Up your protein intake Build muscle and lose fat by eating at least 15 to 20 grams of protein at every meal or snack. Lean, grass-fed beef Chicken breast Fish and seafood Whole eggs Beans & legumes Tofu Tempeh Quinoa Plant-based protein powder Eat colorfully Vegetables contain lots of fiber and antioxidants and will fill you up with fewer calories. Dedicate at least a third of your plate at each meal to as many colors of vegetables as possible. Beets Tomatoes Red peppers Carrots Pumpkin Yellow summer squash Cauliflower Mushrooms Broccoli Leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula, collards) Brussels Okra Squash Eggplant Purple cabbage Black olives Choose whole grains The fiber found in whole grains helps keep your insulin levels low, causing fat cells to shrink. Eat these healthy grains instead of refined carbohydrates (or carbs made with white flour): Oatmeal Quinoa Brown rice Bulgar Millet Sorghum Buckwheat Whole grain wheat bread Whole grain pasta Include healthy fats Monounsaturated fats help control your blood sugar, which will keep your body from storing excess fat. It may seem counterintuitive, but your body needs certain fats in order to burn fat—just watch your portion sizes! Avocados Olive oil Safflower oil Sesame oil Canola oil Nuts (all) Don’t drink your calories A lot of beverages contain added sugars and other ingredients that will stifle your fat loss efforts. Avoid these drinks: Coffee with creamer and/or sugar Blended coffee drinks Bottled juices with added sweeteners (like high fructose corn syrup) Non-diet sodas Energy drinks Pre-bottled smoothies (most contain added sugars so check the label) Cocktails and excessive alcohol Instead, sip on these drinks to stay hydrated: Green tea Black tea Fresh-pressed vegetable juices Wheatgrass Lemon water