Foods That Help You Lose Belly Fat

Nobody likes to have a pot belly. Several physical and lifestyle factors can contribute to an oversize abdomen, though the main reason for it is the excess calories that the body cannot burn off, and therefore are stored as fat. To reduce abdominal fat, you need to eat foods that help you lose belly fat by increasing your body's fat-burning rate and keeping your fat-storing enzymes less active.

Water

Drinking plenty of water can raise your metabolic rate and help the body burn fat faster. According to a recent study by Berlin's Franz Volhard Clinical Research Center, if you increase your water intake to just about one liter and a half each day, you may be able to burn up to 17, 400 calories more each year. Water is also an appetite suppressant and an avenger of toxins; it naturally flushes out wastes and toxins.

Lean Proteins

Good sources of lean proteins include lean meats, soy products, beans and fish. Eatint these foods can reduce abdominal fat by boosting metabolism and turning the body into a fat-burning machine. Moreover, they help the body maintain muscle mass and prevent the skin from sagging after weight loss. This is why a high-protein diet is popular among professional body builders.

High-Fiber Foods

Foods high in fiber can help you get rid of fat in three ways. First, fiber allows the body to eliminate wastes including some unabsorbed fat more quickly. Second, it stabilizes your blood sugar and accordingly makes you feel full longer. And finally, as your blood sugar is stable, the body will consistently burn fat and turn off its fat-storing mode. Some of the fiber-rich foods are oatmeal, bran cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Good Fats

You do not have to rid all fats from your diet in order to lose belly fat. According to the National Weight Loss Registry, 24 percent of your daily calorie intake should be from fat. Certain types of fat can help accelerate metabolism and make you feel full longer. Those good fats include omega-3 fatty aids from oily fish; alpha-linolenic acid from flaxseed and soybean oils; and monounsaturated fat from olive oil, avocados and nuts.

What Not To Eat

Simple carbohydrates and bad fats can add fat to your belly. Simple-carb foods like refined sugar and alcohol, make your blood sugar skyrocket and then drop rapidly, causing you to feel hungrier and triggering your body's fat-storing mode. The bad fats not only add on weight but can also clog up the arteries, resulting in many health problems including stroke and heart disease. There are two kinds of bad fats: saturated fat from fatty meats and dairy products and trans fat from processed foods. Avoiding them can help to minimize your belly fat.