Jorge Cruise, an author and celebrity fitness trainer, created "The Belly Fat Cure." He believes you can lose belly fat by omitting certain types of sugar from your diet. This weight loss program is a controlled-carb plan focusing on consumption of healthy fats, protein and non-starchy vegetables. You must avoid simple carbohydrates, processed foods and artificial sweeteners. Talk with your doctor or dietitian before dramatically restricting any food group from your diet.
Cruise designed his diet around the premise that high insulin levels can lead to fat storage, particularly belly fat storage. Sugar and carbohydrates raise your blood sugar, which causes your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin helps transport calories throughout your body for energy. Cruise claims that high insulin levels lead to a higher conversion of sugars to fat. You are not encouraged to count calories on this diet, just sugar. Your sugar intake is not supposed to exceed more than 15 g per day. You may have six servings of complex carbohydrates each day. Although exercise is optional on this diet, Cruise recommends light cardio and abdominal workouts.
Acceptable Fruits
Blueberries and blackberries are the only acceptable fruits in the Belly Fat Cure because they are low in sugar. One cup of blueberries contains approximately 15 g of natural sugar and close to 4 g of fiber. A cup of blackberries only contains about 7 g of sugar and 7 g of fiber. Fiber helps dispose sugar from your body. Since these berries are low in sugar, they will not cause a spike in your insulin levels. When you reach your goal weight, you can increase fruit consumption to two pieces of new fruit each day.
Acceptable Vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, spinach and artichokes are encouraged in the Belly Fat Cure diet. These vegetables contain little or no sugar, which helps keep your insulin levels stable. Avoid starchy vegetables such as potatoes because they contain simple carbohydrates that can raise your insulin levels. Vegetables also give your body essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Additional vegetables appropriate on this diet include sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Cruise recommends steamed vegetables as a side dish for dinner.
Additional Acceptable Foods
Additional foods you should focus on during this diet include lean meats such as skinless chicken breast, sirloin steak and turkey. Fish is also a recommendation and is a rich source of essential fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids. Acceptable fish include salmon, tuna, trout and herring. The diet also allows complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads and brown rice, just don't exceed the maximum amounts per day. Nuts, including almonds and walnuts, make appropriate snacks on this diet. Additionally, you can drink coffee, beer, wine and champagne, but avoid high-sugar cocktails, milk and coffee drinks that contain added sugar.
References
- EveryDiet: Belly Fat Cure; Jorge Cruise
- "The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System and Lose 4 to 9 lbs. Every Week"; Jorge Cruise
- Dr. Decuypere: Fruit Chart
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Blueberries, Raw
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Blackberries, Raw
- Dr. Decuypere: Vegetables Chart
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