Article: Lean proteins, such as chicken and fish, are essential if you're trying to get rid of belly fat. High-quality lean proteins help stabilize your blood sugar and fill you up, keeping you from feeling the urge to snack on unhealthy foods later. Eating plenty of lean proteins can also help regulate your insulin and cortisol levels, both of which help get rid of your muffin top. Wild salmon is a particularly good source of lean protein that also contains belly fat-fighting omega-3 fatty acids. Eggs are also a great source of lean protein that contain relatively few calories. Eggs are also generally inexpensive, making them a great option for fighting belly fat on a budget. Like lean proteins, eating more fiber is essential for getting rid of your muffin top. Fibrous foods help you stay full and satisfied longer, decreasing your desire to snack and your caloric intake. Apples, bananas, raspberries, pears, and strawberries are all high fiber fruits that can help fill you up and fight belly fat. Broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnip greens, and green peas all contain several grams of fiber per serving. Antioxidant-rich foods, such as kale and spinach, can reduce inflammation that contributes to belly fat. In addition, these foods contain several of the vitamins your body needs to stay healthy and keep on track with your fat-burning plan. Green tea is also a great fat-burning option that is high in antioxidants. While it may seem counter-intuitive to increase your intake of fat, healthy unsaturated fats can actually fight belly fat rather than add to it. Avocados, olive oil, raw nuts, and fish are all great sources of monounsaturated fats that will fill you up and give you more energy without increasing unwanted body fat. In contrast to unsaturated fats, which can fight belly fat, saturated and trans fats, such as those found in processed cheese, can contribute to belly fat and easily derail your progress. Sugar is likely one of the biggest contributors to the development of your muffin top. Foods that are high in processed sugar tend to be very high in calories, which can be difficult to burn off. Processed sugar can also be addictive, causing you to overindulge and increase the amount of fat stored in your belly. Therefore, to get rid of your muffin top, it's crucial that you avoid consuming too much sugar and instead, focus on filling up on healthier options. While it's important to cut back on sugar, you don't need to give it up entirely to get rid of your muffin top. Try to eat sugar only occasionally and practice portion control when you do. When you're craving something sweet, try eating fruit instead of anything made with processed sugar. While fruits are still high in sugar, the natural sugar found in fruits is much less likely to contribute to belly fat. To help get rid of your muffin top, avoid eating highly processed carbohydrates, including white bread, pastries, cookies, cake, white rice, and potato products. While eating some healthy carbohydrates helps fuel your body for workouts, processed carbohydrates can increase your insulin levels and, in turn, increase or maintain the amount of fat stored in your belly. Insulin keeps fat where it's currently stored. Therefore, if you have a muffin top, increasing your insulin levels can keep your belly fat where it is. Instead of processed carbohydrates, focus on eating healthy, whole grain carbohydrates, such as quinoa and oats. Skipping meals can increase your cortisol levels, which can contribute to belly fat. Therefore, it's important that you make an effort to eat regularly to help manage your body's stress hormones. Eating healthy snacks and regular meals will also help keep you from overeating or snacking late at night. Eating regularly also keeps your metabolism from lagging, which is essential for getting rid of your muffin top.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Fill up on lean proteins. Incorporate more healthy fiber into your diet. Consume plenty of antioxidant-rich options. Add more healthy fats into your diet. Avoid consuming too much processed sugar. Steer clear of processed carbohydrates. Eat healthy meals regularly to keep up your metabolism.
Article: When you feel self-conscious it seems like a spotlight has been turned on you. Every aspect of yourself seems to be on display for others, primarily the flaws. Know that this is just a feeling within you. The majority of the time, people are too wrapped up in themselves to be overly concerned about you. When you feel yourself getting very self-conscious about your body, instead of keeping these feelings in, express them. Tell a friend or close sibling how you are feeling. That way you can get a true opinion outside of yourself. In order to make strides against overcoming self-consciousness, you need to uncover its roots. Were you teased as a child about your weight? Is there a certain person who always makes you feel self-conscious? Does your mom or dad constantly tell you how you need to lose weight? If your self-consciousness stems from the judgments of others, then the solution can take one of two forms. You will have to look deep inside yourself to determine if your relationship with this person is worth the pain they are causing you through judgments or unkind remarks. If this person is a distant friend or acquaintance whose insults are making you feel bad about yourself, then it may be necessary to sever ties with this person. You deserve to have supporting relationships, not ones that tear you down. If the person casting judgments about your weight is a really close friend or family member, you need to confront them. This person needs to be aware of how their remarks are affecting you. Once you confront the person, they may recognize the harmfulness of their words and no longer insult or judge you. If you decide to confront the person, you should give them a heads up that you want to talk and choose a neutral location to meet. Use "I" statements and avoid blaming them. Just let out your feelings with facts. A statement might sound like "I feel upset/sad/embarrassed when you make comments about my weight. I would really appreciate it if you could stop doing this." If your attempt to identify the source of your self-consciousness came up empty-handed, it may be because these feelings are more ingrained. Perhaps you lack confidence in your body because of messages expressed in the media. Maybe your body size and shape does not resemble models or TV actresses and it causes you to feel bad about yourself. Maybe you've tried to lose weight and failed in the past, so now you are beating yourself up mentally and emotionally. It's time to get real with yourself about media messages. Both women and men idealize the unattainable bodies that are portrayed on TV and magazines when these bodies have been photo-shopped to look perfect. Tell yourself that real bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Look around you; each day you see a range of beautiful people with all sorts of bodies.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Remind yourself that self-consciousness is a feeling not a fact. Figure out the source of your self-consciousness. Deal with the people who make you self-conscious about your weight. Ask yourself if others are really judging you.