Getting an attractive stomach is hard. It is even harder when there are so many foods out there that are just not good for us. You probably understand what the worst foods for belly fat are, but it is important to point out that you cannot spot reduce fat, and it is placed different on each person. In order to lose belly fat, you must lose fat from everywhere on your body from doing exercises and eating less.
I want to go over some of the foods and drinks that can increase the chance of putting on fat around your abdominal muscles. The more fat that is there, the higher your chance to get a disease.
If you want to shed some fat from your body and try and lose some belly fat, read on for some of the worst foods for you. You will notice that a lot of these foods and drinks people consume each and every day! Do not be one of those people!
Fizzy Drinks (Soda)
Nothing is worse for you than taking in a lot of sugar and empty calories. When you drink soda, that is all you are consuming. You do have the option to pick an alternative that is diet, but these contain artificial ingredients and sweeteners that have been linked to actually GAINING weight. I know from eating a low carb diet, that when I drink diet soda, my insulin is spiked anyway, and I tend to eat more.
You have probably fell into this vicious cycle before. You drink a single soda, and before you know it, you have drank 3 cans. This stuff is addictive and usually we drink soda paired with other terrible food.
So you love soda and are reluctant to give it up but you have made the choice to better your health. Great! If you really love the taste, try drinking water and adding some fruit to it. This can provide a tasty treat at home that is very healthy. I am not a huge fan, but I know my mother enjoys a little lemon in her water. Anything to spruce it up and keep it low calorie is your goal. If you can switch over to just water and nothing added, even better!
Anything With Trans Fat
Trans fats are sometimes hard to avoid but these are hands down the worst type of fats that you can eat. Lots of time, processed food will contain a lot of trans fat.
It has become law that anyone selling good has to display how much trans fat is in the food, so if you are used to reading labels (you should start!), you can easily avoid this pitfall.
There have been numerous studies over the year by high level researchers linking trans fat to heart diseases, cancer, and a host of other illnesses. It is best to just avoid trans fat at all costs.
Lots of people do know know this, but margarine is a food that is often marketed as a healthy alternative to butter. I could not disagree more! It is full of trans fat! Butter is a good fat if used in moderation. Stay away!
If you are looking for an alternative, try to stick with healthy fats such as olive oil and cook your food at home. Just by avoiding processed foods (I know this is hard), you can increase your health easily. Eat natural foods that have healthy fats such as nuts, fish, and meats. They taste great, and are good for you!
High Fat Dairy Products
Dairy is probably one of my favorite food groups out there. Nothing tastes better than a tall glass of cold milk. It contains tons of vitamins and minderals and is packed full of protein. It is also a great tool for bulking.
However, there are a lot of saturated fats in dairy products and if you want to lose some weight, I would recommend you to avoid these type of products if you are not eating low carb. If you simply cannot give up dairy as many people have a hard time with this, just lower your consumption! You can also go for lower fat alternatives. Instead of drinking full fat, or 2%, try to get 1% or skim. While it may not taste as great, you will get used to it! I can promise that much.
Alcohol
This is probably the hardest one on the list for some people. Nothing is more refreshing than a cold beer on a warm summer day. That being said, you should try and cut alcohol out of your diet or consume very little. Alcohol dehydrates you, is packed full of calories, and has more sugar than your average drink.
Alcohol actually slows down the fat burning process. If you have a drink, you must get it out of your system before your body goes back to burning fat as the fuel source. Try to stay away from it. If you must have a drink, try having a class of wine as there have been studies showing healthy effects in moderation. Never over do it!
Grains
Not all grains are terrible for you, but the worst kind of grains are the refined grains. These are your white breads, your rolls, the white rice, and pasta. These have so many carbs which leads to an insulin spike. Many people eat these foods on a daily basis which is contributing to the obesity problem. People could start making healthier choices by switching to the unrefined brown rice and pasta. It is as easy as that to start making a change in your life.
What happens when you refine a whole grain? Well, during the process, they remove part of the grain called the germ and bran. The Bran is the outer husk which gives it the color, and the germ is the embryo that is used to sprout the plant. While removing these may provide a better taste to you, by getting rid of them, you are losing essential nutrients!
Just make the switch to whole grain products if you cannot get rid of grains totally. I personally have seen much better fitness results when I switched to a low carb diet, but in the end, it is up to you.
Other Belly Fat Foods To Avoid
Lets take a minute to talk about breakfast. What do you usually consume in the morning? For most people, it may be sweet things such as a muffin or a bagel topped with cream cheese and then some coffee with a lot of sweetener. Stop that right now! This is so many empty calories that are packed with bad fats, and bad carbs and there is a lot of processed food that is consumed for breakfast.
Instead, try black coffee. It might take you a while to start liking it, but once you do, you will never go back. Nothing gets me up in the morning more than the smell of black coffee. Also, try making a healthy breakfast of eggs which are packed full of good fats and protein. If you do not have as much time, try making a veggie smoothie!
Anther food that is bad and you should avoid if you want to lose belly fat are salads that have been topped with dressings. Not all dressings are bad, but most of them that you will buy or get at a shop have a ton of extra sugar and are very fattening. Getting a salad at a fast food restaurant can sometimes be even worse for you than a burger at that same place. You will not lose any weight if you eat salads like this. You will need to eat wholesome foods that have all the nutrients you need without added sugar!
This brings me to my next point which is you should always avoid fast food. It tastes great, and we all know this. It tastes so good because of all the fat and added sodium. Pack that together with some carbs int he form of fries, and you are in for a disaster. Most fast foods use frying oil so not only will you get all that oil and salt, but the carbs is what will really have an influence over your belly fat.
Finally, you should avoid chips for the same reason you should avoid fast food. Chips are made from oil, salt, and carbs. You want to try and avoid them if you can. Most people eat these bad ingredients while they are not moving such as watching a movie or sitting on a couch with friends. This is the perfect equation for getting fat! If you want to lose the belly fat and start getting in shape, you have to throw them away and get these out of your house.
Wrapping It Up
As you read the list above, you probably eat some of these currently. You may even eat them every day! This is what is causing you to get fat. If you simply change your eating habbits and start working out, you will see results much faster than you would think. Make small changes in your life and they all start adding up.
You have to have good nutrition if you want to get a flat stomach and start seeing your abs. You also much lose weight but also lose the fat. You cannot spot reduce fat, so start eating right and you will be losing fat from all over your body. This is great for your health, your fitness, and your mental well being.
If you liked this guide, share it and tell us what other foods you think you should avoid!
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