Men often carry their excess weight around their middle, while women often carry their excess weight on their hips and thighs. Excess accumulation of belly fat (“being apple-shaped”) is more dangerous than excess fat around your hips and thighs (“being pear-shaped). Belly fat is associated with serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and even some cancer such as breast and colon cancer.
There are lots of healthy that can be incorporated into your daily meal to lose your belly fat and keep in shape.
A fiber-rich Diet
Eating a fiber-rich diet can help you lose belly fat. Consuming 10 grams of soluble fiber per day, without any other diet changes, build up less visceral fat over time than others. Soluble fibers do not contain any calories, yet fills you up quickly. Because the body cannot digest soluble fibers, it reaches the large intestine largely unchanged. This is acted upon by intestinal bacteria which can digest soluble fiber. These soluble fiber acts as a prebiotic, providing the bacteria with nutrients thereby maintaining gut immunity.
Soluble fibers are found in a variety of plant-based foods. Foods that are rich in soluble fibers include oatmeal, sweet potato, kidney beans, blueberries, cooked oat bran, navy beans, Brussels sprouts, apricots and oranges
Avoid Sugary Drinks.
Sugar-sweetened beverages and soft drinks are the number one culprit for belly fats. People who drink sugary beverages every day tend to accumulate more deep belly fat over time.
The sweet tastes can alter the way we perceive and crave food and can influence insulin secretion, leading to an overeating response.
Green Tea
Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages recommended by a nutritionist. It is packed with antioxidants and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, caffeine, and EGCG that are beneficial for health.
These bioactive chemical compounds may be able to boost your metabolism, helping to speed up the rate at which your body burns calories and contributing to weight loss. Sipping green tea before a workout can also increase your fat burn during aerobic exercise.
Several studies suggest that green tea can make us burn more calories, even at rest. Other health benefits of green tea include;
- Lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by improving insulin and controlling blood sugar level.
- May reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke
- May lower your risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fiber and are full of nutrition like essential minerals and vitamins that may help your body improve metabolism and subsequently burn belly fat.
Besides the high-quality fiber and a host of health essential minerals and minerals, vegetables also contain phytochemicals that help enhance fat loss in the body
Including vegetables in your diet may help you not just in your weight loss journey, but also to live a long and healthy life
Protein Powder and Shakes
Protein is a must for getting rid of belly fat and weight loss. Protein shakes are drinks made by mixing protein powder with water. They are an easy way to add more protein to your diet. When used as a dietary supplement, protein shakes have been linked to overall body fat loss and reduced waist circumference. It also boosts satisfaction, making you less likely to snack or binge between meals. Protein shakes such as whey protein is also a complete protein, so it offers all the essential amino acids your body needs from your regular diet. These amino acids help maintain and build active lean muscle tissue, which in turn promote fat loss.
There are different types and brands of protein powder in the market, with different nutritional content and benefits.
Avocados
The avocado can be considered more of a fat than a fruit. It is arguably considered one of the healthiest and perfect foods to lose weight. Avocados are a good source of natural fats (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). It is proven to have the ability to lower blood cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammatory marker, important factors that contribute to insulin resistance, heart disease, and obesity. This healthy fat can quell hunger pangs and even spot-reduce belly fat. An avocado also provides nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients essential for healthy weight management.
Legumes
Legumes are one of the nutritious and healthiest food you may want to consider for belly fat loss. They are rich in soluble fibers, which promotes good bacteria in the gut, thus lowering inflammation linked to belly fat
Eating legumes are a great way to get your protein without the fat and calories. The carbs found in legumes such as bean digest very slowly. They have a low glycemic index, which keeps blood sugar lower and steadier than faster-digesting carbohydrates like refined flour in pasta or bread.
Examples of legumes include lentils, chicken pea, lupins, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a very unique food. It is one of those foods that boasts an impressive nutritional profile. Quinoa is a slow-digesting carbohydrate, with a low glycemic index so it won’t causes a spike in blood sugar. Its uniqueness also stems from the fact it’s the grain with the highest protein, packed with the essential amino acids needed to support lean muscle mass and encourage fat loss.
Salmon
Salmon is great for belly fat loss. It contains fewer calories and also a good source of protein and healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. This healthy fat does not contribute to belly fat.
Dark chocolate
Eating dark chocolate can reduce belly fat and even reduce inflammatory markers for heart disease in a single week. Dark chocolate has an impressive impact on how the body synthesizes fatty acids, thus reducing the digestion and absorption of fats and carbohydrates.
References
6 drinks that shrink your belly. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/07/12/6-drinks-that-shrink-your-belly.html
Franz, M. (2015). Weight Loss Interventions and Outcomes: Type 2 Diabetes. Journal Of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy, s5. doi: 10.4172/2165-7904.s5-005
K, H. (2013). A Systematic Review of Literature on the Effectiveness of Behavioral Weight Loss Programs to Achieve Weight Reduction. Journal Of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy, 03(01). doi: 10.4172/2165-7904.1000156
Levy, Y., Narotzki, B., & Reznick, A. (2017). Green tea, weight loss, and physical activity. Clinical Nutrition, 36(1), 315. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2016.11.001
