Flat Belly Diet & Diabetics

The original "Flat Belly Diet" book outlined a 35-day plan for losing belly fat with a focus on reducing blood sugar levels that affect belly fat and health. The emphasis on lowering blood sugar suggests the diet would be helpful to people with diabetes, in which monitoring blood sugar is crucial. The author of the "Flat Belly Diet" asked diabetes specialists to review the diet plan and used the feedback to write "Flat Belly Diet! Diabetes."

Diabetes

According to Liz Vaccariello, the author of the "Flat Belly Diet! Diabetes", nearly 95 percent of people with diabetes have the type-2 form, which is treatable and preventable through lifestyle choices. Diabetes is a life-threatening condition in which the body is unable to use insulin to transport glucose to the cells. The result is high glucose levels in the blood that can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney failure and death.

Flat Belly Diet! Diabetes Plan

"Flat Belly Diet! Diabetes" focuses on reducing blood sugar levels to get rid of belly fat. The plan has two phases. Phase one lasts seven days, giving you the exact foods to eat each day. Phase two is 28 days and allows you to design your own meal plan from lists provided in the book. Both phases involve three 400-calorie meals and one 400-calorie snack a day. Active or tall people can add an additional 200-calorie snack.

Monounsaturated Fatty Acid

The Flat Belly diet recommends a balanced diet of vegetables, fruit, lean protein, healthy fats and whole grains. Every meal in the plan includes a monounsaturated fatty acid, which the author indicates sets this diet apart from others. The book cites many studies that indicate monounsaturated fatty acids lower cravings and reduce visceral fat. One study published in "Diabetologia" in 2001 showed that monounsaturated fats reduced insulin sensitivity. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive, canola, safflower, sesame and soybean oils. Olives, nuts, flaxseed, avocado and dark chocolate also contain monounsaturated fatty acid.

Exercise

Exercise not only improves heart health, it can help control blood sugar levels. However, because exercise requires energy obtained from blood sugar, people with diabetes need to monitor blood sugar before and after exercise to ensure safe levels. The Flat Belly Diet includes an exercise program of walking 15 to 30 minutes six days a week and a short, four-move weight training plan three days a week. To strengthen the abs, it recommends five non-crunch core exercises, as well.