The foods you eat play a major role in how you look, and if you’re carrying extra belly fat, you’ve probably wondered which meal-time items are the culprits. The fact is that you can’t spot treat belly fat, and if you want to lose a few pounds in your midsection, you’re going to have to lose weight in general.
However, there are some foods that can help reduce bloating and make it less likely that you’ll store fat in your abdominal area. Some even help you burn fat by giving your metabolism a small boost when you consume them.
Read on to learn which foods you absolutely need to be eating if you’re going to get that flat stomach you’ve always wanted. Beach season is just around the corner after all!
Chicken breasts
Boneless, skinless chicken breast has been a healthy diet staple for years and that’s because it’s healthy, delicious and easy to find. Loaded with lean protein, eating chicken breast can help you feel full longer and keep you from reaching for more carbs at the dinner table, which can make you feel bloated and sluggish.
Stick to about six-ounces of chicken breast per serving for the most flat-stomach benefits.
Cucumbers
If you’re trying to lose belly fat, you need to consume less calories than you’re burning. That’s a basic weight loss principle.
However, when you don’t feel full or satisfied after you eat, it’s very easy to cheat on your diet. Adding water-rich healthy foods like cucumbers to each meal can improve satiety – meaning you’ll feel full – while adding few calories.
Olive Oil
Olive oil isn’t a food that you’re going to reach for as a snack. For some people, calling it a food at all might be a stretch. Still, olive oil can work wonders when it comes to belly fat if you include it in your diet.
The reason is because olive oil is packed with good cholesterol, monounsaturated fats and antioxidants called phenols, which have been linked to a reduction in arterial fat in the abdominal area. While you may not be as worried about what’s on the inside if your doctor says you’re healthy, you don’t want bad fats catching up with you later. Olive oil also has anti-inflammatory properties, which is just one more reason you should be eating more of it.
Olive oil is an ideal ingredient for light sautéing, salad dressing and for serving with bread and balsamic vinegar.