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Cardio is great and crunches get to the core of things. But when it comes to shedding pounds from your middle, food is a big factor. We asked Colette Heimowitz, a nutritionist with Atkins Nutritionals, for advice on what to eat for reducing belly fat. Some of these suggestions might be gentle reminders about foods you love but haven’t eaten lately. Others will be brand spanking new. Please give them a try. Your waist is worth it!
Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
This is our new go-to breakfast: A half-cup of plain whole milk Greek yogurt with a quarter cup of toasted wheat germ, a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or two tablespoons of slivered almonds. Heimowitz says it’s packed with healthy fats and protein. “It will keep you satiated throughout the morning so that you avoid sugary cereals,” she says. Avoid all flavored yogurts or ones with fruit on the bottom. These are just sneaky ways of saying they’re loaded with sugar. We also love Greek yogurt as an afternoon snack!
Eggs
Eggs
Eggs make a significant contribution to slimming your middle. First, the cholesterol in eggs increases HDL - “good” cholesterol – and second, and the antioxidant lutein (found in the yolk) lowers inflammation. This is why you must, must include the yolks in your diet. That’s where you get the saturated and unsaturated fat with protein to keep you full.
Almond Butter
Almond Butter
“Fiber offers huge benefits to your health, from controlling your appetite and regulating blood sugar to helping your digestion,” says Heimowitz, who says we need to consume 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily. Almond butter is jam packed with fiber, and although it’s a carbohydrate, it doesn’t convert to glucose. She suggested loading it onto celery sticks for crunch – like a grown up ants on a log.
Water
Water
Of course you drink water! But do you really? It’s easy to let this simple healthy habit go to the wayside. “Water does wonders for your digestion, your skin and for keeping your hunger under control,” says Heimowitz. Keep your water bottle filled and always available. Trying quenching your afternoon hunger with some water and you might be satisfied without a snack. Still don’t like water? We’re not going to judge. But may we suggest a squeeze of lemon or lime to dress up your cup?
Lettuce
Lettuce
Lettuce on it’s own is meh. But lettuce that subs in for refined grains is genius. Try swapping out tortillas for lettuce cups. Pack your instantly healthier wrap with a balance of high-fiber carbohydrates like beans, moderate protein like chicken, and healthy fats like avocado.
Avocado
Avocado
Confession: we always buy avocados with the intention of eating them. Truth: they rot on counter while we try to muster the energy to slice them up. “Consuming healthy fats like avocado instead of high-carb alternatives helps reduce inflammation and aids in weight loss,” says Heimowitz. “As you reduce carbs, your body will be prompted to use fat for fuel, resulting in weight loss from this fat-burning metabolism.”
Whole Fruit
Whole Fruit
Fruit juices are full of hidden sugar and lack fiber. Just eat the whole fruit itself. Berries are best (a half cup of raspberries gives you 4 grams of fiber, blackberries 3.8 and blueberries or strawberries 1.7 grams). Kiwis are right up there with 2.7 grams of fiber. Plus they’re beautiful!
Salmon
Salmon
You know that old saying, “you are what you eat”? It’s totally true, especially for salmon. “Wild salmon dine on a crustacean called krill, which are loaded with an anti-inflammatory antioxidant called astaxanthin,” says Heimowitz. You eat what it eats! Salmon is an amazing source of protein that helps your body burn fat rather than store it. Plus it further reduces inflammation thanks to ample amounts of omega-3s.
[Photos: Shutterstock]
