healthy stomach

What matters most for shedding belly fat boils down to calories in versus calories out. For sure, counting those suckers at every meal will help you stay consistent with a healthy eating plan, says Aragonbut it isnt necessary to lose weight. If worrying about Every. Single. Calorie. is stressing you out, put away the calculator (research shows that stress itself can cause you to stuff your face). Instead, fill your plate with whole, energy-dense foods, such as lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Because they pack a lot of nutrition into comparatively few calories, youre able to eat more and feel full without expanding your waistline. For an example of how to combine specific foods into belly-flattening dishes,

Despite what nearly every diet plan in the late 90s led you to believe, carbs are not your enemy. Yes, if you overeat them, youll gainjust as with any other food. But when it comes to weight loss, your total calorie balance is what matters. If you eat more than you burn, the unused calories turn into fat that gets stored in your belly (and elsewhere), regardless of what particular foods those calories come from, says Aragon. That said, if just the sight of carb-heavy dishes melts your willpower into goo, avoiding them is the foolproof way to control your weight. More realistic, perhaps, is making sure most of your carbs are the complex kind found in whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables. Because these tend to fill you with fiber, its easier to eat them in controlled portions than it is with highly processed refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice.

Dont be fooled by labels featuring ripped, bulked-up dudes. Anyone, jock or not, can benefit from the belly-flattening power of protein powder. Opt for whey protein over soy: According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, participants whose diets included whey protein for 23 weeks had less body fat and a smaller waist than those who consumed soy protein. In fact, as strange as it sounds, dieters who included whey protein in their eating plan doubled their fat loss compared with those who ate the same number of calories but didnt drink any shakes. To reveal your abs once and for all, try including a whey protein shake once a day or at least a few times a week.

Absolutely. In fact, cutting back on the amount of dairy you eat can signal your body to make more fat cells, according to a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. When you dont have enough calcium in your body, it tries to hold on to whats there. This triggers the release of a compound called calcitriol, which increases the production of fat cells. If you want fewer fat cells, eating extra calcium suppresses calcitriol, which breaks down fat and makes your fat cells leaner and your tummy flatter. So enjoy the moo juice, yogurt, or a little cheese. Because dairy does tend to be high in calories, keep your portions small or stick to low-fat varieties. (The USDA recommends that women get three cups of low-fat dairy a day.)

Nutritionists debate this topic as vigorously as politicos argue about tax hikes. Theres no direct link between consuming these sweeteners and gaining weight. Still, some research indicates that by providing you with the taste of a high-calorie meal without delivering the calories your brain expects, diet foods made with chemicals, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives can actually leave you craving more food, which causes you to overeat. And another reason to tone down your diet soda habit, says Aragon: Scientists at the University of Minnesota found that diet sodas and fake sugars may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome, which results in higher levels of belly fat, blood sugar, and cholesterol. So its a good idea to limit your intake to three or four servings a day at most (one packet of sugar substitute in your coffee is one serving; one can of diet soda is two). If your diet otherwise consists mainly of real foods, you can enjoy a little sweetener, whether its artificial or not.

Most fat-loss pills are a waste of money, and many carry scary risks, says Aragon. The truth is, the fat loss caused by any supplement is minor and is even less significant in people who have a substantial amount of weight to lose, he says. The best and only real way to uncover your abspermanentlyis to focus on what you eat and how you exercise.

This is actually the best time to have your largest meal of the day as long as its a reasonable size and not a full-on feast. Thats because youve just reduced your bodys fuel reserves, and food can help aid your recovery. Plus, when your body is in a recovery state, incoming calories and nutrients stand a better chance of being absorbed by muscle tissue instead of being stored in fat tissue. If your goal is to curb uncontrollable hunger after a workout, try lean beef, poultry, or fishprotein-rich foods tend to be very filling. Pair that meat with whole-food, high-fiber carbohydrate sources such as beans. Fiber is another element that can help you feel satiated quickly.

A rushed meal is out of sync with the creeping pace of the gut. First, savor your meal. In a neat bit of mind/body magic, the thought, sight, and aroma of good food jumpstart the digestive process, signaling the stomach and salivary glands to secrete chemicals that will help break down food. Chew your food well so your gut doesnt have to work as hard to break it down. Eat slowly to avoid gulping air, which will make you gassy, bloated, and thanks to the minds payback to the body irritable.

Gut-friendly bacteria use fiber, an indigestible carbohydrate, as their main food source, so eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, such as oats, barley, whole wheat, and popcorn. Fiber also aids the passage of food and waste through the gut. Most adult women should aim for over 20 g of fiber a day; men should get at least 30 g. But again, go slowly: Increasing your fiber intake too quickly can cause gas and bloating.

Common heartburn culprits: acidic, spicy, and fatty foods; caffeinated and carbonated drinks; chocolate; and onions. Notorious gas producers include beans, onions, and cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, and radishes. (These veggies are loaded with vital nutrients, so dont shun them altogether, but enjoy them in small doses.) The same goes for packaged low-carb treats and other foods containing artificial sweeteners especially the sweetener sorbitol.