Last summer, a group of real Prevention readers (10 women and 1 man) tested the diet for us. I communicated with them every day for 5 weeks, and not only did each become near and dear to my heart, but they became part of Prevention’s family. They were kind enough to allow us to share their results and stories with the world, and as you’ll see, they not only lost pounds and inches, but they gained health benefits. See their before and after photos here!
Flat Belly Diet shares many of the characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, but it’s very practical. The meals range from flat-belly recipes to quick assembly-line meals you can throw together in minutes, to healthy grab-n-go or frozen meals like Amy’s Kitchen, so no matter how much time you have or don’t have, you can consistently eat healthfully. It’s actually a book (available through Prevention.com and flatbellydiet.com) as well as an interactive web site at flatbellydiet.com. The plan in the book is 1,600 calories, so it’s not a starvation plan. That’s the number of calories most moderately active women need to get to and stay at their ideal weight, and it’s nutritionally balanced, so all the nutrients women need for energy, immunity, and wellness “show up for work” so-to-speak.
The web site allows you to customize your calorie level, so if you’re very petite, or tall or active, the plan will be tailored to your needs. It includes whole grains, lean proteins, plenty of vegetables and fruits. But the cornerstone is a healthy fat at each meal based on research I uncovered about the connection between monounsaturated fat, or MUFAs (moo-fahs), and belly fat, as well as how they help reduce the risk of heart disease, the #1 killer of men and women.
Liz Vaccariello, Prevention's editor-in-chief and coauthor of Flat Belly Diet, and I don’t think of this as a “diet” in the tradition sense. In Flat Belly Diet, the term ‘diet’ just refers to a way to eat, and this is an eating plan you really can follow for life. I am confident that it not only works as a healthy, safe weight loss strategy, but that long-term, it may also help reduce inflammation (a major cause of aging and disease), and the chronic diseases we’re at risk for as we age, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.
If you have any questions about the plan, ask away! I’ve been living, sleeping, breathing, and eating Flat Belly Diet, and I’m SO excited to share it with you!
More Flat Belly Diet Recipes:
Almond-Crusted Chicken
Peanut Noodles with Tofu
Chicken with Citrus-Avocado Salsa
