Finding a pair of jeans that fit isn't the only problem from a large stomach and waist. A large waist circumference significantly boosts your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports. Including these four foods to shrink your waistline and stomach as part of your healthy diet can help you shed fat from your midsection.
Green Tea
Green tea is abundant in a class of compounds known as tea catechins. Tea catechins can help you lose weight by boosting your body's natural metabolism, the University of Maryland Medical Center states. However, green tea catechins specifically target belly fat, according to the November 2009 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." In this study it was found that green tea reduces waist circumference by nearly 2 cm. Drink at least 2 cups of green tea per day to see a benefit, the UMMC advises.
Oatmeal
Whole-grain oatmeal is a healthy way to start your day off. Unlike sugary breakfast cereals, oatmeal is digested slowly. Slowly digesting carbs are less likely to cause blood sugar spikes that lead to body fat deposition. Eating oatmeal for breakfast can shrink your waistline by nearly 7 cm, the February 2010 "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" reports. Opt for sugar-free oatmeal as it contains fewer calories than instant oats.
Vegetables
Vegetables are naturally low in the glycemic index -- a measurement of how quickly the carbohydrates in food end up as blood sugar. People that choose low glycemic index foods like vegetables have smaller waists than those that eat high GI foods like refined grains and candy, the July 2010 "PLoS One" states. Low GI vegetables include spinach, yams and radishes.
Low-Fat Yogurt
Low-fat yogurt is an excellent choice while dieting as it's low in calories and rich in appetite-suppressing protein. A study in the April 2005 "International Journal of Obesity" found that eating dairy while cutting calories boosted belly fat loss by 80 percent. The calcium in yogurt and other dairy products activate fat-burning cells in your body, according to the study.
References
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk
- "International Journal of Obesity"; Dairy augmentation of total and central fat loss in obese subjects; MB Zemel; April 2005
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effect of green tea catechins with or without caffeine on anthropometric measures: a systematic review and meta-analysis; O Phung et al.; January 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Whole-grain ready-to-eat oat cereal, as part of a dietary program for weight loss, reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults with overweight and obesity more than a dietary program including low-fiber control foods; KC Maki et al.; February 2010
- "PLoS One": Dietary determinants of changes in waist circumference adjusted for body mass index - a proxy measure of visceral adiposity; D Romaguera; July 2010
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