Eating to Avoid Belly Fat
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Avoiding certain foods will help you avoid gaining belly fat, which is both unappealing and detrimental to your health.
You know that your eating habits influence how much weight you gain or lose, and that a share of it ends up around your middle. But studies show there's a link between the typical American "meat and potatoes" diet and fat that builds up around your middle, giving the old adage "sticks to your ribs" new meaning.
Americans love red meat, but consuming a lot of red meat can add to the "spare tire" around your middle. Instead, choose fish, lean poultry, meatless soy products and legumes (lentils, dry beans and peas).
Trans fats, found in foods that are made with hydrogenated oils, have been shown to contribute to an increase in weight. But what's interesting is that the weight gained accumulates disproportionately within the abdominal region. Choose trans fat free foods and restaurants.
The fat-free food fad led to a lot of people gaining weight as they ate all the fat-free food they wanted, not stopping to think that it still contained calories. Now people are becoming health-conscious about trans fats, and products are being labeled trans fat free. It is important to remember that many of these products are still high in other fats, and calories.
Some evidence suggests that America's love for refined flour, refined sugar, and high fructose corn syrup may be responsible for tummy fat as well. Avoid foods and beverages that contain these ingredients, and choose whole grains and fruits instead.
Drinking alcohol and smoking are also associated with an accumulation of fat around the middle. Limit yourself to one drink if you're female, two if you're male. And of course giving up smoking is always a healthy choice.
Now you know that what you eat can effect where fat is distributed on your body, so you have one more reason to take time to be thoughtful about your food choices.
Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
