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Everyone knows that eating healthy is the key to losing belly fat. But, did you know that there are certain healthy foods that can actually cause you to gain fat in your midsection?
Before we dive into these healthy foods that have tricked us into believing they are all innocent, lets examine what is belly fat and why we should even care about eliminating it!
Table of Contents
What Is Belly Fat?
Belly or abdominal fat consists of two main different types of fat:
Subcutaneous fat- which is the fat that you can see and hold and sits just under the skin.
Visceral fat- is the fat that you can not see because it is internal and surrounds the organs.
Subcutaneous fat maybe the one we try to get rid of because of it’s appearance but visceral fat is the one we should be more concerned about.
Why Should We Care About Visceral Fat?
Even though visceral fat only makes up 10% of the fat on our bodies its more hazardous to our health than compared to the subcutanous fat than you can pinch.
Visceral fat surrounds the liver, intestines and other organs. It fills the omentum (which is a tissue like blanket that lies under the abdominal muscles and covers the intestine) and eventually becomes hardened as it gets more and more filled with fat.
According to Harvard Medical School, research shows that, visceral fat is actually “active,” and secretes hormones and molecules which have poor health effects:
1) Cytokine molecules are released triggering inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease and other chronic conditions
2) Angiotensin precursor causing blood vessels to constrict and causing high blood pressure.
3) Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) which increases insulin resistance.
What Health Conditions Does Visceral Fat Cause?
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Dementia
- Asthma
- Breast Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
What Should I Eat To Stop Belly Fat?
You probably know that the generic answer is healthy food.
But, did you know that certain foods that we consider healthy can actually be destroying our efforts in whittling down our waist’s?
Let us take a look at 7 healthy foods to avoid for a trim stomach and what we can eat instead to prevent belly fat instead.
7 Healthy Foods To Avoid In Order To Eliminate Belly Fat!
1. Power Bars/Energy Bars
Alot of us now a days, have at least tried or are hooked on power bars and energy bars. Most of us use them when we go to the gym, are engaged in some strenuous workout or simply as a meal replacement for when we are on the go.
The problem with certain power bars and the like are, that there is sometimes more than just protein in these “meals”.
Some of these bars are packed full of sugar, carbohydrates, fats and calories without that much protein benefit.
When deciding on which bars to consume you need to examine the nutrition label before chowing down and what activity you are doing which requires a particular energy bar.
The Switch:
There are many good bars out there that help you stave off the calories but still give you all the healthy benefits.
Here are a few guidelines to follow when deciding which bar is right for you!
- Look at the fat content in the bar and make sure it’s low (less than 5 grams)
- Pick a bar that’s higher in fiber (3-5 grams)
- Choose a bar based on the carbohydrate/protein ratio for the activity you are doing.
- Check the calories!
- Less ingredients are always a better option
- Avoid sugary bars with fructose sugar and corn syrup
2. Honey
Don’t get me wrong. Honey has many benefits but did you know that it’s still has disadvantages even if it is “healthy”.
Honey, like sugar, is made of fructose and glucose just in smaller quantities.
And it actually has slightly more calories than sugar and can lead to weight gain if overused.
Honey also has similar effects to sugar on blood glucose levels, increasing the risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The Switch:
Alternatives for sugar and honey intake includes:
- Cut portions in half. Instead of taking a full spoon take half a spoon
- Reduce sugar in baking by one-third. This will have a big impact on your tummy and not on the flavor.
- Extracts or sweet spices. Examples include almond, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg can be added without the extra calories
- Natural fruit. Substitute honey with unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas in recipes
- Cravings. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh berries, bananas, mangoes and other fruits
- No to alternative sweeteners. Such as aspartame, saccharin and sucralose as they actually increase sugar cravings, disrupt gut bacteria and indirectly affect insulin sensitivity
3. Coffee
Okay, so when we talk about coffee and belly fat we actually are talking about two different causes.
Sure we are talking to the 99% of coffee addicts who take creamer in their coffee. I’m looking at you Starbucks!
But there is actually another reason why we should quit coffee for our belly’s sake.
Coffee actually increases the hormone cortisol which results in fat accumulation around your midsection.
The Switch:
I know, I know. It’s tough to even think about not taking coffee so I’m gonna give you some realistic goals to go after:
- Matcha Tea. Matcha contains caffeine along with L-theanine, this relaxes the mind without the drowsiness and jittery feeling!
- Green Tea. Is suppose to be the king of all teas. Reduces the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and is a great game changer for coffee addicts as it has MANY health benefits.
- Smoothies. Lots of us drink coffee for the energy but smoothies actually packs quite a punch in that department. Fill it with carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants and protein and you won’t miss the coffee.
- Golden Milk. Another energy boosting alternative that is filled with yummy goodness. Warm and energizing with turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper you will have a new kind of addiction!
- Yerbe Mate Tea. Who said tea can’t give you long lasting energy? This one is definitely one to try to help kick the coffee habit.
- Homemade Hot Cacao. Do I really need to convince you to try this? Enough said.
- Kombucha. So this isn’t just a trend, kombucha actually gives you a mild caffeine kick so you can wean off the caffeine slowly.
4. Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are generally taken when being active but the problem comes when we make them our go-to drinks because we consider them healthy.
Certain sports drinks like gatorade and powerade are a mixture of water, electrolytes and sugar which can add up over time.
”Diet” sports drinks are artificially sweetened for flavor so you should take this into account when you want to quench your thirst.
The Switch:
There are other ways to get your electrolytes in without the sugary sports drinks, so we found a few healthier alternatives.
- Coconut water. Contains an assortment of electrolytes, vitamins and minerals but not all are created equally so don’t forget to read the label!
- Watermelon Water. Delicious change to the norm with a variety of electrolyte minerals too vast to name all of them but definitely one you have to try
- Aloe Water. Aloe known for it’s healing and medicinal properties with vitamin B12, folate, choline, copper, potassium, 20 amino acids and 7 of the 8 essential amino acids.
- Cactus Water. Not only hydrating but filled with electrolytes, minerals, vitamins and low in sugar.
- DIY. With Bananas, raisins and many other foods with electrolyte benefits.
5. Salad Dressing
When you say you eat a salad everyday do you mean you eat the salad with all the creamy yummy dressing on it too?
Yeah, we might think it’s not a big deal but there are ALOT of calories in that dressing my friend as much as we don’t want to admit it.
Sure it might make the salad more edible but it’s really defeating the purpose in getting rid of those love handles.
So lets look at a few better options.
The Switch:
There are a ton of healthy dressings that can still be tasty without the calories. Below I’ve just mentioned a few but check out the link for more!
- Olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil typically has the best flavor and is the best in raw form because it’s filled with all those healthy fats like omega-3s, needed to slim down that tummy.
- Avocado dressing. Yes! The creaminess of the avocado along with greek yogurt, red onion, dill and other spices is perfect swap for your salad!
- Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette. Filled with lycopene and other great nutrients to prevent heart disease and cancer is an added bonus.
- Buttermilk Ranch. Yup you read that right! Get that delicious ranch taste with many recipes that incorporate non-fat buttermilk and other herbs for this greater choice.
- Citrus dressing. A mix of orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime juices is amazing over your salads.
6. Multigrain Bread
Most of us know by now that white bread can cause some bulge but some breads can masquerade as healthy without us even knowing it’s actually bad for us.
Multigrain bread might seem like the healthier choice but alot of that might just be marketing tactics as some can still primarily be made of white flour.
The Switch:
Lets look at some tips we can use to shop for weight loss friendly breads.
- The bread package should say 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain
- One slice should have at least 3 grams of fiber
- One slice should have NO MORE than 3 grams of sugar
- There should be no hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners on the list
- For which brand types to shop for, check out the link above
7. Instant Oatmeal
It’s great that your eating healthy and trying to live a better lifestyle but don’t think it’s better for you just because it’s oatmeal!
Yes the benefit is in the name, instant, but sometimes things can be too good to be true.
With many of the instant oatmeals that we reach for in the grocery aisle, we tend to go for the ones that taste good but there is a reason it tastes THAT GOOD!
Some instant oatmeal packets are filled with sugar that it probably is just as bad as the sugary cereals you are substituting them for.
Instant oatmeal has been found to be high on the glycemic index which is not something you want to eat if you are trying to lose weight.
The Switch:
Don’t worry we got some solutions which can help you eat oats without bloating.
- Try steel cut oats or rolled oats. It’s better to go for more whole grain oats as it slows down digestion and helps you stay fuller longer.
- Soak your oats. This actually unlocks the nutrients for you to absorb so it’s actually better when you soak them for a while
- Combine oats with protein and fiber. Add flaxseeds, chia seeds, chopped nuts or protein powder which will help lower the glycemic index.
- Add spices and fruits. Instead of going for the artificial stuff go for the real goodness! You get the sweetness and not the guilt!
For more check out:
Top 17 Deliciously Weight Loss Smoothie Recipes
Why You Are Not Losing Weight Despite Doing Everything Right!
#1 Best Diet For 2020: Helps To Lose Weight & Keep It Off For Good!
How To Lose Weight FAST: Proven By Research
Losing Weight And How I Achieved it! A Beginners Journey
How To Quit Sugar For Good! And What To Eat Instead
