What Food Can Be Consumed On The 4 Day Jumpstart Flat Belly Diet

Two-thirds of Americans say that their stomach is the body part they are the most unhappy about, according to a 2008 article on the CBS News website. The Flat Belly Diet created by Liz Vaccariello is meant to reduce stomach fat and bloating without the need for exercise, although Vaccariello encourages people to exercise and the book includes an exercise program. The diet starts with a four day Jumpstart, during which you can only eat certain foods.

Features

The Jumpstart portion of the diet is designed to help get rid of bloating and water retention, while keeping you hydrated. Overall, the diet encourages you to eat a food rich in monounsaturated fats at each meal and to eat four meals a day of about 400 calories each. During the Jumpstart you eat exactly what the diet plan says, which supplies about 1,200 calories per day; after that you can mix and match meal options or create your own based on the principles of the diet.

Allowed Foods

During the Jumpstart period, you are supposed to drink approximately 2 liters per day of Sassy Water, which consists of water with ginger root, cucumber, lemon and mint. Other allowed foods include blueberries, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, green beans, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, yellow squash, string cheese, lactose-free skim milk, turkey, tilapia, chicken breast, tuna, corn flakes, Rice Krispies, Cream of Wheat, applesauce, brown rice, pineapple, sunflower seeds, flaxseed oil, olive oil, raisins, dried plums, salt-free seasonings and balsamic vinegar.

Foods to Avoid

You are not supposed to eat anything that might lead to water retention. The list of prohibited foods during the Jumpstart phase of the Flat Belly Diet includes salt and processed foods, bulky raw foods, chewing gum, high-carbohydrate foods, gassy foods, fried foods, spicy foods, sugar alcohols, carbonated beverages, acidic fruit juices, hot cocoa, coffee, tea or alcohol.

Benefits

Vaccariello says that eating four smaller meals will limit the amount of acid that your stomach produces and that during the Jumpstart phase of the diet, you can lose up to 7 lb., although this is in part water weight that you lose when you get rid of the bloating.

Considerations

The amount of calories allowed during the Jumpstart phase is rather low, only 1,200 and the food choices are limited. However, this is only for four days and then you are allowed 1,600 calories per day.

This diet doesn't take into account the different caloric needs of people. The 1,600 calories per day may be too much to allow some smaller and less active people to lose weight and it may be insufficient for larger and more active people.