Medical Reports: Fat-Fighting Foods

WSVN -- Running, cycling, climbing stairs and weight lifting, all good ways to lose weight.

Ernesto Avino: "I had enough over years and years of just gaining weight."

Ernesto Avino has lost 40 pounds in the last four months, and he's still counting down.

Ernesto Avino: "I'm looking forward to losing these next 20 pounds before the summer."

Alessandra Castanho is burning off fat to shape up for competitions.

Alessandra Castanho: "I was training for triathlon events, and I was feeling out of energy."

Both Ernesto and Alessandra turned to nutritionist Lisa Dorfman from the University of Miami to get the skinny on losing weight.

Lisa Dorfman: "Excellent, beautiful job."

They learned about seven foods that can help fight fat.

Lisa Dorfman: "Hi, Ernie. Great to see you."

Number one is fiber.

Lisa Dorfman: "Foods that are high in fiber make you feel fuller after your meal, so you're not constantly hungry."

You can find high fiber in cereals, oatmeal and rice.

Lisa Dorfman: "A cup a day is all you need to lose the weight."

Number two, make sure to get vitamin C.

Ernesto Avino: "As I went on and on, it was easier to reach for the fruit instead of the chips."

Studies say vitamin C will help your body burn 30 percent more fat during moderate exercise.

Number three, protein.

Lisa Dorfman: "It could help increase metabolism. It could help satiate you, so you're not hungry a half hour after meal time, and it could also burn more calories as you're consuming it."

Alessandra Castanho: "When I introduced protein or lean protein to my diet, that was a boost to my energy."

And number four, omega 3.

Lisa Dorfman: "Omega 3's may also have a factor in weight loss by mimicking a chemical in the brain called leptin, which tells our bodies, 'Hey, you've had enough to eat.'"

Fatty fishes are the best source, but you can also find it in certain cheeses, which have been fortified with omega 3.

If all else fails, pick up omega 3 supplements.

And to supercharge your metabolism, you're going to have to spice up your life with our fifth fat fighting food: hot pepper.

Lisa Dorfman: "You could use chili pepper, you could use seasoning blends that are already prepared in the market."

Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which will speed up your metabolism after eating a meal.

Sixth on the list, go nuts.

Lisa Dorfman: "Nuts actually have been shown, in some studies, to reduce weight by about 18 percent when consumed from one to three ounces a day."

Try to avoid fatty nuts, like peanuts and macadamia and salted nuts. Instead, choose almonds and pistachios.

And, finally...

Lisa Dorfman: "We're going to the tea aisle."

What you drink can help you lose weight. Green tea has been shown to increase fat loss.

Lisa Dorfman: "They're not sure why. Maybe it's the caffeine, or maybe it's something called EGCG, a compound in the tea."

Alessandra has been eating the seven fat-fighting foods for six months now.

Lisa Dorfman: "I went from 20 percent body fat to 16 percent, and I lost seven inches of my waist."

And Ernesto says seven has been his lucky number too.

Ernesto Avino: "I want to be around a long time for my kids, for my son's life."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Lisa Dorfman
Sports Nutritionist/Adjunct Professor-University of Miami
305-854-1065
www.foodfitness.com