Are you trying to lose weight, but still have a bit of a pouch around your belly?
Belly fat is the most unsightly form of fat, which can not only lower your self esteem but also cause havoc on your health.
It is manifested as layers of fat around your abdominal area and is common phenomena in middle aged people of both the sexes.
Surprisingly, you can see potbellies in skinny people too.
It is deep seated or visceral kind of fat, which acts as a potential health risk, leading to chronic health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
The worst thing about belly fat is that you can pack it on easily, but it’s the hardest one to get rid of.
So you need to concentrate on factors which cause it – wrong diet being the primary one. By making some changes in your dietary habits, accumulation belly fat can be avoided in the first place.
Here are 10 foods that act as culprits in causing accumulation of belly fat and need to be avoided:
Trans Fats
Trans fats play an instrumental role in causing accumulation of belly fats.
Such foods are unhealthy as well as laden with calories. Some foods to avoid are:
- Fast foods
- Canned foods
- French fries
- Burgers
- Pizzas
- Packaged sauces
Basically, foods that are processed and packaged usually contain high amounts of trans fats.
Besides being high in trans fats, such foods lack in minerals, vitamins and fiber, which makes them detrimental for health.
Refined Sugar
Refined sugar is another cause of accumulation of belly fat as it is nothing but empty calories to the body, which gradually becomes visible as layers of fat – particularly around your belly.
Foods high in refined sugar include table sugar, energy drinks, canned juices, and candies.
Carbonated Drinks
Besides canned juices, carbonated drinks too add inches to the belly and should be absolutely abstained from.
In fact, they are only calories and lack nutrition.
Switch over to natural, healthy options like water, coconut water and unsweetened fruit tea.
If you still need that fizzy feeling when drinking, opt for sparkling water and add some frozen fruit to it.
Over time, you will have less desire for sweet drinks and start to enjoy water and unsweetened tea.
Full Fat Dairy Products
There is a misconception that dairy products are healthy as they are a good source of calcium. However, full fat dairy products do no favor to your belly, as these are full of saturated fat and high in calories.
Start using skim milk and dairy products. It is better to avoid butter, cream and cheese altogether.
High Sodium Foods
High sodium foods are as harmful for a slim belly as is refined sugar.
Why?
Because they cause water retention, which leads to bloating. An example of such food is potato, which abounds in both sodium and trans fats and is an invitation to fat deposits around your belly.
Alcohol
It‘s better to ditch the alcohol since it’s another culprit for deposition of belly fat.
Avoid all its variants like beer, wine and hard liquor. The reason is that it is full of calories, which will sooner or later make way around your belly as ugly fat deposit.
Boozing too much also slows the fat burning process in the body.
Filler Carbs
Filler carbohydrates, which are found in abundance in foods like white bread, rice, flour and pasta, can also be a cause of concern as they will subsequently become a health hazard for your belly. Move over to brown variants, which are rich in fiber and much easier to digest.
Cereals
Though regular breakfast cereals like corn flakes is considered ideal for weight watchers, too much of them can result in belly fat as these are rather high in sugar and calories. As a result, having too much of such cereals can lead to belly fat. Alternatively, a small serving with low fat milk and no sugar can be beneficial.
Creamy Foods
Foods loaded with cream such as rich salad dressings, gravies and ice cream can be tempting, but they may soon become visible as additional inches chances around your belly.
Pastries and Desserts
Every one of us loves sweet and treats, but they can really be bad for the belly. Healthier options such as fresh fruit salads or low fat yogurts can be used to substitute these sugar and calorie dense desserts.
By modifying you diet and avoiding all the culprit foods, you can not only get rid of existing fat around your belly but also avoid putting on more of it. Some other tips are to drink plenty of water and make exercise a part of your daily routine.
So, tell us what foods are you going to avoid and live a healthier life?
