Your potbelly with its visceral fat sits there protruding, making you look fat, ugly with a flabby stomach. At the same time, you should know that it is actively harming your body’s systems and organs. Therefore, eating the right diet to lose belly fat becomes vital.
Yet, many of us have accepted belly fat as a life companion. We don’t have to do that. With its disadvantages vis-à-vis appearance and health, you should get rid of your belly fat. Achieving a zero belly naturally isn’t difficult.
There is no greater threat to you, your family, your happiness, your spiritual well-being, and your financial future than that dumpy bit of fat that has deposited itself in your belly.
Aim, therefore, for a zero-belly plan. It will not change your fat genes. It will turn them off, putting an end to the inflammation they cause and the dangers that come along with it.
What do you need to get rid of your belly fat?
It requires a little bit of motivation to sport a zero belly and for that, you should stick to a zero-belly diet plan and regular exercise.
According to The BMJ, each 10 cm (3.94 inches) increment in waist circumference was associated with an 11% higher risk of premature death.
In this post, we are going to discuss the diet plan that will give fast and long-lasting results and knock off 7 inches of your waist fat in just six weeks. It will slash your risk of premature death, heart attack, diabetes, and stroke by 80 percent.
There is no diet to lose belly fat, which reduces only belly fat and keeps the fat on the rest of the body intact. But, there is a low-fat diet plan to reduce your fat on the whole body, which will help you to reduce belly fat quickly both in men and women.
If you are having a potbelly, in all probability, you are overweight or obese, though not necessarily.
This diet plan will help you lose weight and keep you fighting fit and overall healthy. These are the foods that burn belly fat.
You will come across crash diet plans to lose belly fat fast, but their effectiveness, in the long run, makes them unsuccessful. You should follow the diet plan explained here throughout life for three reasons:
- It will keep you at an optimum weight.
- It will keep your belly as you would like it to be.
- It will keep you healthy and guard you against serious health disorders, which are associated with obesity and belly fat — like diabetes, heart diseases, osteoarthritis, renal failure, heartburn, and many more.
Diet to lose belly fat
To lose your belly fat does not mean you have to starve. You have to control your calories though. We all come from different continents and have our own traditional foods.
This chart that informs you of the number of calories present in various foods will be useful. You can then be aware of the calories you have consumed during a meal or during the day.
Therefore, this diet plan that will help you to lose belly fat will mention what you can eat and what you must avoid in a broad sense and not in a targeted fashion.
For example, this plan will not say what particular burger you can eat at MacDonald’s or Subway but the dos and don’ts in the broader sense will help you to choose the appropriate dish, where ever you eat.
Broadly, what are the foods we eat:
Grains, vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry, seafood, oils, dairy products, and the derivatives of these foods
We’re not asking you to go on a diet. We’re asking you to choose these foods in the right way so that you get the optimum health benefits.
Choose whole grains and cereals
Choose only whole grains and products made from whole grains such as whole-wheat bread and whole-wheat cereals. Before buying any “off the shelf” grain product, check its contents’ label to see if it is made from whole grains.
- Firstly, whole grains contain more protein, vitamins, and minerals than refined wheat, because refined wheat loses its nutrients during the refining process. The main reason for this is that the bran and the germ of the wheat are lost during the refining process.
- Secondly, whole wheat is rich in fiber, and studies by the Harvard Medical School showed that those on whole wheat weighed less compared to those on refined wheat.
- Thirdly, whole grains contain complex carbohydrates which are converted into glucose and energy slowly and, therefore, provide you with energy, steadily throughout the day. Simple carbohydrates, which are found in processed foods, are devoid of nutrients and therefore, there are greater chances that energy derived from simple carbohydrates is converted to fats and stored in your body. You should avoid simple carbs.
- Prefer brown rice over white rice for the same reasons mentioned above.
Eat fruits and vegetables
- Fruits and vegetables are low in calorie content, thereby helping you to reduce your belly fat.
- Because of their potassium content, they help to control blood sugar and regulate fluid content.
- They are high in fiber and water content, thereby helping to keep the bowels clean.
- High fiber content also gives a feeling of fullness, thereby preventing you from overeating and putting on a potbelly.
Choose milk and dairy products
- If you drink milk, make sure that you drink skimmed milk.
- You can have dairy products but choose low-fat cheese, low-fat yogurt, etc.
Why drink skimmed milk?
The table below is self-explanatory and will tell you why. The nutritional value is calculated for one cup of milk, which is 8 ounces.
Nutrients ————— Whole milk —————- Skimmed milk
Fats 7.93 gm 0.44 gm
Calories 146 86
Calcium 290 mgm 316 mgm
Proteins 7.86 gm 8.4 gm
Carbohydrates 11.03 gm 11.98 gm
Use healthy oils
Use healthy oils, which include coconut oil, olive oil, and canola oil. Avoid soya bean oil, palm oil, and peanut oil.
In short, do not use hydrogenated oils (oils having hydrogen added to them to increase shelf life) like vegetable oils.
The oils advocated for use above belong to the Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) variety. These are smaller than other fats. You can easily digest and metabolize them. They are, therefore, immediately converted to energy rather than being stored in fat cells. These are the ones that are converted to HDL, (the good cholesterol) which is transported to the liver for use and then to the intestines, via the bile, for excretion.
After eating foods made from coconut oil, you tend to eat less, as it is filling and you feel full for a longer time. If you have breakfast cooked in coconut oil, you will eat a smaller lunch than if you had a breakfast cooked in vegetable oil.
These healthy oils promote thermogenesis and help in burning calories to produce heat.
The oils that are to be avoided belong to Long Chain Triglyceride (LCT), and get deposited in the body as fat and more likely around your midriff.
If you are buying food off the shelf, avoid oils that have the sign “Hydrogenated Oil” on the label. If possible, avoid fast foods and processed foods when on this diet regimen, as they usually use such oils.
Choosing meat, fish, and poultry
It is not necessary to avoid these non-vegetarian foods if you are burning calories through physical activity. But, it is necessary to choose and cook in a way conducive to losing fat.
Avoid the following foods:
- Burgers, salami, and sausages
- Fatty roasts, minced beef, and chops
- Frankfurters, regular bacon, roast beef, and lamb
- Fried meat, meat with tard
- Chicken skin
You can eat:
- Chicken and turkey without the skin
- Very lean pork without lard (visible fat)
- Very lean meat without lard
- One egg per day or two eggs without the yolk
- Fish is rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It has good fats and is low in calories. Eat fish at least twice a week.
The right way to cook your foods
Eat your foods grilled, baked, or roasted. If you want to fry, use minimal oils, which are recommended above.
Avoid too much alcohol
Excessive alcohol has been associated with excessive belly fat. If you are within the safe drinking limits of having one or two drinks every day, you are good. However, if you drink less frequently and consume excessively on those days, you are at risk of developing central obesity.
Limit yourself to one drink every day for the first six weeks if you are a regular drinker. After that, you can add one drink only to your everyday quota. Total abstinence from alcohol is always good.
Avoid eating sugary foods sugary beverages and aerated drinks
The main dangerous component of sugar is fructose, which research links to several chronic health diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, central obesity, and fatty liver.
Fructose does not suppress appetite as much as glucose does as a result of which, you may overeat. Excess fructose intake can cause leptin resistance, disturbing body fat regulation and contributing to obesity.
Examples of drinks to avoid:
- soda
- punch
- sweet tea
- alcoholic mixers containing sugar
Get good sleep
A study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine links lack of sleep to weight gain and to an excess of belly fat. It is not just the short duration but even lack of good quality sleep can promote the development of abdominal fat.
Important:
Just following this diet to lose belly fat is not enough. You must also include a regular exercise plan with special zero belly abs workouts in your daily routine.
