If your quest for washboard abs has you crunching like crazy, listen up: “There’s no single exercise move—or magic pill, for that matter—that instantly zaps belly fat,” says Sari Greaves, R.D., a New York City nutritionist. “You have to lose overall body fat to trim your midsection.” But what you put on your plate can determine how easily you lose those pounds: Scientists at Boston University found that women who followed a lowfat diet rich in fiber and other nutrients were three times less likely to pack on weight around the middle than those who ate less-healthy fare but 400 fewer calories. Here, we show you which flab-fighting foods to add to your shopping list—and which to blacklist.
EAT MORE...
Melon At fewer than 50 calories a slice, this is
one sweet treat you can feel free to indulge in. “Both honeydew and
cantaloupe are high in potassium,” says Greaves. “This mineral
keeps sodium levels in check and beats belly bloat.”
Wine A study in the Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism found that people who averaged
a serving of alcohol a day had slimmer waistlines than their
teetotaling counterparts. “Drinking a small amount of alcohol with
a meal may speed up calorie burn,” says Jerry Greenfield, M.D.,
Ph.D., the study’s author.
Whole-grain bread Researchers at Penn State found
that dieters who ate at least five servings of whole grains while
following a low-calorie diet shed 24 percent more abdominal fat
than those who averaged the same number of calories but ate refi
ned grains. To up your intake, swap your cornflakes for
oatmeal.
Grapefruit Add zing to your snacks with this
vitamin C–rich fruit. Research in Public Health Nutrition
found that people who consumed the least amount of this nutrient
were 131 percent more likely to have larger waists than those who
got the most. Other studies suggest that grapefruit can curb the
insulin spikes that lead to fat storage.
Want to know what you should be eating less of? Visit Shape.com
~Sharon Liao
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