Although it is well known that the best way to maintain a healthy body weight and a healthy appearance is exercise, what we consume also has a big impact. There is also a diet for a flat stomach that includes the least bloat-inducing foods, but also calls for eliminating certain foods.
However, it is difficult to say if there is a universal best diet for a flat stomach because each person has unique metabolic characteristics and body reactions to food. Although some research suggests that a low-carb or high-protein diet can promote belly fat loss, it’s important to tailor your diet to your own needs and preferences.
What should include a diet for a flat stomach
Studies show that certain foods can help reduce belly fat and achieve a flat stomach. A diet for a flat stomach should be based on whole, nutritious foods. The key is to eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients and eat foods that promote satiety, regulate blood sugar levels and support fat loss. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, lean proteins like chicken, fish, legumes and nuts, and healthy fats like avocados, olive oil and nuts.
These are the types of foods that should be consumed if you want to follow a diet for a flat stomach:
1. Protein: Protein intake can help reduce appetite and promote satiety. Studies have shown that higher protein intake can help reduce total body fat and belly fat. Proteins such as poultry, fish, eggs, legumes and low-fat dairy products are good choices
2. Whole grains: Fiber-rich foods such as whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and whole grain pasta help keep blood sugar levels stable and make you feel full, thereby reducing the tendency to overeat.
3. Fruits and vegetables: Foods such as berries, citrus fruits, green vegetables and vegetables with a high water content are low in calorie density and high in fiber and can help reduce belly fat. In addition, they also create a feeling of satiety and thus reduce the need for constant feeding.
4. Healthy fats: Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, nuts, avocados, and fatty fish, are associated with better weight management. Healthy fats are needed to maintain balance because the body uses them to get energy, and they are also needed for some vitamins to be absorbed in the body. In addition, healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in the regulation of hormones, which in women can be one of the causes of weight gain in the abdominal area.
- Food rich in fiber: Fiber helps regulate digestion and promotes a feeling of satiety. These include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts.
- Fermented foods: Probiotics present in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut can help maintain a healthy balance of gut microbiota, which can affect metabolism and reduce belly fat.
Although many may wish it, there is no magic food that will help you have a flat stomach. The key is a good balance, but also avoiding certain foods.
Diet for a flat stomach – what to avoid?
To achieve a flat stomach, you should avoid foods rich in refined sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. In general, processed and canned foods should not be on your menu if you want to follow a flat stomach diet. You should mostly avoid foods like white bread, pastries and carbonated drinks. You should also limit your intake of saturated fat from fast food, fried food, and carbonated beverages. Trans fats, present in some processed snacks and baked goods, should also not be part of the diet.
These are the foods that should be avoided in the diet for a flat stomach:
- fast and fried food: food rich in trans fats and saturated fats, which are often found in fast and fried food such as French fries, hamburgers and the like, can contribute to weight gain and the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area
- refined carbohydrates: foods such as white bread, white rice, pastries, cakes and other processed products often have a high glycemic index, which can lead to a sudden increase in blood sugar levels and promote fat storage, especially around the abdomen
- sweets and carbonated drinks: these drinks usually contain a large amount of added sugar, which sometimes imperceptibly and quickly increases caloric intake and thus the accumulation of fat around the stomach
- alcohol: if you want to follow a diet for a flat stomach, avoid alcohol, especially sweet ones. Alcohol contains empty calories and slows down the metabolism, and if it’s cocktails, you’re also consuming high levels of sugar, which also promote fat accumulation.
- saturated fats: fatty, full-fat cheeses and other products are something that should not be on the list of menus for a flat stomach
– snacks: unless they are healthy snacks, they are usually full of sugar, fat and salt and contain a lot of calories
– sweet breakfast: while flakes or oatmeal seem like a simple and quick breakfast, and they can be, be careful what you eat; often such products have a lot of added sugar and preservatives and it would be better to replace them with a healthier alternative
Is good nutrition enough for a flat stomach?
Unfortunately, just blindly following a diet for a flat stomach is rarely enough to really achieve results. If you want to get rid of accumulated fat around the belly, a balanced diet is just one step. It will be necessary to change some habits such as eating snacks, and in addition, it would be good to start walking more and work on maintaining muscle mass. In addition to just exercises for a flat stomach, you should train the whole body because reducing the overall fat level can contribute to the reduction of belly fat.
Abdominal fat loss in women
Fat accumulation due to poor diet and lack of exercise happens to everyone, but some studies have suggested that women are more prone to fat accumulation around the waist and abdomen. This rule is not absolute, but hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are thought to play a key role in women’s belly fat.
It is believed that estrogen, which is produced in the largest amount during the reproductive period, affects the storage of fat in the lower part of the body – hips, thighs and lower abdomen. Progesterone can also affect fat storage in the abdominal area. Cortisol also has an influence, in both sexes, and it is a hormone that is produced when we are under stress. Long-term elevated cortisol levels or chronic stress have been proven to promote the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area.
One study that is often cited in the context of differences in fat distribution between the sexes was conducted in 2009 in Sweden. Through this research, the differences in fat distribution between men and women were analyzed and it was concluded that women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and more fat around the abdomen compared to men.
A much older study conducted in 1994 on over 12,000 men and women showed similar results. The results of the “Body fat distribution and risk of cardiovascular disease” research showed that women have a higher percentage of body fat and a tendency to accumulate fat in the abdominal area compared to men.