Super Foods for Weight Loss and Fitness Training

There are a number of foods available which maximise the nutritional advantages of plant (vegetables and fruits) foods. These are classified as 'Super Foods'. These are rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients and have wonderful anti-aging and disease preventing qualities.

Try to include as many of these foods in your diet as possible.They are far better for you than all the processed rubbish you find on the shelves. All it takes is a little bit of effort and in no time at all, you will be eating well and feeling healthy. If you can afford to go organic, better still.

Even one day of eating like this will give your digestive system a break from all the sugary processed foods that everyday life is full of nowadays. You will always know that your body is responding favourably by the simple fact that you don't feel tired and drained at the end of the meal - and if you go for a 10 minute walk around the block you'll feel brilliant. Ideally it is best to incorporate exercise into your everyday life. This doesn't have to always involve going to the gym, but combine a resistance training programme with brisk walking or other cardio will improve your fitness, strength, muscle tone and aid fat loss. Use The Bodydoctor Fitness DVD and Book to get you started getting fit.

Food	Serving Size	Properties/Benefits
Broccoli	2 spears	Contains vitamins C, A, Beta Carotene and Fibre.
Carrots	2 medium	2 carrots every other day provide enough beta carotene to reduce stroke risk by half for men who already have symptoms of heart disease
Chilli Peppers	1 or more peppers	The heat source in chillis, capsaicin, is an antioxidant. Contains blood thinning properties to prevent strokes, lowers cholesterol, protects DNA against carcinogens, may stimulate release of endorphins ("natural high" chemicals)
Spinach	1 cup uncooked	Contains vitamins A and C, folic acid and magnesium which help control cancer, reduces heart disease and stroke risk, blocks free radicals and may help prevent osteoporosis.
Mushrooms	1/4 cup dried Shitakes or other exotic mushrooms	Contain beta-glucan, which stimulates immune system. Shitake, enoki, zhuling and reishi all have anti-cancer and antiviral effects
Tomatoes	1 med. tomato	Contain lycopenes - an antioxidant more potent than vitamin C. Stimulates immune function and may slow degenerative diseases
Strawberries	1/2 cup	Contains ellagic acid, which contains anti-cancer properties
Papaya, Pineapple & Kiwi	one papaya, 1 cup pineapple, 1-2 kiwis	High amounts of enzymes that help combat everything from autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancer to AIDS
Mangoes	1 mango	Contains bioflavonoids that aid the immune system
Citrus Fruits	1 lg. orange or equivalent	Contains vitamin C which helps your body fight cancers (lung, cervical, esophagus & stomach). Rich in bioflavonoids.
Apricots	3 fresh	Fresh apricots are high in beta-carotene. Also contains vitamin C and fiber.
Bananas	1 medium	Rich in magnesium (helps protect circulatory system), potassium and slowly-absorbed sugars. Good source of pectin (a soluble fiber). Prevents radical swings in blood sugar
Garlic	2-3 cloves fresh or 1 tsp. Garlic Powder	May lower cholesterol and blood pressure. May contain chemicals capable of destroying cancer cells
Green Tea	1 cup	Green tea contains polyphenols, which may reduce heart disease, cancer and stroke risk
Beans	1 cup	High in protein and complex carbohydrates. Contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. Contains phytochemicals and protease inhibitors that may help prevent cancer
Soybeans & Tofu	4 ounces tofu or equivalent soy product	Lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol levels in bloodstream which reduces heart disease risk. Studies have shown that people who regularly eat soy products have reduced risk or lower rates of prostate, colon, lung, rectal and stomach cancers.
Salmon	3 ounces	Contains omega-3 oils to fight heart disease. Contains calcium, magnesium, protein and B-vitamins.
Oats	1 cup oatmeal, 1-1/2 packets instant oatmeal, or 1-1/4 cup oat flakes cereal	Oat bran lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. May reduce risk of colon cancer. Oatmeal contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.

If, for example you can have a breakfast consisting of porridge (oatbran) with a sprinkling of fresh linseeds and if you really need to sweeten it, half a spoonful of honey, that will set you up for the day.

For lunch, you could have a vegetable stir-fry (with virgin olive oil), a little bit of chilli and a sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce to liven it up. By the time you even think about dinner your digestive system will feel like it's on holiday from the unhealthy foods that it has been trying to absorb.

For dinner, you could have steamed chicken with summer vegetables. Here is a recipe:

4 boneless organic chicken breasts (approx 150g each) with skin removed, 100g of asparagus tips - trimmed, 100g of fine green beans, 100g of sugar snap peas, 1 leek - finely sliced, 4 tbsp of fresh chopped dill, Juice and rind (finely grated) of 1 lemon, 4 bay leaves, salt and freshly ground pepper to season

Rinse and dry the chicken breast and season with salt and black pepper and place in a steamer (if you don't have a steamer, you could use a stainless steel colander lined with baking parchment). Place a bay leaf on each chicken breast and spoon on the lemon rind and half the juice. Cover and steam for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the steamer. Place the vegetables in the steamer and then cover the vegetables with the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining lemon juice, cover and cook for a further 7-8 minutes until tender and cooked through. Then discard the bay leaves. Drain the chicken and vegetables and serve with a sprinkling of chopped dill.

Even one day of eating like this will give your digestive system a break from all the sugary processed foods that everyday life is full of nowadays. You will always know that your body is responding favourably by the simple fact that you don't feel tired and drained at the end of the meal - and if you go for a 10 minute walk around the block you'll feel brilliant. . Ideally it is best to incorporate exercise into your everyday life. This doesn't have to always involve going to the gym, but combine resistance training programme with brisk walking or other cardio will improve your fitness, strength, muscle tone and aid fat loss. Speak to a personal trainer for more details.

Nutrion Archive Index

Walking back to happiness	The Rise of Obesity in our Children
To Sunbathe or not to Sunbathe?	What are we like?
Just don't mention the alcohol	Coping with cellulite
It's Not Like the Good Old Days	Why wheat can be a problem
Giving up Smoking	Vegan Nutrition
Alcohol and Nutritional damage	Vitamin Supplements
Breakfast	Headaches
The truth about vitamin C	Eating For a Healthy Pregnancy
Spring clean your skin	Insomnia
Is a low-fat diet good for you?	Supporting the Liver
Nutrition in Focus	Insulin Resistance
Syndrome X	Detox Treatment
Colds and flu	Super Foods for Fitness
Gout	Headache
Haemorrhoids	Pre pregnancy
Post Pregnancy	Acne From Hell 3
Acne From Hell 2	Acne From Hell 1
Case 3-3. Age 27 Female	Case 3-2. Age 27 Female
Case 3-1. Age 27 Female	Case 2. Male 30yrs
Case 1. Schoolgirl aged 15 yrs	Spring Clean
Summer/Spring Clean	Low Blood Sugar
Irritated Bowel Syndrome	Diarrhoea
Constipation	Wind
Water Retention	Berber Argan Oil
Digest and Absorb	Food Pyramid