Dealing with belly fat or “love handles” can be stubborn and frustrating. It can even leave you feeling defeated despite your best weight loss efforts. Cutting calories, eating more protein, and watching carbs are popular methods for losing weight. These methods can help reduce unwanted belly fat, but certain foods prevent you from losing belly fat.
Several factors, including hormones and gender, can influence abdominal fat. Of course, your food choices can also play a major role. Eating more calories than you burn in a day will likely lead to weight gain, some of which may be in your abdomen. Additionally, the types of calories you choose can impact your weight and body fat. Sugar, in particular, has been shown to promote obesity, according to research. If there’s anything you can do to lose belly fat, limiting your added sugar intake might be your best bet.
In addition to your diet, stress can also play a role in the accumulation of belly fat. Although easier said than done, managing your stress through a variety of methods could help you achieve your weight loss goals. Daily meditation, exercise, and adequate sleep all help reduce stress. Along with a less stressful lifestyle, you will need to keep an eye on your food choices because you will never lose your belly fat if you continue to eat these 10 things.
Foods
Pie
Sweet and available in many varieties, tart is a popular dessert at parties and celebrations. However, even fruit-based ones can contain a surprising amount of added sugar.
Although all pie recipes differ, you can easily find a single serving with more than 25 grams of added sugar. THE American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 25 grams (100 calories) of added sugar per day, while men should limit their intake to 36 grams (150 calories). This means that just one slice of pie could use up your entire sugar budget for the day.
The next time pie is offered for dessert, opt for just a few small bites to limit your sugar intake.
Brownies
Another popular dessert, brownies are also known for their sugar content. When making homemade brownies, you can easily find recipes that call for 2 cups of sugar, not to mention the sugar in the chocolate chips you use. This can lead to a very high sugar treat, preventing you from achieving your belly fat loss goals.
When baking at home, you can use low-sugar dark chocolate chips to reduce the sugar in your brownies. Additionally, consider replacing some of the granulated sugar with unsweetened applesauce as another method of reducing sugar.
Low-fat yogurt
Although marketed as a health food, low-fat yogurt is often a sneaky source of added sugar. For example, an individual cup might have more than 17 grams of sugar. Although this snack may contain fewer than 150 calories, making it seem like a healthy option, it could slow down your weight loss progress.
Instead, look for a yogurt that is high in protein and low in sugar. In addition to reducing your sugar intake, this swap will increase the amount of protein in your diet, which can lead to greater satiety and lower calorie intake throughout the day.
Granola
Whether used as a topping on your yogurt or enjoyed in a bowl with milk, granola could also prevent you from losing belly fat. You may be surprised to learn that half a cup of granola can contain more than 200 calories. This is a fairly small serving, and when eating as an alternative to grains, you can have double or triple this amount.
Granola is often made with oil, nuts, seeds and added sugar, contributing to a higher calorie food. While the nuts, seeds, and oats in granola are filling ingredients due to their protein and fiber content, the added sugar, dried fruit, and oil can be a less ideal source of calories.
Next time you reach for granola, stick to a small portion or consider making a batch at home that uses less added sugar and oil than commercial options.
Cereal bars
A popular item for on-the-go breakfasts, granola bars aren’t known for being filled with filling ingredients. Most options contain minimal protein and fiber, leaving you with a less filling meal or snack, not to mention the high sugar content found in many of these bars.
If you’re looking for a bar for quick meals, opt for one with less than 6 grams of added sugar, at least 8 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber.
Canned fruit
Canned fruit and sweet tangerines may be some of the most popular products in this category, but there are plenty of processed and packaged fruits to watch out for. Syrup-filled options can be a dense source of added sugar. Not to mention, a lot of these processed fruits contain less fiber than whole fruits.
If you want to encourage your children to eat more produce by offering them packaged fruit, look for options without added sweeteners. The nutritional information should show no added sugar, letting the sweetness come naturally from the fruit itself.
BBQ Sauce
A tasty way to enhance your grilled meats, you might be surprised by the amount of sugar contained in BBQ sauce. Two tablespoons of sauce can contain about 10 grams of sugarand many will use a much larger portion for cooking. In fact, you may even see corn syrup before tomato in the ingredient lists of popular barbecue sauce brands.
If you’re looking to reduce the sugar you get from barbecue sauce but still want to add flavor to your meat, try marinating it ahead of time with herbs, spices, garlic, mustard and apple cider vinegar for a sugar-free flavor.
Canned baked beans
Often enjoyed with grilled meats, baked beans are another source of added sugar. Half a cup of canned baked beans can contain 10 grams of sugarmaking them less than ideal for your belly fat loss goals.
Beans are a filling source of fiber and protein, so they can be an important food for weight loss and overall health. Homemade baked beans using less sugar can be a good alternative, or replace the flavors of baked beans completely with a black bean salad containing vegetables, such as corn, tomato and onion.
Biscuits and gravy
A Southern staple, biscuits and gravy are known more for their comforting flavors than their nutritional density. Although not particularly high in sugar, this dish packs a lot of calories into a fairly small package. A single biscuit with a serving of gravy could pack almost 500 caloriesmany of which come from low-fiber carbohydrates and saturated fats. A high-calorie meal like this and relatively low in satiating protein and fiber could lead to more snacking throughout the day, slowing your weight loss process.
Next time, skip the gravy and enjoy the biscuit with lean proteins and vegetables, such as scrambled egg whites with mushrooms and bell pepper, for a meal higher in fiber and protein.
Sweet dried fruits
Last but not least, if you want to lose belly fat, ditch dried fruits! Dried fruits can be a source of fiber and iron, but many varieties contain a significant amount of added sugar. In fact, you’ll probably see a sweetener listed as the second ingredient in many dried fruit options.
Luckily, some varieties are made without added sugar—just browse the shelves to find them. Traditionally, raisins do not contain added sugar, unlike most other varieties. It’s best to stick to whole fruits, which may contain more fiber and volume per serving. But if dried fruits are essential for you, look for those without added sugar to help you lose weight.
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