We're often told we're eating the wrong foods for our bodies -- but what if you were told you're eating the right foods, but in the wrong way?
That's what Australian personal trainer and Instagram star (with over 9 MILLION followers!) Kayla Itsines broke to us when she visited our show to surprise a teacher from Virginia who lost 60 pounds on one of her fitness programs!
"It's not the wrong food," Kayla explains. "There's just a better way to have these sort of foods."
Well, we're all ears!
FLAXSEED
Kayla says that flaxseed is full of Omega 3 and fiber, BUT the nutrients are *within* it.
So, before tossing them in your salad or on top of popcorn, get the most nutrients out of them by grinding them, the fitness guru suggests!
TRY THIS: Mood-Elevating Omega-3 Chicken Tenders (with ground flaxseeds!)
BANANAS
"Bananas have a high sugar content," Kayla explains. "And the best way to metabolize a banana is to actually add fat to it."
Kayla's recommendation? A little bit of almond butter!
You can just dip your banana right into the almond butter OR have it on a slice of toast.
You don't have to tell us twice!
RELATED: Metabolism-Boosting Raw Banana Sushi Roll With Nut Butter, Coconut and Cacao
YOGURT
You know that watery layer that you find on top of yogurt when you open it?
Well, it's called yogurt whey -- and Kayla says it's actually good for you.
So, don't toss it down the drain -- stir it in!
RELATED: Kayla Itsines' Mediterranean Nachos
"That [gets] all the nutrients back into the yogurt," she stresses.
(Kayla promises your yogurt won't taste any different!)
STRAWBERRIES
Think twice before you slice!
"Try and keep your strawberries whole," Kayla says. "They're high in vitamin C [and] as soon as you cut your strawberry -- because of the oxygen [and] the light -- it starts to break down that vitamin C."
So, either eat it whole (with manageable bites!), or only cut it right before you’re going to eat it!
(Wait, does this mean chocolate-covered strawberries are a go?! ? )
BEANS + WHOLE GRAINS
Before you cook with beans and whole grains, Kayla advises, it’s a good idea to give them a thorough soak first!
"This will release phytates -- which are naturally occurring chemicals -- and also remove some of the salt that is added during packaging," she says.
Why do you want phytates released?
Well, "phytates aren't necessarily harmful, but they can bind to minerals like iron, making it harder for your body to digest," she explains.
Translation: soaking beans and whole grains before cooking may make it easier for your body to digest the nutrients in them.
