Healthy Foods That Cause Bloat
Sometimes its not just the unhealthy foods that contribute to bloating around the middle. Certain healthy foods like kale, cabbage, broccoli, and beans can leave some people feeling uncomfortably bloated too because of their high fiber content.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve your gut health, reduce bloating and strengthen digestion all of which will bring you closer to a flat stomach youve been working toward. 8fits nutritionists recommend adding fermented foods to your diet, such as kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha , as they are bacteria-boosting and can help improve digestion.
If those seem a bit out of your wheelhouse, you can also support your digestive system by eating oats the prebiotics in oats feed the good bacteria in your belly too.
Tried these dietary additions and still seem to be experiencing that uncomfortable bloat? Try keeping a food journal to track everything youre eating and how you feel after eating certain foods for a minimum of two weeks and keep in mind that it can take 72 hours for your body to experience a reaction to foods. Its also useful to monitor whether or not youre drinking enough water, as being hydrated enough plays a vital role in that quest for a flat stomach and will support losing belly fat.
Research Shows Losing Weight Leads To Heart Health
A diet thats low in fat and carbohydrates can improve artery function,according to a 2012 study by Johns Hopkins researchers. After six months,those on the low-carb diet had lost more weight, and at a faster pace. Butin both groups, when weight was lostand especially when belly fatshrankthe arteries were able to expand better, allowing blood to travel more freely. The studyshows that you dont have to cut out all dietary fat to shrink belly fat.For heart health, simply losing weight and exercising seems to be key.
Peanuts And Peanut Butter
Belly Fat Burning Foods Peanuts and Peanut Butter
Peanuts are not only delicious as a spread or dip, but they also have a fat-burning effect on the stomach area.
This versatile nut contains genistein, a compound that acts on obesity genes and reduces your bodys ability to store fat.
Genistein is a compound that acts on obesity genes and reduces your bodys ability to store fat.
Furthermore, according to an Uppsala University study, peanuts are rich in polyunsaturated fats, which turn on genes in visceral fat associated with decreased fat storage and improved sugar metabolism in the body.
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Flavor Your Food With Garlic
A little garlic in your meals could mean a lot less weight around your middle. The results of a Korean study found that mice given a high-fat diet supplemented with garlic lost significantly more weight and abdominal fat than those who just ate fatty foods. Even better, they also improved their liver health, making it easier to stay healthy and burn off that excess fat in the long term. For more flavorful ways to make your food more enjoyable, turn to the metabolism-boosting spicy recipes and watch those pounds melt away.
Eight Delicious Foods That Help Fight Belly Fat
NEW YORK — In the battle of the bulge, belly fat is an especially tough opponent. But there are actually a number of foods that are great for your taste buds and your waistline. They help you fight belly fat. And you may find this hard to believe, but they’re so delicious, you probably already eat them!
On “The Early Show,” Self magazine Editor in Chief Lucy Danziger not only named the foods Self highlights, she discussed some things Self says you can do without being noticed that can also help, and the opposite – things Self says you may do that can sabotage your efforts.
Belly Fat-Fighting Foods
1. Avocados
Merely half of one avocado contains 10 grams of healthy mono-saturated fats, which stop the blood sugar spikes that tell your body to store fat around your midsection.
Not only do healthy fats in avocado help thwart belly bloat, they also help our bodies better absorb carotenoids, cancer-fighting compounds found in colorful fruits and veggies like tomatoes, carrots, spinach and winter squash. In fact, people who ate salads with avocado had 15 times higher absorption of carotenoids, a study from The Ohio State University at Columbus found.
2. Bananas
The fruit packs 422 milligrams of potassium, a mineral that can help limit the amount of belly swelling sodium in your body.
3. Yogurt
A cup encourages the growth of good bacteria in your gut, throwing out other bugs that can cause bloating.
4. Berries
5. Chocolate Skim Milk
6. Green Tea
8. Whole Grains
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Change Your Lifestyle And Combine Different Methods
Just doing one of the items on this list wont have a big effect on its own.
If you want good results, you need to combine different methods that have been shown to be effective.
Interestingly, many of these methods are things generally associated with healthy eating and an overall healthy lifestyle.
Therefore, changing your lifestyle for the long term is the key to losing your belly fat and keeping it off.
When you have healthy habits and eat real food, fat loss tends to follow as a natural side effect.
SUMMARY
Losing weight and keeping it off is difficult unless you permanently change your dietary habits and lifestyle.
Bonus: Weighted Ab Training
Here’s the thing. You cant directly target fat loss from your belly. But you can grow your abs just like any other muscle by training them with weights. As they grow, they will pop more through your skin. And as a result, make them more visible even if you havent lost all the belly fat.
To do this, train your abs with weighted movements regularly 2-3 times a week. Great exercise options include weighted:
- Cable crunches
- Reverse crunches
- Sit ups
I do have an article covering weighted ab training as well – so, if you’re truly serious about belly fat loss, do check it out.
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Eat Plenty Of Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre forms a gel with water that slows down food as it passes through your digestive system. This type of fibre promotes weight loss as it helps you feel fuller for longer thereby preventing unnecessary food intake.
If youre planning to switch to a high fibre diet, remember to do it gradually to give your body time to adjust. Abdominal discomfort, cramps, and even diarrhoea are common side effects if you ramp up your fibre intake too quickly.
Reduce Refined Carbohydrate Intake
Just as you should drink whole milk because it is less processed, you should also reduce refined carbohydrate intake for the same reason. Refined carbs, during processing, are stripped of their bran and germ. The end result is food that is artificially low in fiber and nutrients and high on the glycemic index. When you eat foods with a high glycemic index, your blood sugar levels fluctuate.
Blood sugar levels spiking and crashing increases hunger and calorie consumption. This results in excess belly fat. Contrastingly, when you incorporate more whole grains into your diet, you will lose inches off your belly, lower your BMI and burn overall body fat. Replace processed cereals, white bread, and pasta with whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, oats, barley, and quinoa.
Also Check: Do Probiotics Help Flatten Your Stomach
How Do I Create A Healthy Calorie Deficit And Lose Stomach Fat
Weight loss, once you get your head around it, is actually a pretty simple formula. According to Windas, making sure your body is using more energy than you are consuming is the simplest way to lose weight.
This is called a calorie deficit.
A healthy calorie deficit will allow you to acquire enough calories to keep the body healthy, Windas shares. Shed recommend a deficit of 500 calories daily. That means women who consume the NHS guideline of 2000 calories a day to maintain their weight would want to consume 1500 calories a day to be in a deficit, she explains.
Dont dip any lower or youll struggle with focus, lacking energy levels and risk malnutrition, she warns.
Foods That Will Burn Belly Fat
Losing belly fat is a common goal for many including myself, not just for cosmetic purposes but also for health reasons. Lets explore Foods That Will Burn Belly Fat.
Fat accumulation around the belly has been strongly linked to serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Research shows that even with a healthy weight, belly fat may increase the risk of premature death.
And in most cases, belly fat is the most difficult to lose, but there are strategies including specific foods that can help you target this area and lose more fat, than when consuming other foods. Keep reading to find out what these foods are
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Eat High Fiber Foods & Whole Grains
Not all carbs are created equal. Carbs that are high in fiber are linked with lower levels of abdominal fat.1 Furthermore, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that dieters who eat whole grains lose more belly fat than those who consume refined grains.234
How does it work? Whole grain foods are high in fiber, which help maintain low insulin levels. Research from the University of Kuopio in Finland suggests that low levels of insulin may shrink fat cells.
Try Curbing Carbs Instead Of Fats
When Johns Hopkins researchers compared the effects on the heart of losingweight through a low-carbohydrate diet versus a low-fat diet for sixmonthseach containing the same amount of caloriesthose on a low-carb dietlost an average of 10 pounds more than those on a low-fat diet28.9 poundsversus 18.7 pounds. An extra benefit of the low-carb diet is that itproduced a higher quality of weight loss, Stewart says. With weight loss,fat is reduced, but there is also often a loss of lean tissue ,which is not desirable. On both diets, there was a loss of about 2 to 3pounds of good lean tissue along with the fat, which means that the fatloss percentage was much higher on the low-carb diet.
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Consume A Combo Of Calcium And Vitamin D
Say cheese! Adding some extra calcium and vitamin D to your diet could be the best way to get the flat stomach you’ve been dreaming about. Over just 12 months, researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville found that obese female study subjects who upped their calcium intake shed 11 pounds of body fat without other major dietary modifications. To keep your calcium choices healthy, try mixing it up between dairy sources, calcium-rich leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.
Avoid Eating After Dinner
Stop treating your kitchen like an all-night diner and you’ll stop seeing those unwanted pounds piling onto your frame, too. The results of a study published in Cell Metabolism found that mice who only had access to food during an eight-hour period stayed slim over the course of the study, while those who ate the same number of calories over a 16-hour period gained significantly more weight, particularly around their middle. When you’re finished with dinner at night, shut the fridge and don’t look back until morning your belly will thank you. When you do head back to the kitchen in the A.M., make sure the best healthy kitchen staples for cooking are there waiting for you.
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Healthy Foods That Help You Burn Fat
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Boosting your metabolic rate can help you lose body fat.
However, most fat-burning supplements on the market are either unsafe, ineffective or both.
Fortunately, several natural foods and beverages have been shown to increase your metabolism and promote fat loss.
Here are 11 healthy foods that help you burn fat.
Ramp Up Your Cardio Exercise
You don’t have to be the next Usain Bolt in the making to enjoy some serious belly-slimming results from hitting the track from time to time. Even a moderate-rate jog a few times a week can blast through that belly fat in fact, a study conducted at Duke University Medical Center found that, over the course of an eight-month study, overweight adult study subjects who jogged 12 miles a week lost the most belly fat and burned 67 percent more calories than participants who did an equivalent amount of resistance exercise, or a combination of cardio and resistance work.
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Belly Fat Loss Diet Plan
Eating the right kind of food is central to losing belly fat. It is ideal to follow a well-thought-out diet planned as per your needs and requirements.
We have put together a 1200 calorie diet plan to help you understand how you can go about planning your diet. However, it must be noted that a 1500 calorie diet plan is ideal for men, while a 1200 calorie diet plan works better for women.
That said, dietary requirements vary from person-to-person. Understand what plan works best for you by consulting a nutritionist, and choose your diet accordingly.
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- Start your day with a glass of lemon cinnamon water.
- Have a vegetable sandwich for breakfast, accompanied by a glass of skim milk.
- Follow that up by eating fruits and almonds at 11:00 AM.
- Have lunch at 1:00 PM. Eat two katoris of Masala Khichdi along with a katori each of Sprouts Curd salad and Low-Fat Curd Kadhi.
- Let the food digest with a glass of buttermilk at 3:30 PM.
- Drink a cup of green tea at 4:00 PM.
- Have half a katori of boiled chana an hour after that.
- For dinner, eat two pieces of chapati along with a katori of palak paneer and half a cucumber.
- End your day with a cup of skimmed milk.
Ensure that your diet is balanced, and that you are consuming as many nutrients as possible, while also ensuring you burn more calories than your daily intake. For a better understanding of how to plan your diet out for a week, take a look at a weekly plan here.
Peanut Butter And Other Nut Butters
Instead of spreading sugary filled jams and jellies on bread, switch to peanut butter . You can also have peanut butter as a snack with fruits and vegetables like apples or celery. One serving of natural peanut butter can have up to 8 grams of protein and up to 4 grams of fiber per serving which keeps you satiated for longer and boosts your metabolism.
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How Long Does It Take To Lose Belly Fat
As mentioned, anyone wondering how to lose belly fat fast isn’t alone, but this isn’t always realistic, and almost always not sustainable. It plays out differently for every single person. Our genetics, age, lifestyle, stress and sleep all play a role in how fast we lose belly fat the same goes for all body fat actually.
It’s not about trying to lose belly fat in a week or lose stomach fat fast it’s about sticking to a pace that keeps you trucking on. For most people, the best way to lose belly fat looks like an 80/20 split of healthy habits and ones that are, perhaps, more fun than functional.
Read our complete guide on how long it takes to lose weight.
How Do I Lose Belly Fat Fast
Right, by “fast”, we’re going to have to assume you are looking for answers to how to lose belly fat efficiently and safely. That’s the only way we know how to do things at WH and the only way we plan on doing things, too.
One way to make sure you’re as dialled into your belly fat loss journey as possible is to get more granular with your nutrition. Now, ifyou’re already familiar with counting calories, listen up this is how to fine-tune your fat loss efforts to focus on how to lose belly fat in particular. It’s known as learning how to count and calculate your macros.
“Counting macros” is a diet technique to make sure you’re eating the right amounts of each macronutrient protein, fat and carbohydrates. By tweaking the volume of each you can make your fat loss efforts more efficient.
How? Well, each macronutrient plays a different role in keeping our bodies ticking over. In broad strokes: protein helps to build and maintain muscle tissue, carbohydrates provide fast and slow-release energy and healthy fats support hormone function.
Tweaking the volumes you eat can help build muscle and lose body fat more efficiently, as well as allowing you to re-incorporate some of your favourite foods. Because you’re looking at what makes up what you eat, foods that are less nutrient-dense can be incorporated . All you’ll need to do is work out how that impacts the rest of your day.
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Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Also, cut out alcohol, as the calories in alcohol are high. If you drink alcohol regularly or drink on the weekends, try to tally up how many calories it amounts to per week.
Furthermore, research suggest that heavy consumption of alcohol is linked to high levels of belly fat, or more specifically abdominal obesity.2223
Reduce Your Stress Levels
Stress may increase the likelihood of gaining abdominal fat. Stress triggers your adrenal glands to produce the stress hormone cortisol.
High levels of cortisol redistributes body fat to be stored around the waist, as well as increasing appetite and driving a particular preference for energy-dense food.24
Furthermore, alcohol, smoking and caffeine increase the stress hormone cortisol, which stimulates the deposition of belly fat.252627
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