The foods and drinks you’re consuming could be the reason you’re not losing belly fat. You may see them as healthy but their calorie and sugar content say otherwise.
As such, knowing what you should eat or avoid during this period is necessary. Here are foods you should avoid to lose belly fat.
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1. White foods
White foods are heavily processed. This makes them high in carbs and calories. They’re digested fast and surge blood sugars in your body, leaving you hungry and without energy.
When you remove white foods from your diet, you’ll be able to reduce cravings and eat less which makes it easier for you to lose belly fat.
You should swap white bread with whole-grain bread, white rice with brown rice, white pasta with whole-grain pasta and white sugar with whole fruits.
2. Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks have a high caloric content as well as sugars. A regular 12 oz. of beer, for example, contains 153 calories, while a 5 oz. of red wine contains about 123 calories.
Good news is, you can still enjoy your booze and lose belly fat if you drink it in moderation. The National Library of Medicine recommends a drink per day for women and utmost two drinks per day for men.
3. Yogurt
Yogurt is a no-no if you want to get rid of belly fat. Most of them are high in calories and fats. Low-fat yogurts could have added sugars or sweeteners, so always check their nutritional labels.
Greek yogurt with no added sugars and fat would be the best alternative. It’s high in calcium which studies show it’s more effective in burning fat compared to calcium supplements.
4. Fruit Juice
Fruit juices are heavily refined and high in calories. The fibers are removed during processing meaning you won’t feel full until you gulp down more of it
They also contain added sugars which besides causing weight gain, increases risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
5. Coffee beverages
Black coffee is a good beverage to melt the pounds away. It has zero calories, zero fat and is loaded with antioxidants that boost your metabolism. A high metabolic rate helps your body burn more calories.
Coffee becomes a concern when you add sugar, cream, milk or agave syrup on it. These ingredients increase calorie content which may hinder your goal.
Instead, stick to plain or black coffee with no sugar in it. You can add a little maple syrup or honey if you find like it flavored. They’ll sweeten your drink with minimal calories.
6. Energy Bars or Granola Bars.
If granola/ energy bars are your go-to snacks, they may pose a challenge to losing that belly fat.
They may be a rich source in fiber and proteins, which is probably why people consider them as healthy, but they contain as many calories and as much sugar.
It’d be a good choice swapping these snack bars with a non-fat yogurt such as Oikos yoghurt.
Alternatively, you can make granola bars at home. This way, you’ll be able to control sugar and calorie content.
This video shows you how to make granola bars without sugar at home.
7. Margarine
Margarine is no better than butter which once people thought was a healthier switch. Both are high in calories and trans fats such as saturated fats which hinder weight loss and increases risks of heart diseases.
To lose belly fat, consider olive oil, hummus, cottage cheese, or plant sterols spreads which are proven to lower cholesterol levels.
8. Candied dried fruits
Candied dried fruits are high in calories and sugar. Since they’re dried, they have less water with a high concentration of fructose.
Fructose is linked to weight gain and increased body fat. Other studies link fructose to overeating as it doesn’t suppress appetite as glucose does.
Bottom Line
Watching what you eat or drink is essential for you to lose belly fat. Knowing the nutritional value of what you’re consuming is even better as you’ll be able to keep the calorie intake in check.