Have you ever looked down after zipping up your favorite pair of jeans only to see your belly hanging over your waistband like it’s ready to jump off a cliff?
The dreaded “muffin top” is a cute name for this stubborn belly fat that literally hangs around and makes your clothing look less flattering.
You can fight muffin top in the gym but an even better place is on your plate.
Add these three foods to your regular diet to help battle the lower belly bulge from the inside-out.
Whole Grains
Whole-grain foods contain the entire grain – germ, endosperm and bran – unlike refined grains that have the germ and bran stripped away.
According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who ate three or more servings of whole grains each day during the past year had lower levels of belly fat than those who ate hardly any.
Incorporate whole grains like quinoa, oats, brown rice, whole wheat and rye into your daily diet (multiple meals if possible) to help shrink your middle.
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“Good” Fats
Foods that contain linoleic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) have been shown in studies to help lose weight around the midsection.
These “good” fats can be found in sunflower seeds and grass-fed beef (great sources for linoleic acid) and nuts, olives and avocados (great sources for MUFAs).
Yogurt
Yogurt has healthy bacteria, known as probiotics, that are known to help reduce bloating when eaten regularly.
Dieters who ate three servings of fat-free yogurt every day for 12 weeks lost more fat around their waists than those in the control group according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity.
Those foods combined with moderate exercise three days a week can help you lose 1-3 pounds per week!
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Healthy Weight Loss center for more articles.