It seems to be the new craze in America: how to fight the belly fat. The answer is simple but getting there isn’t quite as easy. Let’s start with some basic facts. Belly fat, or fat in general, is a buildup of extra sugars and fat inside the body that cause the skin to stretch in order to make room for the fat cells. For the most part, it’s from over eating and/or not eating the right foods but it can also be caused from a slow metabolism. A slow metabolism is something we do to ourselves. It’s not a “disease”, it’s simply what we put into our bodies….or what we don’t put into it. The metabolism is also geared by what we DO with our bodies. Exercise can help speed up how our bodies metabolize food. Basically, the answer to losing belly fat is exercise and nutrition. Not one or the other but both.

Fat Loss Foods

There are foods that you can add to your diet to help reduce body fat. However, in order for these foods to do their job, you must also take certain foods out. The foods that should be added are lean meats, fish and poultry, fresh vegetables and fruits. 

Examples of lean meats, poultry and fish are:

Center cut pork, 96% ground beef, center cut beef, boneless skinless chicken breast, salmon, cod, sea bass, etc.

Avoid fatty meats. Remember, if it has fat it will still be fat even after you consume it.

 The best fruits and vegetables are found at a Farmer’s Market because they don’t use the harmful chemicals that are found on the bigger grocers’ “fresh produce”.  When shopping for fresh produce, look for bright colors. Reds, greens & yellows. The green colors are typically vegetables and the reds are fruits. In terms of greens, think about green beans, broccoli, okra, spinach, romaine lettuce, etc. The reds should be grapes, apples and berries. The yellows are a combination of fruits and vegetables and can be found in things like bananas and summer squash. All of these are excellent sources of fiber and bananas are the best for potassium. Fiber is great for the digestive system and potassium helps with muscle cramps.  There are many other fruits and vegetables to choose from with great health benefits. These are just a few examples.

Carbohydrates & Whole Grains

There seems to be conflict about whether or not to include carbohydrates into your daily diet. The answer is YES! You have to have carbs for energy. Carbohydrates are the gases that make our engines run properly. However, it’s the choice of carbs that will determine how well your body runs. When choosing carbs for fuel, the more natural, the better. Raw or steamed vegetables are always the best choice but breads can be a good choice as well; as long as it’s made from whole grains. Natural oats such as oatmeal is also a great source of energy.

When it comes to fat loss, carbs are an important part of your daily food consumption but moderation and portion control are key. Whole grains are not only great fiber and energy sources but they also help you feel fuller, longer.

Foods that are Keeping You Fat

Now that you have a better idea of what you should be incorporating into your diet, let’s go over some of the foods that could be making you fat. Some of these may surprise you but if you’ve tried to lower your body fat percentage before and are still eating these foods, they could very well be the reason that you weren’t successful. 

The more obvious foods would be: cakes, white breads, candies, and ice cream; most anything high in sugar content. Others are high sodium foods such as: chips, pre-packaged or frozen foods (yes, even the “healthy” frozen dinners are keeping you fat) & canned vegetables.

Are you ready for the not so obvious fat stickers? Most dairy products like milk, creamers, cheese, butter/margarine & eggs with the yolk. Though dairy is high in protein and vitamin d, they are still high in fat. Unless of course you drink skim milk and eat eggs without the yolk.  Some others include: peanut butter, sugar (in general) and caffeine. Peanut butter is high in fat and sugar content which is sticking to your insides and making you fat. Sugar and caffeine are both triggers for snacking and that could be keeping you from losing body fat.

Hydration

Drinking (plain) water and plenty of it will help keep your body hydrated and cleansed from the inside out. If you’ve ever noticed the color of your pee, it will tell you a lot about your insides. The darker the color, the more dehydrated you are and the more toxins are lying within your bladder and other areas inside the body. The lighter the color, the more hydrated you are and fewer toxins are residing within you. When thinking about fat loss, you should keep water with you at all times to help flush the toxins out. A general rule of thumb is to drink at least half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you’re 100lbs, you should drink 50 ounces of water a day. This is based on a full grown adult.

Quick Tip

If you’re eating foods that say they’re “low fat” or “sugar free”; chances are it’s higher in either sodium or sugar. Think about it this way, it has to get its flavor from somewhere and it generally comes from sugar or sodium. You’re better off eating the “real thing” rather than spending your money on those gimmicks. Another quick tip is to shop the perimeter of the super market. You might’ve heard that before but it’s true. Everything in between is garbage that clogs up our insides and makes us retain water.  Sodium, sugar and caffeine are dehydrators and cause water retention. Water retention is added weight and if you’re “clogged” up, well that’s adding pounds to the scale too.

No matter what you eat, be conscious of the nutrition labels. For fat loss, you need to pay attention to how much protein, fat, sodium and sugar are in the product. Being aware of portion size is the next important aspect to successful body fat reduction.

 Christina Tyler is a personal trainer and owner of Inspire Fitness & Personal Training in Mint Hill. You can read more at her website. CharlottePersonalTrainers.net