Burning fat starts in your kitchen. If you don’t have the right foods to fight fat, your chances of accelerating fat loss efforts will be severely hindered. So the best tool to lose the fat is to keep your kitchen stock piled with healthy foods that will enable you to work towards your fitness goals. Below are MUST-HAVE foods for your kitchen if your goal is fat loss.

Cottage Cheese: Low calorie, high protein snack absorbs the flavor of any food you mix it with, whether it’s tuna, nuts, or yogurt. At 90 calories & 14 grams of protein per serving, you can’t go wrong using this for one of your snack foods. Absolutely delicious when mixed with yogurt.

Yogurt: Low in calories and filled with nutrients, this food will satisfy your sweet tooth. Provides a bit of protein, and tastes delicious when mixed with nuts or cottage cheese.

Almonds – The fitness nut has all the nutrients you need to stay on track. While it may appear to be high in fat, it’s contains the good fat you need to actually burn fat. Believe it or not, our bodies need fat to function. There’s no better place to get it than in Almonds.

Chicken Breast – Chicken breast is a staple to any fitness buff’s diet. It provides tons of muscle building fat burning protein. 4-5 ounces at a time is all you need to get 30-40 grams of protein. There are so many different ways you can prepare chicken, you’ll never get tired of it.

Lean Hamburger Meat – I know, many people think hamburger meat is “bad". But if you buy the lean ground beef, it’ll yield about 4 grams of fat, and a whopping 20-25 grams of protein per 4 ounces. Put it with whole wheat bread, and you’ll have the ultimate meal balance.

Tilapia – For those who aren’t keen on fish, tilapia is the absolute best. Filled with omega-3’s to rev your metabolism.. and the best part is it doesn’t taste “fishy." Contains 20-25 grams of protein per 4 ounces, and is super easy to prepare!

Shrimp – Another protein of the sea. Shrimp is jam packed with protein, and you can eat tons of it and only take in a few calories. You can use it to dip into cocktail sauce, or you can mix it with whole wheat pasta for a balanced meal!

Whole Wheat Pasta – Void of processed flour, this is the ultimate carb. It’ll help maintain your insulin levels for you to burn fat 24/7, and mixes well with tuna, shrimp, lean hamburger meat, or chicken. Add a bit of low calorie sauce, and you have the perfect snack.

Sweet Potatoes – If anything cures a sweet tooth, it’s sweet potatoes. Containing slow absorbing carbs, it’s a must have for any fitness buff. Mix it with a moderate amount of protein, and you’ll be satisfied and full of energy.

Whole Wheat Bread – Many people say stay away from breads of any kind. I’m hear to tell you, whole wheat bread is perfect for lean hamburgers, tuna sandwiches, and even just a carb filler on the side. It’ll keep your energy levels stable, and allow you to hit the gym running.

If you keep your kitchen stocked with these foods, you can’t go wrong… and you’ll prime your body to burn fat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!