The Flat Belly Diet is a 32-day weight-loss program from Prevention magazine that emphasizes monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs. The diet starts with a four-day Jumpstart before you follow the meal plan for the final 28 days. You need to pay to become a member and get a complete plan for this diet, but some basic information is available for free online.
Diet Background
The Flat Belly Diet is a reduced-calorie, high-fat diet to help you lose weight and reduce bloating. Each of your four daily meals should include a source of monounsaturated fatty acids, since the diet claims that these kinds of dietary fats can reduce your belly fat. According to MayoClinic.com, research has not shown the potential for any foods to target specific areas of fat. The Flat Belly Diet claims you can lose up to 7 lbs. during the Four-Day Jumpstart. The diet does not require you to exercise, but increasing your physical activity can speed up weight loss.
Guidelines
You can get a detailed meal plan for the 4-Day Jumpstart if you register for the Flat Belly Diet, but Prevention provides some guidelines for free. Each day, drink a full recipe of Sassy water that you make with 2 L water, ginger, cucumber, mint leaves and lemon. Prevention says you should eat slowly to reduce the amount of air trapped in your gastrointestinal tract and walk briskly for five minutes after each meal to release any air and reduce bloating.
Meal Plan
You eat four meals a day for a total of 1,200 calories per day on the four-day Jumpstart, and then 1,600 calories for the next 28 days. Your MUFA at each meal can come from a variety of sources, and a serving is 1 tbsp. of olive or other vegetable oils, 2 tbsp. of nuts and seeds, 1/4 cup of avocado, 10 olives or 1/4 cup of chocolate. Flat Belly Diet recipes using these fat sources include vegetable pizza, chicken with citrus avocado salsa and Vietnamese beef salad. Avoid bloating foods such as carrots, salt, high-fiber vegetables and chewing gum.
Dietary Fat and Weight Control
The Flat Belly Diet is a high-fat diet, with about 40 percent of its calories from fat compared to national recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to get 25 to 35 percent of your calories from fat. Prevention says that people who lose weight with a high-fat diet are more likely to keep off the weight for the long term because high-fat diets are more satisfying and better-tasting. The Flat Belly Diet claims that you can lose up to 15 lbs. during the full 32-day program and learn habits to keep off the weight.
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