations for a delicious bean recipe online.

I found this interesting article about beans beating weight gain:

Quoted from Nigerian Tribune

"Interestingly, if you are one of the millions of people worried about how best to lose weight or are unsuccessfully battling your weight, regular consumption of beans is a unique way to make your weight loss goals much more successful and easier to attain.

Of course, you can’t cheat nature by eating anything you want; but there is a new discovery, backed by real science, that seems to violate the laws of biochemistry. It suggests that taking certain foods like beans with one’s daily meals of starch and sugar carbohydrate foods in a way may aid weight loss.

These foods promote weight loss by interfering with the breakdown of complex carbohydrates thereby reducing, or at least slowing, the digestive availability of carbohydrate-derived calories and/or by providing resistant starches to the stomach."

Beans are a common staple in many third world countries where obesity is not prevalent. Beans contain alpha-amylase, a neutralising enzyme which blocks starchy food from breaking down and being absorbed into the body.

By including beans in your daily diet you may expect the following health benefits:

1.) Protection from breast and other forms of cancer.

2.) Improvement of symptoms of menopause.

3.) Strengthening of bones.

4.) Reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

5.) Protection from weight gain.

If You Dream of Weight Loss, Try Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Quoted from The Telegraph

"A research in Portland, USA, by Kaiser Permanente, a health care consortium, found that people trying to lose at least 10lb were more likely to reach their goal if they had lower stress levels and slept moderately.

Nearly 500 obese adults with an average age of 55 took part in the study.

They were asked to attend 22 counselling sessions, reduce their diet by 500 calories a day and increase the amount of exercise they took to at least three hours a week.

They also had to keep a diary of their habits, including their sleep patterns and stress levels.

After six months, 60 per cent of the participants had lost at least 10lb."

Getting at least 6 hours to eight hours of sleep every night is recommended.

The results of this study was published in The International Journal of Obesity.

Health Benefits of Blackberry (not the phone)

One of the most beneficial health property of blackberry is its high Vitamin C content. One cup contains almost 50% of our daily requirement of vitamin C.  As we all know, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which boosts our immune system.  A daily helping of blackberry in our diet will help lower the risk of heart disease
as well as prevent some types of cancer. Blackberries also contain natural phytoestrogens, are high in fiber, low in sugar content and has Vitamin K ( 1 cup = 36% RDA).

Other health benefits we can get from eating blackberries:

• Help keep at bay wrinkles and other skin damages.
  
• Relieve common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome - bloating in the abdomen.
  
• Maintain the function of brain and the health of our immune system.
  
• Help in relieving constipation, hemorrhoids and diabetes.
  
• Help in blood clotting and strengthening of bones.

Last but not least, blackberry is an important component of our diet when we want to lose weight. One cup of blackberries contains the full daily RDA for fibers.

Blackberries are available frozen or fresh.  Eating freshly picked fruits will give you the highest nutritional value, but the frozen ones do keep their nutrients with minimal loss.   

Losing Weight One Day at a Time

Losing weight depends on the speed of your metabolism.  Some can lose weight really fast, others like me have to content with a slow metabolism.

 What I did is buy a notebook and everyday, I wrote down the meals I ate plus what exercise I did and for how long; this way I charted my weight loss progress - whether I was losing or gaining or on a plateau.

 The most basic weight loss regimen I have followed was drinking at least 2 - 3 liters of  water everyday.  In this I have never deviated, whether on hot or cold days.

I also tried to get a  minimum of 7 hours of rest each night in order for my metabolism to work properly. 

I'm happy to say that I have not gained a single pound after the past holiday feasting.

If you're a Mom who wants to get back to your former shape or even a much better shape than before, I highly recommend visiting Holly's web page: Click here.