Food for a Flat Stomach

 

Even if you perform hundreds of crunches a day, you will not see the results of a flat stomach until you reduce the layer of fat hiding those strong muscles. Exercise is, of course, important to burn fat and build definition---but diet and genetics play a role in your ability to reveal a flat stomach. Incorporate specific foods as part of a portion-controlled, whole foods diet to help encourage a slimmer midsection.

Oatmeal

Whole grains, like oatmeal, help you lose belly fat when incorporated as part of a reduced calorie diet. Pennsylvania State University researchers found that dieters who ate whole grains instead of refined grains lost more belly fat over the course of a 12-week period. The results were published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2008.
Whole grains digest more slowly than refined, white flour products making you feel full longer, and consequently eat less often. In addition, whole grains do not spike your insulin levels, which can cause your body to store fat. The fiber in whole grains contributes to a smoothly running system that decreases abdominal bloating. As an alternative to oatmeal, try 100 percent whole wheat bread, quinoa or brown rice.

 

Milk

Drinking milk slims your middle. A recent study conducted at the Australian Curtin University of Technology demonstrated that dieters who ate five servings of dairy a day lost more weight over 12 weeks than those eating three or fewer servings per day. Much of that weight loss came from abdominal fat. Vary your dairy intake by including low-fat dairy such as yogurt, cottage cheese and kefir.

Olive Oil

Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil, butter or margarine to benefit from tummy-flattening monounsaturated fats. In 2003, the British Journal of Nutrition published a study which showed that a diet featuring more monounsaturated fats as opposed to saturated fats promotes a significant loss in body weight and abdominal fat. The journal "Diabetes Care" reported in 2007 on a Spanish study which also showed that a diet rich in monounsaturated fat discourages the accumulation of body fat around the abdomen. You can obtain the health benefits of monounsaturated fats from other sources like avocados, nuts and canola oil. Do pay attention to portion sizes of olive oil and other monounsaturated fats, however. Even healthy fats contain a lot of calories.

Almonds

Eat up to 3 oz. of almonds a day to squelch your appetite and help with weight loss. A study from Purdue University published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2007 showed that dieters who ate almonds for 10 weeks did not experience a change in body weight. The participants found they ate less of other foods, probably due to the satiating effects of the almonds. Their bodies also failed to absorb some of the calories from the almonds, which prevented weight gain despite the calorie density of a 3 oz. almond serving. Incorporating almonds in your diet helps satisfy your urge to crunch and can replace unhealthy, belly-fattening snacks that contain trans or saturated fats.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/87529-flat-stomach/#ixzz2I3IpADcM