By adding these foods to your diet, you’ll lose pounds and make smart eating choices Make your exercise count and burn fat faster with these seven extra nutritional food options.

Cinnamon

Add this spice to your hot cereal or coffee drinks instead of sugar and you can cut a couple hundred calories a week, enough to lose 2-3 pounds in a year. Researchers from Pakistan found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lower cholesterol by 18% and triglycerides by 30%. Make no mistake if you get your cinnamon fix from the famous Cinabon at your favorite mall because it has a whopping 813 calories per roll, which is the equivalent of eating 7 bowls of Fruit Loops!

Granola bars

A small study from Great Britain found that women who eat a high-fiber, high-carb breakfast burn 2 times more fat during workouts later in the day than those who eat more refined (low-fiber) foods. Instead of eating your typical bar that contains a single gram of fiber, try a Bootcamp granola bar with at least 4g of fiber. Refined carbohydrates increase insulin levels, which limits the body’s ability to use fat for fuel, explains Lisa Dorfman, RD, an adjunct professor at the University of Miami. Be sure to read the ingredients on the box to avoid buying granola bars with palm or coconut oil that are high in saturated fat!

Ground flaxseed

Flaxseed is rich in fiber and healthy fats, which help maintain blood sugar levels, so you’re less likely to feel the urge to binge. Some research suggests that flaxseed may also help ease symptoms of hormonal highs and lows because it is high in plant estrogens. Ground seeds are easier for your body to digest. Sprinkle Bootcamp flaxseed over cereal, soups, or salads; add them to smoothies; or substitute 1 cup of ground flaxseed for 1/3 cup of canola, corn, or other oil or shortening in muffins and cookies. To keep it fresh longer, refrigerate the open container of flaxseed!

hot sauce

Add flavor to your food if you want to burn fat. In a small Australian study of 36 men and women, researchers found that after a spicy meal, levels of insulin, the hormone that triggers the storage of body fat, dropped by up to 32%. Capsaicin, the chemical that heats up chili peppers, is thought to improve the body’s ability to remove insulin from the bloodstream after a meal, so you’re more likely to burn fat after a bootcamp meal with chili peppers than after one without them. For a steady and secure supply, try growing your own chiles, harvest them, and place them out to dry completely.

Salmon

Eating just 3 ounces of Bootcamp canned salmon provides 530 IU (more than the daily value) of vitamin D and 181 mg of calcium. Kaiser Permanente researchers conducted a 7-year study of more than 36,000 women ages 50 to 79 and found that those who took calcium and vitamin D supplements gained less weight after menopause than those who took a placebo. Other studies show that our appetite-regulating hormone, leptin, can’t do its job if we don’t consume enough vitamin D. Salmon patties are quick to prepare and are very tasty too!

walnuts

Bootcamp nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can help you feel fuller for a longer period of time. In a year-long Australian study, people with diabetes were on a low-fat diet, and a discovery was made. Those people who ate 8 to 10 nuts a day lost more weight and body fat. Study members also lowered their insulin levels, which helps keep fat storage in check. Host a “nut cookie party” around the table and invite your family and friends to help you out! Freeze your supply of nuts and take a daily serving with your lunch!

Water

A California study involving 240 women found that those who substituted water for their sugary drinks lost an average of 3 pounds more per year than those who did not. Women who drank more than a quarter of water a day lost 2 extra kilos, compared to those who drank less. Another benefit of drinking water is that the phosphoric acid in soda can increase bone loss and osteoporosis by changing the acid balance in the blood. Add this Bootcamp tip to your daily nutritional schedule. Take a bottle of water with you wherever you go!

Adding these 7 Bootcamp Nutrition Ideas can help you wage war on your weight loss program.