If your stomach area is bulging over your belt, you're not alone. Abdominal fat, also called belly or visceral fat, is a common weight gain area, according to Harvard Health Publications, affecting many men and women, particularly after menopause. Managing abdominal weight gain is important, since it increases your risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, it may be effectively reduced through increased exercise and dietary changes. For best results, seek guidance from your doctor or dietitian.
Enriched Flour
Enriched flour, whether white or wheat, provides less fiber and nutrients than whole grains, such as barley, oats and whole wheat. It is considered high-glycemic, meaning it may disrupt your blood sugar levels and lead to energy decline and food cravings. Harvard Medical School recommends replacing enriched flour products, such as breads and pasta, with whole grains as a useful dietary step toward reducing abdominal fat. When purchasing breads, pasta, cereals and baked goods, check ingredient lists and avoid those that list enriched flour as a main ingredient.
Added Sugars
Added sugars, similar to enriched flour, are high-glycemic. They also contribute "empty calories," or calories virtually devoid of nutrients, to a slew of foods and beverages. According to a report published by the "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences" in December 2008, a diet high in added sugars and saturated fat is linked with obesity and metabolic syndrome -- a condition characterized by abdominal obesity. To reduce these risks, avoid foods and beverages particularly high in added sugars, such as candy, milk chocolate, pancake syrup, sugary cereals, jelly and jam, regular soft drinks and commercially prepared cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Foods rich in added sugars and saturated fat include doughnuts, pastries, cheesecake and pound cake.
Fatty Meats and Milk
Fatty meats, such as high-fat steaks, bacon, sausage, organ meats, beef, dark-meat poultry and lamb, and milk products, such as whole milk and high-fat cheese, contribute rich amounts of saturated fat to your diet. To prevent or reduce belly fat, MayoClinic.com recommends replacing saturated fat sources with polyunsaturated fat sources, such as walnuts, sunflower seeds, salmon, herring and vegetable oils. Avoid dishes prepared with high-fat meat and milk products as well, which include meat-topped pizza, ham and cheese omelets, fast-food breakfast sandwiches, alfredo sauce, cheesecake, ranch dressing, milkshakes and ice cream.
Fried Foods
Fried foods are also typically high in saturated fat. Even vegetables, such as potatoes and onions, contain excess fat and calories and contribute to abdominal weight gain when fried to create french fries and onion rings. Breaded fried foods, such as mozzarella sticks and fried chicken, also contain enriched flour. Try replacing common fried snack foods, such as potato chips and nachos, with fresh fruits and vegetables or baked, whole grain crackers. Grilled fish provides a heart-healthy, lighter alternative to fried meats, such as bacon and fried burgers. When preparing foods at home, opt for healthier cooking methods, such as steaming, baking, broiling and grilling foods atop nonstick cooking spray or olive oil.
References
- Harvard Medical School: Abdominal Fat and What to Do About It
- "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences"; Chronic Stress, Combined with a High-Fat/High-Sugar Diet, Shifts Sympathetic Signaling toward Neuropeptide Y and Leads to Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome; Lydia E. Kuo et al.; December 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep It Off
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